What I loved about our particular pilot was how he knew exactly where to dip in the valleys so that you could get close to the rock formations.
All of the holes you can see that are carved into the side of the rock were homes for pigeons, who were considered to be very valuable in the years before artificial fertilisers came to pass (pigeon poop was used as a fertiliser for crops back then. Too much information?) The entrance to some of the pigeon holes were decorated with painted symbols and drawings and we managed to get close enough to snap some photos.
We also saw remnants of old towns which had been moved to neighbouring land as the rock had begun to crumble and break. Houses built within the “fairy chimneys” (pointed rock formations) were usually connected by passageways built into the back of the rock. I can’t even imagine how cold it must have gotten living in these rock houses, especially at night!
Hot Air Balloon + Champagne = My Perfect Morning
As we came in to land, the sun was almost risen and we glided down to the ground later than our allotted time (our pilot had been enjoying showing us around too much!) There the ground crew set up a table filled with champagne (Royal Balloon bottle their own, as you can see by the label) and orange juice, along with medals for all of us. I thought this was a nice touch as many companies give out certificates, which can easily get lost or ripped, especially in a backpack.
I am so happy that I managed to take a balloon ride in Cappadocia. The whole experience is up there with feeding the reindeer last year as one of my favourite things I’ve done on this trip so far.
If I was ever to take another balloon ride, I’d definitely want it to be somewhere as breathtaking and dramatic as the landscape of Cappadocia was.
Big thanks to Royal Balloon for offering us a discount on our balloon ride!
This is amazing – looks much better than my balloon flight over rainy england! and what a way to finish!! xx
That looks awesome! Wow what a view!
This is definitely on my travel list. It looks like a great trip.
It was! Thanks for reading 🙂