Sarıkamış Ski Resort lies 55 km south-west of Kars, set between 2,100 and 2,634 m in Scots pine forest. Its international reputation rests on "crystal snow": in this exceptionally dry climate, snowflakes reach the ground with their crystal structure intact.
With 10 pistes and 22 kilometres of terrain it is not the size of Erciyes or Palandöken, but its uncrowded forest runs and the cultural draw of Kars make for a very different kind of ski holiday.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| City | Kars |
| Altitude | 2100 – 2634 m |
| Total pistes | 22 km |
| Number of runs | 10 |
| Lifts | 6 |
| Snow type | Crystal snow |
| Season | December – April |
| Nearest airport | Kars Harakani Airport — 55 km |
| Difficulty split | Beginner %30 · Intermediate %50 · Advanced %20 |
| From | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kars city centre | 55 km | 0 sa 55 dk |
| Erzurum | 150 km | 2 sa 10 dk |
Crystal snow forms where humidity is so low that flakes reach the ground without melting or clumping together. The result is a surface that glitters in the sun and breaks up like flour underfoot.
It occurs in only a few places on earth: certain high sectors of the Alps, the interior of Canada, and Sarıkamış. For a skier it means the skis do not bog down, turns feel lighter and falls are soft.
Kars Harakani Airport has scheduled flights from Istanbul and Ankara, and the 55 km transfer takes about an hour. The Eastern Express also stops at Sarıkamış, and the station is very close to the resort.
Most distinctly in January and February, on days when the temperature drops below −15 °C and humidity is very low.
Sarıkamış is currently outside our regular delivery network. Contact us for group bookings and we can arrange something.
Erciyes Ski Resort spreads across the northern and western flanks of the 3,917 m Mount Erciyes and, with 112 kilometres of marked runs, is the largest ski area in Turkey. Its 34 pistes — reached from the Hisarcık, Tekir and Develi gates — cover everything from wide blue slopes where a child can take a first lesson to demanding black descents that start at 3,400 m.
Kartalkaya Ski Resort sits between 1,850 and 2,200 m in the fir forests of the Bolu mountains, with 22 pistes and 25 kilometres of terrain. Being 265 km from Istanbul and 230 km from Ankara makes it the most-visited weekend ski destination in Turkey.
Uludağ is the first name that comes to mind when Turks talk about skiing. Its 24 pistes and 30 kilometres of terrain run from the hotel zone at 1,750 m to a 2,543 m summit, and it is the only major resort a skier can reach from Istanbul in half a day.
Palandöken Ski Resort runs from 2,200 m to 3,176 m, making it both the highest resort in Turkey and the one with the longest season. It can open in November and stay open into May — effectively the only place in the country for spring skiing.
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