Ejder Ski Resort Turkey
An intriguing location in northeast Turkey, Ejder 3200 ski resort is just a few kilometres from the historic city centre of Erzurum. In region known for very cold, snowy winters, Ejder 3200 rises above the city; a combination of two main sectors: the extensive Palandöken (itself separated into two zones including a lower elevation 'Hotels' zone); and the smaller, but still high alpine, Konakli. The ski area of Palandoken is below Mt Palandöken (3,271 m/10,732 ft) & Konakli is 25km by road away on the flanks of the amusingly named Karakaya Hill (3,170 m/10,400 ft)('hill' indeed!). The city and resorts are close to the awesome cat/snowmobile-skiing at Ovit Mountain.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
For skiing & snowboarding, the statistics certainly pique one's interest. A total of 19 main ski lifts (2 gondolas and 17 chairs of various vintages) serve a combined 65km of ski trails, of which 40% are rated as advanced. The north-aspect slopes have a skiable vertical of just under 1,000m and what appears to be a decent sized off-piste. To top it off, the longest combined run is around 10km, and from what we can tell, a lift pass that starts at less than €6/day - a helluva good bargain and could be the best value ski resort in the world. Our interest is definitely piqued!
Whilst we prepare more info on this Turkish ski resort, check out the ski trail map for Ejder 3200 (Palandöken & Konakli) below.
Where is Ejder 3200 Turkey?
The Ejder 3200 ski area is in Turkey’s eastern Anatolia region, spread across two separate mountain resorts (Palandöken & Konakli) south of the city of Erzurum. Erzurum is around 1,050km as the Bald Ibis flies east of Istanbul, or a harrowing 14hr drive. The Georgian capital of Tbilisi is a 500km (8 to 9hr) drive to the north-east of Erzurum.
The closest gateway airports are Erzurum (ERZ), 13km by road north-west of the city centre. Erzurum airport is served by flights from Istanbul & Ankara, plus several smaller regional cities. Most travellers flying to Erzurum will require a transit through the airports in Istanbul [Istanbul airport (IST) or the smaller Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)]. Flight time from major European & UK airports including transit through Istanbul is between 5 & 7hr. A non-stop flight from Istanbul direct to Erzurum is around 1¾hr.
Once in Erzurum, the city centre and ski accommodation are only a short taxi ride away from the airport. The base of the main Palandöken sector of the ski resort is only 5km south of the city centre. The Konakli sector is further; a 25-minute (21km) drive south-west of the city centre.
Ejder 3200 Accommodation
The accommodations available in Ejder is a toss-up between staying near the fascinating city centre or at the base of either ski resort sector..
At the base of Palandoken, Erzurum is a city of over 350,000 people which came to prominence in the 5th century. In the heart of the city, significant historic buildings still exist including the Çifte Minareli Medrese (dating from the late 13th century). Sited at an altitude of 1,950m, the city is bounded by plains to the north and mountains to the south. There are several decent hotels arrayed around the city centre.
Up the road from the city, the Palandöken ski resort hotels are split into 2 sectors that are nonetheless connected by chairlifts.
Search & book here for all Ejder ski accommodation.
Review
The Powderhounds will review Ejder next season. More information about this ski resort will come after our visit. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how the European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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