From the ski resorts known for their proximity to Istanbul to the natural wonders of the mountains… Here are Turkiye’s most popular ski resorts, which await ski enthusiasts throughout the winter season, and the most ideal routes for a ski holiday.
The most popular ski route of winter tourism: Bursa Uludag
Uludag is one of the first ski routes that come to mind when it comes to winter tourism. Uludag, known for its proximity to Istanbul and the most preferred ski resort, draws attention with its entertainment venues as well as the ski hotels in its vicinity. Uludag Ski Center, which is only 40 km away from Bursa city center, has about 20 ski tracks, the longest of which is 2750 meters (Tutyeli Piste). Uludag and its surroundings, which is an ideal region for nature trips as well as winter sports, especially skiing and snowboarding, offer a wide variety of activities and excursions for those who want to live their winter holiday to the fullest.
Close to the city, away from the noise: Kocaeli Kartepe
Kartepe, another preferred ski resort for its proximity to Istanbul, is among the ski routes that stand out with its ideal snow thickness for skiing, luxury hotels in its vicinity, and a variety of tracks that appeal to many athlete profiles, from professional skiers to travelers who want to experience skiing for the first time. With its magnificent mountain view reaching 1700 meters, five-star hotel services, suitable equipment rental opportunities and natural beauties around it, Kartepe offers many alternatives for a ski holiday.
A natural wonder: Bolu Kartalkaya
Kartalkaya Ski Center, which has a peak of 2000 meters in the Koroglu Mountains and is a frequent destination for winter tourism with its location right in the middle of Istanbul and Ankara, has 5 accommodation facilities and 13 different ski tracks with a total length of 20 kilometers with varying degrees of difficulty. The center stands out with its surrounding plateaus, natural wonders of national parks, lakes and recreation areas. Hosting Turkiye’s highest-level snowpark project, Kartalkaya is among the most suitable ski routes for snowboard enthusiasts.
The last stop of the Eastern Express: Kars Sarikamis
Kars Sarikamis Ski Center, which is the perfect address for those who want to get away from the city and explore a completely different geography during the winter holiday, offers its visitors the option of accommodation in log houses with more than 10 small mountain hotels. The Sarikamis Ski Center, which stands out with its convenient equipment rental opportunity, can also be reached by the Eastern Express, which offers the most popular and unique travel opportunity of recent years. Sarikamis ski slopes, with a total length of 25 kilometers, offer a unique natural beauty with the powder crystal snow type found only in the Alps in the world.
Kayseri’s local flavors meet with the pleasure of skiing: Kayseri Erciyes
Erciyes Mountain, the apple of the eye of Kayseri, with a height approaching 4000 meters, has the distinction of being the highest mountain in Central Anatolia. The snowy slopes of Mount Erciyes, an extinct volcano, offer an ideal ski resort for winter sports in Kayseri, famous for its cuisine. Promising a long ski season from November to April, offering accommodation in three-star hotels as well as local delicacies, Erciyes Ski Center’s ski slopes like Uludag are among the priority choices of excitement and adrenaline enthusiasts. Kayseri Erciyes Ski Center appeals to ski and snowboard enthusiasts of all levels with its track options grouped as easy, medium and difficult.
Skiing in the land of Dadas people with cag kebab: Erzurum Palandoken
Palandoken Ski Center offers an attractive winter tourism alternative for the region with its location only 10 kilometers away from Erzurum, one of the big cities of Eastern Anatolia. Palandoken Ski Center, with its 150-day winter season, also has the distinction of being one of the ski resorts closest to the city center among the world’s ski resorts. While this huge area, with a total track length of 30 kilometers, hosts professional athletes and mountaineers with its challenging and steep tracks, it has become an increasingly popular option among domestic and foreign tourists in recent years. Accommodation options include camping facilities in Palandoken, a hotel zone and hotels in Erzurum city center.
Source: NTV / Prepared by Irem Yildiz