Cappadocia means “the land of beautiful horses” in old Persian. The region is famous for its fairy chimneys, unremarkable landscape, and hot air balloons. In this article you’ll find all you need to know before adventuring yourself in the beautiful Cappadoce region.
After 3 months on the road, we finally made it to our goal destination : Cappadocia !
We stayed 10 days in Cappadocia and experienced 5 sunrises with balloons. You have to know that balloons usually don’t fly if the wind is stronger than 10km/h. However, they still fly with rain and snow, so if you are planning to go to Cappadocia in winter you’ll be able to spot those balloons. And Cappadocia looks beautiful under the snow!
Moreover, balloons don’t always start and end up in the same spot, they fly according to the wind direction.
SUNSET AND SUNRISE
“Can you tell me the EXACT location of this photo?” I think this is the most frequent question we got asked when posting our pictures in Cappadocia.
There are many different places where to enjoy sunrises and sunsets, some less crowed than others, some harder to access, some hidden… It’s not always easy to know which place to choose, and we are here to help you make your choice. Therefore, here is a list of our top locations!
◦ Love Valley : This valley is called so because of the rock formations with a penis form. But locals prefer to refer them as “fairy chimneys”. The love valley is one of our favorite location for sunrise, but it’s so crowded! You can find shops and cafes, and this famous swing in a heart form.
◦ Red Valley / Rose Valley : This is the most famous sunset spot in Cappadocia and is only 15 minutes driving from Gorëme. It’s a really cosy place arranged with swings, tables, sofas to make sure you appreciate your time spent here as much as possible. Order a beer at the cafe and enjoy the sunset.
Above all, it’s also a popular hiking area. Many people spent the whole day exploring the area.
There is a small entrance fee of 2Lira (0,30c).
◦ Sunset Point Gorëme : Good as much for sunrises than sunsets, it’s free and easy to access. You got a full view of Gorëme, and balloons pass over the town almost every sunrise. That’s why it is the most famous location in Gorëme.
◦ Uchisar Castle : This is the highest point in the region, and is better for sunset than sunrise. It overlooks the town, and all the nearby town.
Entrance fee is 6Lira (1€).
◦ Pigeon Valley : The name Pigeon Valley comes from the all the tiny pigeon houses that have been carved into the stone from years and years ago. It’s an amazing spot for sunset. It’s on this valley that you find the famous Wishing Tree, or Evil Eye Tree.
◦ The Balloon Launch Site : Located just before the Rose and Red Valley, this spot is our favorite with the Love Valley! In other words, we experienced amazing sunrise with hundreds of balloons launching in the sky!
Balloons departs and launch in different locations, so make sure to ask your hotel some information before venturing yourself outside.
◦ The Three Beauties : The three beauties are a trio of fairy chimneys which are said to represent a princess, her shepherd husband and their child.
WHAT TO DO IN CAPPADOCIA ?
The magical land of Cappadocia is home to many different activities and the region never sleeps! From museum, carpet shop, trekking, and night life, you’ll always find something to do while in the town.
◦ When in Gorëme, don’t forget to step inside the famous carpet shop Galerie Ikman to see those beautiful colored carpets and lamps everywhere. Unfortunately, you need to pay to make pictures inside. However, we did get some sneaky shots without paying!
◦ Camel ride : Riding a camel is harmful for the animal and tourist shoudn’t be a part of it; if you ride one, you encourage this business. We don’t like that animals are used for tourist attraction, and camels shouldn’t be exploited for tourism. Average price is 30€ for 1h ride.
◦ Hot air balloon flight : Stepping into the beautiful city of Gorëme means for sure experiencing a sunrise with a sky of full hot air balloons. Either on the ground, or aboard one of this balloons, the view will be amazing. Average price for a ride is 150€.
◦ Uchisar Castle : This castle is the highest point of the region. It’s 235 steps to climb until the top, and once there, you have a full panorama of the Cappadoce region. Ticket price is 6Lira (1€).
