Cappadocia, Türkiye – Flying Above the Fairy Chimneys

Cappadocia is a region in central Türkiye known for unique cone shaped rock formations. I visited the region this past May as part of a two-week trip with my niece. We flew into Nevsehir from Istanbul on a Monday, an airport roughly the same size as the one in my hometown of Lynchburg, VA. That is to say it is tiny. The small size makes it easy to find ground transportation. Most hotels will arrange for airport transfers at a reasonable cost, making it an effective way to go. There are a number of towns in the region, and we elected to stay in Goreme since it was close to most of the sites that we wanted to see.

Visitors to Cappadocia will all tell you that it is stunningly beautiful, and I would add that it is also surprisingly quiet. There are certainly plenty of tourists but they aren’t crowding the streets. It has the feel of a friendly small town. After checking into our cave hotel, we found a quaint wine bar with open air roof-top seating and a small menu of food. There is a large and active wine industry in this region, and I found all the local wine to be very delicious. During our short time there I tried the regional Sauvignon Blanc, Rose and Cabernet from the Turasan or Kapdoka wineries. After lunch I had booked an afternoon at a local Haman (Turkish Bath) and it turned out to be one of the most relaxing spa treatments that I have ever experienced. I left feeling like a pampered princess.

We had booked a hot-air balloon ride on Tuesday morning but when I returned to the hotel, there was a WhatsApp message from the tour company informing us that due to weather, all balloon flights on Tuesday had been cancelled. I knew that this was a possibility, which is why we made sure to include a full three days in the area so that we would have a second chance in case our initial flight was canceled. We had to re-work our itinerary but were fortunate in that we were able get a flight for Wednesday morning.

With Tuesday now free we took full advantage to explore the area. We visited Derinkuyu or the Underground City. It was believed to be created by the Hittites around 1200 BC and was used as a place for people to hide from invaders. The Underground City is an amazing structure and the tour requires passing through a number of exceptionally low and narrow tunnels. If you have back problems, knee problems, claustrophobia or stand taller than 5’10 navigating through the tunnels can be challenging. Once you make it through, you’ll be glad that you did it but will probably never want to do it again.

We next visited the Goreme Open Air Museum, a Byzantine monastic settlement and UNESCO World Heritage site. Churches and chapels were cut into rocks and the artistry is beautifully colored and well preserved. Visitors are not allowed to take photographs of the paintings and there are guards at every location so don’t even try. One thing that is not often mentioned in the guidebooks is how many hills and stairs are involved. As soon as you leave the car park it’s a hike up to the entrance of the park. Once you enter and look up you will see the rocks surrounded by the stairs that look like they came out of Escher’s painting. You can’t tell where they begin and end. Anyone who tells you that a visit to the museum requires a “moderate level” of physical endurance is clearly referring to those under 40. Even when you get tired you will still want to continue exploring but remember to save enough energy for the walk back down.

After the museum we took a break for lunch and then made some scenic stops at Love Valley and Pigeon Valley We finished our afternoon with a visit a local pottery studio. Initially I was only mildly interested but it turned out to be one of my favorite activities of the day, especially since a pottery demonstration does not require hills nor stairs but instead watching a master at work while sipping local wine out of clay wine glassed. We even got to try working the week and making our own pot. The feel of clay and water was therapeutic and soothing.

It had been a full and eventful day and to top it off we took a bottle of red wine and two plastic glasses and perched on some rocks to watch the sunset over the Red Valley. All sunsets are beautiful of course, but watching the slow decline over the sandstone ridges provides a deep orange glow that is truly something special.

Our final day in Goreme began at 3:30 a.m. We woke up, dressed quickly and waited outside the hotel for the tour van that was going to take us into the valley where we were going to watch the sun rise from a hot air balloon. When the van arrived we climbed in and settled amidst a dozen or so other sleepy tourists. The oversized van wound it’s way through the narrow roads as part of a caravan, one among the many vans carrying passengers to the location where they would ascend above the rocky terrain.

When we arrived at the location there were tables set up laid with hot coffee and Turkish tea. My niece and I grabbed a cup and wandered through the grass watching as dozens of balloons were being inflated. You could feel the adrenaline in the air. I suspect for the hundreds wandering and watching that this was a bucket list activity and the anticipation coursed through the crowd. I attempted to video the blowing up of the balloons but the noise coupled with my excitement and shaking hands only produced a barely understandable commentary of what was happening.

Once the balloon was fully inflated, we were motioned over and helped inside of the basket. We were given a short safety briefing and practiced how to hunch down and brace during landing. And then, the balloon ascended slowly into the sky. At that moment, my eyes widened as my niece and I looked at each other, neither quite believing that we were actually doing this. I will admit that I got a bit emotional. Not just from the serene beauty of the landscape as we rose over the rocks, but from the realization that this was something that in my younger years I had never imagined was possible.

Next to us in the large basket was a mother and daughter from the UK, they were as excited as we were. We took photos of each other and shared our stories of how each of us came to be there, but the sounds of balloon being filled with air along with the sheer excitement of the experience made meaningful conversation impossible. The four of us changed positions so that we could each get the best views and while our conversation was lovely, it was unfocused as each minute flying above the rocks and fairy chimneys diverted our attention. It was surreal, seeing the multitude of balloons fill the sky as the sun rose over the horizon. The movement of the balloon was easy and gentle.

The flight lasted about 30 minutes but if felt much shorter, I wanted to sail across those skies forever. The landing was a bump, but the well trained pilot made it easy and it wasn’t the least bit scary or unnerving. Once on the ground we were helped out of the basket and directed over to a table containing glassed of sparkling cider so that the group could toast to our adventure. All passengers were presented with a certificate and we were given ample time to reflect on the experience and take photos against the amazing backdrop.

We returned to the hotel before 8:00 a.m. and being exhausted, we napped until shortly before our check out time. My trip to Turkey was a once in a lifetime adventure. I will always remember being enchanted by the shops and mosques of Istanbul, mesmerized by the travertines of Pammukale and fascinated by ancient city of Ephesus, but Cappadocia captured my heart and I yearn for the day that I can return.