Day 30: Göreme to Nemrut Dağı

Today was a big day, it was a great day, it was an epic day. Being woken at 4.15am was not an issue, given that today was the day we were to set off on a hot air ballon ride above the Cappadocian moonscape that we had explored the day previous.  We had booked this when we had booked the accommodation several months previously, and had been looking forward to it as one of the highlights of the trip, and it certainly delivered!

Butterfly Balloons

Gathering at reception in the early pre-dawn light were a number of other people booked to fly with the same and different companies to that which we had chosen at the recommendation of the hotel. Gradually, we all departed by minibus to rendezvous points for each of the numerous ballooning companies operating in Göreme. Aside from the stunning landscape, Göreme also has apparently perfect weather for ballooning, averaging 300 'fly-able' days per year. 

Whilst waiting for the balloon pilots to analyse wind conditions to determine (i) if we could fly today, and (ii) the appropriate launch positions, we were counted, registered and provided with a light breakfast. Worryingly, the news at the beginning didn't seem too good... there was a strong possibility that today may not be 'fly-able' due to the strength of the wind. 

The pilots present all seemed to be having a good time, aware that everyone wanted to fly, but also serious with regard to safe wind conditions. I guess that many of the jokes were old hat in the ballooning world, but for novice balloonists they still worked:

Pilot: So... are you nervous?

Tourist: Yes, just a little bit. 

Pilot: Me too... it's my first flight.

It didn't seem to strong outside, but the pilots were suggesting that at higher altitude it wasn't so pleasant. Nervously, we waited. Not wanting to miss out on the balloon ride, we were considering our options to stay for another night, but finally news broke that we would indeed fly! It was later than usual for departure, and the sun was already up now after waiting for 45 minutes or so, so we were quickly piled back into the minibuses and were soon bouncing along the road to where the launch site had been chosen. 

The ground crew had already just arrived with the balloon and basket, and were in the process of unrolling and inflating the balloon. The roar of the burner and fan pushing air into the balloon amidst the pristine morning was exciting, as was the site of ours and other balloons slowly starting to take shape. Before the balloon was fully inflated were were all piled into the basket, where unfortunately Gerle and I needed to be separated to allow for proper weight distribution.... not it was not because I was too fat.

After about 15 seconds of safety briefing with regard to both standard and emergency landing positions, we were ready to take-off. Our lives were now in the hands of our pilot, Mustafa. As the counterweights were removed, we quickly yet gracefully rose into the air. With the burner off, the silence was surreal. With the burner on, the radiant heat was quite intense and the noise strong also. 

For about the next hour, we floated gracefully over Cappadocia, with the captain pointing out many of the landmarks and explaining what was below throughout. Our speed varied with elevation, approaching zero knots as we descended into the valleys and increasing to no more than about 10 knots when we approached our maximum elevations. 

Mustafa was in almost constant communication with the balloons around us, both from Butterfly Balloons and other companies. Apparently he was one of the senior pilots (and also and examiner for those obtaining balloon pilot licenses), and was well respected by all around him. 

The view from the balloon was simply amazing at all times, whether it be the landscape below from afar or up close, with or without other balloons or our own shadow, in every direction the picture was aesthetically pleasing. I don't think that I have seen more balloons aloft simultaneously as I did whilst were were in the air ourselves. 

Landing was going to to prove a little more difficult than taking off. By eye and judgement alone, Mustafa was to try and pick a landing spot devoid of trees yet accessible to the ground crews, such that they could arrive prior to our landing. This was more difficult than it sounds, as the roads leading to the landing sites often required detouring from the balloon's approach by many kilometres to navigate through the valleys and ridges. The balloon pilot then only had control of the rate of descent, no ability to 'steer', to try and land on the designated spot. 

After one aborted attempt as we descended only slightly too slowly, we made a soft landing to be met by the ground crew. I think we were in the air for about 90 minutes in total, so worth every penny of the ticket price. Some champagne was produced to celebrate the safe landing, and with it some cake and fresh fruit. The 12 of us passengers stood around chatting exuberantly about the flight as the ground crew started to pack up the balloon. 

