Balloons dazzle Türkiye’s Cappadocia

NEVŞEHİR

Local and foreign tourists flocked to central Türkiye’s Cappadocia region for the seventh Cappadocia Balloon Festival organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Balloons shaped like a whale, heart, owl, chick, wolf, duck, bird, octopus, rocket, earth and clown from Türkiye, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, Slovakia, Austria and Poland, and commercial balloons were prepared for takeoff. The balloons soared over the area’s fairy chimneys for an hour.

Tourists formed long vehicle queues on the road connecting the region’s historic towns of Göreme and Avanos. Aerial footage captured the heavy density of vehicles and people in the area. The event ends tomorrow after flights over the local Kılıçlar and Güllüdere valleys.

The event creates a visual feast, Nevşehir Governor Hüseyin Kök said. Tourists viewed the region from the sky during tours between January and July, Kök said. “We have 359 hot air balloons in 30 enterprises in our region,” Kök said. “Some 37 of our pilots are women.” Some 316,000 guests took the tour this year, while 750,000 guests experience the ride annually, he said. Flights occur 224 days a year on average, Kök said, adding they are pleased to host guests where Seljuk, Ottoman, Hittite and Roman heritage meet.

Visitor Abdussamet Aygün, who arrived at dawn, said they tried to capture the best photograph. “The festival creates a very beautiful view with balloons in different shapes,” Aygün said, adding they were happy to come as a family. Özge Şenmerdan traveled from the capital Ankara specifically to watch the balloons. “Everyone should come here. I have visited many places, but I have never seen such a beautiful place. The atmosphere impressed me,” she said. Rahime Aygün said the figurative balloons created a harmonious landscape with the fairy chimneys.