Cappadocia Dream: 2-Days Tour from Istanbul & Balloon Ride Option
Description
Although many cross-country tours in Turkey only allocate a day to Cappadocia’s preternatural landscape and innovative architecture, most travelers find that a two-day tour strikes the right balance between seeing the region’s highlights and sacrificing time elsewhere in the country. See all of the highlights of Cappadocia comfortably during this two-day tour departing from Istanbul. Don’t risk running out of time to see all of the region’s unique natural heritage; instead, make sure you get to experience all of Cappadocia’s surreal landscapes, its cave churches, and the underground city.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-up and drop-off services are available from centrally located hotels or Airbnb addresses or Galataport Cruise Port in Istanbul. Hotels are listed in the search box above; however, some properties may not appear due to updates in the address system. If your hotel is missing, please specify it in the “Special Requests” section during booking.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- To book your domestic flights, the supplier may kindly ask you to provide your passport details. Sharing this information will help ensure that your flight reservations can be arranged without any issues.
- Your domestic flight e-tickets will be emailed to you by the supplier three days before your departure. There is no need to print your tickets, as both the airline and the supplier accept digital copies.
- Each traveler is entitled to 15 kg of checked baggage and 8 kg of carry-on baggage on all domestic flights. If you expect to exceed the checked baggage allowance, please inform the supplier before your trip. Additional fees may apply for excess baggage.
- If you request any changes to your domestic flight(s) after the tickets have been issued, the supplier may ask you to cover the cost of the new flight ticket(s). Please note that once issued, domestic flight tickets are non-refundable and cannot be modified.
- ✔️ MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE FOR HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE: All hot air balloon flights are subject to weather conditions and Civil Aviation Authority safety regulations. In the event that your balloon flight is canceled because of unfavorable weather, the supplier will provide a full refund for the balloon ride. Refunds are usually processed within the next day, ensuring a simple, transparent, and worry-free experience.
- ✔️ FIXED PRICE GUARANTEE FOR HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE: Hot air balloon prices are dynamic and may change daily based on demand and weather-related cancellations. During periods of high demand, especially after weather cancellations, prices can increase by 30–40% and, in some cases, by as much as 70–80%. By booking today, you lock in your current price. Once your reservation is confirmed, your balloon ride price is guaranteed and will not increase, even if rates go up later. BOOK NOW WITH OUR FIXED PRICE GUARANTEE AND SAVE MONEY!
- ✔️ SEMI-PRIVATE GUIDED TOURS: The guided day tour(s) included in this package are operated with a maximum of 10 guests, offering a more exclusive alternative to standard group tours. With smaller groups, you'll enjoy a more personalized experience, greater comfort, and better opportunities to explore Cappadocia’s stunning landscapes and fascinating historical and cultural heritage.
- Accommodation is based on double or triple room occupancy. Room arrangements depend on the number of travelers: 2 guests will be accommodated in a double room, while 3 guests will stay in a triple room. For groups of 4 or more, accommodations will be arranged in a suitable combination of double and/or triple rooms. Solo travelers will be provided with a single room at no additional cost. A single room supplement may apply if travelers in a group of two or more request separate single rooms.
- Your hotel accommodation (Misty Cave Hotel, Zeydem Suites, or Yunak Evleri) is based on the package option selected during booking. Please select your preferred option carefully. If your chosen hotel is unavailable on your travel dates, the supplier reserves the right to substitute it with another hotel of comparable quality and standard.
- The Hot Air Balloon Ride will be operated in the Standard Category. This category offers an approximate flight duration of one hour, using baskets with a capacity of 20 to 28 passengers. The actual flight time may vary between 50–55 minutes or 65–70 minutes, depending on weather conditions prior to landing. Flight duration decisions are made by the pilot in accordance with the safety regulations of the Civil Aviation Authority. The total duration of the activity is approximately 3 hours.
- If you choose not to use any included service or decide not to participate in scheduled activities, guided tours, hot air balloon rides, airport transfers, or other included services, it will be regarded as a last-minute cancellation. Unfortunately, no refund can be issued for any unused services.
- The children aged 6 and under are not allowed to participate in the hot air balloon ride due to Civil Aviation regulations.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking.
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required.
