Winter Sport Holidays In Turkey

Season : November 15 - April 15
Best Season : December 20 - March 20

The best snow conditions during the five-month ski season are between December and March, while cheaper rates can be had on weekdays in November and April.

Sarıkamış ski center is located near Sarıkamış, 60 km from Kars in Eastern Turkey. The nearest airport is 50 km away.

Sarıkamış, "Turkey’s Insburg", which has got one of the longest skiing pastes of the World, is 50 km from Kars Airport. The duration of the skiing season is 120 days a year. The altitude in the skiing area of Sarıkamış is 2200-2634 m and covered by pine forest. The almost suitable skiing conditions are between 20 December and 20 March. The average snow fall is 1.5 m in normal winter conditions.

One of the most important characteristics that distinguishes Sarıkamış from other pastes is the type of the snow and its natural beauties. The crystal snow, which is extremely convenient for skiing sport and found only in the Alps, is found in Sarıkamış. Although the most part of the year is sunny, the snow remains the same as the first day and gives the skiers the pleasure of skiing in safety. We say ‘in safety’ because there is no risk of avalanche in Sarıkamış.

Since the pastes are surrounded by the Scotch pine Forests, they are also guarded against the wind. Sarı Çam Skiing Facilities, which is located very closed to Hotel Çamkar, is the largest skiing facility of Turkey and the third of the World with its computer equipped telesiege system with the capacity of 2400 pax per hour.

First lap is 2400m long and has an ideal slope for the beginners. There are 4 pastes in the second lap which has the length of 2200m. When you complete the piste of 7 km surrounded by Scotch pine forests, you will have completed the longest piste of Turkey.

In Cıbıltepe, which has the altitude of 2700 m, there are 2 laps with 5 pastes with suitable difficulty levels for all skiers. First lap is 2400 m long and has an ideal slope for the beginners. There are 4 pastes in the second lap which has the length of 2200 m. When you complete the piste of 7 km surrounded by Scotch pine forests, you will have completed the longest piste of Turkey.

Sarıkamış and the surrounding have suitable conditions for Alpine skiing, ski touring and cross country skiing. This center is equipped with 2 chairlifts and 1 T bar. Qualified skiing instructors and equipment for hire are available. The center has first aid facilities and mechanical equipment are under surveillance of experts. Accommodations can be booked through us.

LIFTS & SKI SLOPES
Vertical drop: 2,250 m/ 7,380 feet
Lifts:1 with a capacity of 1800 person/hour

SKIING LESSONS & SKI RENTAL
Qualified skiing instructors and equipment for hire are available.
You may take private skiing lessons. Average rate is US $24.-/One hour.
You may hire skiing stuff. Average rate is US $8.-

SHOPPING
There is shop at the hotel offering different kinds of products for skiers.

CLIMATE : Continental
WIND DIRECTION : South, West
SKIING SEASONS : 5 months (November 15th - April 15th)
ALTITUDE : 2634 meters / 8636 feet
SKI AREAS : Between 2100-2634 m / 6885-8636 feet
INFRASTRUCTURE : Available
PHYSICAL PLAN : Existing
PROPOSED BED CAPACITY : 2665 Beds
LIFTS : 1 lift with a total capacity of 1800 person/hour

Traditionally a hunting ground, Sarıkamış is an interesting yet small ski resort that is noted for its variety of tree-lined runs, Turkey’s longest piste and exceptional Alpine snow quality throughout the season. Located near the town of Kars in northeastern Turkey, Sarıkamış is an inexpensive ski destination which boasts quality accommodation.

Sarıkamış ski resort’s village is situated at 7,218 feet above sea level and there are well-qualified ski and snowboard instructors available to help you improve your skills and ski and snowboard equipment hire as well as retail and first-aid facilities.

