9 SKI CENTERS OF ANATOLIA
Anatolia presents a lot of options for winter vacation with its snowcapped monumental mountains. If you say “yes” to a winter holiday, then you should check the list we prepared bringing together centers from all corners of Anatolia.
Anatolia presents a lot of options for winter vacation with its snowcapped monumental mountains. If you say “yes” to a winter holiday, then you should check the list we prepared bringing together centers from all corners of Anatolia.
The first snow of the year has already fallen. The thickness of snow is at the desired level. Ski centers in all four corners of Anatolia attract those who would like to enjoy what nature bestows on them with their environmental enticements and splendid facilities. Ski centers in Anatolia await those who plan a vacation to move away from the crowds of the metropoles and warm up in winter.
Uludağ/Bursa
Uludağ is the first place that comes to mind in winter for a ski center vacation in Turkey. You can get to the snowwhite slopes of Uludağ with a breathtaking cable car journey or by following a winding road that ascends between beech trees. Uludağ invites you not only to experience romantic landscapes but also entices with its ski tracks for all levels of competency. Competing with one another in elegance, its winter hotels and facilities present their self-indulgent visitors many alternatives that will quickly rejuvenate them. Uludağ Ski Center has a developed infrastructure with tracks, teleskis, and chairlifts for both professionals and amateur skiers alike. Thanks to many ski instructors that work throughout the season in the Uludağ Ski Center, it is possible to receive training for all levels and hire ski equipment. With tracks that are children friendly and snow present six months a year, winter sports can be enjoyed until mid-March in Uludağ .
Kartepe/Kocaeli
Kartepe is one of the new rising stars for winter vacationers. The premises at 1,150 and 1,640 meters altitudes are crowded on the weekends due to their proximity to Istanbul. There are four skiing facilities that allow you to enjoy the landscape in Kartepe: Kartepe (chairlift), Karlıktepe (teleski), Geyikalan (cable car), and Kadıkonağı (chairlift). The 14 tracks, adding up to a total of 42 kilometers, offer skiers of all levels the chance
to ski. The special “baby lift” area is reserved for the use of children. Kartepe is not only ideal for winter sports but also for trekking and camping with the 17-kilometer-long forest road that sets out from Maşukiye.
Davraz/Isparta
With its summit at an altitude of 2,635 meters, Mount Davraz proudly stands in the lake district of the Mediterranean region between Lake Eğirdir and Lake Kovada. One of the few centers in Turkey in terms of snow quality and natural ski tracks, Davraz was declared a “Touristic Center” in 1995. At Davraz, where visitors ski and snowboard from the bubble region to the T-bar and Sümbül Hill in the presence of Lake Eğirdir and the fog, the ski season starts at the end of December and lasts until the end of March. Coming to the fore by being close to Antalya, one of the most important touristic destinations in Turkey and the world, Davraz Ski Center is among the places favored by sports lovers and day-long vacationers. The Ski Center has two chairlifts, a bubble, a teleski (T-bar), and two “baby lifts.” You can climb from 1,961 meters to 2,150 meters with the T-Bar, the third mechanical system on the premises .
Kartalkaya/ Bolu
Surrounded by pine forests, Kartalkaya draws attention with its technical equipment for winter sports, its natural wonders, and its proximity to Istanbul and Ankara. Kartalkaya, visited on the weekends and on vacation to get a breath of fresh air during the summer, turns into an enjoyable tourism center that melds natural beauties with comfort in winter. It offers ideal climate conditions for winter sports and is distinguished for its quality of snow and slopes that are sheltered and covered in pine forests. Kartalkaya presents tracks fit for skiers of all levels. The thickness of snow here reaches two meters in January and February. Ski tracks of international standards at altitudes ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 meters are suitable for the disciplines of alpine skiing and ski touring.
