CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY-We’re travelling to the outskirts of town in a caravan of utility vehicles and as we barrel past a wide, empty field, I can’t tell if we’re shivering from the early morning cold or nervous excitement.

We’re two of hundreds of tourists who visit Goreme National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site in central Turkey, each day to ride in a hot-air balloon above this rocky wonderland. And we’re racing against the sun.

Our trucks stop in a flat field, and the drivers hop out to join workers clustered around dozens of giant baskets. We can only see them — and our surroundings — thanks to radiant bursts of propane flame coaxing brightly coloured balloons into shape.

When the sun starts to rise about 40 minutes later, all the passengers have been loaded into the baskets and the balloons begin to rise above the honeycomb landscape. We’re with a retired Irish couple who waited their whole lives for this ride, young honeymooners from Boston, and a Canadian mother celebrating a milestone birthday with her daughter.

To understand Cappadocia’s landscape — its scale, its scope, the otherworldliness that’s made it the perfect backdrop for many space movies — is to see it from the air.

For an hour, we soar 1,000 metres over valleys of rock formations known as fairy chimneys. It feels like starring in a Lotto 6/49 commercial.

We return to land giddy and, as we post photos to Instagram, many of our fellow travellers make their way back to their hotels on route to Istanbul.

Not us. Cappadocia is famous for its hot-air ballooning, but the adventure is merely an entry point.

If busy Istanbul feels like Toronto, Cappadocia is charming Prince Edward County. We stay another two days.

Mehmet Gul, manager at the perfectly situated Hezen Cave Hotel, is a treasure trove of information. He recommends seeing an authentic sema (whirling dervish ceremony) in the restored Saruhan Caravanserai.

We sit in a group of 20 under the vaulted ceiling of the 13th century building, transfixed by the music and dancing. We’re later escorted to the courtyard and treated to apple tea and an artistic video projection of the ritual — a cool, modern contrast to the quiet candlelit atmosphere within.

Later, Gul sends us to the Tandir Café.

The exterior of this homey, local restaurant is unassuming, but its large, backyard terrace has one of the best views of the area. We enjoy the house red wine, made by the owner’s brother, with meze (plates of olives, homemade cheese, pickled vegetables, bread and more).

At the upscale and tourist-friendly Muti, we sit in an open-air courtyard and share the velvety lavender and vanilla pudding, while waiters chase cats from the tables.

My husband and I take a long walk through the town and find a small, roadside market where I search the stands for woven pouches, souvenirs for my girlfriends at home.

The vendors offer tea and ask questions about Canada. A camel and its handler are positioned nearby for the perfect photo op.

In neighbouring Goreme, we tour an open-air museum, hiking among rock chapels and cave dwellings.

Go to Cappadocia for the thrilling balloon ride, but linger in this intimate, otherworldly place for the down-to-earth hospitality.

Kapadokya Balloons paid for the writer’s ride, but didn’t review or approve this story.

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When you go:

Several tour operators offer hot-air balloon rides.