Cat Skiing Freeride in Turkey

8-day Catski Tour Packages in Eastern Türkiye

Experience an unforgettable adventure across Turkey’s most snow-covered region! Some of the longest cat skiing descents in the world, a base in the heart of the Yalnızçam Mountains, exceptional snow quality owing to the proximity of the Black Sea, and the care of IFMGA and TMF ski guides. These are just some of the highlights of this catskiing trip to far-eastern Türkiye.

Cat skiing packages are available from December to April, and tours have a maximum of 12 skiers/snowboarders. Week-long tours run Sunday to Sunday and include 6-days of cat ski freeriding, starting & finish in the city of Kars. All meals, transfers & transport are included from the moment you are met at the airport. You will be blown away by the fabulous Turkish cuisine and a final farewell gala dinner on the last night which is spent in the fascinating city of Kars.

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Location & Transfers

For cat-skiing, the lodge & base are located in the Yalnızçam Mountains in the village of Yayla in north-eastern Türkiye. The closest major city & airport is Kars (KSY), around 3hr drive away. Each tour will start and finish in a hotel in Erzurum. All ground transport from/to Kars airport, the local hotel & the cat-ski lodge is included in the package. Kars Airport (KSY) can be reached by domestic flight via Istanbul (IST & SAW). Direct flights to Istanbul are from most major European, Nth American & Middle-eastern airports.

Ski Terrain, Vertical & Itinerary

An extension of the Lesser Caucasus, the Yalnızçam mountains of eastern Türkiye are amongst the most snow-laden in the region. The home base for the cat-skiing is in the very heart of these mountains in the small village of Yayla, just 50km 'as the crow flies' from the world-famous Bakhmaro cat skiing location in Georgia! So you can bet its snowy! The ski terrain here has everything, but tours will mostly utilise the huge amounts of wide-open alpine bowls with safe slopes, allowing for good avalanche safety. For more challenges there are a lot of couloirs going down the valley. Some are steep and rocky, while others are wider and longer. Distant, sparse woodland that serves as a safety net when visibility is low.

The runs have a vertical drop of 500 to 600 metres, and the day will usually end with a long run featuring a 1,000-metre vertical drop! There is also an fully alpine section accessible by snowcat consisting of countless gullies spanning across 7 kilometers. Each couloir is different, but all are very steep, difficult, and accessible only to very skilled skiers under stable snow conditions (second half of March, April). Total vertical on any day is dependent on the group, snow & weather conditions

To view the full programs, see the Itinerary tab.

Snow Quality

The season lasts from start of December to late April. The highest, cold, dry snowfall (powder) is until end of March. In April, the snow becomes more stable and allows descents of the steepest slopes. It's also a great time to combine freeriding and ski-touring

Lodging & Meals

Lodging on each tour is split between 1 night in a quality hotel in Kars, and 6 nights at the cat-skiing base in Yayla Evleri.

The tour includes 6 nights in a double or twin-share room in abungalow style house at the Disharo Bungalows located remotely at around 2,100m. Single rooms are available for an extra tariff. Each room has an en-suite bathroom. The standard is simple, however guests have given the facility a high rating overall (4.7 on Google maps). large lounge/restaurant where we do briefing for the next day, watch freeride movies. There is also WiFi in the facilities and mobile phone coverage. The guesthouse is maintained by a local family, and breakfasts are served buffet style, with largely farm-fresh goods such as butter, cheese, and jams. Dinners are usually made up of two courses, so everyone will leave feeling full. Lunch is usually taken picnic style in the field and includes large meat or vegetarian sandwiches. This is Türkiye - no one goes hungry!

The final night will be spent in Kars at a high-quality hotel in the heart of the city, where they provide delicious and varied cuisine. A gala farewell dinner is included in the tour price.

Snowcats & Guides

Turkey Snowcats operates two new Pistenbully snowcats with cabins for 15 people (only 12 guests per tour though). One is used for the day's tour, whilst the second is a backup snowcat, which is prudent given the remote nature of the location.

Snowmobiles are on hand to assist in any emergencies or breakdowns that may occur.

All guides have expert local knowledge & are qualified with the TMF (Turkish Mountaineering Federation) or IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations). Guide to clients ratio is 1:6

Ski Ability & Equipment

It is without question that you need to be experienced in off-piste skiing to participate in this tour. The Yalnızçam mountains are not the place to take your first turns off the pre-prepared piste. The correct shape and fitness level means that you:
• can finish three 1,000-meter-vertical descent ski rides a day in variable snow conditions.
• can enjoy a dramatic and trouble-free ride on prepared and groomed black-track slopes, which may include areas that are both steep and narrow.
• have intermediate or advanced off-piste skiing experience and can ski easily and quickly in different snow conditions in open terrain (broad terrain) & woodland with slopes of up to 25 degrees and couloirs with slopes of up to 35 degrees without falling.

Good knowledge of how to use your avalanche safety equipment is essential.

Each group will be divided according to their level and expectations, so that everyone gets the kind of skiing they feel comfortable with. You need to bring all of your own ski and snowboard equipment.

Morre Info & Booking

To make a booking click through via the links next to the tour dates listed above.

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