Most Visited Ski Resorts in Turkey
While not the largest or most famous in the world, Turkish ski resorts are a growing tourism option for international travelers.
Uludag, for example, offers a tranquil winter escape with great infrastructure and plenty of beds and restaurants.
Palandoken, meanwhile, is Turkiye’s highest ski area and has wide open slopes which are often well above the tree line.
Uludag Ski Center
Uludag , 36 km south of Bursa, is one of Turkey’s most popular winter sports centers. Its richness of flora and fauna has made it into a national park and summer activities such as trekking and camping are also popular.
Uludag has many skiing facilities including ski lifts, rental equipment, ski schools and restaurants. Its location at an altitude of 2,500 meters makes it possible to enjoy good snow conditions throughout the ski season, which usually lasts from December to April.
While there is some controversy about the lack of children’s equipment at Uludag, the resort’s service standards are generally top-notch and the locals are genuinely friendly. Prices are higher by Turkish standards, but it’s still a great value destination for many international visitors.
Palandoken Ski Center
Located in Erzurum, Palandoken Ski Center is one of the most visited ski resorts in Turkey. With its long runs, snow quality and mechanical facilities, the center attracts skiers from all over the world.
This ski resort is located on an altitude of 2200-3176 meters and offers skiing opportunities for 5 months from November to April every year. The skiing area is illuminated, which allows skiers to enjoy their activities even when it’s dark.
The runs of Palandoken ski center are served by aerial lifts (eight chairlifts and one gondola lift) with a total hourly transport capacity of 8,100 skiers. It has different types of tracks based on their difficulty levels and also offers many alternatives for outdoor sports activities like mountaineering, paragliding, snow tube and paintball.
Kartalkaya Ski Center
Located southeast of Bolu in the Koroglu Mountains, Kartalkaya Ski Center is one of Turkey’s most visited ski resorts. It is a popular winter destination for locals as well as foreign tourists.
It is ideal for Alpine skiing and mountaineering. The best time to ski is between December and March, when there is an average 3 meter snowfall.
The skiing facilities are great for both beginners and advanced skiers and snowboarders. The slopes are long and there are dozens of different runs to choose from.
There are also plenty of activities for the kids to enjoy as well, including playrooms and training tracks that can help them to learn to ski. This is a great place for families to spend a holiday together.
Sarikamis Ski Center
Located in Eastern Turkey, Sarikamis Ski Center is one of the most popular ski resorts for Turkish skiers and visitors from other countries. It is renowned for its tree-lined runs, Turkey’s longest piste and exceptional Alpine snow quality throughout the season.
Aside from skiing, this center offers a number of other activities including snowboarding and ATV. It also has a ski pass sales point, and guests can stay in the 5-star Duja Chalet Ski Center, which features a shared lounge, a restaurant and a bar.
This ski resort has 7 tracks that are suitable for all levels of skiers. It is surrounded by pine forests and the snow depth increases to 1.5 meters in winter. The ski area is sheltered from the wind and there is no avalanche danger on its tracks.
Erciyes Ski Center
Erciyes Ski Center is one of the most popular skiing centers in Turkey. It is located about 25 km from Kayseri city center.
It has an ideal location between 1800-3000 m altitude. It offers skiing facilities that include chair-lifts, ski-lifts, slalom and giant slalom courses.
The snow depth at Erciyes Ski Center is about 2 meters under normal climate conditions. The ski season is from November to March.
The ski area at Erciyes Ski Center is about 12km long and has 8 mechanical lifts. There are also 11 marked pistes.
