[Choosing Turkey hot air balloon Guide] How to choose the hot air balloon company, price and booking method
How can you come to Turkey and not ride a hot air balloon? As the best country in the world for hot air ballooning, Turkey has its unique geographical environment, which is suitable for hot air ballooning all year round, and there are many choices for location, time and hot air balloon companies. This time, I will tell you about the best place, the best month to ride and some things to pay attention to the hot air balloon in Turkey, so that you can experience this activity of a lifetime must be played once without worry!
Hot Spots for Balloon Rides
Cappadoica
There are many cities in Turkey where you can go ballooning, but the most popular place is Cappadocia. Cappadocia has the most suitable environment for hot air ballooning, with more than 200 days a year for flying, and 160 hot air balloons in mid-air at the same time, which is very shocking, and you can watch the sunrise from the balloon, which is extremely romantic. In addition, the strange terrain here, high and low valleys, enriching the entire visual effect and flying experience, I have been in different places in the hot air balloon, I really think that the experience in Cappadocia is the best!
Pamukkale (Cottonelle)
If you are on a tight schedule and can’t make it to Cappadocia for a hot air balloon ride, then Pamukkale is a great alternative. It’s close to Istanbul, so you can take part in the flying experience if you don’t have a lot of days left in your trip. Flying in Fort Cotton is like being above the clouds and seeing this world heritage site from a different perspective. Flying in Cotton Towers is cheaper than Cappadocia, so if you’re looking for an affordable experience, consider this!
▼ A hot-air balloon ride in Fort Cotton is another view (Photo courtesy of alanyaonlinetrips)
Best Months
Balloon rides are available 356 days a year in Turkey, but the scenery, timing, and even the length of the flights are different in summer and winter.
The best months to fly are from May to September in the summer because of the longer hours of sunshine and the temperature and wind direction are more suitable for flying. Generally, you can fly most of the days in the summer, and the flight time is also longer, usually 1.5 hours or more. In addition, it is the most popular season for hot air balloon flights, so you can see more than a hundred hot air balloons in the air at the same time, which is very shocking and spectacular. In the summer, you need to wake up earlier to see the sunrise! Also, since it is a popular season, the price is much higher than in winter.
In the winter season (October to April), you can enjoy a completely different view from a hot air balloon ride. You can have a chance to see the snowy scenery and enjoy the romance of having only a few hot air balloons in the air. In winter, due to high winds, there are relatively fewer days to fly, and more professional pilots are required to fly in case of emergencies. In winter, you don’t have to get up so early to take a balloon ride because most of the time you will be watching the sunset, and you will fly in the afternoon, but because of the weather, the flight time is less than in summer, usually only about an hour, but of course, the price is much cheaper! If you want to experience a different kind of flight, you should definitely consider taking a hot air balloon ride in winter.
How to choose a hot air balloon company?
After all, hot air ballooning is a risky activity, so it is important to choose a company that is safe, has good service and is professional. When choosing a hot air balloon company, it is highly recommended that you first look at the services offered by the company and the testimonials of the participants. Because each company has different flight time and may provide different services (e.g. whether they provide breakfast, whether they have shuttle service, the number of participants per balloon, etc.), so to ensure that you have the most enjoyable experience, remember to look at and compare a few companies before making a decision.
What are the most famous hot air balloon companies?
Turkey has been getting more and more hot air balloon companies in recent years, and the most famous hot air balloon companies are Royal Balloon and Butterfly Balloons, which are recommended by TripAdvisor and many travelers, and they are also relatively old companies that have been providing flying experience for more than 15 years or more. Both of them are more expensive, but the service is guaranteed and the flying experience is very good.
Editor’s Recommendation
Turquaz Balloons is a popular balloon company in recent years. They are more expensive than the usual companies by US$60 or more, but they mainly provide high quality service experience. After completing the flight, you will not only get a certificate, but also an extra medal, which is very memorable! If it’s your birthday, they will even send you a cake to celebrate with you, which makes the whole experience even more satisfying. I think it’s a little bit expensive but worth it, I highly recommend it!
▼Turquaz Balloons booking website▼
https://hk.trip.com/travel-guide/attraction/goreme/turquaz-balloons-cappadocia-50663724/
▼Turquaz Balloons awards certificates and medals at the end of the trip, which are very memorable.
