Istanbul · HOT AIR BALLOON RIDES
The good hot air balloon rides tours fill up first and the great ones go weeks ahead. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes, and where they genuinely differ.
A tightly packed 2-day Cappadocia trip from Istanbul with cave hotel, hotel pickup, flights, guided UNESCO stops, and optional hot air balloon.
“Everything was well organized. Guide and driver were great, respectful, professional and attentive. Guide was very knowledgeable. Times were appropriate and well paced.”
Two days from Istanbul to Cappadocia with a cave boutique stay, semi-private tours, and an optional sunrise hot air balloon ride.
“My guide Yasar Eroglu and Driver Muhareem were both very professional and obviously love their job. Yasar wanted to ensure that I got the most out of my trip and even inquired if their were other areas of interest locally that I would like to learn more about, such as jewelry design, fashion, rug making and stones. The tour was informative and very interesting, and all questions were answered. Unfortunately, the balloon ride was canceled due to inclement weather, but do understand that this is out of their control and was clearly explained this could potentially occur beforehand. I am so thankful I had such a knowledgeable tour guide that…”
Istanbul to Cappadocia in 2 days: Zelve, Derinkuyu underground city, Ihlara Valley hike, fairy chimneys, plus sunrise hot-air balloon.
“Overall, I had an amazing time. Will definitely return to Cappadocia! Our guide Cevdet was extremely generous with the information that he shared with us, and so funny in a wholesome way. I highly recommend him. My hotel was very clean, safe, the owner and staff very helpful and kind. I had expected to stay in a cave hotel as mentioned in the package, but it wasn't the case. Still Alaturca House was nice. Transport for Green Tour was very comfortable, but the transport for the Red Tour was rather cramped.”
Fly Istanbul to Cappadocia in 2 days with guided North and South tours, cave hotel, included meals, and optional sunrise balloon upgrade.
“The tour is well organized and agencia keep you informed on who will pick you up, as well as providing directions. You have to deal with the time for dropping people at their hotels but the groups are small. We had excelent guides, mainly Mustafa. He perfectly knows the region and is absolutelly enthusiastic about it. He also adapts to the type of group and provides relevant information. Capadoccia is a wonderful place full of alternatives for staying and eating, as well for options to fly in baloons. Be aware that not everyday is possible to fly in Cappadocia and the local company could offer you other location. Be very…”
Two-day Cappadocia tour from Istanbul by flight, underground cities and Göreme UNESCO sights, plus optional hot-air balloon with Champagne.
“The tour was very well organized. Very punctual at all times. The meals provided were really good unlike other tours we used for our trip to Turkey. We had a memorable experience in Cappadocia.”
3 days in Cappadocia with flights, cave hotel stays, guided highlights, an ATV sunset ride, and optional hot air balloon views.
“Hot Air Ballon was one of the best experiences in my life.Enjoyed every minute”
Cappadocia from Istanbul in 2 days, 1 night by plane with a balloon ride. Small groups, hotel, flights, entrances, plus guided touring.
“The tour operator was proactive in providing information on the tour. Airport transfers from hotel to airport and vice versa is excellent, punctual, with enough time to check-in for the flight. The tour operator booked us at a cave hotel, with nice view and near the city center. Red tour was well organized and respected the timings. Buffet lunch was nice and plenty. The hot balloon ride in the morning was great, and is a different great experience by itself, site flew more balloons compared to our balloon ride in Orlando, USA. The green tour is not as remarkable as the red tour, and did not respect the timing, as…”
2-day Cappadocia sprint from Istanbul with sunrise balloon, Göreme open-air museum, ATV ride, and a luxury cave hotel. Great value, early mornings.
“The tour with Pupa Tours was well-organized and comprehensive. The staff was exceptionally kind, attentive, and always eager to address our inquiries. The balloon ride provided an absolutely breathtaking and unforgettable experience. However, there are certain aspects that could be improved. One issue was that our tours were swapped, resulting in the Goreme tour taking place after the balloon ride. Consequently, we had limited time to rest since the balloon ride required a 4 am pick-up, followed by the second tour starting at 9 am. Moreover, the chimneys tour felt somewhat repetitive, and some locations could have been omitted to enhance the overall experience. Additionally, unnecessary stop...”
Two days in Cappadocia from Istanbul with a cave hotel, covered sights, and optional hot air balloon upgrade in Göreme.
“The guide’s knowledge was limited and at times frustrating. This was general consensus of group. Standard of accommodation was disappointing. After a big day in the heat would have been good to have shower facilities to freshen up for our 5hr wait for return flight. The garden courtyard was overgrown and toilet facilities near it hadn’t been cleaned for ages. Breakfast fine. Would have been good if they offered accommodation options. There were earlier flights available with Turkish Ailines but for some reason we were put on late flight with AJet.Flower balloon ride was fabulous. Would I recommend this tour through Viator, no I would not.”
4-day group tour from Istanbul to Cappadocia, Ephesus, and Pamukkale, with flights, guides, hotels, and optional hot-air balloon.
“We had an incredible experience and used the local Travelinn Turkey agency on the tour to Cappadocia, Ephesus, and Pamukkale from Istanbul, where Savas was our point of contact and proved to be of invaluable assistance. The itinerary was well-planned, the guides were knowledgeable, and the accommodations were top-notch. I highly recommend this tour for anyone looking to explore the beauty of Turkey. Five stars!”
A 2-day Cappadocia package from Istanbul with a sunrise hot air balloon, included camel ride, cave hotel, and guided Göreme sights.
“Pick up was on time, brekkie bag was provided to each customer. Our balloon captain was fun! Definitely, a bucket list checked.”
Small-group highlights tour from Istanbul covering Pamukkale, Ephesus, and Cappadocia, with domestic flights and an optional dawn balloon upgrade.
“We were 3 generations with the youngest an 11 year old male. We all loved the experience. The sights we were taken to were the best in each area. The guides were top notch. We loved the fact that our guide in Cappadocia had actually grown up in a cave house and the experiences he was able to add. All connections to guides were and transportation were on time and easy to connect with.”
Fly from Istanbul, sleep in a cave hotel, tour Cappadocia with small groups, and add an optional sunrise balloon ride.
“It was amazing, doing it through viator was the best decision, we've met travellers not being able to fly. Really pleased”
2-day Cappadocia tour from Istanbul by plane, with cave hotel, UNESCO-style sights, and a hot air balloon ride included.
“Such excellent service and communication! Every step of the journey was a great experience. Whenever I had a question they were quick to reply. The bus trips were perfect to get a taste of the Cappadocia area. The balloon ride was perfect for an aerial view of the sights visited. I even needed my ending transfer adjusted and they were able to accommodate everything! It was a smooth and stress free experience that was filled memories to treasure.”
A fast, well-guided 10-day West Turkey tour from Istanbul to Cappadocia, Ephesus, Troy, Pamukkale, and Gallipoli, with optional balloon.
“The tour itself was quite amazing. Our guide was open to questions and was conversant with each of us. It was a small group which always makes things so much more pleasant. I would definitely recommend this tour to others. I do prefer smaller hotels with character. Therefore, I can say the only disappointment I experienced was the tourist based accommodations. The hotels were nice, but rarely provided the flavor or a character of the towns and cities in which we stayed. Our guide, Erdim, made the tour.”
What this city is genuinely good at, list by list.
