Erciyes Ski Resort from Cappadocia: Season, Lift Prices, Day Trip 2027

Erciyes Ski Resort, on the 3,916 m volcano above Kayseri, is the ski area for a Cappadocia trip: Tekir Kapı, one of its four gates, is about 97 km by road from Göreme, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes' drive, and the resort's official season runs from 1 December to 30 April when snow allows. Our Erciyes ski day from Cappadocia includes return transport, ski or snowboard rental with boots, helmet, gloves and goggles, and lunch, from $117 per person.

Below: the resort in figures, the 2026-27 season, how the ride-based lift cards work and what they cost, rental and lessons, getting there, and how to fit a ski day into a Cappadocia trip.

Photo: Hmyr2021, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Erciyes at a glance

The figures below come from the operator, Kayseri Erciyes A.Ş., except the summit height, which UNESCO gives in its description of the Göreme World Heritage site.

One caution on size: the resort's headline figure of 112 km counts on-piste and off-piste terrain together, while the 41 runs in its own piste table add up to about 65 km. If you compare Erciyes with other resorts, compare like with like.

When is the ski season at Erciyes? Dates for 2026-27

The resort's general rules give the ski season as 1 December to 30 April, adding that the dates change with snowfall and artificial snow. Its FAQ says the opening date cannot be fixed in advance and points to its official social media accounts (@erciyeskykmrkz) for news. We had not seen an opening date for 2026-27 by 7 November 2026, and we will update this page when one is announced.

Last season is a useful guide. The lifts opened on 18 December 2025 and the season closed on 15 May 2026, after about 3.3 million visits, according to Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality figures reported by Anadolu Agency.

• Busiest weeks: the Turkish school semester break, which in 2027 runs from 25 January to 5 February. Prices do not rise then: the tariff announced at the start of the season stays the same until it ends.
• Local rhythm: Kayseri's municipal ski buses run only at weekends and during the school break, which tells you when local skiers come.
• Early December: check with us before you book a ski day. In 2025 there was no skiing until 18 December.

Lift pass prices: how Erciyes ride cards work

Erciyes sells no day passes. Lift tickets are cards loaded with a number of rides, and each pass through a lift gate uses one. The 2026-27 tariff had not been published by 7 November 2026, so these are the 2025-26 prices from Kayseri Erciyes A.Ş., including VAT; we will update them when the new tariff appears.

The rules that matter on the day:

• The card costs 50 TL the first time; replacing a lost one costs 100 TL if you still have the receipt showing its serial number.
• One card per skier. Every skier needs their own card, and a card cannot be used twice within five minutes. Rides can be used on any day of the season but expire when it ends.
• No refunds and no afternoon discount. If lifts close for weather, unused rides stay valid for another day that season.
• Non-skiers buy a pedestrian ride: 100 TL for ages 13 and over, 60 TL for ages 7 to 12, free under 7. A skier card cannot be used as a pedestrian ticket.
• Beginners: the carpet lifts at Hacılar and Hisarcık cost 100 TL for 5 rides, and the Hisarcık T-bar was free in 2025-26 to encourage learners.

How many rides you need depends on your day: a beginner on the free T-bar or the carpet lifts needs few, while a confident skier riding the gondolas and chairlifts all day will use many more.

Ski and snowboard rental, lessons and clothing

Rental. Private shops at all four gates rent equipment; the resort's site lists 19 of them with phone numbers but publishes no rental prices. The shops also rent ski clothing and sledges, at their own prices. On our ski day you do not need them for equipment: skis or a snowboard, boots, helmet, gloves and goggles are included.

Lessons. Under the resort's rules, Snow Academia is the only school allowed to teach on the mountain, and the operator warns skiers not to deal with unlicensed instructors on the pistes. On our tour an instructor is optional and paid separately; we quote it in writing if you want one.

Clothing. Jackets and trousers are not on our rental list, so bring waterproof ski clothing, warm base layers, ski socks, sunscreen and lip balm.

