WINTER SPORTS IN TURKEY

The high altitude mountains of Turkey have made the country an important centre for winter tourism, and skiing is becoming increasingly popular.

Around 40km from Erzincan in North Eastern Anatolia, the Bolkar Ski Resort is in the Bolkar Mountains.

Arrival: From the centre of Erzincan, there are many private and public vehicles to the ski centre. The nearest airport is in Erzurum, around 150km east.

Geography: The season runs between December and April, and the snow is at a depth of up to 1m.

Facilities: The centre has a ski lodge, T-bar and baby-lift. The ski run is around 1.1km long and 200m wide, with a gradient of 20% and is a medium/hard level.

Palandoken mountain has an altitude of 3185 m, and is south of Erzurum. This was the area of the first extensive study in the country looking at a master plan for tourism potential, which concluded that the area has the necessary potential and qualities to be a major international resort. Given the right facilities, it is estimated that 32,000 people could ski per day and could be the venue of international competitions and even Winter Olympics, giving job opportunities to around 6000 people.

Arrival: There are daily flights to Erzurum from Ankara and Istanbul. The ski resort is 5km from the city centre, and 10 minutes from the airport. During the winter season, there are public buses from the ski resort to the city centre.

Geography: Erzurum is one of the highest and coldest cities of Turkey, with a harsh terrestrial climate and covered with snow 150 days of a year, and an average annual snowfall of 2-3m. The dominant wind direction is southerly and westerly. The skiing area is at an altitude of 2200m – 3176m, and best time to ski is between 10 December - 10 May.

Facilities: There are 4- and 5-star hotels with restaurants, and ski instruction and equipment rental services are available. The slopes here are among the longest and steepest in the world, each one up to 12km, giving a total length of around 28 km. With the altitude difference of 1000 metres between the start and finish line, Palandoken has two registered tracks for competitions of Slalom and grand Slalom. (Ejder Track and Kapikaya Track). There are five chair-lifts, one T-bar, two baby lifts and a gondola lift.

The Zigana Ski Centre is in the Black Sea Region, 40km north of Gumushane.

Arrival: Zigana is 60km south of Trabzon, the closest airport, and just 500m from the main road leading north of Gumushane. There is public and private transport from the ski centre to the city.

Geography: Covered mainly with forest, the ski runs are between altitudes of 1900-2500m, and covered with grass for most of the year. The season is between December and April, and there is an average snow depth of 1.5m.

Facilities: The ski centre has a lodge, a T-bar and baby-lift. The ski run is around 200m wide, with an average gradient of 20%.

The Davraz Ski Centre is in the Western Mediterranean, 26km from the centre of Isparta.

Arrival: Municipal buses run from the ski centre to the city. Isparta’s Suleyman Demirel Airport is 58km away, and Isparta is well connected by bus to other areas of the country.

Geography: Davraz moutains, with an altitude of 2637m), is part of the range between Egirdir and Kovada Lakes, which surround the Isparta Valley in the area known as the Lake District. The ski centre has a terrestrial climate and the season runs between December and April. The snow is between 0.5 – 2m deep, and the mountain has a bare appearance with little vegetation and enabling different winter sports.

Facilities: The ski lodge has a capacity of 50 beds, and has a large restaurant. Other hotels in the centre of Isparta or the Egirdir area are also convenient. The chair-lift starts at an altitude of 1674m and ascends to 1961m, and the ski runs are 4km long.

Bozdag Ski Resort is near Odemis, 110km southeast of Izmir. .

Arrival: Izmir is easily accessible by road or by air. The ski resort can be reached directly from the city centre with public or private vehicles.

Geography: The skiing season runs between December to March, and there is a snow depth of around 100cm. The ski areas are at an altitude of between 1700 – 2157m and the northern slopes are suitable for alpine discipline.

Facilities: Accommodation facilities are under construction.

The Ilgaz mountains are in the Black Sea region, in the city borders of Kastamonu and Cankiri, and have an altitude of 2850 meters. Besides winter sports, this National Park is a popular and beautiful spot all year round.

Arrival: The Ilgaz ski resort lies 40km from Kastamonu and 73km from Cankiri, and 203km northeast from its nearest airport, Ankara. Tour buses and private vehicles make the journey from the centre of Kastamonu.

Geography: The region has a terrestrial climate, and the dominant wind direction is north-northwest. The skiing season runs between December and April. The snow is between 1-2km deep, and the ski runs are between 1800-2000m altitude.

Facilities: There are five government guest-houses and two hotels at the resort, with another hotel 3km away. There are facilities for medical care, plus ski instructors and equipment for hire. In 2001, a 5-star hotel with 320 bed capacity, and 88 hotel apartments opened in nearby Bostan. There is a double-seated chair-lift and T-bar, and a baby-lift at the private hotel 3km away.

In the Eastern Anatolia Region and 55km south-west of Kars, the Sarikamis Ski Resort is on the Camurlu mountain at an altitude of 2634m, and is renowned for its good quality of snow.

The Cibiltepe, with an altitude of 2500m, is an area of wonderful natural beauty and has five ski runs, the longest of which is 12 km long. It is covered with crystallised snow and therefore is very challenging.

Arrival: Sarikamis Ski Resort is 60km south-west of the centre of Kars, and 50km from the airport. It is also accessible from Erzurum airport, south-west. There are direct buses to the ski resort from Kars airport (40 mins) and Erzurum airport (90 mins). From the centre of Kars, there are no public vehicles.

Geography: The skiing area is between the altitudes of 2100 -2634m, within the pine forests. There is an average depth of 1.5m and is quite typical of Alpine conditions, and the best ski season is between 20 December - 20 March. It has a terrestrial climate, with a dominant south-westerly wind direction.

Facilities: There are two government guest-houses, and other private accommodation. Ski instructors and equipment is available for rent, and there is first aid, security and health services available, more hotels and hospital in the Sarikamis area. There is a military zone which can be used for helicopter landings. There are two chairlifts and one T-bar, plus two 4-seater T-bars.

Erciyes Dagi (3916 m.), the highest peak in Central Anatolia, rises 25km south of Kayseri. The peak of the mountain, an extinct volcano, is covered with snow throughout the year, and there is a 1km-long glacier in the northern region of the mountain. The ski resort is at the Tekir Plateau, on the northern slopes of the mountain and in addition to skiing, Erciyes is one of the most important mountains of the country for mountaineering.

Arrival: Erciyes is 40 minutes by road from Kayseri airport, and 30 minutes from the city centre. Most hotels organise transport to the ski area for their visitors.

Geography: The skiing areas on the eastern and northern slopes of the Erciyes Mountain are between the altitudes of 2200 -3100m. The best season for skiing is between late November and late April, with an average depth of approximately 2m of very powdery snow. The region has a terrestrial climate and the dominant wind direction is southerly and westerly.

Facilities: There are four government guest-houses and a private hotel, plus restaurants, bars, swimming pool, large café and medical facilities. Ski instructors and equipment rental are available. There is one chair-lift and two T-bars.

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