Skiing in Turkey: What to Know Before You Go (Travel, Entry, Money, Language)

A ski trip to Turkey sounds unusual to many people. Those who try it are often surprised: modern gondolas, pistes above 3,000 metres and a city with a bazaar and kebab shops just below the mountain. Here are the practical points to sort out before your first trip, focusing on Erciyes near Kayseri, one of the country's largest ski areas.

Getting there

• Via Istanbul: Most international visitors fly to Istanbul and take a short domestic flight of about an hour to Kayseri (ASR). Both Istanbul airports have frequent connections.
• Direct flights: Some European cities have seasonal direct flights to Kayseri; check current schedules with the airlines.
• Airport to slopes: Kayseri airport is a few kilometres from the city centre, and the slopes are about 25 km from the city. Transfers are free on our packages. More in how to get to Erciyes.

Flights to Kayseri sell out fast around New Year and during the Turkish school winter break (25 January – 5 February 2027).

Entry rules

Visa requirements depend on your passport. Check your government's travel advice before you book, and again before you travel, as rules can change.

Time, money and language

• Time: Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year, three hours ahead of the UK in winter.
• Money: The currency is the Turkish lira. Cards are accepted almost everywhere in cities and hotels; carry a little cash for small purchases. Because of high inflation, lira prices change often, which is why our packages are priced in dollars.
• Language: You can usually manage in English at hotels and rental shops, but not everyone speaks English elsewhere. Important for beginners: according to the package details, lessons on our packages are given in Turkish. If you need lessons in English, ask before you book.

Insurance

Check your cover before you go. Many travel policies exclude skiing or the cost of rescue and repatriation after a ski accident, so make sure yours includes winter sports.

Snow and timing

The Erciyes season usually starts in mid-December. The most reliable snow is from January to March, and with lifts up to about 3,400 metres, skiing in 2025/26 lasted until mid-May. Our Erciyes ski season guide goes month by month, and New Year skiing in Turkey covers the festive period.

Weekdays are much quieter on the slopes. At weekends many day visitors come up from Kayseri and nearby cities.

How long?

• A long weekend: Our 2-night packages run Friday to Sunday, ideal if you already ski.
• A week: Our 4-night packages run Monday to Friday. We recommend these for beginners, because progress takes a few days. Two or three days in Cappadocia fit well before or after.

What surprises people

• The city so close: In the evening you're in Kayseri in about half an hour, with restaurants, a covered bazaar and Seljuk monuments. See Kayseri after the slopes.
• The food: Kayseri is famous for mantı, tiny dumplings with yoghurt, and pastırma, air-dried beef.
• The altitude: The sun at over 3,000 metres is stronger than you'd think. Wear sunscreen, even when it's cloudy.
• Cappadocia: About an hour away. See does it snow in Cappadocia?
• Something for non-skiers: Pedestrian lift tickets, sledding and more. See things to do on Erciyes if you don't ski.

With children

Our programmes suit ages 6 and over, and 6–7 is generally seen as the ideal starting age. The slopes get busier during the Turkish school holidays; outside them, families have plenty of space. See Erciyes with kids.

What to pack

The jacket, trousers and gloves, plus helmet, goggles and equipment, are included in our packages. Bring thermal base layers, long ski socks, a neck warmer, sunscreen and sunglasses. See what to wear skiing.

In short

Skiing in Turkey is straightforward once you've sorted flights, insurance and language. For an overview of all the resorts, see ski resorts in Turkey compared. Experienced skiers can look at the 4-night Experienced package; beginners at the 4-night First Steps package.

• Skiing in Turkey
• Erciyes
• Travel tips
• Ski holidays