Piste maps · Bolu
Kartalkaya is a ski resort in the Köroğlu Mountains, about 38 km south-east of Bolu and close to Istanbul (~280 km) and Ankara (~170 km). The ski area lies between 1,850 and 2,200 m and is split into two separate piste systems: the Kartal side and the Dorukkaya side. The lifts and runs are operated by hotels; according to skiresort.info, the two sides have about 38 km of runs and 17 lifts in total. The Dorukkaya side, with its wide, easy runs, suits beginners; the Kartal side, with longer and steeper descents, suits intermediate to advanced skiers. Ski passes for one side may not be valid on the other.
Kartalkaya is a ski resort in the Köroğlu Mountains, about 38 km south-east of Bolu and close to Istanbul (~280 km) and Ankara (~170 km). The ski area lies between 1,850 and 2,200 m and is split into two separate piste systems: the Kartal side and the Dorukkaya side. The lifts and runs are operated by hotels; according to skiresort.info, the two sides have about 38 km of runs and 17 lifts in total. The Dorukkaya side, with its wide, easy runs, suits beginners; the Kartal side, with longer and steeper descents, suits intermediate to advanced skiers. Ski passes for one side may not be valid on the other.
Data note: Kartalkaya has no official piste map or piste table; sources give the number of runs as anywhere from 12 to 38 and the total length as 20 to 70 km. This page adds together the skiresort.info figures for the two piste systems (Kartal 18.5 km, Dorukkaya 20 km); run names and colours are from OpenStreetMap, and lengths have not been published. After the hotel fire in January 2025, some of the resort's hotels opened in the 2025–26 season and, according to DHA, 80% of the runs were in operation; check the current situation at the start of the season.
Last updated: · Sources at the end of the page
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Köroğlu Dağları, Bolu, Türkiye
40.5885° N, 31.8068° E
The key to reading the map in Kartalkaya is knowing which side you are on:
Longer and steeper descents; ~18.5 km of runs (1,898–2,195 m).
Lifts: Çamçukuru and Yeşil chairlifts; Köroğlu, Büyük 1–2, Park, Resuldede and Kazankaya drag lifts; Little Eagles magic carpet
Suited to: All levels; the Köroğlu section is advanced
Wide, forgiving runs; ~20 km of runs (1,851–2,190 m), 85% of them easy.
Lifts: Dorukkaya 4-seater bubble chairlift; Doruk, Nazar, Narin and Nazlı drag lifts; 3 baby lifts
Suited to: Beginners and intermediates
| Lift | Type | Area | Bottom – top | Length | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorukkaya | Chairlift (4-seater, bubble) | Dorukkaya | — | 1,160 m | 1,210 people/hour |
| Çamçukuru | Chairlift (2-seater) | Kartal | — | 620 m | 1,100 people/hour |
| Yeşil | Chairlift (2-seater) | Kartal | — | 750 m | 1,000 people/hour |
| Köroğlu | Drag lift | Kartal | — | 940 m | 1,200 people/hour |
| Büyük 1 | Drag lift | Kartal | — | 815 m | 1,000 people/hour |
| Büyük 2 | Drag lift | Kartal | — | 815 m | 1,100 people/hour |
| Park | Drag lift | Kartal | — | 554 m | 1,100 people/hour |
| Resuldede | Drag lift | Kartal | — | 605 m | 1,100 people/hour |
| Kazankaya | Drag lift | Kartal | — | 598 m | 1,100 people/hour |
| Doruk | Drag lift | Dorukkaya | — | 1,050 m | 1,200 people/hour |
| Nazar | Drag lift | Dorukkaya | — | 760 m | 1,200 people/hour |
| Narin | Drag lift | Dorukkaya | — | 1,100 m | 1,200 people/hour |
| Nazlı | Drag lift | Dorukkaya | — | 1,050 m | 1,200 people/hour |
| Baby lift 1 | Baby lift | Dorukkaya | — | 240 m | 720 people/hour |
| Baby lift 2 | Baby lift | Dorukkaya | — | 240 m | 720 people/hour |
| Baby lift (Chalets) | Baby lift | Dorukkaya | — | 100 m | 450 people/hour |
| Little Eagles | Magic carpet | Kartal | — | 50 m | 1,200 people/hour |
The lift list, lengths and capacities are from skiresort.info.
