Cappadocia Camel Safari Sunrise Tour

• 90 minutes on camelback at first light, with the balloons rising around you
• Free pick-up and drop-off from Goreme, Uchisar, Urgup, Ortahisar and Cavusin
• Calm, trained camels led by handlers on foot
• Rose Valley, Guldere, Zindanonu and Meskendir valleys
• No experience needed, and children can ride with a parent
• A group activity, not a private ride

Everyone in Cappadocia is awake before dawn, but most of them are looking up. On this ride you are out in the valleys as it happens: the burners start somewhere behind the ridge, then the first balloons come up over the rock, and within twenty minutes there are a hundred of them in the air above you. Camels carried the trade along these roads for centuries, which is why there is a caravanserai every thirty kilometres, and riding one at first light is a slower way to see the same valleys. The handlers walk alongside and stop where the view is best.

Places to visit

• Rose Valley
• Guldere Valley
• Zindanonu Valley
• Meskendir Valley

What to expect

• The ride lasts 90 minutes. With the transfers and the briefing, allow about 2.5 hours in total.
• This is a group activity rather than a private ride. You go out with other guests, each on your own camel.
• Pick-up and drop-off are free from Goreme, Uchisar, Urgup, Ortahisar and Cavusin. From other villages there may be a small transfer charge.
• The start time changes through the year, as the ride is timed around sunrise. In summer that means a pick-up before 05:00. We confirm it with you the day before.
• The camels are led by handlers on foot, so no riding experience is needed.

Good to know before you book

• The balloons fly at sunrise most mornings, but they are grounded when the weather does not allow it. The ride goes ahead either way, and the valleys at first light are worth seeing on their own.
• Two adults can ride one camel, as long as the combined weight stays under 140 kg.
• Children can ride with a parent on the same camel. Tell us their ages when you book.
• It is cold in the valleys before sunrise, even in summer. Bring a jacket, and sunglasses for when the light comes up.
• The ride does not run in heavy rain or snow. If we cancel for weather you receive a full refund or can move to another day.

Cancellation Policy

To receive a full refund, you can cancel up to 24 hours before the ride, in local time. Cancellations made after that are non-refundable. If we cancel because of weather, you receive a full refund or can move to another day.