◦ ATV ride : As soon as entering the city, you will be surrounded by ATV. It’s an exciting way to explore the beautiful hills and valleys of Cappadocia. Consequently, it’s the most famous way to go around this fabulous landscape to explore every corner of the village. You can rent one, or go on a tour.
The prices differentiate depending on how long you want to rent one for as well as which company you use. Average price is 12€ for a 1 hour tour and 35€ for a 4 hours tour.
◦ Walking around : If you prefer to have a chilling and slowly day to enjoy the landscape as much as possible, you can go for a walk between those unbelievable rock formations. There are many trails, easy to find, easy to follow, and you’ll see breathtaking landscape all around you. Further, you could even hire a guide to take you around for the day.
◦ Horseback ride : Getting on a horse ride is a beautiful and relaxing way to discover the region. There are lots of companies offering horseback riding, average price is 60€ for a half-day tour.
◦ Gorëme open air museum: It’s one of the major place to visit in Cappadocia and is well known for its breathtaking cave-churches.
Opening time: 8am – 7pm (close at 5pm in winter time)
Ticket price: 45Lira (7€)
◦ Jeep safari: One of the most exciting adventures in Cappadocia is exploring the region in an off-road vehicle. However, the local authorities have limited where the jeeps can explore making some valleys off-limits. There might be some places you want to explore that are not allowed in a jeep, so make sure to double check when booking your tour. The price is very variable between companies, from 20€ to 100€! We suggest you to check few of them and book the one who fits the most your expectations.
◦ Stay in a cave hotel : There are hundred of hotels built in cave, and spending a night in one of them is a must while in Cappadocia.
WHERE TO BOOK A BALLOON RIDE ?
◦ Through an agency : You will find thousands of agency in Gorëme, Uchisar and the cities around that sells balloons ride. Don’t forget to deal the price !
◦ Through your hotel : The reception of your hotel will always be here to help you book a ride. Booking from your hotel will most of the time be a cheapest price than booking directly through an agency.
◦ Through a local : We suggest you to try to book your ride through a local who can find you the best prices for you ! The average price for a ride is 150€ per person, and a local can find you a ride for 50€ cheaper.
BEST TIME TO VISIT CAPPADOCIA ?
There isn’t a best time to visit Cappadocia. We would just suggest you to avoid going while the peak period (June, July and August) when prices are higher, temperatures so hot, and tourists everywhere !
People would suggest you to go April/ Mai or September/October because the temperatures are still alright. But in winter, especially with snow, Cappadocia is a really charming little village.
HOW TO GET AROUND ?
Getting around the Cappadoce region is easy and cheap. You have many different options. As we were on a road trip, we arrived in Cappadocia by car, so we just moved around the village with it. It’s possible to drive a non 4×4 car, but of course it would make your life easier if you have one.
◦ By car : Renting a car in Cappadocia is really common to move easily from town to town, and discover the hidden spots of the towns. Average price for a full day rent is 20€.
◦ By scooter : Not the most common way to move around, but renting a scooter is still an option in Cappadocia. Average price for one full day renting is 50-60Lira (8-10€). You will need an international driving license, and if the motorbike is more than 50cc you will need to show a motorbike license.
◦ By ATV : This is the most common way. There are many options, you can rent it for the day, for few hours or go on 1h, 2h, 5h.. tour
◦ By bicycle : Renting a bicycle is a good option to keep your budget low and you can move around easily. Price per day 15Lira (2,50€)
◦ By walk : Gorëme isn’t a big town, so getting around walking is the cheapest and most relaxing way to enjoy the landscape.
◦ By public transport : Buses goes from town to town, they are cheap, but slow and you might wait a long time for one to arrive. They run about every hour.
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY ?
A minimum of 3 days is necessary if you wanna experience as much as possible the region. There are so many things to do, and you don’t want to be there and miss a sunrise with a sky full of hot air balloons. We stayed there 10 days and could have stay more! Sunrise and sunset in this unbelievable landscape never gets boring.
And Cappadocia is full of doggies, you’ll make many friends!
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