There are nine pastes at Sarıkamış ski resort, each at different levels of the mountain. They are geared to all levels of skier and snowboarder ability and range from a few hundred feet in length to over one mile, while the four-mile run here is Turkey’s longest. Supplying the slopes are two chairlifts and one t-bar at a rate of over 1,800 people per hour.

There are four hotels with a total of over 1,000 beds available at Sarıkamış ski resort, with Hotel Çamkar being particularly noted for its quality ski instructors and convenient ski lift. There is not much in the way of apres-ski entertainment at ski resort, but the town and nearby Kars have additional options for both nightlife and accommodation.

Sarıkamış ski resort’s ski season runs from mid-November to mid-April and has its best snow between December and March, while discounts are available at the beginning and end of the season. The most convenient travel option for getting to Sarıkamış is to fly to Kars and then take the bus.

SKIING
Sarıkamış Ski Resort located in northeast Turkey, has the longest piste in the country and also boasts consistent crystal snow, usually only seen at ski destinations in the Alps. The skiing and snowboarding is through pine forests and the views and scenery are incredible, while the resort is well equipped with good facilities and accommodation options here are reasonable.

Nine pastes are available for skiers and snowboarders including everyone from learners to experienced sliders. The pastes rise to altitudes over 8,530 feet above sea level and include Turkey’s longest at a whopping four miles. Additionally, cross-country skiing is also available at Sarıkamış.

Three ski lifts including a T-bar and two chairlifts provide slope access for nearly 2,000 people per hour.

For those who also enjoy non-piste skiing and snowboarding, ski touring, Alpine skiing and horse-driven sleigh rides are available, while saunas and other wellness facilities are available at the hotels, as is the bulk of apres-ski entertainment.

For a small resort, Sarıkamış comes with commendable facilities including quality equipment hire, a ski and snowboard shop, first-aid station and qualified ski and snowboard instructors, while over 1,000 beds are available at four hotels on the slopes and another 2,500 in nearby Kars.

TRANSPORT
Sarıkamış Ski Resort is 900 miles east of Istanbul and more than 620 miles east of Ankara in the region of Kars, northeast Turkey. Although there are alternative travel options for getting to and from Sarıkamış that involve driving, trains and buses, flying to Kars and transferring by car or bus is the most convenient and feasible option.

If you intend on driving to Sarıkamış Ski Resort from Istanbul’s Atatьrk International Airport, you will have to allow two days traveling time. The route goes via Ankara on the O4 motorway, from where the D-200 highway travels east to Altkцy and the D-100 and D-080 continue on towards Sarıkamış.

Trains run from Istanbul to Sarıkamış via Ankara, Sivas and Erzurum, but the journey is arduous. Despite being one of the cheapest ways of reaching the resort, traveling by bus or train is not comfortable or fast.

Flying both to Istanbul and onto Erzurum or Kars is the best and fastest option. Istanbul receives many carriers and daily flights, and there are frequent services to Kars and Erzurum. Either airport offer bus transfers to Ski Resort or you can drive yourself. Kars airport is 40 miles northeast of Sarıkamış, while Erzurum is 90 miles.

Taking a domestic flight to either Kars or Erzurum from Istanbul and then traveling to the resort by bus is the most practical way to get to Sarıkamış.

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These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2006, Sarıkamış Ski Center / Sarıkamış - Kars - Turkey. All Rights Reserved.

Season : November 20 - April 20
Best Season : December and March

The duration of the skiing season is 150 days a year. The altitude in the skiing area of Erciyes is 2200 - 3100 m and the most suitable skiing conditions are between 20 November and 20 April. The average snow fall is 2 m in normal winter conditions. The type of snow is generally ‘’powdery.'’

This ski centre lies at 2150 m on the eastern face of Erciyes Dağı, Tekir Yaylası (plateau), 25 km from Kayseri. The season is from November to May and there is a 135 bed capacity ski lodge and good courses, a ski - lift and babylift, ski instructors and equipment are available.