Reviews(242)
Excellent trip. Our guide, Bushar, provided a thorough historical and personal perspective on all the areas we visited. The geology of the area is other worldly. The underground cities and are astonishing. I enjoyed the authentic local restaurants we visited - both the food and atmosphere. We enjoyed the Zeydem Suites Hotel (upgrade option) - large, clean, well-designed rooms. One suggestion: It would have been nice to get the airport itinerary earlier than 3 days before. i had made reservations in Istanbul area assuming we were going in/out of the IST airport, but as it turned out we were using the SAW airport. That caused a lot of extra driving.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that you had an excellent trip and that Bushar's passion, historical knowledge, and personal insights helped bring Cappadocia's incredible history to life. From the breathtaking landscapes and fascinating underground cities to authentic local cuisine, we're so happy every part of your journey left a lasting impression. It's also wonderful to know that you enjoyed your stay at Zeydem Suites. We believe that a comfortable and memorable stay is an important part of the overall experience, so we're thrilled the upgraded room exceeded your expectations. Thank you as well for your thoughtful feedback regarding the flight itinerary. We'd like to provide a little more context, as it may be helpful for future travelers as well. Due to Viator's cancellation and refund policy, we're only able to finalize and issue domestic flight tickets after the free cancellation period has ended (3 days before departure). This helps ensure that, in the unlikely event of a cancellation, our guests are not left with non-refundable flight tickets. Regarding the airports, both Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) are located at a similar distance from the central hotel areas in Istanbul, with an average transfer time of around one hour depending on traffic. For this reason, using one airport instead of the other generally doesn't result in significant additional travel time. That said, we completely understand how having this information earlier would have made planning your stay in Istanbul easier, and we truly appreciate you sharing your experience with us.
Ballon ride was great. Restaurant meals were great. Transportation had a major glitch. Our transfer to airport did not show so we had hotel call us a taxi.
We absolutely loved everything about this trip. It was unlike any place we have ever been. The Cliff dwellings were incredible and the hot air balloon ride absolutely breathtaking. The food was true local cuisine and delicious. The Cliff dwelling hotel was quaint and very comfortable.
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with us! We are truly delighted to hear that your Cappadocia journey was such a memorable one and that it felt unlike anywhere you had ever been before. Cappadocia is a place where nature, history, and culture come together in a truly magical way, and we are so happy that you were able to experience its unique beauty. Hearing that you enjoyed the incredible cliff dwellings, the breathtaking hot air balloon flight, and the authentic local cuisine means a lot to our team. We believe that the best journeys are not only about seeing amazing places, but also about feeling the spirit of the destination through its flavors, traditions, and unforgettable moments. We are also thrilled that you enjoyed your stay in our cave hotel. Staying inside the historic rock formations of Cappadocia is a special experience, and we are happy that your accommodation added even more comfort and charm to your adventure. Thank you for choosing us to be part of your Cappadocia story. We hope to welcome you back one day to discover even more hidden valleys, fascinating landscapes, and unforgettable experiences that this incredible region has to offer. Until then, we wish you many more amazing journeys ahead! ✨
The best experience a person could do while in Turkey. It was thoughtful throughly, the lunches amazing we learned so much and "Bush" our tour guide made everything better. Also the hot air balloon ride well worth the upgrade. Im happy we picked the cave hotel too. Everything was such a treasure.
The 2 days were amazing. We were somewhat concerned about safety as we were 4 senior women traveling alone. But a Viator representative picked us up at our hotel in Istanbul, took us to the airport, another representative met us there and took us to our amazing cave hotel in Cappadocia. Our tour guide and driver met us there and made sure we had the experience of a lifetime. The hot air balloon ride was incredible, the food was outstanding, and having a private tour for the 4 of us was so much more personal than the tours provided by the cruise ships.
Nice place , good explanations, good guide, the bad thing is that the times are not very good than scheduled, there is not much point getting up at 4:00 am to leave schedule to visit local shops, it is understood that it is done but should be declared before to define if one wants to attend, there is no warning also regarding that if it is convenient to shop there or No, I have checked when I arrive in Istanbul that the prices of the objects sold are absurd expensive, the explanation has value but It doesn't merit overpricing, they'd better charge for explaining. In our case We couldn’t fly in a balloon because of bad weather, I understand it’s not abnormal, but in our case the forecast of the middle of winter was quite clear that there would be no chance, it would have the courage to take care of the experience that was transparent. Many details to improve, why it is not cheap, hotel in our case without food service at night and away from somewhere, neither It was communicated
Viator Online Chat was extremely helpful and timely in planning and booking this trip. Unfortunately, the Itinerary is not accurate. A lot of time was spent at an expensive Ceramics shop, Jewelry shop, and Leather shop but was NOT disclosed in the itinerary. Had I known that shopping was involved in this trip, I would have opted for a different trip option for my limited time in Cappadocia. Also, it is very suspicious that another reviewer noted that their lunch was delayed for hours so the time at the expensive Ceramics shop was extended --- this is what also what "coincidentally" happened to my group. Very sketchy especially since our Guide said that the Ceramics shop was his family- a little self-serving for my taste. The one bright light was that lunch though - phenomenal food.
Busra was an excellent guide she was very helping. Full of great recommendations along with lots of fun facts about the area and their traditions/history.
It was a great time and I would recommend it to everyone looking for fun and adventure in Turkey. The guide was very informed.
The breathtaking panorama and diverse history of Cappadocia makes it a unique must see and do experience when visiting Turkey. Activities range from sunrise balloon rides over ancient volcanic formations to exploring ruins from civilizations over 4000 years old. Like shopping? Cappadocia has world class carpet, ceramic and leather factories. You can learn how these items are made while sipping delicious local tea and the famous Turkish Coffee. Like rustic hotels? Stay in a wide range of rooms that are cites on USNESCOs list of world treasures. A marvelous departure from Istanbul.
