Skiing
It can seem a long drag from the dog days of autumn through to the first shoots of spring. But if you love skiing, or want to give it a go, winter can be the most exhilarating time of the year in Turkey.
Of course, most people associate Turkey with sea, sun, sand and ancient sites rather than the glorious white stuff. But Turkey is a very mountainous country with harsh winters and, although not as well-developed as the Alps or North America, its ski resorts are expanding rapidly, both in terms of size and number. As yet, few tourists from outside the country venture onto Turkey's slopes (one of its charms) and your fellow skiers will mostly be drawn from the country's middle-classes and wealthy elite. Remember, though, that sunny Sundays often bring flocks of families to the slopes of most resorts to picnic, barbeque, toboggan and generally mess around in the snow.
All the resorts here are purpose built, there are no charming villages as in the Alps, so think concrete high-rise blocks rather than quaint wooden chalets. With the exception of Uludağ, apres ski is limited, don't expect rows of bars and restaurants. But after an exhausting day on the slopes, who needs night life? The important things in the resort, the ski-lifts, the piste maintenance, the equipment available for hire, etc., are invariably of a good standard, plus most resorts have instructors offering both group and individual lessons. Even if the employees manning the lift-stations and the equipment hire shops speak mostly only Turkish, there's bound to be a fellow skier around who can help you through any communication problems. Ski hire varies from resort to resort, but expect to pay around 30$ per day for skies and boots at weekends (often mid-week rates, outside of holiday periods, are discounted by 30% or more). A lift pass is likely to set you back between 20$ and 35$ per day. Resort hotels tend to be four and five star, so are not cheap, but many offer packages including ski hire and lift passes.
It's impossible to generalize further about skiing in this vast and mountainous land, so here is a rundown of the best-known resorts:
Palandoken (Erzurum)
Six kilometers south of Erzurum, itself 1,225 kilometers east of Istanbul, this is undoubtedly Turkey's premier ski resort. Its north-facing slopes rise from 2,200 to 3,176 meters and, in season, are covered with around two meters of snow. The region's bleak but dry arctic winters are a blessing, as the snow that falls tends be of the kind most beloved by skiers -- powder! The season is also the longest of any resort in Turkey -- from the end of November through to the beginning of May in an average year. There are some 35 kilometers of piste, served by seven chairlifts, one T-bar, two baby and a gondola lift. Palandöken has two competition pistes, used for the slalom and grand slalom, and as well as eight easy, six intermediate and two advanced runs. Powder snow on a thick, firm base makes off-piste skiing a joy here. Uludag (Bursa)
Set at a height of 1,800 meters on the north-facing slopes of 2,543-meter Mt. Uludağ (Great Mountain), this remains Turkey's most popular resort. It's close proximity (36 kilometers) to the burgeoning city of Bursa, and good links to the metropolis of Istanbul, just 243 kilometers away across the Sea of Marmara, mean it is easily accessible to millions of people. Not surprisingly, weekends and holidays are packed at the resort, with long queues for the lifts and crowded pistes. Another disadvantage of Uludağ is the unpredictable weather -- the moist, relatively warm air rising up from the Sea of Marmara leads to sudden storms and dense mist on the mountain. Plus, the season is relatively short (December through to March). Having said this, it has eight chairlifts and seven T-bars giving access to 13 different ski-areas, and the nightlife is more vibrant than at other Turkish ski resorts, if that's what you're after.Kartalkaya (Bolu)
This is challenging Uludağ as the resort of choice for Istanbul (and Ankara) residents. Lying in pine-forested hills 54 kilometers from Bolu (262 kilometers from Istanbul and 191 kilometers from Ankara) it gets over three meters of snow. Weather conditions are more stable than on Uludağ, at the moment it is less crowded, and offers some 20 kilometers of piste. With two chairlifts, six T-bars and three baby lifts, its 12 ski-runs are well-served. Kartalkaya has a good snow record, and early in the season (December, January and into February) it is usually powder, but from mid-February to the end of the season (March) it can become wet and slushy.Erciyes (Kayseri)
