Few things are worth rising at 4:00 a.m. to see. Perhaps a full lunar eclipse or Halley’s Comet, but a hot air balloon ride over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia also definitely qualifies!
Cappadocia is a region at the center of Asia Minor known as Turkish Anatolia that is renowned for its distinctive and mystical topography. The spectacular landscape was created by three now-extinct volcanoes that triangulate the Nevşehir plateau.
Erciyes in the east is the highest at close to 13,000 feet, then Hasandağ in the southwest at almost 11,000 feet, and finally Güllüdağ in the northwest at a modest 7,000 feet. Millions of years ago, all three volcanoes were actively spewing volumes of volcanic ash, mud, and lava over the area, blanketing the ground with mountains of debris.
Wind and water slowly sculpted the soft porous volcanic pumice into elongated shapes, cones, and pillars, while leaving the harder lava (basalt) rocks balancing precariously on top of the formations. The process continues to this day, and you can see new fairy chimneys being shaped while ancient ones ever-so-slowly crumble away.
The name “fairy chimney” was given to the conical stones by early settlers to the area who believed otherworldly spirits had a hand in creating the outlandish monuments. They heard strange noises coming from the formations and believed spirits not only created but also inhabited the stones and that when the wind whistled through the porous rock, they could hear the fairies trying to communicate.
The spirits were believed to be benevolent, and eventually, families carved homes in the formations to be close to the friendly fairies.
Due to the unique nature of the terrain, hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia are big business, and by the time we arrived at the lift site way before sunrise, dozens of balloons were in various stages of ascension almost as far as the eye could see in the pre-dawn light.
Our balloon company was Ürgüp Balloons, and we were deposited close to our brightly colored balloon with alternating stripes of blue, red, yellow, purple, and green. Our magical carpet ride was in the final stages of inflation, and our 10-person group was warmly greeted by Captain Ersoy Ugar, a certified flier with many years of ballooning experience.
Several brawny handlers were attached to each balloon, and with remarkable patience and grace, they assisted us in climbing aboard the small basket. Captain Ersoy briefed us on the important and very necessary protocol regarding positioning ourselves for landing, and with a blast of the burners, we intrepid adventurers were smoothly lifted off the earth to greet the rising sun.
The weather had been cool and overcast every morning for weeks, but this day, Mother Nature smiled on us. The morning sun arose with the balloons, making us part of an awesome cosmic spectacle. At first, there was little wind, and we seemed to hang suspended and silently in space like a bird floating on a current of air.
After a few moments of balancing between heaven and earth, a breeze caught the balloon, and we began to move toward the stone formations stoically awaiting our visit. And visit them we did!
We got so close to some of the fairy chimneys that it was easy to reach out and touch them from our perch in the sky. There were dozens of balloons in the air. At times, it seemed as if we would bounce off each other. Sometimes, we were above other balloons and other times, we were below. But all the while, Captan Ersoy kept in touch with the other captains via walkie-talkies to ensure the safety of all the balloons and their precious cargo.
Cappadocia is a wonderland, and it isn’t hard to buy into the ancient fable of the fairies when you first come across this magical landscape. We happened to be there in the spring, which is an exceptionally lovely time to visit. During this season, the normally dry landscape is softened by the profusion of wild flowers and trees, showering the sandy-colored countryside with patches of lilac, gold, pink, and orange.
We were also fortunate to be escorted through the area by Özkan Güleç, the owner of Peerless Travel, and an outstanding Bağlama Saz player. He was an expert on his home region of Cappadocia. Visiting this extraordinary place with a native (and happily, an English-speaking one) was indeed a rare treat and one that will live with me for many, many moons.
For more information, visit Cappadocia Tours, Urgup Balloons, Go Turkey, and Peerless Travel.
Barbara Angelakis is one of the founders of LuxuryWeb Magazineand its Senior Travel Writer. She travels the four corners of the world with a thirst for knowledge and a twinkle in her eye, seeking out the history of people and places and sharing her experiences. She specializes in culture and history along with luxury destinations, hotels/resorts/cruises/spas, and most recently Jewish Heritage, exploring the historical connection between Jews and their host countries. She has been recognized for outstanding coverage as “Journalist of the Year” by the Tanzania Tourist Board and is the recipient of the MTA Malta Tourism Press Award, the first American to receive this honor. For the past 25 years, Barbara has written extensively for LuxuryWeb Magazine, and her work can also be found at The Jerusalem Post, Jewish Link, Epoch Times,and Vision Times.
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