Sarikamis is a city in northeastern Turkey, which houses a unique ski resort. The name Sarikamis in Turkish means “yellow reed”. It is located in the province of Kars. Sarikamis is located on the non-mountain intermountain plain, from several sides to the city there are mountains covered with pine forest. One of the peaks, Cibiltepe with a height of 2,700 m, turned out to be quite convenient for arranging the Sarikamis ski resort.
The resort is ideal for families with children and for those tourists who first decided to try skiing. The season here lasts from mid-December to mid-March. The thickness of the snow cover is small, only about 2 meters. Sarikamis is the longest ski slope in Turkey, its length is 6 kilometers.
In summer, spring and autumn, a hunting base opens at the resort. In winter there are annual winter games and festivals.
Sarikamis How to get there?
You can get to Sarikamis by train, bus or plane. The resort is located 53 km from Kars, and 150 km from Erzurum. The nearest airports are located in these cities, which take local flights from Istanbul and Ankara. From the airports, local travel and transportation companies offer transfers directly to the resort. In addition, city buses to Sarikamis depart every hour from Kars Airport, the price of which is much lower.
There are trains from Istanbul to Sarikamis with stops in Ankara, Sivas and Erzurum. You can also reach the ski resort on a long-distance bus from any major Turkish city.
Information about Sarikamis
There are 9 main slopes at the ski resort, three of them are blue, three are red and three are black. Since Sarikamis is a young resort, at the moment there are only 2 chair lifts here, the rest are at the design and construction stage. Trails going down from the first ski lift are more suitable for beginner skiers. Higher tracks – for the more experienced. For the snowboarders in the resort is equipped with a half-pipe, and for fans of cross-country skiing there are two tracks with a length of 5 and 10 km.
In addition to the ski resort, the city of Sarikamis offers its guests a rich excursion program. The city was part of the ancient Armenian state, the traces of which have survived to the present day. So, what to see in Sarikamis? Let’s take a closer look.
- Sarikamis ski resort
- Katherina Kosku (Mansion of Russian Empress Catherine)
- Zivin Kalesi (Fortress Zivin)
- Sarikamis Kultur Evi (House of Culture Sarikamis)
- Ani Harabeleri (Ruins of the ancient Armenian city of Ani)
- Cildir Golu (Cildir Lake)
- Kars Kalesi (Kars Fortress)
The ruins of the city of Ani are probably one of the most interesting sights from the list presented. According to scientists, the emergence of the city dates back to the 5th century. Ani was the capital of the ancient Armenian kingdom. Once, various trade routes passed through Ani – the city was full of religious buildings, palaces and fortifications. The population of Ani in the heyday of the city was about 100-200 thousand people, and he himself bravely competed with Constantinople, Baghdad and Cairo. Over time, Ani, who was famous for its magnificence in ancient times, was abandoned and forgotten.
Hotels in Sarikamis
Sarikamis offers a large selection of hotels for tourists with different budget sizes from luxury to quite economical. You can stay in a hotel in the city or in the ski resort. For guests there are equipped Turkish bath, jacuzzi, gym, children’s pool and a playground. Also, hotels at the resort usually have a rental of sports equipment.
