Watching dawn break over the spectacular landscape of Cappadocia is a breathtaking sight and best appreciated from a balloon.
This dramatic terrain is made up of consolidated volcanic ash – known as tuff – that has eroded over millions of years to form surreal shapes and caves. Early Christians hid in these caves to evade persecution by invading Romans. These are still in use today and some have been converted to beautiful little hotels and home-stays, that are way more atmospheric than the larger chains in Goreme.
Below are a few images from our balloon ride.
Balloon and Cave Dwellings – Cappadocia
Until next time…happy travels, no matter where life takes you.
The Urge To Wander 
Madhu, this is breathtaking and spectacular!
Thank you Naomi! It is indeed a spectacular landscape!
Amazing! So you were in one of the balloons. Not sure when I started being afraid of heights! 🙂
I was petrified when I got on, but once we were aloft it was wonderful! The landing is scarier actually 🙂
Beautiful photos – thanks for sharing!
Thank YOU for taking the time to comment Renee!
What a wonderful experience that balloon ride must have been. i envy you. 😉
These caves are so …wow! I was thinking of using them as a place characters in my story can inhabit. One of the few places that do not get destroyed during wars/riots etc.
@Khaula, You would be right in assuming that! Nearby are whole underground ‘cities’ several levels deep!
It was indeed wonderful! Hope you get to do it too 🙂
Ink. thanks Madhu Travels for an awesome balloon ride. I could so live in a cave. Are they for rent you think?
They are! And you should! They are beautiful! Thank YOU Anette 🙂
oh that looks just awesome, i can imagine the quiet floating sensation, and the surreal landscape drifting by below …thanks for taking me there madhu!
You are most welcome 🙂
What a cool villiage. I can’t imagine living like this full time, but I think spending a week, or two, here would be a memorable experience, and probably make us more thankful for the many things we take for granted on a daily basis … like internet connections. I love the photographs, Madhu.
Some of those are quite luxurious inside! Doubt you would be depriving yourself of much! appreciate your stopping by Orples!
As long as there is internet connection, I looks like a cool place to me. 😉 I don’t need much.
Stunning shots once again Madhu! I can see you certainly enjoyed that balloon ride! Love their colours and the view from up there is amazing! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 *hugs*
Thank YOU Sonel! I didn’t have to do much…the landscape was such!
amazing!
Thank you for visiting my blog and for the comment!
Great photos! I have always wanted to go in a hot air balloon…someday!
Thank you Susan! You should do it here!
One of my favs! WOW! Cool, cool stuff 🙂
Delighted Anne 🙂 Thank YOU!
Amazing sights! I love balloon rides, even though I’ve only done it twice.
Thank you Marcia! This was our first and only balloon ride!
Love your pictures Madhu! It brings back memories of my own balloon ride in Cappadocia in July 2010! I think that experience is at the top of my list of amazing experiences! Thanks for the memories!
Thank you so much! It is one of our most memorable experiences as well!
Ahhh, I see I already “liked” and commented on your post about the balloon ride in Cappadocia! How short my memory is becoming… 🙂
So dramatic and exciting!
It is indeed that Elisa!
How exciting! I would love to take a balloon ride someday, and it would be doubly rewarding if it were over such an exotic landscape.
Hope you get to do it here! Cappadocia is probably one of the best places for a balloon ride!
Really gorgeous photos!
Thank you Angeline!
So amazing pictures!
Thanks Pia!
Looks like a great adventure with perfect setting.
It was! Thank you for dropping by!
Fabulous pictures, just love these, well captured, thanks 😉
Thanks Cobbies!
great tribute to Cappadocia: “Early Christians hid in these caves to evade persecution by invading Romans. These are still in use today and some have been converted to beautiful little hotels and homestays…”
Appreciate the shoutout Frizztext! Thank you!
Amazing pictures, Wow ! 😀
Thank you! Appreciate your stopping by to comment!
WOW! I need to add Turkey to my list! Amazing shots, Madhu!
Turkey should be very high on your list! It is one of my favourite destinations!
