Love Valley (Hot Air Balloon Viewpoint)
Bağlıdere Vadisi / Aşk Vadisi
A canyon northwest of Göreme, home to giant fairy chimneys up to 40 meters tall. At sunrise, over a hundred hot air balloons drift across the valley, making it Cappadocia's most iconic sight.
Love Valley lies between Göreme and Uçhisar and contains the tallest group of fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. They are said to resemble male anatomy, which gave the valley its name. It connects to the neighboring White Valley (Aktepe) and is one of the main areas for hot air balloon flights. There are two ways to enjoy it. The first is to take a balloon ride. Hotels pick you up before dawn and drive you to the launch site. The roughly one-hour flight passes over Love Valley, Rose Valley and Göreme town. After landing, you receive a champagne toast and a certificate. Standard baskets, which carry 16 to 28 passengers, cost around €250–350 per person, and luxury smaller baskets cost more. Book in advance through your hotel or an official company. Before dawn, the civil aviation authority decides whether flights will go ahead based on wind speed. If a flight is cancelled, you will receive a refund or be rescheduled. The second way is to watch from the ground. The Love Valley viewpoint, beside the road, has a parking lot and coffee stands, and you can photograph balloons rising from behind the fairy chimneys. Other options include the Sunset/Sunrise Point north of Göreme (entry around €5, and very crowded) or simply watching from the terrace of your cave hotel, since many hotel terraces offer the best vantage points. You can also hike into Love Valley from Göreme town. The round trip is about 4 kilometers and takes 2 hours, and you can get close to the chimneys along the way. The valley is also a popular spot at sunset. Mornings are cold, so bring a jacket. The viewpoints have no railings, so stay safe at the edges. Book your balloon flight for the first day of your itinerary so that it can be rescheduled if the weather cancels it.
Opening hours
Open all day (balloon flights about 1 hour around sunrise)
Nearby sights
- Göreme Town & Cave Hotels
- Çavuşin
- Göreme Open-Air Museum
- Pigeon Valley
- Rose Valley / Red Valley
- Uçhisar Castle
- Paşabağ (Monks Valley)
- Zelve Open-Air Museum