Sarıkamış

Overview

Sarıkamış is a town in Kars province, about 55 km (34 miles) from Kars. Above it, forests of Scots pine cover the slopes of Çamurlu Dağı, and the runs drop through the trees. So you ski in the shelter of tall pines.

Skiing at Sarıkamış

The ski area lies between 2,100 and 2,634 meters (6,890 and 8,640 feet), and Bayraktepe is its main slope. In all, it has 10 runs of different lengths, up to about 30 km (19 miles), with five chairlifts. The season usually runs from December to March, and snow often holds into April. Opening dates depend on the snow, so ask us to confirm for your dates.

Sarıkamış Beyond the Slopes

The Katerina Lodge

In the town stands the Katerina Lodge, a hunting lodge built on the order of Tsar Nicholas II. It is made of pine, in the Baltic style, without nails.

The winter of 1914

The name is also known for the Sarıkamış Operation of World War I, fought in these mountains from December 22, 1914, to January 4, 1915. The town was then the last station of the railway that ran from Tiflis through Gümrü and Kars.

How to Get to Sarıkamış

• By air: Kars Airport is about 50 km (31 miles) from the ski center, and we drive you from there.
• By train: the Eastern Express stops at Sarıkamış on its way between Ankara and Kars.
• From Kars: the slopes are reached by car, so we plan your drive each way.

Who Sarıkamış Suits

We suggest Sarıkamış to skiers who want more than a resort, because the ruins of Ani and the stone streets of Kars are a day out from the slopes. See our Kars and Ani tour. It also suits travelers who arrive on the train for the winter landscape and want a few days on skis at the end. For another mountain in the east, read about Palandöken.

Ski Sarıkamış With Us

Send us your dates and your level, and we will arrange your hotel, transfers, passes, equipment and an instructor, with a day for Ani. See our outdoor adventures and tailor-made trips, or read skiing in Turkey.

Updated: November 6, 2026.