This center has suitable conditions for summer skiing, ski touring and heli-skiing and is equipment with 2 chairlifts and 2 T bars.

Qualified skiing instructors and equipment for hire are available.

The center has first aid facilities and a rural clinic.

The slopes and mechanical equipment are under surveillance of experts throughout the season.

LIFTS & SKI SLOPES
Height :2,150 m / 7,052 feet
Chairlifts : 2
T bars : 2

SHOPPING
Kayseri is one of the most important carpet and kilim production centers in Anatolia. Bunyan is the most famous carpet production center and Yahyalı is the most famous kilim production center. Rugs woven in finely knotted floral patterns continue a centuries-old tradition.

CLIMATE : Continental
WIND DIRECTION : South, South-West
SKIING SEASONS : 5 months
ALTITUDE : 3916 meters / 12840 feet
SKI AREAS : Between 1800-3000 m / 5900-9836 feet
INFRASTRUCTURE : Available
PHYSICAL PLAN : Existing
PROPOSED BED CAPACITY : 2790 Beds
LIFTS : 3 lifts with a total capacity of 1905 person/hour

LOCATION
25 km/ 16 miles from Kayseri City Center.

Located in the centre of Turkey, about 5 hours drive southeast of Ankara, Erciyes is a much loved ski resort among skiers and snowboarders for its off-piste valleys and gullies covered with champagne powder. Erciyes ski resort resides on the beautiful, treeless Erciyes Volcano, which offers a range of pastes and good overall facilities.

The ski centre of Erciyes lies at 7,000 feet above sea level and facilities here include a ski school with qualified instructors, ski and snowboard equipment rentals, first-aid station and a clinic. Erciyes also boasts slope-side accommodation and coffee shops.

Erciyes ski resort has seven and a half miles of slopes that are suitable for all levels of ability ranging from beginners to advanced-level sliders. Two chairlifts and two t-bars provide access to the slopes, the longest of which is just over two miles and the highest being 10,170 feet. The snow is powdery at Erciyes ski resort, but it can sometimes be patchy on the pastes and high winds on the unprotected sides of the volcano can cause problems.

SKIING
The ski season at Erciyes ski resort runs from mid-November to mid-April and the best snow can be found between December and March, while cheaper rates are available at the season’s beginning and end. The most convenient means of transport to Erciyes ski resort is to fly to Kayseri and then take a bus direct to the resort.

Erciyes Ski Resort lies on the eastern face of Erciyes Volcano in central Turkey and boasts incredible powder off-piste and a number of pisted runs suitable for most levels of experience. The mountain itself is a wonderful sight and the resort village has just the right number of facilities, without being considered lavish.

Several pisted runs extend for seven and a half miles down the eastern face of the awesome Erciyes Volcano, the longest being two miles. The runs are suitable for beginners, intermediates and experienced skiers and snowboarders, while some off-piste areas will especially appeal to expert skiers. Four ski lifts carry up to 1,900 people per hour up the 3,115-feet vertical.

Alternative winter activities at Erciyes ski resort include ski touring, heli-skiing and mountaineering; while for relaxation, the Erciyes Dedeman Hotel has a heated indoor swimming pool and a sauna. There are a couple of choices for apres-ski enjoyment at Erciyes, but Kayseri offers more suitable alternatives for party goers.

Equipment rentals, a ski school, clinic and first-aid centre make up the ski facilities at Erciyes, while accommodation here consists of two hostels and a well-equipped hotel. The Erciyes Dedeman Hotel at the base has 60 rooms and good facilities, while nearby Kayseri handles the overspill of skiers, with reasonable rates available.

Erciyes ski resort has the best snow in January and February and the cheapest rates in November and April, while the ski season runs from November to April. Flying to either Istanbul or Ankara and then taking a domestic flight to Kayseri, from where buses go to Erciyes ski resort, is the most practical travel option for getting here and away.

