Parachutists leap from hot air balloons in tourism hotspot

DENIZLI

Looking for their dose of adrenaline, parachute enthusiasts have taken to Pamukkale, a tourism hotspot in the Aegean province of Denizli known for its white travertines, and jumped from hot air balloons.

In the event organized by parachute pilot Mehmet Yıldız, 10 parachutists from various regions around Türkiye gathered in Pamukkale to get on hot air balloons and jump from a height of 1,500 meters.

Pamukkale, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site also known as "white paradise," is now the center of attention for adrenaline-loving parachutists. These enthusiasts, who do not always find the opportunity to jump from airplanes, decided to jump from hot air balloons in Pamukkale.

After their preparations, the parachutists got into the baskets of the balloons and rose to 1,500 meters.

The parachutists, who took turns jumping, glid in the air for a while before they opened their parachutes and made successful landings.

Stating that Pamukkale is suitable for such activities all year round, Yıldız said, "We have worked for a long time to parachute from a hot air balloon, and we finally made our jumps. There are paragliding and hot air balloon tours in Pamukkale. We will add parachute jumping from a balloon to the list from now on."

"Adrenaline-loving parachutists like us do not have the opportunity to jump from an airplane. From now on, Pamukkale will be a place preferred by those who want to parachute from a balloon. Parachuting is regarded as an extreme sport; it is not possible to do it everywhere," he furthered.

Hasan Dökmetepelioğlu, another pilot, said, "Parachute jumping is an exciting sport. First, you ascend with the balloon, then when you reach a sufficient height, you leave yourself to the void and open your parachute."

"Such an activity will attract adrenaline lovers to Pamukkale. Pamukkale is a legendary place, this is very exciting," parachutist Faruk Altındağ added.

Pamukkale is visited by more and more people every year. In 2023, 2,200,000 people visited the district, breaking its 1,850,000 visitor record from the previous year.

Pamukkale, which also hosts the ancient city of Hierapolis, gains the admiration of tourists with its historical texture, thermal waters and unique beauty.

Visitors get the opportunity to swim alongside historical columns in the Cleopatra Pool, which is 36 degrees Celsius in both summer and winter.

With the opening of a new physical therapy center and the installation of lights to illuminate Hierapolis in the nighttime, the district expects 3 million visitors this year.