Ski Turkey for Less

It’s not officially even fall yet, but for snow lovers it’s not too early to be thinking about this winter’s ski vacation.   And if you’re looking for a ski vacation destination that’s modern and exotic, but still has great prices, take a look at Turkey.  Yes, Turkey.  I thought of it only as a warm weather destination, but it offers some great skiing areas as well.

With altitudes on par with the Rockies or the Alps, Turkey offers a November through April snow season, with modern facilities for downhill skiing, cross country, heli-skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.  The ski resorts offer everything that you’ll find anywhere else, and often more, but are priced less than other ski resorts across Europe.  The currency in Turkey is the Turkish LIra (rather than the Euro), which accounts for part of the savings, but the price points in the country are also more value added.

Uludag Ski area in Turkey

Here are a few of the top ski areas in Turkey to get you started with your research:

Erciyes Ski Center – Located on the slopes of a once-active volcano, this is high altitude skiing any time you want.  And I do mean ANY TIME.  Erciyes Ski Center features year-round glacier skiing, and it is also a hot spot for heli-skiing.   The center has one chairlift and two T-bars.  Accommodations include four guest houses and the Dedeman Erciyes hotel.  The ski center is located about 45 minutes from Kayseri Airport, reachable from Istanbul with daily service, and about half an hour from the city of Kayseri.

Kartalkaya Ski Center – This top resort is located along Turkey’s western Black Sea area in the Koroglu Mountains.  It offers alpine skiing, cross country, and ski touring, in a season spanning December through March.  There are two chairlifts, six T-bars, three baby lifts, and 12 runs offering up to 12 miles of continuous skiing.  Hotels at the center are the Kartal Hotel and the Hotel Dorukkaya,  Kartalkaya Ski Center is an easy drive from both Ankara and Istanbul, and would make a great weekend escape from the city.

Palandoken Ski Center – Here you’ll find some of the longest and steepest ski runs in the world, and it is possible to ski continuously for 17 miles.  This is an extensive system of runs, serviced by a gondola, five chairlifts, one T-bar, and two baby lifts.  Four and five star hotels are nearby, offering lots of luxury accommodations, restaurants, and other amenities.  Palandoken Ski Center is a accessible from Ankara and Istanbul with daily flights from each.

Saklikent Ski Center – A little less steep than other areas, this is perfect spot for beginner and intermediate skiers.  The center offers two T-bars and two ski runs, and also has a half-pipe for boarders.  This is a popular spot during spring skiing, as guests can ski in the morning and then drive down the coast to swim in the Mediterranean Sea in the late afternoon.  Doesn’t that sound like a perfect day?!

Sarikamis Ski Center – This spot in Eastern Turkey also offers a slightly lower elevation with five runs with two chairlifts and one T-bar.  Several hotels and guest houses are in the area

Uludag Ski Center – Located in Bursa, this is one of Turkey’s most popular ski areas.  The history of the area claims that this was the place where the ancient gods watched the Trojan War.  Today, though, the slopes feature eight chairlifts and seven T-bars sericing 13 runs.  There are 27 hotels in the area, and lots of restaurants and shops to make this a self-contained vacation area.  The ski center is about 45 minutes from the town of Bursa and about an hour from the airport.  Bursa is a potential bidder for the 2018 Winter Olympics, and many events would be held at Uludag Ski Center.

NOTE:  Many of the websites providing information about the ski sites are not offered in English.  I’d recommend contacting a travel agent with experience in booking Turkey vacations to continue your ski vacation research.

Photo credit: Bicounet @wikimedia