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Uludag (OO-loo dah, "Great
Mountain"),
the Mount Olympus of
the ancient province of Bithynia,
rises 2543 m (8343 feet) to the south
of the historic center of Bursa.
A teleferik (cable
car) east of the city center takes
you to the summit for hiking (or
just some fresh, cool air) in summer,
and for skiing in
winter. Dolmushes also
depart from the city center and drive
the 23 km (14 miles) to the summit,
but the cable car is a lot more fun.
Plan a minimum of three hours for
a visit to Uludag by
cable car, and preferably 3-1/2 or
four hours, allowing time for the cable
car ride up and back down (1 hour),
waiting time for the cable car both
ways (1 hour) and an hour to see the
scenery at the top.
To ascend to the summit, take a taxi,
or a city bus or dolmush marked Teleferik,
eastward (a 15-minute ride
from the center of Bursa) to the cable
car base station. The cars depart about
every30 or 40 minutes from 08:00 am
to 22:00 (10 pm) in summer, 10:00 am
to 17:00 (5 pm) in winter. The ride
to the summit takes 30 minutes. In
foul weather (especially wind, rain
or fog), the cable car may not operate.
When you enter the cable car, try
to get a place at the rear of the car,
as that will give you the best panoramic
views.
The cable car stops at Kadiyayla,
half-way up the mountain, before
continuing to the top at Sarialan (1635
meters/5364 feet).
Sarialan has some
snacks-and-drinks stands, some walking
trails (patika), and a campground administered by Uludag National Park.
The campground is usually fully booked
well in advance.
Sarialan is not the summit. It's 6
km (3.73 miles) from Sarialan to the Hotel
Zone (Oteller
Mevkii) where skiers congregate
in winter and nature-lovers and business
conferences in summer. The summit is
visible from the Hotel Zone.
To drive your own car to the summit, tire
chains are required (Zincir
takmak mecburidir) from
December to early April when there
is snow or ice (which there usually
is).
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