Encountered the supermoon! The ultimate guide to Cappadocia hot air balloon
National Day trip to Turkey and flew on the first day! Also encountered the supermoon!
Cappadocia's hot air balloons are unique in the world, and no other place can replace it. It's a must-try experience! If you're on a budget, you can choose to watch from the terraces in Goreme, which costs about 30 euros per person (if you've already booked a place like Sultan with a terrace, it's free), or rent a vintage car, which costs 80 to 100 euros per car (three people).
About the companies:
Actually, the Cappadocia hot air balloon industry is very mature, as it has strict requirements for weather and wind speed, so it's safe regardless of the company's size. The difference lies in the price and the quality of breakfast. Big companies (like Butterfly) have long and beautiful champagne tables and a rich breakfast, costing 60 to 100 euros more. Smaller companies have smaller champagne tables, and breakfast might just be a small bag with bread and water. My advice is if your hotel already offers a great breakfast, there's no need to book with a big company.
About booking channels:
If you're booking with a big company, it's recommended to book in advance, as the price won't be much cheaper last minute, and you might not get a spot.
For smaller companies, I don't recommend booking in China, as it's much more expensive. You can compare prices at travel agencies in Goreme once you arrive.
About the weather:
You can check the weather forecast in advance. If it's not raining and the wind isn't strong, it's generally possible to fly. You can also check the Cappadocia University official website, where a green flag means go, a red flag means absolutely no flying, and a yellow flag means pending.
About the cheapest time:
Booking last minute is not the cheapest! And there's not a last time price every day!
Look at the weather in advance, if the days before your target date were successful, your day is also likely to be a go. During off-peak seasons and non-holidays (considering Chinese, European, and Turkish holidays), you can wait for the last time price, which can be as low as 130 to 150 euros.
If the weather is bad during your visit, regardless of the season, book in advance. Prices at the time can be the most expensive, with 180 to 200 euros being a good deal.
During holidays, it's possible for flights to be full, so don't wait until the last minute. During holidays or peak seasons, the last time price often appears around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, which is the cheapest time, with prices as low as 180 euros being a good deal, and 200 to 230 euros being normal. Waiting until the last minute might mean it's full! On our first day, it was all booked by 9:30, but we saw that the weather on 10.1 and 10.2 was very poor (in fact, no flights were successful on those days). In this case, don't panic, you can ask the travel agency to put you on a standby list (which is a bit more expensive, around 220 euros). If there's a spot, they'll send a car to pick you up, then set your alarm for 5 am and wait for the call. The flight time is an hour and a half and it's super impressive! Since it was Mid-Autumn Festival, we also encountered the supermoon, the kind where you can directly see the craters on the moon! After landing, the staff will prepare champagne (non-alcoholic), and you'll receive a certificate. Thinking back, I'm still very glad we insisted on flying the first day.
Note:
1. Ask if it's the first or second batch, prioritize the first batch.
2. Ask where you'll fly, as some fly from other locations.
3. Ask how many people per basket, 4 is better than 5.