Skiing in Turkey

Fun on the slopes in Turkey? Facilities and terrain are not equal to the great ski centers of Europe or the Southwestern USA or Western Canada, but skiing can be an enjoyable part of a winter vacation here.

Turkey's main ski centers:

Uludag (Bursa): Reachable by cable car or road from this interesting city only 1-1/2 hours south of Istanbul by ferry and bus, the ski center is at 2453 meters (8000 feet), with nearly twenty hotels and lodges. Very popular.

Kartalkaya (Bolu): 40 kilometers south of Bolu off the Istanbul-Ankara expressway, the slopes at 2221 meters' (7300 feet) altitude are popular with sportif skiers who crowd in on weekends.

Ilgaz (Kastamonu): 250 north of Ankara in Kastamonu province, the ski center is at 2000 meters (6600 feet).

Sarikamis (Kars): Fly from Istanbul or Ankara to Erzurum or Kars and take a short drive to Sarikamis at 2120 meters (7000 feet). The powder is good, but hotels are few and fairly basic.

Palandöken (Erzurum): On the outskirts of Erzurum, this is Turkey's coldest and highest (3150 meters/ 10,300 feet), with good hotels, good conditions, good facilities, and Colorado-type powder. More...

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Uludag Ski Center, Bursa, Turkey

Uludag Ski Center (Bursa) is Turkey's most popular, probably because it's so close to Istanbul.