Why Turkey is the top choice for budget-friendly skiing vacations.

W

What factors contribute to the perfect skiing spot? Of course, having tall mountains and abundant snowfall is essential. Additionally, having modern resorts and easily accessible airports can greatly enhance the experience. And let’s not forget about the mouthwatering local food and vibrant apres-ski atmosphere – that’s the cherry on top. Now, imagine if you could have all of that for less than £12 per day for your lift pass. It may seem too good to be true, but it’s possible that you (or someone you know) have already been to such a destination without realizing its potential for skiing.

The UN World Tourism Organisation reported that Turkey was the fourth most popular country for tourists in 2022, coming in after France, Spain, and the USA. However, most of the 50 million visitors who went there last year preferred to travel during the summer months. It was a bit unusual to check in for a flight to Istanbul with a snowboard bag, but when I visited, there was a light dusting of snow on the runway as we landed. After taking a short domestic flight to Kayseri in the heart of the country, we were greeted by a heavy snowstorm.

The temperature was well below freezing. In the last day, approximately 30 centimeters of snow had fallen and it seemed to be continuing. Fortunately, a Mercedes minibus promptly transported us on a 40-minute trip to the nearby Erciyes ski resort. We were greeted with a warm reception from Erdem Kurt, the founder of Ski Turkish.

More information about ski vacations can be found by clicking the link.

Kurt is a passionate snowboarder known for his contagious laughter. He strongly believes in Turkey’s ability to become a popular winter sports destination and founded his agency in 2018 to promote it. According to him, Turkey boasts over 60 mountains with elevations exceeding 3,000 metres, including its tallest peak, Mount Ararat, which stands taller than Mont Blanc. As he gestured out the window, Kurt couldn’t help but laugh while pointing out the abundant snowfall that Turkey receives.

Additionally, Kurt elaborated on Turkey’s extensive skiing history. The first skis were brought into the country almost 100 years ago by Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, as a way to modernize the culture. Turkey also participated in its first Winter Olympic Games in 1936. However, skiing was only accessible to a select few for many years.

In the early 2000s, there was a shift when Kurt began snowboarding, as the middle class expanded and there was a surge in construction. This led to local governments and private investors putting money towards new skiing facilities. Currently, there are approximately 40 ski resorts of different sizes located across the Anatolian peninsula.

After the storm subsided the following morning, we were able to see the impressive new addition to the resort’s landscape. Erciyes, situated near a 3,917m-high extinct volcano with a rugged crater below its peak, offers a combination of natural beauty and modern infrastructure designed by Austrians. The resort’s CEO, Dr Murat Cahid Cingi, shared with us over a cup of Turkish tea that the Kayseri municipality has invested €200 million (£173 million) since 2005 when the project began. He also mentioned that this investment has helped boost tourism throughout the year, bringing in an estimated €100 million (£85,885) to the local economy.

Erciyes is nothing if not impressive. It boasts 150km of pistes (the same number as the famous French village of Val d’Isere), linked by a network of 12, ultra-modern lifts – the highest of which reaches 3,400m (topping anything in Val Thorens, France’s highest resort). On that first morning however, those stats meant less to us than the fact that all of it was caked in 60cm of light, fresh, fluffy powder.

Our team enthusiastically skied the slopes closest to the lifts in the morning, excitedly making our way to the gondola each time. However, despite our eagerness to take advantage of the snow, the slopes were not crowded and only a few locals were skiing on the groomed trails. We did encounter a group of Dutch skiers on backcountry skis and some friendly snowboarders from Russia, who shared that Turkey was one of the few countries still permitting direct flights from Moscow. Overall, we had the powder all to ourselves.

Lunch in a simple slopeside cafe provided a welcome change from the cheese and meat monoculture of the Alps: a lamb Adana kebab with a fresh tomato salad, followed by baklava and a Turkish coffee. Brewed thick with the grounds left in, it was roughly the same colour and consistency as a barrel of Brent crude and packed a similarly energetic punch – ideal fuel for an afternoon of further off-piste exploration. Perhaps my favourite item on the menu, however, was the bill, which came to 300 Turkish lira (about £8) a head.

