Capadoccia ballooning?

It is an optional activity in Cappadocia if the weather and conditions permit. You pay out of pocket for the experience. The guide arranges it and the balloon company takes payment when you get to Cappadocia. Typically you go the first morning of the first full day, unless the balloons cannot fly then they fit it in to another morning. It was amazing and worth every penny (it is expensive $300ish USD depending on inflation and company).

Just in the past week, we were looking at maybe joining a Rick Steves tour to Turkey. Looking at the tour description here on this Website, and reading the reviews of others who’d gone on the Turkey tour, almost everyone’s favorite “Wow!” moment was the balloon ride over Cappadocia. I imagine that very few Tour participants opt out of that optional activity!

I imagine that very few Tour participants opt out of that optional
activity!

On my tour 4 out of 24 sat out the ride.

And I forgot to include the link to a recent discussion about balloon ride/payment on tour. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/turkey/balloon-rides-payments

I opted out and had no regrets. Two days before our RS group arrived in the area, some Spanish tourists were killed during a rough landing. The area is very beautiful and I felt that the wonderful views I had while we hiked and drove around were adequate. And I got to sleep in a bit, along with the others who passed on the activity. I think we were about 10 in all. The tour of Turkey is terrific.

Well, maybe the majority of people who opted in for an optional, extra-cost balloon ride got their reviews included in Rick’s tour review postings.

I was talking with someone yesterday who’d taken a balloon ride once, not in Turkey, not on a Rick Steve’s’ tour, and she said they’d had a very rough landing. Don’t know any details, the weather, the qualifications or experience of the balloonist, etc.

Well, maybe the majority of people who opted in for an optional,
extra-cost balloon ride got their reviews included in Rick’s tour
review postings.

Just to clarify, with limited exceptions due to crude language, I believe the reviews are posted exactly the way they are offered. The balloon ride happens to be a highlight for many but there is no requirement to go and there is zero judgement if you choose not to.

Safety is of course a concern. In Turkey they have a government entity that decides if the conditions are safe for balloons to fly - if not, no one goes up. Choosing a reputable company with experienced pilots is also a good idea, which is why going cheap on the flight is probably not a great idea. In any case, choose to participate if you want, or don't, it's a beautiful place to visit even without the airborne activity.

I am so looking forward to the balloon ride.

I suspect that the balloon rides are on the first full day in Cappadocia just in case of cancellation and giving enough time for a refund process?

Hopefully any refund process isn't a convoluted mess, but I do get the impression we are dealing with seasoned professionals who have seen it all and can handle (and have handled) pretty much any and every situation.

Having said that, I know and truly believe I will be up, up in the air in a beautiful balloon in a week or so.

Does anyone have a recommendation for an experienced company? Which company does RS Tours use?

We used Turquaz Balloons and thought they were fine. I’d probably use them again.

Some Balloon Tips:

1. Be aware that this is very much a weather-dependent activity. They don’t fly the balloons if it’s windy, and it does get windy often. Too windy, and your balloon flight is canceled.
2. Because of that, if you really want to do the balloon flight, you would be wise to plan at least a few days in Cappadocia, and schedule your balloon flight on the first day you will be there (so if the flight is canceled, you have another chance or two in the next days). We were there for 3.5 days, and got lucky: we had booked for the first morning, and that was the only day that week when they could fly (other days we were there it was way too windy).
3. Shop around a bit. You will find many companies (it’s a major industry) and (at least in-season) you may find multiple options. There are some places with smaller balloon baskets (so fewer people on your balloon), longer flights, other variations. In the off-season, our options were limited.
4. Prices are generally listed in Euros and that’s what they’ll want. Look for a discount for paying in cash rather than paying by credit card.
5. Balloons generally fly at dawn, which is typically when the conditions are best — calm winds. In peak summer tourist season there may be options for an afternoon flight. You will be getting up early, and will be all finished by 9 am.
6. As you go higher up in the air, the temperature gets colder, so remember to dress warmly (layers, gloves, a hat). They do fly in the winter, and it gets quite cold there in mid-winter, so bundle up. We went in March, and it got pretty cold aloft, I was glad to have every layer, glove and hat. In August, you will probably appreciate the cool air.
7. The balloon baskets get crowded (they do pack ’em in). In most cases, your best bet is to try and be in an an outside corner of the balloon basket (you get a little more personal space and better options for photos and seeing out). One strategy to get a good position is to try to be among the last to board the basket.

Not a cheap activity, but YOLO. Good luck.

Well, maybe the majority of people who opted in for an optional, extra-cost balloon ride got their reviews included in Rick’s tour review postings

then

On my tour 4 out of 24 sat out the ride

and

I believe the reviews are posted exactly the way they are offered. The balloon ride happens to be a highlight for many but there is no requirement to go and there is zero judgement if you choose not to

I wasn’t suggesting that RSE was selectively picking and choosing what reviews to show, and excluding any (if there are any) that were less than glowing. Let me rephrase the above comment:

Well, maybe the majority of recent Turkey Tour reviews just happened to come from those who also happened to have taken the optional, extra-cost balloon ride.

I don’t remember how many didn’t do the balloon ride on our tour. I think it was six. We decided not to take it because our travel insurance didn’t cover that type of activity.