The Uludag Mountains are home to one of Turkey’s most prominent ski resorts, with 28 kilometres of slopes for beginners and experienced skiers. The bulk of people ascend the mountain via the Uludag cable car, which takes around 25 minutes to complete and is Turkey’s longest at 9 kilometres.
The ski season is unquestionably the most popular time to visit Uludag, with locals and foreign tourists alike flocking to the resort for skiing and snowboarding. Even if you’re not a skier, there’s enough to do away from the slopes. A snow safari is a great way to enjoy this winter wonderland without having to put on your skis.
On the first weekend of the New Year, Uludag, one of the most prominent locations of winter tourism, is bustling. The ski slopes in the area are packed with vacationers staying in hotels and skiing for the day.
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The temperature at Uludag on the first Sunday of the New Year was 3 degrees below zero, with a snow depth of 47 centimetres. Despite the fog and cold, hotel guests and day-trippers established a density on the pistes in the area, where the snowfall began at lunchtime. Skiing was enjoyed by both domestic and international visitors. Umut Karakaş who came to the area for Christmas from Tekirda stated:
“It’s going well. It’s my first time in Uludag. I’ve never skied before. It’s the first time I’ve tried skiing. I fell a lot on the first day, but I found out on my second day. The runways are too crowded. Uludag is very preferred. I like to see that I can ski, I intend to come again.”
Elnur Gaffarl, an Azerbaijani who came to Uludag for the New Year’s Holiday, stated:
“I came from Azerbaijan. This is the fourth time we’ve been to Uludag. We love it here. The kids learned to ski this year. We arrived on December 30th, the New Year’s Eve party was very nice. We’ll be back tomorrow. Since we like Turkey, we prefer it every year to take a holiday. We spend both our summer and winter holidays here.”