CAPPADOCIA BALLOON TOUR
BALLOONING IN CAPPADOCIA

A hot-air balloon flight is unique from all other experiences of flight as there is no sensation of motion. Travelling at heights of up to 1500 feet, the feeling is one of peace and tranquility. The earth slowly descends and rotates below you. Within moments after lifting off you become at ease while you effortlessly drift over the treetops and the spectacular Cappadocian landscape. It is like a dream to gently float over the countryside in complete harmony with your surroundings.

The deep canyons and lush fertile valleys of Cappadocia provide our balloons with an ideal playground for a unique and memorable flight; gentle winds carry us over places that could never be reached except by balloon. Ballooning can be such fun! In season we can even pick apricots from the trees!

Hot Air Ballooning Basics

How do balloons fly?
Balloons operate through the basic principles of gravity and heat transfer. As air inside the balloon is heated, it rises. As the air inside the balloon cools, it descends. To make the balloon fly, an inflator fan fills it with air, which is then heated.

What are the main parts of a hot air balloon?
A hot air balloon has three major parts: the envelope, the burner, and the basket or gondola. The basket is where passengers ride. Usually made of wicker, baskets protect the occupants and are lightweight and flexible. The burner is positioned above the passenger's heads and produces a huge flame to heat the air inside the envelope. The envelope is the colorful fabric bag that holds the hot air. When the air inside the envelope is heated, the balloon rises. To descend, the pilot allows the air to cool and the balloon becomes heavier than air. The pilot has complete control of the up-and-down movements by controlling the heat in the envelope.

What are envelopes made of?
Rip-stop nylon is the most common material, but polyester and other fabrics are also used. The fabric around the lower opening (called the mouth) of the balloon are usually made from a fire resistant material like Nomex, similar to the suits that firefighters wear.

What is a balloon basket made of?
Woven wicker is used because it is lightweight, flexible and easily repaired.

Are all hot air balloons alike?
All hot air balloons consist of a burner system, a basket and an envelope. The differences are in the shape and size of the envelope, the deflation system, the basket shape and design and the configuration, design, and number of burners.

How long will balloons last?
Depending on the care given, a balloon envelope may last 500 or more flying hours. The basket will last much longer, perhaps thousands of flight hours with proper care.

Can you steer a balloon?
Winds determine a balloon's direction. Pilot can steer a balloon, to a limited extent, by adjusting the balloon's altitude to make use of different wind speeds and directions.

How many people can ride in a hot air balloon?
Balloons are constructed with greater or lesser volume to carry more or less weight. The smallest passenger balloons carry just the pilot! The largest passenger transporter in operation has a capacity of 24 passengers plus the pilot. Our balloons are designed to carry between 6 and 16 passengers.

How long does a balloon flight last?
The actual flight time averages more than an hour.

What fuel do balloons use?
Our hot air balloons carry 60 to 110 gallons (120 to 200kg) of propane in stainless steel fuel tanks. We expect to use roughly 75% of the fuel during a single flight.

Safe Landings

How safe is a balloon?
Hot air ballooning is one of the safest forms of flying. Serious accidents are rare.

How high do balloons fly?
We prefer to fly at very low levels as this gives the best flying experience. At lower altitudes you will be able to observe people, animals and the landscape up close. During the flight we may ascend as high as 2000 feet.

What happens if the burner goes out?
If the burner goes out, first burner will be relighted. There is also a redundant burner that we can rely on to fly the balloon. Without a burner the balloon will only descend at about the same rate as a parachute.

What happens if a bird flies into a balloon?
Balloons are so large that most birds avoid them. The envelope fabric is much tougher than it might appear and a bird would likely bounce off if there were a collision! Balloon manufacturers have performed tests, and it is possible to fly a balloon even with a hole.

How long does it take to inflate and deflate the balloon?
A good ground crew can inflate and launch a balloon in fifteen minutes or less. It takes about the same amount of time to deflate and pack up the balloon after the flight.

What to expect

Where will we fly?
We study the prevailing winds at different elevations and select a take-off site that will provide the best flight-path possible. The pilot ascends and descends to find air currents that are moving in the desired direction. Balloons can only travel with the wind, but our skilled pilots direct the balloon throughout the flight and it often appears as if the balloon was steered!

