Turkey Ski Guide

Skiing and Turkey typically don’t go hand in hand when planning a skiing holiday abroad because of its Mediterranean climate. Thanks to the several inland mountainous regions however, it should definitely be a worthy contender in your considerations. With several ski resorts to choose from, Turkey is sure to continue to increase in popularity as a skiing destination.

Find out more about driving in Turkey, or read our Turkey travel guide. You may also like to view our car hire Turkey destinations.

CAR HIRE ISTANBUL (SABIHA GOKCEN) AIRPORT

Hyundai Getz
£179 per week
in May

CAR HIRE ANKARA AIRPORT

Hyundai Getz
£179 per week
in May

CAR HIRE KAYSERI AIRPORT

Renault Thalia
£142 per week
in May

Ski resorts in Turkey

Uludag

Located in north-west Turkeyyou will find the resort of Uludag which sits at an altitude of around 5906ft. The resort is normally open between December and April depending on the level of snowfall however during an average winter there is usually around 3 metres of snowfall rendering powdery conditions at the start of the season and moist snow towards the end. Uludag boasts 13 ski tracks that run for nearly 20km. There are 8 chair lifts and 7 teleferic lines in total in operation here with the capacity to transport 11,000 people per hour! The resort is one of the most popular in Turkey with a total of 27 accommodation facilities to choose from so you won’t be hard pressed to find somewhere to stay. You‘re not too far from some of the popular coastal resorts and cities either meaning you can have the best of both worlds with a visit to this area.

Closest airport: Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport

Kartalkaya

Kartalkaya is one of Turkey’s most popular skiing resorts and when considering skiing in Turkey, it is the resort which will first come to mind. It is found north of Ankara and the surrounding area is covered with pine forest and the resort is perfect for alpine and tour skiing. The skiing area is found over an altitude which ranges from 6,069ft to 7,218ft with an annual snow fall of up to 3 metres in depth. The ski season here runs from December. There are two main hotels here and each offers their own lifts and track. At Kartal Hotel you will a total of 11 lifts in operation including 2 chair lifts, 6 teleskis and 3 baby lifts with the capacity of 6,000 people per hour. At the other hotel, Dorukkaya Hotel, skiers are served by 8 ski lifts in total. You will find a range of tracks with equipment hire available and plenty of après ski entertainment on offer for all ages.

Closest airport: Ankara Airport

Elmadag

The resort of Elmadag is located just 20km from the west of Ankara and not much further from the airport making it the perfect resort to enable you to get the best of both worlds during a trip to Turkey. There are several accommodation options here if you plan to stay for a few days too. The piste is around 1km long with teleski facilities available too. The ski season generally runs from January to March here and snow can reach levels of 30-60cm. There are several easy and intermediate tracks to cater for skiers of different abilities.

Closest airport: Ankara Airport

Palandoken

This resort is located in western Turkey on the southern outskirts of Erzurum. With one of the coldest climates snow is found here for 4-5months of the year at depths of up to 3 metres. This resort has some of the longest tracks found in Turkey with the longest being 12km long. The ski area altitude ranges from 7,218ft to 10,420ft and boasts 8 easy tracks, 8 intermediate tracks and 2 advanced tracks. There is even 2 “Olympic Tracks”! As such, this is a great resort for skiers of varying abilities.

Closest airport: Kayseri Airport

Saklikent

Saklikent ski resort can be found on the northern side of the Torros Mountains boasting around 120 days of good skiing per year from December 10th through until April 10th. At the very top of the resort the snow level can sometimes reach depths of 5m but is usually between 1m and 2.3m deep. Equipment is available for hire and there is also a ski school on site for complete beginners. You will find 1 chair lift, 2 teleskis, 1 baby lifts plus a snow tubing lift.

Closest airport: Antalya Airport