Waah! That must have been such a thrill! Oh wow, I don’t know if I can do that though. I can imagine that floating around like that for some time is much different from going on my favorite ziplines which takes only a minute or so. You had such an adventure, Madhu. Wonderful! 🙂
If you enjoy ziplining, this should be a piece of cake! The most difficult part was the waking up at 3.30 am to make it for the 5 am ride! It was freezing up there till the sun came out!
Wow! Great pics! I would be terrified to ride in a hot air balloon but I guess I did do tandem hang gliding before! I was much younger then!
It isn’t as bad as it seems Nicole! Especially not for you after all your wonderful adventures!
I bet the view was unbelievable! For some reason I have a strange fear of hot air balloons. Silly, huh! 🙂
This is wonderful! I am so glad I discovered your blog 🙂 (or you discovered mine)
So glad I found yours! Your long conversations with Mike got me curious 🙂 Thank you for stopping by to read and comment!
This looks like a wonderful experience Madhu! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Mimo! Loving your Congo pics!
Now that would make for an interesting vacation abode!
I totally recommend it! We regretted staying in a regular hotel so much, that I arranged for my daughter and her friends to stay in one of these cave houses, when they went there the following year. They loved it.
Very Nice Madhu
DJ-
Thank you so much Darkjade!
What an amazing adventure, along with a great serias of photographs to document it.
Thank you Jeff!
That must have been one amazing experience! What a fantastic landscape – truly unique – and very cool that there are boutique hotels set up within the caves. I MUST visit this place 🙂
Thank you Lu! You would love it! We really wished we could have stayed longer!
Breathtaking views. I have never taken a balloon ride, but I look forward to it.
You will not regret doing it! This was our first (and only) balloon ride and it remains our most memorable experience!
I had a Cave Hotel booked there last summer, but cancelled due to my mother’s illness. Some day I’ll go! Gorgeous!
Hope you do! Turkey is one of my all time favourite destinations!
Some stunning photos here – I’ve been up in a balloon once and it was so peaceful – a lovely way to view the world from above.
Thank YOU for checking this out!
Hi Madhu – thank you so much for recommending The Kelebek in Cappadocia – we had a wonderful stay there, it was just perfect.
Reblogged this on Greatpoetrymhf’s Weblog and commented:
Uo and away in my beautiful balloon
Appreciate that! Thank you!
WOW I think I could give up my fear of hieghts to float of Turkey
this beautiful Thank you for sharing!
Take care,,,
)0(
ladybluerose
Than YOU for dropping by and commenting!
you are very welcome, they were incredible photos..
I enjoyed them very much..
)0(
maryrose
🙂
TRULY BREATHTAKING!!!
Thank you so much for letting me find you!!!
Thank you! Glad I found you too 🙂
Gorgeous.
Thank you sooooo much! I have heard about & read about this area, but your photos really capture it. Love the ‘fairy chimneys’ 🙂
Delighted that you think so! Thank YOU very much!
Nice post Madhu 🙂 This destination has been on my travel list for some time now.
Thank you Paula!
I’m finally catching up but will come back to comment on other/future posts. Thanks for your patience! 🙂
I know exactly what that means…have some 400 odd posts to catch up on myself!!
WoW! I should feel better… but as I write, I’m plodding through it. Looking forward to emptying out my box of all 3500 emails. 🙂
3500??? I would be too tempted to delete at least 3000 🙂
It’s tempting but my Catholic guilt prevents it… They are not all posts; a mix of good mail, junk mail and blog posts… about 500 or so are blog posts. 🙂
That’ not too bad then. Have fun 🙂
Actually, now that I’m looking at them, about 1500 are posts. OMG! 😦
Not good 🙂
TY! You are funny! 😆
My dad just came back from Turkey and had amazing things to say about it. I can’t wait to visit! Love these photos…
You will surely love Turkey! The food is awesome too!
Spectacular views!
Thank you TBM!
These are so cool Madhu! Margie
Thanks Margie! The landscape was so incredible, I just had to point and shoot 🙂
Ah now I know why I missed this post, I was traveling to Medan and Lake Toba when you published this. 🙂
I’ve always wanted to go to Turkey. But I’m not sure if I can do that any sooner. Maybe next year. *fingers crossed*
Hope you do Bama. I shall keep my fingers crossed for you too 🙂