In Pictures

Hot air balloons ride over Turkey’s iconic Cappadocia

Cappadocia, preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is famous for its chimney rocks and hot air balloon trips.

Hot air balloons, carrying tourists, rise into the sky at sunrise in Cappadocia, central Turkey, early Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. Cappadocia has become a favourite site for tourists in hot-air balloons wh — Hot air balloons filled with tourists rise into the sky at sunrise in Cappadocia, central Turkey. [Emrah Gurel/AP Photo]

A total of 437,516 tourists enjoyed hot air balloon tours in Turkey‘s charming touristic hub, Cappadocia, between January and September, according to data compiled by the Anadolu news agency.

Cappadocia, listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, is famous with its distinctive plateau, valleys, hills, unique fairy chimney volcanic cones, colourful frescos covering underground cities, boutique hotels, houses carved into rocks, rock churches, chapels, and shelters used by the early Christians.

The hot balloon rides over the skies of Cappadocia for an hour costs $186 to $220 a person. The tours generated $86m in revenue in the first nine months of this year, the data showed.

Tourists gather as hot air balloons are prepared before rising in the sky at sunrise in Cappadocia, central Turkey, early Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. Cappadocia has become a favourite site for tourists in — Tourists gather as the balloons are prepared before taking off. [Emrah Gurel/AP Photo]

A hot air balloon, carrying tourists, rises into the sky at sunrise in Cappadocia, central Turkey, early Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. Cappadocia has become a favourite site for tourists in hot-air balloons — Cappadocia has become a favourite site for tourists who can slowly drift above the cone-shaped rock formations in hot air balloons and float up over rippled ravines for breathtaking views of the region. [Emrah Gurel/AP Photo]

Hot air balloons, carrying tourists, rise into the sky above the "fairy chimneys" of stone that are so soft that Byzantine Greeks carved subterranean cities out of them, in Cappadocia, central Turkey, — Hot air balloons rise into the sky above the 'fairy chimneys' of stone that are so soft that Byzantine Greeks carved subterranean cities out of them. [Emrah Gurel/AP Photo]

Hot air balloons ready to glide over Goreme district during early morning at the historical Cappadocia region, located in Central Anatolia''s Nevsehir province, Turkey on September 23, 2019. Cappadocia — Hot air balloons ready to glide over Goreme district early in the morning at the historical Cappadocia region, located in Central Anatolia's Nevsehir province. [Behcet Alkan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]

Visitors ride horses as hot air balloons glide over Goreme district during early morning at the historical Cappadocia region, located in Central Anatolia''s Nevsehir province, Turkey on September 23, 2 — Visitors ride horses as hot air balloons glide over Goreme district during the early morning at the historical Cappadocia region. [Behcet Alkan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]

An aerial view of hot air colorful balloons featuring various figures being prepared to fly over charming touristic hub famed for its fairy chimneys in Turkey as part of the International Cappadocia H — An aerial view of colourful hot air balloons in various shapes, prepared to fly over the charming touristic hub famous for its fairy chimneys as part of the International Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Festival in Nevsehir. [Murat Oner Tas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]

Tourists take photos as hot air balloons glide over Goreme district during early morning at the historical Cappadocia region, located in Central Anatolia''s Nevsehir province, Turkey on September 30, 2 — Cappadocia is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is famous for its chimney rocks, hot air balloon trips, underground cities and boutique hotels carved into rocks. [Sercan Kucuksahin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]

Hot air balloons featuring various figures fly over charming touristic hub famed for its fairy chimneys in Turkey as part of the International Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon Festival on July 06, 2019 in N — Hot air balloons in different shapes and sizes fly over the tourist hub. [Alpaslan Korukcu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images]