Erciyes/Kayseri
Erciyes, where snow does not freeze or stick and which offers tracks for all levels of experience, is among the most favorite winter tourism destinations in Anatolia. Erciyes Ski Center has four gates -Develi, Tekir, Hisarcık, and Hacılar- along the 25-kilometer-long road that leads to it, and tracks that cater to various levels of competency. It also offers the opportunity to ski in close proximity to the peak at an altitude of 2,200-3,400 meters. With the use of artificial snow to ensure the tracks remain as desired for a period of four months, 19 mechanical facility networks -2 of which are gondolas and connected to each other-, and a cutting-edge technology cable car system over 34 ski tracks of a total length of 102 kilometers, Erciyes is one of the most modern ski resorts in Turkey. Also featuring trekking trails for sports
lovers at the heart of nature, it presents the advantage of being close to Cappadocia.
Mount Yıldız/Sivas
Referred to in the folk songs of Sivas, Mount Yıldız has made a name for itself in the recent past on account of winter tourism. Located on the sweeping concave northeastern slope, the ski center on Mount Yıldız is not only sheltered from the winds but offers good snow coverage for a long period of time. There are 2 chairlifts, teleskis, ski tracks of various length, a novice track, a sleigh track, and mechanical systems such as a moving walkway and T-bar. At a distance of 58 kilometers from Sivas, 78 kilometers from Tokat, 192 kilometers from Amasya, and receiving quite a lot of interest during the mid-term break, the premises present different alternatives to ski lovers with its artificial snow system that is a rarity in most winter sports centers in Turkey, nighttime lightening, and an ice park, which is a first for Sivas. The ice park features a 200-square meter ice skating hall , a cafeteria, a viewing terrace, an ice skate rental area, a waiting room, and leisure areas. As an alternative to sleighing and skiing, ice skating especially draws the attention of children.
Ergan/Erzincan
Mount Ergan in Erzincan, where you can enjoy magnificent winter landscapes, presents beautiful options for those who like
to enjoy the snow. Mount Ergan is one of the winter centers that have made a name for themselves in the recent past. The center, which offers ideal snow quality for skiing and tracks for various levels of competency, is also suitable for many other activities and winter sports like snowboarding, snow rafting, coasting, snowkiting, hiking, and orienteering. What’s more, the mountain range’s slopes, which present a natural continuation of the ski center, extend a hard-to-resist invitation to professionals with their natural tracks. Let us also mention the Çağlayan Girlevik Waterfall that you can easily access after skiing and that is one of the rare places for ice climbing in our country.
Palandöken/Erzurum
Set up at an altitude of 3,200 meters, Palandöken Winter Sports Center is one of the biggest ski centers in Turkey. With 5 chairlifts, 1 teleski, 2 “baby lifts,” and 1 gondola, the ski resort has a privileged position by virtue of the quality of its snow, its large tracks, and the first half pipe and boarding cruise tracks prepared for the Winter Universiade. The ski center offers 17 tracks, totaling 92 kilometers in length ; a restaurant presenting unique delicacies at an altitude of 3,000 meters; a café, where you can enjoy a coffee break after shopping; and bungalows for those who would like to feel the air of the mountain up to the hilt. All these not only add to the appeal of the ski center but also attract skiers who do not want to compromise on comfort. We should also not forget to mention that there is a 6-kilometerlong night track that’s only 15 minutes from the city center.
Sarıkamış/Kars
For those who’d like to enjoy “crystal snow,” famously associated with the Alps, the only destination of choice in Anatolia is Sarıkamış. The center located on the plateau on the slopes of Mount Çamurlu at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters presents tracks for all levels of experience, and is suitable not only for the disciplines of alpine skiing but also for ski safaris and snowboarding. Sheltered from winds by being surrounded by pine trees, the tracks make skiing even more pleasing. There are 9 ski tracks, totaling 12 kilometers in length, in Sarıkamış. What’s more, the longest track on the premises featuring tracks for the alpine disciplines *- 45 kilometers in total, 5 kilometers of which are certified by the World Ski Federation- is 3.5 kilometers. A prominent ski center in terms of its technical opportunities, the premises offer two mechanical systems. Along with winter sports, nature sports like orienteering and trekking are on offer here. Another alternative is to sleigh to Katerina Mansion from the Sarıkamış Ski Center. The best season for vacation here is December to April. You can taste regional delicacies like the Kars geese, piti, and hangel at the Sarıkamış hotels.