Home
Search
Maps
of Turkey
Photo
Gallery
Where
to Go
When
to Go
Where
to Stay
What
It Costs
Turkish Money
Transport
FAQ-Travel
Details
Best
Itineraries
Guided Tours
Travel
Agency
Unusual
Trips
Consultations
TTP
Forums
Funny
Stuff
Shopping
Site
Index
Bright Sun
|
|
My
favorite hot-air
balloon company
in Turkey is Butterfly Balloons,
owned in part by longtime Göreme hotelier
Ali Yavuz of the Kelebek
Hotel. (Kelebek in
Turkish means butterfly.)
Butterfly
Balloons is a small company
which I can recommend
because it has experienced,
personable pilots who are extremely
knowledgeable about the countryside.
This is important, because
a hot-air balloon flight is not just
gliding along with the wind high
up in the air, it's an opportunity
to learn about Cappadocia,
its landscape, culture, history,
traditions, agriculture—anything
you see. To do this well, a pilot
must be not only knowledgeable, but
interesting and entertaining.
Mention
TurkeyTravelPlanner.com when
you reserve your flight and
you'll be entitled to a 15-euro
discount off the price. (Note:
you must make your reservation
in advance directly with Butterfly
Balloons, and
you must mention TTP at the
time of booking, not afterwards.
Because Butterfly Balloons is a small,
high-qualiy company providing excellent
value-for-money, its balloons
fill up, so make your reservation
in advance if possible. If you wait
until a day or two before you want
to fly, you may find no space available.
| |
 |
| |
A shadow
passing... |
The
pilots at Butterfly
Balloons hold British, French and
American commercial pilot’s licenses
validated by the Turkish Civil Aviation
Authority. The company holds an approved
Air Operators Certificate, and carries
international-standard full passenger
insurance for public transport.
Chief Pilot Mike
Green is English, He came
to Cappadocia with his wife and family
in 2000, and is now one of the
most experienced pilots in the region.
He has flown balloons in many countries
and some exotic locations
such as the Jordanian desert and
over the North Pole. Mike was a Production
Manager for the Virgin
Global Balloon Challenge, has
20 years' experience with hydrocarbon
gas, and has a certificate
in the Science of Weather. He is
also a Fellowship Member of the Royal
Meteorological Society.
Pilot Mustafa Turgut was
born in Göreme and
has travelled extensively in Turkey
as a licensed tour guide, and in many
other countries as a businessman and
balloon pilot. Mustafa was the first
Turkish citizen to acquire a US commercial
balloon pilot license.
His excellent English language skills,
worldwide travel and intimate acquaintance
of all areas of his home country—and
especially Cappadocia, his home—make
him an entertaining flying companion
of encyclopedic knowledge.
Butterfly
Balloons usually
avoids filling the balloon basket
completely in order to give passengers
more room and greater comfort.
Their balloons are made by Cameron
Balloons of England, widely
regarded as the world's premier
high-quality hot-air balloon manufacturing
company (Lindstrand is
also very good.)
If
you plan to fly only once in your
life, I'd recommend that you go
for the longest flight so
your time soaring silently through
the heavens doesn't seem all too
short.
One
of the nice things about these early
morning flights is that you've had
the thrill of the day (if
not of a lifetime), and then you
go have breakfast and still have
a full day of fun ahead of you.
Contact
Butterfly Balloons for
details on schedules, reservations
and fares, and remember to mention
TurkeyTravelPlanner.com.
Butterfly
Balloons
Göreme,
50180 Nevşehir,
Turkey
Tel +90 384 271 3010
Fax +90 384 271 3009
ttpinfo@butterflyballoons.com
|
|
 |
Above, floating
above the
Cappadocian "moonscape."
Below, filling the balloon
with hot air.
|
 |
 |
|
Above, floating
above Cappadocia's "moonscape."
Below, Pilot Mustafa
Turgut pours a
champagne
toast for fellow aeronauts.
|
 |
|