What does it feel like during the flight?
Once aloft you will not notice turbulence or wind as you become one with the air currents. The basket hangs motionless in the air-mass in which it is suspended. In the calm conditions in which we fly there is nothing that can make the basket sway and the sense of movement is much more subtle than an elevator ride. The feeling is one of peace as we drift over treetops and float over the countryside. Vertigo is almost never experienced and we are always happy to accommodate our passengers if they prefer low altitude flights. Some passengers describe the sensation they feel on our flights as "tranquil" and "romantic" while others describe the flight as "gentle and calm."

Do passengers sit or stand during the flight?
Passengers normally stand in the basket during flights, however we can accommodate those passengers who need to be seated.

Where do we land?
We are welcome to land in the many open fields in the area we fly over. Your pilot will begin the gentle descent when he finds an appropriate landing site that is accessible by our ground crew.

What to bring

What should I wear?
Please dress casually - jeans and flat heeled shoes. Although we usually land close to a road, you may be walking through fields. It is no colder in the balloon than on the ground, yet you may wish to bring a light jacket. Layered clothing is best.

What should I bring?
Bring your camera and lots of film. Our crew will be happy to take pictures of you in the balloon.

Time and Duration

When do we fly?
We fly early in the morning because this time of day provides calm, cool air for gentle and stable flights, soft landings and maximum lifting capacity of the balloon. It is also the ideal time for photography, with splendid colours and contrasts and the beauty of the sunrise.

How long is the flight?
We are normally in the air for about an hour and a half! The whole experience lasts 3 to 4 hours, so you will have the rest of the day to enjoy the many attractions of Cappadocia.

Wind & Weather

What about weather conditions?
Before we fly, we check the weather. We can generally fly with wind speeds up to 10 miles per hour.

Do we fly if it's raining?
Light rain is not a problem when the wind conditions are stable, although we would not schedule a flight when rain was anticipated as it would add considerable weight to the fabric. Often rain can be associated with instability and unpredictable winds which is actually more disturbing to us as the volume of the balloon is so great. Cloudy conditions often give some of the best conditions for flying although the photographer might be disappointed.

Safety & Insurance

Is it safe?
Balloon flight is as safe as travelling on an airliner operated by one of the world's major carriers. The technical systems are very simple and there is almost nothing that can go wrong. Many many people who don't like the claustrophobia of an airplane feel very comfortable in the balloon basket.

What about insurance and licenses?
All of our passengers are insured. Our balloon operation in Turkey is licensed as a Commercial Air Transport (License number: 1997/18). We were the first private licence-holder for passenger-transport by a Hot-Air Balloon operator in Turkey. All our pilots are licenced from the Turkish Civil Aviation authority. Please feel free to inspect our licences and log-books to confirm the legitimacy of Kapadokya Balloons™ and experience of the pilots.

Other Questions

How long is the flying season?
We start flying once the weather becomes reliable in March and continue right through until November when we return to France for the winter.

Is age a consideration?
We are happy to carry passengers of all ages, but most of our passengers are aged 10 to 80.

What kind of equipment do you use?
All our balloon equipment is to the highest standard and is manufactured in Spain and in England. We have sturdy four-wheel drive Mercedes ground support vehicles for retrieval of the equipment from the fields.

How did you discover Cappadocia?
We were working for many years with Buddy Bombards' famous ballooning adventures in France and Europe, and he came here with his first group in 1990. Lars was the pilot sent out to investigate the area, and to run the first trip and he simply never wanted to leave!!

Cost & Bookings

How much does it cost?
The single passenger fare is
STANDART BALLOON TOUR  230 Euro ( 1,5 hour flight approximately )
SHORT BALLOON TOUR   160 Euro ( 1 hour flight approximately )

We are happy to accept payment in most major currencies and we accept most major debit and credit cards. If we have to cancel the flight because of adverse weather conditions, you will be refunded in full.

How can I make a reservation?
Send an e-mail at deep@deepnature.com   and we will be happy to book a flight for you and answer any further questions. We are also happy to help with recommendations for places to stay etc.