Prices and Reservations
Price
The price of each hot air balloon company is different, not only will it change according to the month, but also according to the number of people riding in each hot air balloon, generally the fewer the number of people in the hot air balloon, the more expensive it will be. Therefore, you have to check the price on the website by yourself. However, the following price list is for your reference:
| Time | Location | Price (in HKD) |
| Summer (May-September) | Cappadocia | Approx. HK$2,000-$3,000 |
| Winter (October-April) | Cappadocia | Around HK$600-$1,000 |
| Summer (May-September) | Cotton Towers | Around HK$1,000-$2,000 |
| Winter (Oct-April) | Cotton Tree Castle | Around HK$300-$1,000 |
Booking Method
If you want to sit in a hot air balloon, the following three booking methods are available for your reference:
- Book directly with the balloon company on their website or by email, but the price will be more expensive.
- Book with the hotel where you are staying, but remember to understand the itinerary and details before paying the hotel, and it is recommended to book three days before your stay during peak season, so as not to run out of space.
- Book with a local travel agency. Usually, you need to book several trips with a travel agency to get the discount (hot air balloon, one-day tour, etc.), and you should compare several trips before making a decision because the price can be very different!
- If you book directly on travel platforms (Klook, Trip.com, KKday, etc.), you can get help from the platform to solve any problems, and there are discounts occasionally, which is a great deal! It’s also recommended to read reviews before making a booking!
In addition, if you book with local travel agencies or hotels, remember to prepare US dollars or Euros in advance, because most of the local hotels and travel agencies only accept cash and Euros or US dollars, and if you don’t have it, it is very difficult to exchange it in Turkey (and the exchange rate is also very bad), so remember to exchange it in Hong Kong first!
▼ Hot Air Balloon Booking Site (Cappadocia)▼
▼ Hot Air Balloon Booking Site (Cotton Bowl)▼
Hot Air Balloon Flight Process
Although the hot air balloon ride is just about an hour or so, the whole trip takes about three hours in total! Let’s share with you the whole process of the flight:
Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the balloon company ＞ Have a light breakfast (some companies don’t provide it) ＞ Listen to the flight procedures and notes ＞ Go to the lift-off point ＞ Watch the balloon inflate ＞ Fly in the balloon (about 1 hour) ＞ Landing and collecting the balloon ＞ Celebrate the success of the flight and receive the certificate.
So the whole experience is very rich and complete, that’s why everyone must come here once in a lifetime!
▼ We leave at 4am to prepare for lift-off!
▼ It’s truly amazing to see over a hundred hot air balloons over Cappadocia!
Notes
There are a few things you should pay attention to in order to avoid stepping on hot air balloon rides!
- Clothing
Most of the hot air balloon rides start in the early hours of the morning. Although it is summer, the temperature difference between day and night in Turkey is very big, and it is only about 10 degrees Celsius in the early hours of the morning in the summer, so you should wear a warm jacket when you set off from the hotel in order to avoid getting cold. In addition, we recommend you to wear pants and clothes that are easy to move around because you have to step into the basket of hot air balloons. - Meeting time and place
Usually, the departure time is around 4:00am, and the hot air balloon money will arrange the car to pick up and drop off at the hotel. Please rest early the day before and don’t be late because the bus will not wait for you! The balloon company will not refund your money if you miss the bus! - Restrictions
Ballooning is a high-risk activity, you need to sign a life and death declaration before departure, and most insurance companies will not compensate for ballooning accidents. Pregnant women, children under the age of 5, and people with high blood pressure are not eligible to ride. - What to do if the event is canceled
The lift-off of hot air balloon depends very much on the weather of the day. If the event is canceled due to unfavorable weather, the balloon company will usually arrange for a postponement of the event for one more day, and a full refund can be made if the event cannot be participated. Therefore, it is recommended to reserve two to three days for the balloon ride to maximize the chances of getting a ride. - Follow the pilot’s instructions
Because of the balance and safety of the balloon, once the balloon is up in the air, you cannot change your position and do not move around. You should also follow the pilot’s instructions to avoid any danger. In addition, if you want to bring a camera or video camera to take pictures, you must bring a hand strap to avoid accidentally dropping the balloon, because the balloon company will not be responsible for this!
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