TRANSPORT
Erciyes Ski Center is located on the extinct volcanic mountain of Erciyes, which is east of Cappadocia and south of the town of Kayseri. Erciyes is 25 km away from Kayseri. If you take plane to Kayseri, it will be about 30-40 minutes by bus from the Kayseri Airport to reach Erciyes. The nearest airport is a 45 minutes drive away.

Erciyes ski resort is situated on a plateau about 220 miles southeast of Ankara, Turkey’s capital, and it straddles the eastern slope of Erciyes Volcano. The closest town to the resort with an airport is Kayseri, 20 miles to the north. Options for getting to Kayseri include flying to Ankara and then driving or taking a domestic flight to Kayseri and then catching a bus to the resort.

If you fly to Ankara and hire a car, the journey is only a 5-hour drive via Kırıkkale, Kırşehir and the D-260 highway. Those coming from Istanbul should head for Ankara on the O4 motorway.

There are services, including night trains, from Istanbul to Ankara, from where trains continue onto Kayseri via Kırıkkale and Yerköy.

From Kayseri Airport, take the 38-75 to Kayseri town, from where the 38-28 continues to Erciyes village; the ski resort is well sign posted from here. Buses and taxis also run from Kayseri Airport to Erciyes ski resort.

ACCOMMODATION
Erciyes has one large hotel, the Erciyes Dedeman Hotel, which features numerous smart rooms and an indoor pool and sauna, while there are also two ski hostels. For alternative lodgings, there are plenty of villages in the area and the town of Kayseri has thousands of beds available. Apres-ski at Erciyes ski resort is provided by coffee shops, restaurants and a few bars, while Kayseri has much more to offer.

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These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2006, Erciyes Ski Center / Erciyes - Kayseri - Turkey. All Rights Reserved.

Season : November-April
Best Season : December 20 and 1 March

Uludağ is located in the South Marmara Region in Uludağ National Park. It is 36 km - 40 minute drive from Bursa.

The skiing area of Uludağ is 1750 - 2547 m high and covered with forests. The duration of skiing is 120 days a year. The most suitable skiing conditions are between 20 December and 1 March. The average snow fall is 3 meter in winter. At the beginning of the season the type of snow is ‘’powdery snow'’ and at the end of the season the snow characteristic is slightly "slushy".

This center has suitable conditions for Alpine skiing, ski touring, cross country and heli-skiing, snow boarding, ice-skating and snow biking.

Uludağ Ski center is qualified skiing instructors and equipment for hire are available. The center has first aid facilities and a rural clinic. Accommodations can be booked directly. High season is between November and April. No rooms available especially at weekends and holidays; do book before taking off.

Uludağ Ski Center is equipped with 1 cable car, 10 T bars, 9 chair-lifts, 13 different ski runs. Qualified skiing instructors and equipment for hire are available.

Beden Terbiyesi Telesiege B. Terbiyesi Kuşaklıkaya 2750 m
Kuşaklıkaya Grand Telesiege Kuşaklıkaya 3000 m
Tutyeli Telesiege Grand Yazıcı Tutyeli 2750 m
Belvü Telesiege Belvü 900 m
Yazıcı Teleski Grand Yazıcı - Italyan yokuşu 650 m
Garan Teleski Garan 1300 m
Alkoçlar Teleski Ergьn 800 m
Karkay Telesiege Karkay 700 m
Ağaoğlu Telesiege Osman Yüce pisti 650 m
Yazıcı Telesiege Yazıcı Pisti 1175 m
Beceren Teleski Beceren Pisti 900 m
Kervansaray Telesiege Kervansaray Pisti 1100 m
Fahri Telesiege Fahri 1100 m

There are four sections of the cable-car route to reach Uludağ, two between Bursa and Kadı plateau (1235m) and two between Kadı and Sarı Alan (1621m). Each line has a cabin that can fit 30 people, although it is prohibited to carry ski equipment, and depart the district of Teleski every 20 minutes. The journey, which stops at Kadı and then changes car, takes around 25 minutes. From the Sarı Alan, there is a minibus service traveling the last 7km to the hotel area. In the summer season, there is a chairlift from Sarı Alan to Çoban Kaya (1750m)

Note : In foggy conditions it is essential especially for amateur skiers not to wander outside the marked slopes and areas.

