Guide
Kartepe's ski area, 16 kilometres from Maşukiye in Kocaeli, spreads over about 3.5 million square metres used for winter sports and, in the warmer months, for trekking among old trees, streams and waterfalls. Being so close to Istanbul, it is a year-round escape for people from the city, and in winter skiers come from all over Türkiye.
The season runs from December to the end of February, with snow 80 to 200 centimetres deep. Twelve runs are laid out separately for beginners and experienced skiers, served by three chairlifts and a T-bar, and you can hire equipment and take lessons from ski instructors.
When to go
- Climate
- Across Kocaeli as a whole, monthly mean temperatures run from 6.3 °C in January to 24 °C in August; the mean stays between 15 and 25 °C in May, June, July, August, September and October; rainfall is heaviest in December (108 mm) and lightest in August (42 mm). Long-term means for 1929-2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM).
