So I pitched my tent in the Red Valley of Cappadocia. There was not a soul around, the altitude was 1,100 meters, and a cold wind was blowing, so I secured the skirt with sand and tuff. I slept soundly the first night, but in the morning I started having nightmares, as if flamethrowers were burning the ground on all sides. By 7 a.m., I finally woke up to the sound of a giant grill, feeling uneasy, I crawled out of the tent, and there was a hot air balloon 20 meters away with Asians.
View in the opposite direction at sunset.
The trip was spontaneous, I didn't know anything about the balloons, the ban on pitching a tent, nothing. It turns out the ban applies throughout the national park, which is a условный triangle between Nevsehir, Avanos, and Urgup. They can chase you away and even fine you, but I set up camp at dusk and packed up in the morning to avoid problems. I didn't meet a single employee in a week. Anyway, it's better to look for secluded places or spend the night in caves, there are a lot of them here, and some of them offer stunning views. Since the 5th century, Christians have lived and hidden in them, it's a unique opportunity to connect with history with your whole body, lying on your karimat and admiring the ceiling paintings.
It's great to combine it with a hike along the Lycian Trail or St. Paul's Trail.
Pigeon Valley, view of the volcano that created all this beauty.
Love Valley, this is where scenes from Star Wars were filmed.
I got to Cappadocia at the end of September, it turned out to be one of the best months to visit. The temperature during the day is +22, at night from +3 to +10, and there is little precipitation. There are almost no people in the valleys, you can scream at the top of your lungs and listen to the most incredible echo without annoying anyone. The desert landscape begins to greatly affect your inner state, the feeling of another planet really captivates, it's the first place with such sensations.
