Photo: CeeGee / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Skiing Bolu · Ski resort 40.59° N · 31.81° E

Kartalkaya

A ski resort in the Köroğlu Mountains above Bolu, with runs among fir forests, between Istanbul and Ankara.

Overview

Kartalkaya is a ski resort in the Köroğlu Mountains, 38 km (24 miles) southeast of Bolu. Its runs lie between 1,850 and 2,200 meters (6,070 and 7,220 feet), with fir forest around them. Because it stands between Turkey's two largest cities, skiers come here from both Istanbul and Ankara.

Skiing at Kartalkaya

The resort has about 15 runs, some 30 km (19 miles) in all, and nine lifts. You can rent equipment on the mountain and book a ski or snowboard instructor. Snowboarders also get a snowpark, with a main ramp, a kicker line, a boardercross course and rail lines.

Snow here averages about 250 cm (8 feet). The season usually starts in mid-December, and in good years it runs into April. Opening dates depend on the snow, so ask us to confirm for your dates.

How to Get to Kartalkaya

No regular bus or minibus runs up from Bolu, so you need a car. The road from Bolu stays open through the season.

From Istanbul: about 280 km (174 miles) by road. Sabiha Gökçen Airport is about 2.5 hours away, and Istanbul Airport about 4 hours.
From Ankara: about 170 km (106 miles) by road, and about 2 hours from Esenboğa Airport.
From the motorway: the resort lies 30 km (19 miles) off the TEM.

We drive you from either city or from the airport, and we bring you back.

Who Kartalkaya Suits

We suggest it for a ski week or a long weekend, when you want to stay on the mountain and go out on the snow each morning. Snowboarders will like the park. For a first day on skis, book an instructor with us in advance. After the snow, the old city of Bolu is close, and in other seasons, our Abant and Yedigöller day trip shows you the lakes of the same province.

A Note on 2025

On January 21, 2025, a fire at the Grand Kartal Hotel in Kartalkaya killed 78 people. The first-instance verdict came on October 31, 2025. By May 23, 2026, the Sakarya Regional Court of Appeal had upheld it and sent the file to the Court of Cassation.

Ski Kartalkaya With Us

Send us your dates and your level, and we will arrange your hotel, transfers, passes, equipment and an instructor. See our outdoor adventures and tailor-made trips. For more snow, read skiing in Turkey, or look at Uludağ and Kartepe.

Updated: November 6, 2026.

Things to See & Do

Uludağ

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Kartepe

A ski center in the forests above Lake Sapanca, with 12 runs and a cable car…

Kocaeli · Ski center

Map

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Kartalkaya?

Kartalkaya lies in the Köroğlu Mountains, 38 km (24 miles) southeast of Bolu city. It is about 280 km (174 miles) from Istanbul and 170 km (106 miles) from Ankara.

When is the ski season at Kartalkaya?

It usually starts in mid-December, and in good years it runs into April. Opening dates depend on the snow, so ask us to confirm for your dates.

How many runs does Kartalkaya have?

It has about 15 runs, some 30 km (19 miles) in all, with nine lifts. There is also a snowpark, and you can rent equipment and book an instructor there.

How do I get to Kartalkaya?

No regular bus or minibus runs up from Bolu, so you need a car. We drive you from Istanbul, Ankara or their airports and bring you back.

Next in Skiing Skiing in Turkey: The Six Resorts Compared Skiing in Turkey compared: Uludağ, Kartepe, Kartalkaya, Erciyes, Palandöken and Sarıkamış, which suits your level, how to get there and the season.