Unpacking the balloon (1)

Unpacking the balloon (2)

Everybody take a deep breath... now blow!

Balloon inflation (2)

Balloon inflation (3)

Balloon inflation (4)

Ballon inflation (5). Tourists await with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. 

Balloon inflation (6). Doubt starting to creep into the mind?

Balloon inflation (7)

Balloon inflation (8)

Neighbouring balloons also being inflated.

So, have you written your last will and testament?

Balloon inflation (9)

Balloon inflation (10)

Balloon inflation (11). Almost ready.

Balloon inflation (12). OK... everybody in before this think takes off!

Everyone onboard, moments before take-off

We were second from Butterfly Balloons to take off.

Going, going, gone... take-off was a success.

We were at opposite ends of the basket, with the pilot and fuel in between...

Climbing gradually over the first ridge.

Just giving the pilot some pointers...

More hot air than your average politician

Distracting me from the scenery below

The scene at take-off

Heading out over Cappadocia

Climbing in the shadow of the ridge ahead

Drifting through the valley

The alien landscape

Cruising low above the valleys

Butterfly Balloons. Don't hesitate; just do it.

The balloons climbed surprisingly swiftly when needed; often we were only metres above the ground clearing ridges.

Two other 'Butterfly Balloons' balloons take to the sky ahead of us.

A neighbouring balloon from the same company as ours.

Vivid colours in the early dawn light.

Directly below the balloon... amazing shapes.

A narrow yet green valley amongst the chalky ridges

Spectacular rock formations

Wow... it's a big balloon.

Ballooning action shot.

No, they're not landing on the rock ridge.... just scraping past it.

Kudos to Mustafa our pilot, also a good photographer.

Surreal scenery

Fooling around near the end of our balloon ride

Cappadocia hot air balloons

Action inside the basket

Balloons above Göreme

Balloons amidst the peribaclari

High above Cappadocia

Balloons in Göreme

Balloon going down (1)

Balloon going down (2)

Balloon going down (3)

Balloon going down (4)

Balloon going down (5)

I'm sure that Mustafa fell in love with Gerle

Safely back on deck!

Gerle and I somehow ended up sitting on the soft packed balloon; Gerle was picked up by the pilot in a spot of mischief whilst I was taking photographs, and then before I knew it a giant of a man threw me over his shoulder and then tossed me atop the balloon also. I do not recall being picked up like that since being a boy some 40 kilograms lighter!

Should I be jealous?

Me... over the shoulder in a fireman's lift in about 2 seconds flat

About to become airborne for the second time within the hour

I'm in there... somewhere!

We and the ground crew.

Gerle loving it, me feeling a little sheepish to have been made to look like a lightweight.

With the ballooning done, we returned to the hotel where after downloading the pictures so Gerle could make some 'real time' Facebook posts, we went downstairs for our second complimentary breakfast of our stay at the Goreme Cave Suites.


Nemrut Dağı

The elation of the day was still upon us, and I would suggest that the adrenalin was still pumping as we packed up our room and departed Göreme for the long drive across central Anatolia to our destination of the evening, Nemrut Dağı (Mount Nemrut), a peak of 2,134m contained within national park, of which the summit is adorned with a number of large statues positioned around what is assumed to be a royal tomb from the 1st century BC. 

With about 500 km to drive, we had planned to enjoy our (second) breakfast of the day as lunch, before getting into the car for the long haul. The road and scenery was mostly uneventful, until turning off the main road and heading into the mountains in the direction of Nemrut Dağı.

The road started to twist and climb over a mountain range, and near to the top there was a gravel track detour that provided from some great views and hair raising catch your breath moments as we rounded blind corners to oncoming traffic without the comfort of even a guard rail. Based upon some of the roads travelled since, this was very tame, but a good warm-up exercise.

A section of the 'detour' over the mountain

We crossed another two valleys, up and down between 1800m and 500m twice, before finally starting to ascend to our final destination. In the valleys that we crossed, the rivers were flowing swiftly and the valley floors were lined with scree eroded from the slopes the rivers were fed from. There was lots of agriculture on the valley floors, with orchards, crops and livestock present. 