ULUDAĞ- MOUNTAIN
Uludağ , is one of the country’s favorite winter sports centres and as well as skiing, its richness of flora and fauna has made it into a National Park and summer activities like trekking and camping are also popular.

Uludağ was previously known as Olympos Misios in ancient times, and is known in mythology as the place where the gods watched the Trojan war.

Uludağ is the highest mountain in Western Anatolia, with its peak at Kara Tepe (2543 m). It is covered in forests, and the region has a partially temperate climate with a dominant wind direction of south-west/south. The altitude of the skiing area is between 1750 - 2543 m, and the best season is from late December to late March. The snow at the beginning of the season is powdery, getting increasingly slushy towards the end.

SKI COURSES
1 very difficult, 6 difficult, 8 average and 10 easy ski courses are available and the highest ski point is at 2.232 meter. Except for these, our customers can ski at 2.543 meters when reached by a helicopter (heliski). This ski should be performed under the inspection of a sport trainer and air conditions should always be taken into account.

SKI TRAINERS
Those who are registered under the Ski Trainers Foundation and having a ski trainer license can teach skiing. Courses taken from unlicensed and unregistered people may be dangerous and such actions are also restricted by laws. Contact with ski teachers can be held via the ski school and registered teachers and also via contact offices within the foundation.

Ski schools are private organizations and serve collective education. The ski lessons are for charge, such charge being determined on TL currency.

SKI EQUIPMENTS
In our country, all ski equipment is available in conformance with daily conditions. All ski equipment brands are also available in our hotels. You can buy or rent such equipment from us. In addition, snow motor rent service, today’s very popular fashion, is available in our hotels.

CLIMATE : Continental
WIND DIRECTION : Southwest, south
SKIING SEASONS : 5 months
ALTITUDE : 2543 meters / 8337 feet
SKI AREAS : Between 1900 - 2500 m / 6230 - 8196 feet
INFRASTRUCTURE : Partially available
PHYSICAL PLAN : Existing
PROPOSED BED CAPACITY : 6400 Beds
LIFTS : 14 lifts with a total capacity of 8470 person/hour

LIFTS & SKI SLOPES
Vertical drop : 555m / 1,821 feet
Heigh t: 2,322m / 7,618 feet
Lifts : 14 (7 chairs, 7 surface)
Cross-Country : 20 km /12.5 miles
Cablecar : 1
Chairlifts : 5
T bars : 7

SHOPPING
Uludağ : There are several shops offering different kinds of products for skiers.
Bursa : Bursa is a center for silk. Textiles are another important industry for the city, especially towel manufacturing. A kind of sweet made of chestnut is also very famous of the region. It is worth to try!

ACCOMMODATION
There are 27 hotels in total 15 of which are privately owned, with a total of over 3000 beds. The area also has shopping halls, restaurants, cafes and bars, entertainment and health centres.

We offer following choices to our customers who are not interested in ski:
*Take a good walk on the ring road, abundant oxygen and a light exercise
*Visit uphill cafes by means of telesieges, experience hot vine and sucuk. Be inspired before the wonderful panoramic view and do not forget to take photo to catch this moment.
*Kervansray and the Fahri Telesiege and the Fatin Hill and of course the Kuşaklı kaya Hills
*Feel nostalgia in the diary below the grand hotels.
*Barbecue at the country casino located at 7th km of Sarılalan . transportation is via taxies at the square.
*Visit full time open historical thermal springs within our hotels in Bursa, the city which has always been popular place with its unique, health and beauty giving thermal springs. Reservations can be made free through the reception.
*finally do not forget trying the wonderful chestnut sweet !

