04Experiences

Experience

Dawn over Cappadocia

The classic image of Cappadocia is a sky full of coloured balloons over the valleys at sunrise, and most flights leave from around Göreme, a town now known above all for its balloon rides and cave hotels. You set off before dawn, rising over fairy chimneys and carved gorges while the layers of volcanic rock show their different colours below. The plateau here is above 1,000 metres, and Göreme itself sits at about 1,104 metres, so mornings are cold even in summer; bring a warm layer. Book with a licensed operator and remember that flights depend on the weather, so leave a spare morning in your plan. If you stay on the ground, the view is still wonderful: climb a hill near Göreme or Uçhisar before sunrise and watch the balloons lift off around you one after another. Afterwards, walk one of the valleys between the rocks, or visit the Göreme Open Air Museum in its first hours of the day.

Over 1,000 m

Plateau elevation

0 m

Elevation of Göreme