The prices for lift tickets were surprisingly inexpensive. We had already purchased ours through Ski Turkish beforehand, but a brief stop at the cabin confirmed that they were sold individually for 35 Turkish lira (TL), which is equivalent to about 95p each, or 250 TL (£6.80) for a package of 14 rides. This would easily provide enough skiing for a full day. However, for the 2023-24 season, prices have increased to 430 TL for 14 rides, which is about £11.74. Even with this increase, it is still much cheaper than the £57 cost of a day pass in Val d’Isère.

After exploring the famous “fairy chimneys” of Cappadocia, a Unesco World Heritage Site, we traveled to Erzurum in the eastern region of Turkey for the second leg of our trip. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, Erzurum is similar to Innsbruck or Albertville in terms of its landscape. This mountainous town is home to Turkey’s only ski jump, a spacious ice hockey area, and several ski resorts located in the peaks just south of the city center. Our trip organizers, Ski Turkish, had arranged for us to spend two days at the largest resort, Ejder 3200.

The ground here had a lighter layer of snow, making skiing off marked trails riskier and bumpier. However, we were once again impressed by the excellent condition of the slopes, efficient lifts, and reasonable prices. The local food was also exceptional – uncomplicated, humble, and made with the freshest ingredients. As we enjoyed another round of the all-you-can-eat cağ kebapi skewers at Koç Cağ restaurant, located near Erzurum’s 11th-century Çifte Minareli Madrassa, I recalled something Dr. Cingi had mentioned during our meeting at Erciyes. He explained that all the things that make Turkey an attractive summer destination are arguably even better in the winter without the crowds.

According to him, Turkish cuisine is renowned globally. He also emphasized the significance of historical, cultural, and gastronomic tourism in their country. Additionally, they have integrated European-quality ski areas at reasonable rates, which he believes will greatly attract tourists.

The ski season in Turkey, similar to the Alps, takes place from December to April. For specific resorts and their opening dates, please refer to the Erciyes or Ejder3200 websites.

We traveled on Turkish Airlines, which offers non-stop flights to Istanbul (the busiest international airport in the world) from over 200 locations, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

Our journey was arranged and assisted by Ski Turkish, a specialized agency for adventure travel that handled all of our transportation arrangements.

A meal at the Gondol restaurant located on the slopes of Erciyes Mountain costs 300 TL per person (approximately £8). This includes an Efes beer, dessert, and a traditional Turkish coffee. At Koç Cağ in Erzurum, a plate of two skewers of cağ kebapi with salad and flatbread costs 85 TL (£2.30). The attentive waiters continuously bring out fresh plates until you request them to stop.

The prices are different. We were charged 192 TL (£5.50) for a well-prepared negroni at the apres-ski bar of the four-star Das3917 Hotel in Erciyes. At a bar near the slopes in Ejder3200, we paid 60 TL (£1.60) for a can of Efes beer.

The prices for accommodations differ. A double room at the four-star Das3917 in Erciyes starts at 7,800 TL (£213) per night, but there are more affordable choices. The Erciyes Hill hotel, located at the base of the lifts, offers rooms for 4,250 TL (£117) per night. If being able to ski directly to and from your hotel is not a necessity and you are comfortable staying in the town, there are rooms and apartments available for rent in Kayseri’s historic town center, just a 40-minute drive from the slopes, starting at as low as £22 per night.

The Snowdora Hotel is located at the base of the ski slopes and charges approximately 4,000 TL (£110) per night for their rooms. However, if you don’t mind staying in Erzurum, which is a 25-minute drive from the hotel, you can find double rooms and rental apartments for as low as 875 TL (£24) per night.

At Erciyes, lift passes can be purchased for individual rides. In the winter of 2022-2023, the cost for a single ride is 60 TL (£1.64) for adults and 45 TL (£1.23) for children under 12. Alternatively, a package of 100 rides, which is approximately equivalent to a week’s lift pass, costs 2,250 TL (£62) for adults and 1,650 TL (£45) for children under 12. Although prices for the winter of 2023-2024 have not yet been released online, prices at Ejder3200 were similar during our visit.

The cost of ski rental at Erciyes and Ejder3200 varies depending on the store and duration of the rental. On average, it starts at approximately 400 TL (£11) per day.

Explore the topic of traveling in Turkey further by reading more.

The source is from the Independent newspaper website.