Uludağ is a family-friendly ski resort that has a unique location to the south of the Sea of Marmara and Bursa, not far from Istanbul. Uludağ is a well-designed ski resort, with excellent snow quality and accommodation options, while also featuring an array of slopes mostly suited to beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders.

The resort village at Uludağ ski resort resides at just less than 6,562 feet above sea level. Essential ski and snowboard facilities here include qualified instructors, rentable equipment, a number of shops with ski and snowboard essentials and accessories, first-aid station and a clinic.

Uludağ ski resort mainly has short, tree-lined, beginner and intermediate slopes that include slalom and giant slalom courses over a vertical of 1,820 feet and rising to altitudes in excess of 8,202 feet. There are 14 ski lift systems including a cable car, chairlifts and t-bars, with a total lift capacity of over 8,000 people per hour.

The accommodation options at Uludağ ski resort are very good, with 6,000 beds available at many hotels and chalets, which are loaded with skier-friendly facilities including saunas and heated swimming pools; pre-booking in the high season and during holidays is essential. Apres-ski entertainment is also something worth noting at Uludağ, with its numerous hotels and chalets offering evening activities.

SKIING
Located in northwest Turkey near Bursa and the Sea of Marmara, Uludağ ski resort is one of Turkey’s favorites, not only for its close proximity with Istanbul, but also for its excellent facilities and many pisted slopes. Snow conditions in the high season are near perfect and the atmosphere is electric.

Uludağ ski resort enjoys its best ski conditions between January and March, while the beginning and end of the season, between November and April, are the cheapest months.

Uludağ ski resort lies within the beautiful Uludağ National Park and the runs are thus engulfed by forests of pine, making for a unique and wind-free slide. Uludağ appeals mainly to beginners and intermediates, with its short, shallow pastes, while there is also some quality off-piste skiing for the more experienced skier. There are 12.5 miles of cross-country trails here and fourteen ski lifts provide access to the slopes.

For those who fancy a break from the busy pastes, there is also ski touring, heli-skiing and Alpine skiing available at Uludağ ski resort, while hotel wellness facilities are also good and include Turkish baths, saunas, fitness centres and heated indoor swimming pools. Numerous restaurants, bars and discos provide lively apres-ski.

Essential ski facilities, such as rentals and accessory shops, are good at Uludağ ski resort and you will also find well-trained instructors and a clinic offering first-aid. With over 6,000 beds available at hotels and chalets in Uludağ, finding accommodation here is not a problem as long as you book ahead.

The ski season at Uludağ ski resort runs from November to April and you can enjoy the best rates in November and April, while perfect snow conditions are common from mid-January to mid-March. In getting to and from Uludağ ski resort, your most practical travel option is to fly to Istanbul and hire a car for the four-hour drive to the resort, or alternatively fly to Bursa and take the bus.

TRANSPORT
Located in the Uludağ National Park in the south Marmara region of Turkey, 161 miles south of Istanbul by road, Uludağ ski resort is directly accessible by sealed road or cable car from Bursa. Driving from Istanbul is the most straightforward travel option, while flying to Bursa and taking the bus or a combination of bus and cable car from Bursa are also feasible transport options.

Driving from Atatürk International Airport is more convenient. From the airport, you can drive all the way to Uludağ ski resort via Izmit, a 170 mile or three-hour journey along the O4 motorway and highways D-130 and D-575. Alternatively, you can drive to Bostancı and take the ferry to Yalova, shaving 80 miles off the journey.

Bursa Airport is just northwest of Bursa city centre and buses and taxis run to town and direct to Uludağ ski resort. If you head into town, you can make use of the cable car to the ski resort. The road from Bursa Airport heads towards the city before veering off right onto the D-575 for Uludağ.

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These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2006, Uludağ Ski Center / Uludağ - Bursa - Turkey. All Rights Reserved.