Towering Mt. Erciyes (3,916 meters) offers the best downhill skiing in Central Anatolia. 25 kilometers south of the city of Kayseri, the resort is set on Tekir Yayalası, at an altitude of 2,150 meters. The views are dramatic, especially from the upper station at 3,100 meters, though the slopes themselves are treeless and fairly bleak. But with over 12 kilometers of piste, usually topped by a layer of delightful powder snow, you'll probably be going too fast to notice the views. The resort is usually open from December through to late April, with the best conditions in January and February.Davraz (Isparta)
For those people resident, or wintering, on the southern Mediterranean coast around Antalya, the ski center on Mt. Davraz (2,635 meters) near Isparta is the obvious choice. Set at an altitude of 1,800 meters, the center is a two-hour drive north from Antalya. In addition to the hotels at the resort (see Quick Tips) it is possible to stay in one of the pensions in the charming lakeside town of Eğirdir, just half an hour away. Davraz's north face catches a lot of snow, so despite the relatively low altitude (the top station is a shade under 2,000 meters) snow cover is usually good from December through to March. Currently there is just one chairlift to the middle-station, and a single T-bar to the top station. Apart from Sundays, the slopes are usually delightfully empty. You may see groups of identically clad male skiers snaking down the slopes, falling over a lot and being shouted at. They're trainee commandoes from the base in nearby Egirdir, being forced to do on day one what you or I would take a week to learn!Of course, there are many other ski centers in Turkey. Depending on where you live or where you are traveling, the following may be of interest to you. Ankara residents head for nearby Elmadag, just 18 kilometers from the city. However, the skiing is limited to easy runs, the snow cover sparse and the season short (December to March). An alternative for Antalya residents and visitors is Saklikent, longer established than nearby upstart Davraz. It is much vaunted as a place where you can ski in the morning and swim in the Mediterranean in the afternoon. Unfortunately, in the only month this is really feasible (March-April) the snow cover will be patchy and slushy, whilst the sea will be too cold for all but the hardiest of souls. Far better, but difficult to access for most people, is Ilgaz, near Kastamonu (203 kilometers northeast of Ankara). Set in a beautifully forested national park, the snow lies up to two meters deep and the season runs from December to April. Sarikamis, 55 kilometers southwest of remote Kars (a whopping 1,428 kilometers from Istanbul) is as picturesque as Ilgaz. The ski runs snake through glorious pine forests and the snow usually powder. The runs, one of which is 12 kilometers long, are served by two chairlifts and three T-bars.
How to get there
Palandoken (Erzurum): Regular flights from Istanbul and Ankara, twice weekly from Antalya. Regular minibuses from city to ski center.Uludag (Bursa): Regular flights from Istanbul, Ankara. Minibuses or cable car/minibuses to ski area.
Kartalkaya (Bolu): Regular buses/minibuses from Bolu city center.
Erciyes (Kayseri): Regular flights from Istanbul, Ankara. Minibuses to ski-center.
Davraz (Isparta/Antalya): Regular flights from Istanbul, Ankara and other Turkish cities to Antalya. Two-and-a-half-hour drive to resort from Antalya or minibuses from Isparta.
Accommodation
(Hotels listed are four or five star unless otherwise indicated.)Palandoken (Erzurum)
Dedeman Palandöken Tel.: (442) 316 2414
Polat Renaissance Erzurum Oteli Tel.: (442) 232 0010 Web: www.polatrenaissance.com
Uludag (Bursa)
Beceren Tel.: (224) 285 2111 Web: www.beceren.com
Grand Yazıcı Tel.: (224) 285 2050
Kartalkaya (Bolu)
Dorukkaya Tel.: (374) 234 5026 Web: www.kayatourism.com
Erciyes (Kayseri)
Kayak Evi (budget) Tel.: (532) 342 2032
Dedeman Tel.: (532) 342 2115
Davraz (Isparta/Antalya)
Davraz Kayak Merkezi (budget) Tel.: (246) 267 2020
Sirene Davraz Tel.: (242) 226 2858 Web: www.sirendavraz.com