【Cappadocia】Enjoying the breathtaking views from a hot air balloon

I visited Cappadocia during the Obon holiday✨

As I had heard that August tends to have clear skies, the weather was sunny every day during our stay, and we were able to join the hot air balloon tour without any issues!

The schedule went like this: we were picked up from our hotel before 5 a.m., then taken by a shared van to the balloon launch site. We watched as the balloon gradually inflated, waited a bit, and once it was fully inflated, we boarded the basket.

The waiting time seems to vary depending on the day, but my husband, who forgot to bring a jacket, felt cold, so it seems like having a hoodie or something similar is essential😣 (Once you're in the balloon, the burner flames keep you quite warm!)

According to the guide of a Japanese group tour who happened to be on the same flight, we were lucky that day as the balloon ascended to a maximum altitude of 1,800 meters! The ride was very smooth, with no swaying or stomach-dropping sensations, but as someone with a fear of heights, I honestly found it scary at the highest altitude and could only look down through my camera lens… 🥺

Even so, the vast rocky landscape stretching as far as the eye could see, dotted with colorful balloons, was the most stunning view of my life✨ I can confidently say it’s an experience I highly recommend!

After landing, there was a champagne ceremony🍾. However, we didn’t actually drink champagne (it was just a performance of popping the cork), and cherry juice was poured into glasses and served instead. Since the timing of the balloon landings varies, there were still balloons flying in the background, making for adorable and picturesque photos🥹.

The experience concluded with receiving a flight certificate. We then gathered in the van we initially boarded and were dropped off at our respective hotels. The group of overseas ladies who happened to be on the same ride were so pleasant, saying "Thank you, have a good day!" as they got off the van. This prompted the remaining Japanese passengers to follow suit with "Arigatou gozaimashita~!" It was such a heartwarming moment😊.

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🕐 Schedule

4:45 Pickup
5:05 Arrival at the site
5:25 Takeoff
6:20 Landing
6:30 Champagne ceremony
6:55 Return to the hotel
*We stayed at Lunar Cappadocia, which is located on a hill, so we were among the last to be picked up and dropped off.