Descending into the valley previous to our destination, we passed a number of people on horseback which was a little different to what we had seen elsewhere in Turkey where donkeys seemed to be preferred. Gerle managed to get a good shot out the window of the car as we passed slowly, completely surprising the guy.

This guy was as surprised to see us as we were to see him.

Arriving at the entrance of the National Park, the closed gate was a little foreboding given the time of day (about 6.30pm) and our previous experience near Kusadasai. Thankfully, the park was supposed to be open until 7.30pm, and we think that we were given permission to camp near the summit after a brief round of pantomiming. 

Heading to the top, and having not seen any other tourists on the road, we were expecting to be alone at the summit. We hadn't figured that there was another road accessing the top (though we were wondering how Google Maps had us continuing toward tomorrows destination without backtracking). 

Rounding the last of a number of hairpin bends, we camp to the limit to which cars could be driven to the summit, where two tour minibuses were parked. Hiking up the path, another 500m or so away from the car parking area, we came onto the eastern terrace which was now almost completely in shade. From here we had views in all directions, with the best overlooking branches of the Atatürk Barajı (Ataturk Dam). 

Atop Mount Nemrut it is thought that King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene in 62 BC built a tomb-sanctuary flanked by huge statues of himself, two lions, two eagles and various Greek, Armenian, and Iranian gods. These statues were once seated, with names of each god inscribed on them. The heads of the statues have at some stage been removed from their bodies, and the statues have not been restored to their original positions. 

Me in the afternoon sun atop Mount Nemrut

Our parking location below the summit... would look a lot more rugged without Ford Transits!

The seated yet headless statues of the eastern terrace

Yours truly with sections of Ataturk Dam in the background.

One of the decapitated heads.

A lion head?

We admired the view from the shady side of the mountain, and looked at the ruins of the statues, before following a path cut into the side of the scree slope forming the peak of the mountain to the western terrace where a larger arrangement of statues exists. 

The path around the mountain top

The statues of the western terrace

Mostly Turkish tourists taking in the sunset over the Nemrut Dağı statues

A decapitated head on the western terrace

The peak of Nemrut Dağı behind the statues of the western terrace

Admiring the view from the western terrace

Sunset over the adjacent mountain range

Tourists enjoying the last of the suns rays

At the summit we met and interesting guy from Germany. He was one month into a FIVE YEAR long world tour. He had just sold everything he had in Germany, including his business, to fund an epic voyage planned to cover all continents on two wheels over the next five years. At least his two wheels were motorised! After a brief discussion of planned routes, we headed off to find somewhere to camp before it got too dark.

No climbing... must be difficult if allowed.

Almost dark

Windswept hair on the crest of the ridge

Another plug for Eric and the AMZ Gruppe in Stollberg, Germany

Our plan to camp near to the summit was foiled by the presence of some very shady 'security' personnel, who seemed more likely than anything else around to cause us grief. So, we opted to head down the slope back in the direction from whence we had came to find somewhere to camp. Our plan to continue the following day without backtracking was not likely to happen, it appears that Google Maps had mistaken the waling tracks around either side of the mountain as roads, and these were definitely not traversable even with 4WD as huge stones were blocking the path.

It was darkening quickly, so after descending about half way down the series of hairpin bends, we pulled up at a cutting in the side of the hill that had been used as a source of quarried material for the road construction. There was zero traffic on the road, so parking so close to the roadside wasn't an issue. We were unpacking the car and about to have dinner when Gerle became a little alarmed at the noise of the rocks dribbling down the walls of the quarry; given the long day, it was better to move on and find somewhere a little more suitable. Gerle has a preference for camping either near to people, or in wide open grassy places similar to Mongolian countryside. Trees and shadows are not really her idea of a comfortable place to camp.

So, we continued down the mountainside some more, passing through a small village where we found on the road leading to our destination the following day a better place to camp. This was in the middle of a large clearing, also not too far from a deserted road. Having spent another hour looking for this place, and it being already late and dark, we forewent dinner and shared a couple of beers instead before turning in for the night.