Best time to visit Turkey

Skiing Season in Turkey

Turkey is not one of world's top skiing destination, yet it has a dozen of decent resorts and even heli-skiing available

Best time: December–April | late January–early March (heliskiing)

Skiing Season
Skiing Season
Skiing Season
Skiing Season

The country is famous among beach holiday vacationers rather than skiers. All the same, along with three seas, it has quite a hilly terrain well-appropriate for skiing and snowboarding and has a range of skiing resorts scattered all over its area. The majority of them are located in the northern part and have quite an extended season from December to March, and some operate well into late April, like in neighbouring Georgia. Winter sports are available even at the Mediterranean coastline, in Saklıkent Ski Resort, the season is naturally shorter.

Two largest skiing resorts are located at Palandöken in the east, and Erciyes, Central Anatolia, and offer 72 and 55 skiing slopes correspondingly. Uludağ Resort is celebrated as the oldest one and remains the most popular in Turkey, with its 28 kilometres of slopes and the highest point located at around 2,500 meters.

Other smaller resorts include Kartalkaya, Kartepe, Sarıkamış, and Ilgaz Ski Resorts. Elmadağ is known to be the smallest ski resort offering just 1,5 kilometres of skiing area, Saklıkent Ski Resort has considerably shorter season that starts only in mid-winter and ends in early spring, and Kartepe mountains are the lowest ones ranging from 1400 to 1700 meters, and hence this resort is the best option for the beginners and intermediate skiers.

If you wish for a true free ride off the beaten track, you should opt for the helicopter skiing. That's a great opportunity to hire your own helicopter for an entire week and ski wherever you want in the area of 4500 square kilometres. The season is shorter than general skiing season in most resorts and lasts from late January to early March.

Practical info

When is the best time to go skiing in Turkey?

Skiing in Turkey is recommended between late January to early March for heli-skiing and from December to March for general skiing. Some resorts operate until late April, but the heli-skiing season is from late January to early March only, in areas such as Kaçkar Mountains. It is suggested to plan a visit before confirming weather conditions with specific resorts. Show more

Where are the best skiing resorts in Turkey?

Palandöken, Uludağ, and Erciyes have the largest skiing resorts in Turkey. Uludağ Resort is the most popular and oldest resort, where you can find the highest point of 2,500 meters. Palandöken and Erciyes have more than 50 slopes each. Other skiing resorts include Kartepe, Kartalkaya, Sarıkamış, and Ilgaz Ski Resorts. Surprisingly, the Saklıkent Ski Resort in the Mediterranean offers a unique skiing experience. Show more

What is the highest point of Uludağ Resort?

Turkey's Uludağ Resort has the highest point at around 2,500 meters and offers scenic views of the Marmara region, including the islands and nearby Bursa city. It is the country's most well-known winter sports destination, and skiing is not the only activity available; hiking, sledding, and snowboarding are also popular. Show more

Is there a heli-skiing available in Turkey and where can I experience it?

Heli-skiing is a great activity in Turkey available from late January to early March, only in the remote mountain slopes of Kaçkar Mountains in Rize province. Heli-skiing is a thrilling off-piste skiing activity that involves using helicopters to reach remote mountain slopes. During heli-skiing season, an entire week can be spent skiing on the 4500 square kilometers of territory, as visitors hire a helicopter for the week. Show more

How long is the skiing season in most Turkish resorts?

The general skiing season for most Turkish resorts ranges from December to March, with some operating up to late April, such as Uludağ. In Saklıkent Ski Resort, mid-winter to early spring is the skiing season period. Heli-skiing season, on the other hand, only runs from late January to early March. Before you plan a visit, it's sensible to double-check specific resorts' opening and closing dates and weather conditions. Show more

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Last updated: by Eleonora Provozin