A Pamukkale balloon ride is a hot air balloon flight at sunrise of about an hour over the white travertines, the ancient city of Hierapolis and Pamukkale village. A licensed pilot flies the basket; you need no experience, you just enjoy the view.
What time does the balloon take off?
Balloons fly at sunrise, because the wind is calmest in the first hours of the morning. That means you are picked up from your hotel before dawn, very early depending on the season. The exact time is confirmed the day before. In summer it is earlier, in winter a little later.
How long is the flight?
Time in the air is about 60 minutes. With hotel pick-up, a light breakfast at the launch site, inflating the balloons, the flight, the landing celebration and the drive back, allow around 3 hours in total. You are back at your hotel by breakfast time, with the rest of the day free for the terraces.
What affects the price?
- Basket: a standard shared basket, a comfort basket with fewer people, or a private basket just for you.
- Season: spring and autumn are the most popular months and sell out first.
- What is included: check whether hotel pick-up, breakfast, the flight certificate and photos are part of the price.
See our current packages and prices on the Pamukkale hot air balloon page.
What happens if the weather is bad?
The decision to fly is made every morning based on wind and weather. If the wind is too strong or visibility is poor, the balloons stay on the ground and your flight is moved to the next morning or refunded. If you are staying two nights or more, book the balloon for your first morning so you have a second chance.
Who cannot fly?
- Children under 6 and pregnant women cannot fly.
- With a heart condition, high blood pressure, or back or knee problems, ask your doctor first; landings can be a little bumpy.
- You stand in the basket, so you need to be able to stand for about an hour.
What to wear
Mornings are cool and it does not get warmer once you are airborne: bring a light jacket. Wear flat, comfortable shoes, because the landing field may be a farm field or a dirt track. It is warm near the burner, so a cap helps.
Pamukkale or Cappadocia?
On good mornings in Cappadocia more than a hundred balloons fly over the fairy chimneys; the view is famous, but the sky is crowded. In Pamukkale there are far fewer balloons, and the view is the white travertines, the thermal pools and Hierapolis. If you are visiting Pamukkale anyway, there is no extra journey: balloon in the morning, terraces in the afternoon, all in one day.
Thinking about Cappadocia too? Read our Cappadocia balloon ride price guide. Torn between a balloon and paragliding? Our balloon, paragliding and gyrocopter comparison will help.