If we take the optional tour with Gate1 for Cappadocia, we will be visiting the open air museum, kaymakli underground city, and the villages of Avanos.

So I was wondering if we would still be able to get those wonderful views of the fairy chimneys from a distance or would they be upclose. I don't know if we can cough up $400 for the hot air balloon ride so I was hoping we can get some sort of aerial view otherwise??

If you have some free time for hiking, you'll get plenty of views. There is a "castle" at Uchisar that you can walk to the top of.

No, you will be able to view the fairy chimneys from up close at ground level. Cappadocia is truly amazing - it was the highlight of our Turkish holiday.

You will have NO shortage of opportunities of getting up close to the structures in Cappodocia.. thoroughly recommend it !

thanks for the replies - Yeah I assumed we would be able to see them up close. But what about the aerial views? Can you see those from the open air museum or do you HAVE to take a balloon ride for that?

How else would you see them from the air?
As I said before, if you hike up to one of the fortresses (Uchisar, Ortisahar), you'll get a panoramic view of sorts, but the only way to see them from the air would be in a balloon.
I know people say it's awesome, but I am skipping the balloon ride myself. For what you pay it is a very short ride, and I'd rather be exploring on the ground, but if the aerial view is important to you then you should splurge.

I'm sorry yorkshire - I did read your post but I figured that the hiking you mentioned was something you have to do independently. I was hoping to hear that there is some sort of platform, observation deck or something that is a part of the open air museum. since we are going with Gate1 tours - I am not sure if they will take us to the fortress you mentioned. But I will definitely try to get away and go with my husband if we are allowed to separate from them. THANKS!

And i agree with you - that kind of money on such a short amount of time doesn't sit well with me. I understand it might be spectacular - but the cost is just outrageous.

luv : The fairy chimneys are pretty much everywhere in Cappadocia and I thik it would be hard NOT to have an up-close view or a panoramic one of them if you were on a guided tour. You would definitely get both were you left to your own devices. Its so easy since they're everywhere - and they are spectacular.

The castle built in and amongst the chimneys in Uchisar will give you both. Parts of the climb are steep but well worth the view at the top. Take a windbreaker as its very windy up there. A cab or local bus can get you to the site.
The open air-museum will give you some views but lots of chimneys to walk into and out of. Nice medieval ceiling paintings.
Also, a walk thought the valley (I forget the name now) has lots of views and up-close opportunities.

My favourite view was from the terrace of my hotel, the Kelebek Pension, in Goreme. Really nice, especially at dusk.

hope I didn't sound snippy
Depending on how much free time you have, you can get an affordable cab to Uchisar from Goreme (or even walk one of the ways)--maybe the tour bus will even stop by on the way to or from Avanos or Kaymakli.
Even if you don;t climb the fortress, we are both in for an amazing trip--I'm staying at Kelebek, so glad to hear of the view Mathieu!

Luvtravelin, why do you think the balloon ride cost $400? I see on www.cappadociaballoons.org the standard ride is 160 EURO, which is like $250 or so. Not cheap, but no $400 either.

'ere luv this might help - http://www.cappadociaonline.com

Worldinabag :

Helen : Luv may have meant $400 for 2. Your quote sounds like a pp rate which is what I paid.

Yorkshire : I think you will like it there, especially if you are in a cave room. The outdoor breakfast terraces (theres more than one but they are spread out over the buildings depending where your room is ) are most enjoyable, especially the one high and across from the main building.

There are 7 companies in Cappadocia, different pilots, different prices and qualities.......

160 Euro 1 hour cash payment and 175 Euro with c.c is general rates.... Classical Deluxe Flight 1,5 hours with Kapadokya Balloons is 250 Euro c.c and 230 Euros cash.

Ballooning is a great adventure and fun in Cappadocia especially if you choose the right company which are no more than 3......

Happy Travelling,

Murat

Hi - thanks again for all the helpful responses. I love this site! Yes I meant $400 for the 2 of us. My husband is all for it if its something I want to do - but it me that has the problem with paying so much. Maybe I will change my mind as I slowly get used to the idea and cost! Thanks for providing the various tour operators for the balloon ride - we will definitely look into them and see which works best for us. In the mean time - I am totally looking forward to the open-air museum - from all of your posts - it sounds so amazing. Infact, the more I read on this site - the more excited I am getting about the trip. I dont think I can wait til May!

Hi Murat, besides Kapadokya Balloons, what other two companies of the seven do you recommend?

I have to admit that $700 US (230 euro cash times two) for a 1.5 hour flight at Kapadokya Balloons is more than I am willing to spend. I would like to check out the other companies you feel are worth the effort.

Thanks!

I took my family(wife + 3 children) to Turkey in Sept 05. My 2 sons & I did a hot air balloon ride with Goreme Ballons. I booked it before I left Australia and it was approx $400 Australian per person. It was expensive but by the time I got there I had already paid for it and I did not worry anymore about it. Anyway I think it was the best $1200 we spent...it was fantastic and I would thoroughly recommend it. We had perfect weather and the pilot was so so informative. Although dont do what we did and jumped in the first ballooning van that pulled up at our pensione in the dark at about 4.30am. It turned out that it was the wrong ballooning company and they had to race us by van to Goreme's lift off point. Needless to say we made it. The pilots are so skillful they can descend into the valleys so low that you can reach out of the basket and pick grapes off the vines growing on the ground before they ascend again. It is such a buzz when you can look around you and see another 15-20 balloons in the air. Go for it.

Also, just another thing to bear in mind - the balloon rides are weather dependent. the vast majority of balloonists enjoy favourable weather at 5.00am which allows a ride but unfortunately I wasn't amongst that majority For each of the 3 days that I was in Goreme, the weather at that early hour was unfavourable for ballooning (even though the rest of the day from 8.00 am onwards was sunny and fine for other activities, but the balloons don't all fly after a certain hour) and I never got to go. I was so disappointed but got a full refund. Every morning I was up and ready, but got a knock at my room door from a rep from the balloon company each time to tell me that they would not be flying due to bad (windy or wet) weather. Such a pity.

One more word, purely unsolicited, and entirely based on my own personal experience; you couldn't be in better hands than Murats. He is extremely helpful, knowledgable and I found all his advice to be spot on and reliable. He looked after all my internal flights and car hire, and when we finally met in Goreme, set me up with many interesting things off the beaten track. We had many a laugh and several interesting discussions. He is a very helpful person.

Mathieu;
Thank for the kind words I appreciate.

It takes two to have good experience your approach and personality was the key for spending nice time in Cappadocia....

I still remember the BBQ dinner, geees...

You are the 2nd person I know in person who did best to fly on Hot Air Baloon and could not make.........sorry about that.

So that means Turkey and Cappadocia calls you for another time and this time we will manage to fly

Regards from Sunny Cappadocia,
Murat

Hi Happy,
It will not be appropriate to name only 3 out of seven which I see most of them daily around, Cappadocia isn't that big......and weather we do business or not we are all friends at the end of the day.

Kapadokya Balloons, Goreme Balloons, Ez Air, Anatolian Balloons, Sultan Balloons, Kaya Balloons,Cihangiroglu Balloons are the current companies. There are two more to come into market I hear.

Ballooning is not like flying on an airplane like most people mixes two different issues. Ballooning is something you do once or twice in a lifetime and should be considered as an experience & adventure (light) and fun activity. So choosing the company whereever in the worl is important as you do not repeat it the next day.

So in your case Happy, you are going to come to a region where the best hot air ballooning in the world takes place as for the conditions and landscape concerns, and I highly recommend you to experinece this activity.

Happy travelling,
Murat