← All travels

Cappadocia · Türkiye · 2025

Cappadocia

In Cappadocia, I was drawn to pale rock ridges, dwellings carved into stone and spring flowers colouring the valleys. At dawn, glowing balloons rise from the shadows into an open sky. Beyond the valleys, a green lake, villages beneath snow-streaked mountains and a wooded canyon reveal the region’s quieter landscapes.

Purple irises in the foreground overlooking a broad valley of pale rock formations in Cappadocia. — 01
A Valley Framed by Irises
Purple irises frame a sweeping view of pale rock towers and green hollows. From the flowers in the foreground to the distant plateau, the landscape unfolds in layers of colour and stone.

Yellow wildflowers beside a path overlooking pointed rock formations and layered cliffs. — 02
Spring Along the Valley
Yellow wildflowers trace the edge of a valley filled with pointed rock formations. Warm light reveals the contours of the stone, while a path follows the valley’s rim.

Smooth pale rock ridges in soft light, with green shrubs growing between their folds. — 03
Sculpted by Time
Soft light brushes the folds of pale rock, revealing a rhythm of ridges, curves and sheltered pockets of green. The flowing shapes give the landscape an almost delicate appearance.

Hot-air balloons illuminated by their burners above a dark rocky valley beneath an orange dawn sky. — 04
First Fire of Morning
Balloons glow like lanterns above a valley still held in shadow. Beneath the orange dawn sky, bursts of flame bring warmth and colour to the cool landscape.

Wide panorama of dozens of hot-air balloons above Cappadocia’s valleys at dawn. — 05
A Sky Full of Balloons
As dawn spreads across Cappadocia, balloons rise above the valleys into a golden sky. The panorama captures the scale of the landscape and the quiet spectacle of the morning flight.

A hot-air balloon beside a hilltop rock citadel and stone village under a blue sky. — 06
Above the Rock Citadel
A solitary balloon floats beside a hilltop rock citadel. Below it, stone buildings, winding paths and hollowed formations connect the town with its surrounding landscape.

Tall conical rock dwelling surrounded by greenery, with small hot-air balloons in the morning sky. — 07
Stone and Sky
A tall rock cone with carved openings stands above spring grasses and trees. Small balloons drift in the distance, adding a sense of scale and lightness to the solid forms below.

Panoramic view of an oval green lake surrounded by grassy hills beneath scattered white clouds. — 08
An Emerald Circle
An oval of green water rests within a broad ring of hills. White clouds and their soft reflections bring movement to an otherwise still and spacious panorama.

Village houses and minarets on green slopes below mountains streaked with snow. — 09
Village Beneath Snow-streaked Peaks
Village rooftops and slender minarets rise from green slopes beneath snow-streaked mountains. The layers of homes, hills and distant summits connect everyday life with the wider landscape.

Wooded canyon enclosed by steep rock cliffs, with a winding footpath below. — 10
A Green Passage Through Stone
Steep cliffs enclose a green corridor of trees, with a narrow path winding along the valley floor. Seen from above, the canyon reveals a quieter, more sheltered side of the journey.