Hot Air Balloon Trip in Cappadocia with Kids 2025

Are you planning a hot balloon air balloon trip in Cappadocia with kids? One family bucket list item for your trip to Turkey is to visit Cappadocia to experience seeing the hundreds of balloons flying in the air at sunrise. We traveled from Antalya to Cappadocia with our family and my sister’s family looking forward to a hot air balloon trip. There are not many things that any of us would want to get up for at 3:30 am, but this one even the teenager was up and ready to go in the early morning hours.  Read on to learn more about adding a hot air balloon trip in Cappadocia to your Turkey itinerary.

Know Before You Go

COST: Approx. 150 – 300 EUR

HOURS: 3:30 AM – 8:00 AM

BEST TIME TO GO: APRIL – OCT | Available Year Round

LOCATION: Take off and Landing Near Goreme, Turkey

TRANSPORTATION: Pick up and Drop off at your hotel

TIME NEEDED TO VISIT: 4-5 hours

• Kid Friendly | Kids 7 & Up can fly.
• Accessibility | Email your balloon company in advance to accommodate any special requests.
• Photography | Take your cameras and phones. We used a selfie-stick for our phones so we could have a good hold on our phones. There was a photographer on hand that took photos of each family group in the balloon that you could purchase at the end of your flight.
• Food & Drinks | A light breakfast is served before the flight.
• Restrooms | There are restrooms available at the breakfast location. Once you leave for the take off zone, there are no restrooms available.

Best Hot Air Balloon Company in Cappadocia

If you are taking a hot air balloon trip in Cappadocia with kids, the first thing you need to know is your kids must be at least 7 years old to fly. It doesn’t matter which company you choose; this is the minimum age for kids to fly. Our youngest is 7 and is about average height. We found it was hard for her to see over the sides of the baskets while we were flying. Her favorite thing was seeing all the colorful balloons up in the sky above us.

We chose to fly with Royal Balloon and had an amazing experience with their hot air balloon company. They communicated with us regularly in preparing for our trip to Cappadocia and kept us updated on weather conditions as it got closer to our trip.

Learn more about planning your first trip to Turkey.

What to Expect Before Your Flight

As you research the different types of flights – the main things you’ll be looking at are the number of people in your basket and the amount of time you’ll have in the air.  Royal Balloon had options of 20-person, 16-person, or 8-person baskets. We had 8 people in our group and wanted to book the 8-person basket, but these flights book up fast. All they had available when we booked about a month and a half in advance was the 20-person basket. On the day that we flew, we ended up in a 16-person basket. It felt more personal, and we were able to enjoy one side of the basket with just our crew of 4 adults and 4 kids.

Early Morning Wake-up & Breakfast

We were up at 3:15 and they had a private luxury SUV pick us all up at 3:45 am at our Cappadocia hotel to drive us to Goreme for breakfast before our flight. We arrived at 4 am for their pre-flight breakfast and they had tables reserved for each group flying. They had a light Turkish breakfast of pogca, bread, fruits, yogurt, and jellies along with tea and coffee.

Take-Off

At 4:30, our driver took us to the take-off zone for our balloon.  The kids were blown away by how big the balloons and the baskets are. We watched them blow up the balloons – everyone with phones in hand capturing the footage. Truly an amazing sight to see!

Once they had the balloon ready to go, they loaded each of our families of 2 adults and 2 kids into a section of the basket with 4 people in each section. We met our pilot Kaan, and co-pilot Huseyin. They did some safety training and how we land with us and the kids, then off we went.

Licensed Pilots

I have to say that the pilots, Kaan and Huseyin were exceptional. All balloons have licensed pilots, and our main pilot, Kaan, has flown hot air balloons since 2010.  Not only was he great at flying, but they were also fun! He’s from Goreme and loves hiking and biking. They had some great information about the area as we flew, and they both engaged with the kids which was a high point for everyone.

Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Ride

Our flight was in the air for 60 minutes, and we started low flying through the valleys, and over the fairy chimneys with our pilots pointing out different things we can do in Cappadocia. We saw all of the other colorful hot balloons dotting the sky. Kaan told us on some special occasions during festivals, you could see up to 500 balloons at once. On the day of our hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, there were between 150-200 balloons.

Also, from the sky, we saw several Cappadocia towns, people riding horses watching the balloons, special photography sessions in classic cars with hot air balloons in the sky, and ladies being photographed running through the Cappadocia landscape with long flowing dresses. It was fun to see all the things happening you see so many pictures and videos all over social media.