Photo: Photon2297, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Getting to Erciyes from Göreme, Ürgüp and Kayseri

Road distances to Tekir Kapı, from OpenStreetMap routing:

• Göreme: 97 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes
• Ürgüp: 92 km, about 1 hour 10 minutes
• Uçhisar: 105 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes
• Kayseri Airport (ASR): 32 km, about 35 minutes
• Kayseri city centre: 25 km, about 20 minutes

The resort's own figures are 60 minutes to Cappadocia, 25 minutes to Kayseri Airport and 20 minutes to the city centre. Kayseri's municipal ski buses leave Kaleönü in the city centre at weekends and every day in the school break, outbound between 08:30 and 11:30 and back between 15:00 and 17:30, and Develi minibuses run every 15 minutes from the Yoğunburç terminal. None of these start in Cappadocia, so from Göreme you need a car, a transfer or a tour. If you fly into Kayseri, our Kayseri Airport guide explains the transfer to Göreme.

Our Erciyes ski day from Cappadocia: how it runs

The ski day, from $117 per person, leaves Cappadocia at about 08:30 and is back at about 17:00. It is a group day with an English-speaking licensed guide:

1. Drive to the mountain and get fitted with skis or a snowboard, boots, helmet, gloves and goggles.
2. Start on a beginner slope, with an optional lesson.
3. Take the gondola up to longer runs when you are ready.
4. Lunch at the resort.
5. A free afternoon on the slopes, then the drive back.

Included are return transport between Cappadocia and Erciyes, the rental, lunch and the guide. Not included are drinks at lunch, the optional instructor, transfers from hotels outside the central area and personal expenses. Lift rides are not listed among the inclusions, so ask us when you book whether a ride card is included, and budget for one if it is not.

No prepayment needed: pay on the tour day.

Photo: Alina Hedz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Combining skiing with Cappadocia and Istanbul

From Istanbul, our Cappadocia and Erciyes ski tour, 3 days starts from $588 per person. It includes return domestic flights, two hotel nights in Cappadocia, a full ski day with equipment, a sightseeing tour of north Cappadocia, two breakfasts and two lunches; the balloon flight and ski lessons are extra.

With five days, a ski day fits between valley tours:

1. Fly into Kayseri or Nevşehir and transfer to your hotel.
2. A sunrise balloon chance, then the Red Tour of the northern valleys, from $50 per person.
3. Ski day at Erciyes.
4. A second balloon chance, then the Green Tour to Ihlara Valley and an underground city, from $77 per person.
5. A last balloon chance and your flight out.

Balloons fly less often in winter: in January 2026 they went up on 9 days of the month, according to SHGM figures. Our winter balloon guide and winter 2026-27 balloon report explain how to plan around cancellations. If you prefer a package, start from the Cappadocia tour package, 4 days, from $750 per person, and ask us to add a night for the ski day.

Photo: Dan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Erciyes, Uludağ or Kartepe?

If your trip is Istanbul only, Uludağ above Bursa and Kartepe near Lake Sapanca are the usual snow day trips. Our guides to the Uludağ day trip from Istanbul and the Kartepe snow day cover both, and the Kartepe page compares all three resorts. Our Bursa and Uludağ day from Istanbul, from $90 per person, is a sightseeing day with the cable car, not a ski day. Erciyes makes most sense when you are going to Cappadocia anyway.

Tours that cover this

• Erciyes Ski Day Tour from Cappadocia – Equipment Rental & Lunch: from $117 per person, with transport, rental and lunch.
• Cappadocia & Erciyes Ski Tour from Istanbul: 3 Days with Flights: from $588 per person.
• Cappadocia Tour Package 4 Days: Cave Hotel, Red Tour & Valleys: from $750 per person.
• Cappadocia Red Tour: from $50 per person, a guided group day with lunch.

Send us your dates on WhatsApp for the Erciyes ski day (from $117 per person) with your hotel name, each skier's level, and shoe size and height for the rental. More winter ideas are on our Cappadocia tours page, in the Cappadocia destination guide and in our guide to winter holidays in Turkey.

Frequently Asked Questions