So, I pitched my tent in Cappadocia's Red Valley. Not a soul around, elevation 1,100 m, with a cold wind blowing, so I banked the tent skirt with sand and tuff. Slept soundly the first night, but by morning the nightmares began, feeling as if flamethrowers were scorching the earth all around me. By 7 AM, I woke up completely to the roar of what sounded like a giant grill, crawled out of the tent in sheer panic, and there it was — a hot-air balloon carrying Asian tourists just 20 meters away.
View in the opposite direction at sunset.
The trip was spontaneous; I didn't know anything about the balloons or the camping ban. It turns out wild camping is forbidden across the entire national park — roughly the triangle between Nevşehir, Avanos, and Ürgüp. Rangers can kick you out or even issue a fine, but I pitched camp at dusk and packed up at dawn to avoid any trouble. Over the course of a week, I didn't run into a single official. Either way, it's best to look for secluded spots or sleep in the caves; there are plenty of them here, and some boast mind-blowing views. Christians lived and hid in them from the 5th century onwards, offering a unique opportunity to touch history firsthand while lying on your sleeping mat and admiring the ceiling frescoes.
It pairs wonderfully with a trek along the Lycian Way or the Saint Paul Trail.
Pigeon Valley, looking toward the volcano that created all this beauty.
Love Valley, where scenes from Star Wars were filmed.
I reached Cappadocia in late September, which turned out to be one of the best months to visit. Daytime temperatures around +22°C, nights between +3 and +10°C, and very little rain. The valleys are almost completely empty; you can scream at the top of your lungs and listen to the most incredible echo without annoying anyone. The barren landscape has a profound effect on your state of mind — the feeling of being on another planet is utterly captivating, making it the very first place to give me such an experience.
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