Sunrise hot-air balloons are not always guaranteed in Cappadocia

One thing I learned when visiting Goreme, Turkey is: the hot-air balloons are NOT always a sure thing.

I made this same mistake when I visited Iceland with the Northern lights. You see pictures and you think this must just happen all the time! As is always a hard lesson, social media is very different than reality.

The cancellation rate during winter and spring months is pretty high (I believe due to the wind). I traveled in mid-September and we still only saw the hot-air balloons one of the two mornings we were there.

Cancellation rates by month. You can see a full breakdown on ToursCE website. They also offer a tracker for same day balloon trips so you know whether it was cancelled or not (so you can go back to bed).

If you are looking to get the best odds of viewing, you will need to go in August, which has a low 7% cancellation rate. September is the next best month, with only a 14% cancellation rate.

If I could redo it again, I would stay for 3 nights to maximize my odds of seeing the hot-air balloons. Seeing them once was cool, but I think a second time would have been really nice to get to appreciate it after the initial excitement.

Sunrise hot-air balloon fight from our hotel balcony

Interested in a sunrise hot-air balloon flight? Check it out here!

(I may earn a small commission if you book a flight through this link.)

View of the hot-air balloons from our hotel room. I booked a hotel where we could easily see the balloons since you have to wake up so early to see them! Remember: summer means an earlier sunrise.

Let’s wander wiser together.