Sarıkamış-Kars is a snow-capped alpine region in the far north-east of Turkey. Flying over two hours from Istanbul into tiny Kars airport, the dramatic landscape evolves as green turns white, and black pine forests poke out of powdery mountains with natural undulations, as if a contemporary artist scraped away white oils from a dusty board.
This icy region – the coldest in Turkey – is also one of the least populated, and the opposite of what comes to mind when most travellers think of the southern Turquoise Coast on the Aegean Sea for year-round sun and sand, or the cosmopolitan buzz of Istanbul or Antalya.
Sarıkamış-Kars might just be Turkey’s best kept secret. It’s an adventurers’ theme park with ski slopes offering perfect ‘crystal snow’, rivalled only by the Swiss Alps, but at a fraction of the price; almost untouched national parks filled with grizzly bears, wolves and lynxes; world-famous delicacies like local honey and cheese; and ancient cultural wonders that expand your understanding of Anatolia and its unique position as connector of East and West.
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The all-inclusive ski resort Duja Chalet Ski Centre, located an easy 30-minute drive from Kars airport, serves as an ideal base for exploring the north-eastern region. It’s wedged in the seat of Cıbıltepe Mountain and comfortably within an hour’s drive of most landmarks. For those looking for winter sports, Duja Chalet offers affordable skiing and snowboarding for the whole family from December to March.
With ski-to-door access, and all ski kit hireable on the slopes, the conditions work whether you’re beginner or professional, with nine slush-free, ice-free and queue-free pistes. The Turkish Government owns the slopes, and with day passes costing around £7, you’ll unlikely find quieter or cheaper skiing anywhere in Europe (the average day pass in Europe is £55, and more affordable ski destinations like Serbia and Bulgaria still cost close to £30 a day). Plus, this time of year you’ll get an extra hour or more of skiing due to 6pm sunsets.
If adventure sports aren’t your jam, catch the ski lifts all the way to the top of the mountain and…
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