Trip to Cappadocia

[M n M]

Hi Hannah

The money for the hotel, will be collected during the trip or you can pay directly to the hotel when we get there.

Looking forward to the trip ourselves not too long now.

M n M

[M n M]

Hi to everyone going on the trip.
We have had confirmation that we are all booked into the Cappadocia Palace Hotel.
They have asked for a 50ytl per person deposit.
We have paid this deposit for everyone, so would appreciate some reimbursement asap.
We have been negotiating a discount for the Hot Air Balloon Ride, so we need to know the exact number of people wanting to do this.
Thanks.
M n M

[kevincat99]

Hi Malcolm

What''s the cost of this please?

[Hannah]

Hi M n M, 
Very interested in the baloon trip, always wanted to do that!  Just depends on the price!!  How can I meet up with you for the deposit?

[M n M]

Hi Kevincat & Hannah
Most of the balloon companies on the web are quoting 150euros, but we have found one company who will give us a discount if there are 15 or more people booking. That price is 115euros.
Will ask them for a price in lira.
Will also ask our driver if he can negotiate a better price.
We will be in the Kaya on Friday night if you are in town then.
If not don''t worry about it. Will collect it when we see you.
M n M

[felicity]

Hi MnM - please be careful about which balloon company you book with.  I did lots of research before doing this in the summer and decided to bite the bullet and go with Kapadokya balloons - one of the original people to set up there run by Lars and Kaili.  Their prices are probably amongst the most expensive but you should consider the safety aspect here.  The only other company recommended to me was Anatolian balloons - so unless you are thinking of going with either of those 2 companies - I would check them out carefully.

When we were out there - we spoke to numerous people who had also booked with Kapadokya after hearing the really bad experiences of friends who had ballooned with less reputable companies.  VERY short trips - very scary experiences, near misses - over crowded balloons to name but a few.  And although accidents are rare - they do happen and when you see how they skim the rooftops -you can see why and how. 

At times we were literally 6 feet of the ground - skimming trees and other times with fairy chimneys welling up in front and above us and we just missed them - an enthralling ride - but NOT something to be taken with anybody.. ....  Sorry to put a dampener on it - but you should be careful.      We booked the exclusive ride (which was longer and less crowded in the basket) and it cost us 230 euros each...a helluva lot of money I know - but a once in a lifetime experience (our ride was about 50 minutes in the air too).

[M n M]

Thanks Felicity for that information.
We haven''t booked anything yet, still waiting for the driver to come back with a price. He takes tours there on a regular basis, so we assume he will know a reputable company. Will see which company he comes up with.
Thanks again.
M n M

[M n M]

Hi to everyone going to Cappadocia.
The best price we can get for the hot air balloon ride is 220ytl. With the current exchange rate it works out at about £85. The company is used by a well known travel company and we are assured that safety is not an issue.
Please let us know how many of you would like to take this trip.
M n M

PS Will telephone everyone with the early morning pick-up details for 10th November.

[Hannah]

Sorry M n M, have to pass on the baloon trip.

[Mercimek]

A tip with the balloon trip is not to book on your last day as if weather conditions aren''t good they may cancel with you in the morning- we booked for one day but got a call to say the weather wasn''t good enough however the following day it was perfect. We went as high as 1500 metres and scooped down close enough to the trees to pick fruit-it is a truely amazing experience, especially in such a wonderful area.

[M n M]

Thanks Mercimek
We have booked for the second day, but if that doesn''t happen we have two more mornings when we can do it. Fingers crossed we have good weather whilst we are there.
M n M

[Chucky]

Chinacat
I love your pictures of Cappadocia. I really wish we were join the group on their trip there.
I shall look forward to reading the reports and looking at their pictures when they get back.
Joan

[M n M]

We now have an itinery for the trip.
10th Nov. Travel to Urgup setting off from Kalamar at 05.45 then picking up along the way. Will inform everyone of their pick-up time.
11th Nov. Leave hotel at 09.00. Visit Devrent, Pasabag, Pigeon Valley for lunch, Uchisar Castle, Goreme Valley view point then to Kaymakli underground city.
12th Nov. Early morning balloon trip (Weather permitting). Leave hotel at 09.00. 5km stroll through Rose Valley (easy walk no climbing involved), on to Avanos to have lunch, Goreme open-air museum, then on to Ortahisar Castle.
13th Nov. Leave hotel 09.00. Directly to Ihlara Valley for sightseeing and on to Selime Monastry, with a few photo stops in between. For people who want to walk, there is a selection of walks the longest being 16km.
14th Nov. Early morning departure 07.30. Drive to Sultanhani Kervansaray and then on to the Mevlana Museum in Konya. Lunch then back to Kalkan
Obviously this is not set in stone, as we have no control over the weather.
The balloon trip is confirmed at the price of 110euros per person. As the exchange rate is fluctuating so much, probably best to pay in euros as the company will charge a high exchange rate for lira.
A deposit has been paid of 50euros per person for the twenty people who want to do this trip. We would appreciate payment asap. We had to pay these deposits today to confirm our booking with this company, as some people went last week and missed out on the trip because they were booked up.
Anyone wishing to pay on the day for the balloon trip will have to pay a minimum of 10euros more.
Any questions, please get in touch.
M n M   

[M n M]

P.S Sorry the extra 10euros is if you are paying for the balloon trip by credit card.
M n M

[Hannah]

A huge thank you to M n M for organising such a fantastic trip. 
I thoroughly enjoyed it all, even if the joints did ache a bit at times!
And also thanks to those who gave me a pull up or a hand down when I needed them most!

[Chucky]

Good to here you are all back safely and had a great time.
I do hope that we will get to read a more in depth report of your holiday and that you will post your pictures in the gallery for us all to enjoy
Joan

[theinspector]

hi great info on this trip but can anyone tell me the total cost including hotels etc cheers michael

[Buster]

Hi All

Just posted a few pics of the Hot air balloon trip taken during our fantastic visit to Cappadocia organised by MnM.

Will post other photos of Rose Valley Etc when the winter rain starts   as it''''s glorious sunshine outside and I can''''t sit faffing with a computer when the sun shines.

All My Pics at:   :  http://picasaweb.google.com/barryjv

Regards: Buster

[felicity]

Oh Buster - those pics are wonderful and brought back so many lovely memories for me in the summer - except that your photography skills are soooooo much better than mine..!!   

I see that you went with Anatolian balloons - they were the other recommended company to the one we went with...weren''t you just AMAZED by the sights from the balloons - my kids and I were overwhelmed by the WOW factor....your photos are fab - thanks for sharing!!

Cheers!

X

[Pebble]

Fabulous pictures Buster, can''t wait to see the rest.  Oh and I''m not at all jealous that you are out in the sunshine while I am indoors with the central heating on watching the rain 
P