As a tourist, if you are planning to visit some unique destinations in Turkey then, Cappadocia should surely be on your must see list. A place noticeable by desolate open plains, it is an area with unbelievable rock houses carved by humans, stunning volcanic fairy chimneys that stand up to 130 feet tall, and remarkable valleys each with distinctive rock arrangements. Far as 730 km from Istanbul, an interesting thing about Cappadocia is that it is not a city name as it incorporates the provinces of Aksaray , Nevsehir , Nigde , Kayseri and Kirsehir. Due to its ancient legacy, UNESCO has declared Cappadocia as a World Heritage Site since 1985.
It is this beautiful terrain of Cappadocia, which makes it one of the most renowned places in the world to view in a Hot Air Balloon. The balloon tour that begins every day at sunrise will mesmerize you, as the amazing and surreal landscape that lies below will leave you breathless. The balloon will smoothly float over the fairy chimneys, and the diversified colors of the landscape on the course provide every individual an unforgettable experience. Moreover, the eye-catching sight of Mount Erciyes (also known as Argaeus) during the balloon tour is simply delightful. Autumn is considered the best time to visit Cappadocia because, in summer, it gets very hot. Therefore, autumn in October is the best season to visit this magical place, as the heat has cooled very much.
There are generally three types of Hot Air Balloon tours to view Cappadocia. The first is the Standard Balloon flight, which has a one hour flight time with capacity of 16 to 24 people. Upon landing, you will receive a buffet breakfast and a champagne toast. Second is the Deluxe Balloon flight, that has a one and a half hour flight time with smaller capacity compared to the standard flights. However, one can enjoy a slightly longer experience drifting over the magical landscape that goes below you. Here, you will also receive a buffet breakfast and a champagne toast on landing. The third category is the private flight, which is designed for special occasions such as birthday, honeymoon or wedding anniversary. These flights are arranged on special requests, and the flight time can be as long as up to two hours.
The best way to reach Cappadocia is that you must first fly directly to Istanbul. Turkish Airlines in this regard offers the best airline services with very reasonable fares. Especially, if you are flying from Pakistan then, you have luxury of a daily flight from the three main cities: Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The Turkish Airline flight takes you directly to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, which is the main international airport serving Istanbul, and the biggest airport in Turkey by total number of passengers, destinations served and aircraft handling. After reaching Istanbul, there is an eight hour twenty eight minutes road drive for arriving in Cappadocia.
In order to stay in Cappadocia, there are four great hotels that offer best services in context of their prices. The first that comes in this list is the Sultan Cave Suites, which through Booking.com costs PKR 7,631 per room. The second is the Dere Suites Cappadocia that through Booking.com costs PKR 6,473 per room. The third is the Grand Cave Suites, which again with Booking.com costs PKR 5,473 per room. The fourth and the final is Elysee Cave House that with Booking.com offers the most cheaper rates PKR 2,862 per room.
Ahmed Raza is a frequent traveler and loves cricket. He has completed M. Phil in Mass Communication and works as Travel Editor for Kluchit.com