Sunrise Over Cappadocia

As the sun began to rise, our pilot took us higher and higher in the sky to enjoy the landscape and sunrise from a bird’s eye view. It was magical. The kids loved being up high – and they wished we could’ve gone up higher sooner during our flight. The colors of all the balloons and the golden yellow of the sunrise were something we will never forget.

As we started our descent, we were hovering over fields as the pilots planned our landing. We glided into a field and landed lightly on the ground. It was so much easier than we expected!

Post-Flight Toasts

Once the flight was over, Royal Balloons staff met us to help us out of the basket. They provided chocolate-covered strawberries and a glass of champagne for the adults and orange juice for the kids. The pilots came around to each of us to toast and give us our flight medals. We all had a fun post-flight toast.

Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Trip with Kids

We had 4 kids with us that were all ready to fly in the hot air balloons. Some were scared of the landing, some were scared of going up very high, and nonetheless, they all had a great flight.

I was really excited to fly high up in the air. All the balloons were so pretty. It was kind of boring at the end because I couldn’t see over the basket very good. I wish there would have been a little step for me. I loved the chocolate strawberries at the end!

Zara, Age 7

It was cool watching the balloon forming with the hot air. I loved the view but when the sun came up it burned my eyes. The pilots were really nice and spoke Turkish and English. My favorite part was being high up, feeling the breeze, and seeing all of the balloons.

Kaya, Age 9

I loved seeing all the balloons way up high. My favorite part with the party we had after the flight – the chocolate-covered strawberries were so good.

Shelby, Age 10

I loved all of it! I wish we could’ve stayed up high in the air longer. The views of all the balloons were my favorite – and the landing party was fun too. I would definitely do it again.

Charlie, Age 14

What to Wear During Your Hot Air Balloon Trip

We did the hot air balloon trip in Cappadocia during the summer.  While the days are warm, the nights and early mornings are cool. We suggest wearing:

• pants or shorts
• t-shirts
• long sleeves
• a light jacket or vest

However, we saw some people in full heavy coats, hats, and gloves. Still, we did fine with layers before and during our flight. As the sun begins to rise, it does get warmer, and we were removing layers during the flight.

How Much Does a Hot Air Balloon Ride Cost?

The cost of a hot air balloon ride varies depending on the balloon company you use and the type of flight and when you’re booking your flight. Royal Balloon rates at the time were between 150 Euro – 300 Euro per person. In the high season, you may see slightly higher rates.

Money Saving Travel Tip for Families

Royal Balloon offers discounted rates for kids 7 – 11 years old. You must ask for the rate when you are booking. Not all balloon companies offer discounted rates for kids.

When to Fly in Cappadocia?

The ideal time to visit Cappadocia is between April – October. We enjoy the spring (April – May) and fall (September – October). Trip costs are typically less during that time frame and you’re missing the peak tourist season of June – August. If you are going to book a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia during the summer months, be sure to book your flights well in advance.

Weather: Hot Air Balloon Cancellations

Royal Balloon kept us well informed several days before our flight of what the weather predictions were and what to expect. Had we needed to cancel our flight, they would have told us the day before and tried their best to rebook our flight on one of the days we were in Cappadocia.

We recommend booking your hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia on your first morning there. That way if your flight does get canceled, you have a few more days to work with to reschedule.

How High Up Do the Balloons Go?

For most of the hot air balloon trip in Cappadocia with our kids, the balloon was flying lower through the valleys and seeing specifics and the landscapes and region. For the last 15-20 minutes of the flight, we went up high into the sky looking down on Cappadocia and many of the other balloons. Our licensed hot air balloon pilots said they can get up to 3,000 feet in the air.

What is the Landing Like?

Our son was the most concerned about what the landing was like when were making plans to do the hot air balloon trip in Cappadocia. Our landing was so smooth, that we barely felt the basket hit the ground. I credit that to our excellent pilots with Royal Balloon, Kaan & Huseyin. We glided over some farmland and slid gracefully in for the touchdown. Royal Balloon had a crew on hand of about 6 men, specifically for our landing.

Conclusion: Hot Air Balloon Ride in Cappadocia with Kids

The hot air balloon ride with the kids was a highlight of our trip to Cappadocia. From seeing hundreds of balloons in the sky, the unique Cappadocia landscape and the beautiful sunset, we were having the times of our lives. It was something we could all do together, creating a family travel memory we’ll never forget.

Learn more about the 10 Top Things to Do in Cappadocia.

Read our route guide on how to get from Antalya to Cappadocia.