Uludağ or Erciyes? Which Turkish Ski Resort Is Bigger, and Which Suits You?

Ask anyone in Turkey about skiing and two names come up: Uludağ and Erciyes. One is the country's oldest major resort and the closest to Istanbul; the other is a large ski area on the slopes of a volcano that has grown fast in recent years. The short answer to "which is bigger?" is Erciyes. Which suits you depends on where you are coming from, how many days you have and the kind of holiday you want.

In short

• Uludağ (Bursa): Turkey's best-known and oldest ski resort, about 40 km by road from Bursa and two to three hours from Istanbul. The hotels are inside the ski area.
• Erciyes (Kayseri): about 25 km from Kayseri and one of Turkey's largest ski areas, with around 112 km of marked pistes, 41 runs and 19 lifts. Cappadocia is about an hour away.

Which is bigger?

The figures vary by source, but the difference is clear.

• Piste length: Uludağ is usually given as somewhere between 28 and 35 km of pistes. Erciyes has around 112 km, three to four times as much.
• Altitude: Uludağ's summit is 2,543 metres, and its ski area sits roughly between 1,780 and 2,320 metres. On Erciyes the lifts reach about 3,400 metres.
• Lifts: Erciyes has 19 lifts, including two enclosed gondolas. Uludağ has many chairlifts and drag lifts, but because different operators run them, counts differ between sources.

On Erciyes that size means long descents for confident skiers and wide nursery areas for beginners. Our Erciyes ski resort guide covers the pistes and its four gates.

Snow and season

The altitude difference shows in the snow. Erciyes sits higher, in the dry air of central Anatolia, and its most reliable snow is usually from January to March. Uludağ is lower and closer to the sea, so its snow can be wetter and the start and end of its season depend more on the weather. Both usually open in December; see when ski resorts open in Turkey.

Getting there

Uludağ: its big advantage for people living in Istanbul. A few hours by car or bus to Bursa, then up the mountain by road or by cable car. The roughly 9 km cable car from the city has run since 1963.

Erciyes: frequent flights of a little over an hour connect Istanbul with Kayseri. The airport is close to the city centre, and the resort is about 25 km from the city. Our packages include free transfers from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the slopes; see how to get to Erciyes.

Where you stay

Uludağ's strength is that the hotels are in the ski area, many with direct access to the pistes, so evenings are spent at the hotel.

On Erciyes there are two options: hotels on the mountain or a base in Kayseri city centre. Our packages use the five-star Wyndham Grand Kayseri in the centre: a shuttle takes you up each morning, and in the evening you are back among the city's restaurants and streets.

Crowds

Being close to Istanbul and Bursa, Uludağ gets very busy at weekends and during the school mid-term break. Erciyes has busy periods too, but its size and four gates spread the crowds. To plan a day around the gates, read planning your ski day at Erciyes.

Which suits you?

Choose Uludağ if:

• you live in Istanbul or the Marmara region and want to drive
• you are planning a short ski break
• you want to ski straight from your hotel door

Choose Erciyes if:

• you want a bigger ski area with longer runs
• you prefer higher altitude and usually drier snow
• it is your first time and you want lessons, equipment, lift pass and meals in one package
• you want to combine skiing with Cappadocia or Kayseri

Where to start on Erciyes

If you have never skied, the 2-night First Steps package runs Friday to Sunday with a 4-hour beginner lesson and all-day instructor support. Please note that lessons are taught in Turkish. If you already ski, the 4-night Experienced package gives you four days with piste leaders.

For all of Turkey's major resorts side by side, see ski resorts in Turkey compared. Curious about alternatives abroad? Read Bansko or Erciyes?.

• Uludağ
• Erciyes
• Ski resort comparison
• Skiing in Turkey