Easy: 7Intermediate: 2Difficult: 7
| Run | Difficulty | Length | Start – finish | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Çam Çukuru | Easy | — | — | — |
| Gezi | Easy | — | — | — |
| Resul Dede | Easy | — | — | — |
| Park | Easy | — | — | — |
| Arka Çanak | Easy | — | — | — |
| Avlu Kaya | Easy | — | — | — |
| Yaman | Easy | — | — | — |
| Çanak | Intermediate | — | — | — |
| Kazan Kaya | Intermediate | — | — | — |
| Kara | Difficult | — | — | — |
| Yılmaz Demir | Difficult | — | — | — |
| İniş | Difficult | — | — | — |
| Dede | Difficult | — | — | Köroğlu section |
| Latif | Difficult | — | — | Köroğlu section |
| Run | Difficulty | Length | Start – finish | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orman | Difficult | — | — | — |
| Yaman (Dorukkaya) | Difficult | — | — | — |
Run names and colours are from OpenStreetMap; the names of the easy runs on the Dorukkaya side do not appear in the sources. Lengths have not been published.
| Level | Where to start? | Runs |
|---|---|---|
| First day | Dorukkaya baby lifts, the Little Eagles magic carpet on the Kartal side | Beginner areas |
| Beginner | Park and Resuldede drag lifts; Dorukkaya drag lifts | Park, Resul Dede, Çam Çukuru; easy runs on the Dorukkaya side |
| Intermediate | Çamçukuru and Yeşil chairlifts | Çanak, Kazan Kaya |
| Advanced | Köroğlu drag lift, Dorukkaya chairlift | Kara, Yılmaz Demir, Dede, Latif, Orman |
Sources give different numbers, ranging from 12 to 38. According to skiresort.info, there are about 18.5 km of runs on the Kartal side and about 20 km on the Dorukkaya side.
Kartalkaya is split into two piste systems: the Kartal side offers longer and steeper descents; the runs on the Dorukkaya side are mostly easy and it has baby lifts. Ski passes for the two sides usually aren't valid on each other.
According to the Bolu Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, it is about 38 km south-east of Bolu city centre; it is ~170 km from Ankara and ~280 km from Istanbul.
BeginnerLearningSkiing · KIS-001
You start skiing with a beginner lesson with an instructor, rental equipment and easy (beginner) slopes. On day one you put on your skis, glide on flat ground, learn to stop with the snowplough and ride the magic carpet; on day two you come down an easy slope under control with snowplough turns. For an adult who has never skied, this stage usually takes 2 days.
Read the guide →BeginnerLearningSnowboarding · KIS-021
You start snowboarding by finding your stance (regular or goofy), with a beginner lesson with an instructor and with rental equipment. On day one you learn to push with one foot and to side-slip on your heel edge (heelside) and your toe edge (toeside); then you change direction with the falling leaf, and usually on day 2–3 you make your first linked turns.
Read the guide →GeneralSafetyWinter Sports · KIS-081
The FIS 10 rules for conduct are the rules of behaviour set by the International Ski Federation for skiers and snowboarders: respect for others, control of speed, choice of route, overtaking, entering the piste, stopping, climbing and descending on foot, respecting signs, assistance and identification. They are not law; however, around the world they are used as a benchmark when assessing liability in skiing accidents.
Read the guide →Doğadayız social adventure holiday
An activity holiday puts a sport at the heart of your trip: transport, accommodation and meals are planned, so you can focus on learning on the slopes. On Doğadayız winter activity holidays, accommodation, ski pass and ski or snowboard equipment are included in every package; course packages include basic lessons with instructors affiliated with the Turkish Ski Federation, while experience packages let you practise on the slopes at your own level.
What makes the programme different is the group: sharing the slopes with people at a similar level, dinners and nights out together, and a group leader by your side at all times. Solo travellers become part of this social adventure holiday from day one. That is why we describe our programmes as a social adventure holiday.
Doğadayız programmes run at these resorts: Erciyes, Sarıkamış, Bansko.
Karabük1,735 m
5 runs · chairlift + drag lift + baby lift
Keltepe Ski Resort lies about 23 km from Karabük city centre on Keltepe (1,999 m), which is regarded as the highest point of the Western Black Sea region. It was opened by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in January 2020. The ski area lies at roughly 1,485–1,735 m; there is a 4-seater chairlift (873 m), a drag lift and a baby lift. According to Anadolu Agency (AA), 5 runs descend through pine forests; the baby lift and training slopes are for beginners.
Piste guide →Ankara1,850 m
1 drag lift · ~17 km from Ankara
Elmadağ Ski Resort is about 17 km south-east of Ankara, at Yakupabdal within the Çankaya district; it is the nearest ski area to Ankara. The ski area extends from 1,500 to 1,850 m; there is a single drag lift (548 m) and short, treeless runs of about 650 m. However, it was reported that the lift broke down in 2022 and that the resort was lying idle in early 2026; be sure to check whether it is open before you go.
Piste guide →Kocaeli
~21 km of runs · 5 lifts · ~135 km from Istanbul
At about 135 km from Istanbul (~1 hr 15 min by car), Kartepe is the closest ski resort to Istanbul; it lies in Kocaeli's Kartepe district, on the slopes of the 1,602 m summit of the Samanlı Mountains. According to the development agency's report, there are 3 chairlifts (Kartepe, Geyik Alanı, Kadı Konağı) and 2 drag lifts (Kadı Konağı, Karlıktepe); from the Kartepe chairlift you can ski an uninterrupted 3.2 km descent. Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality's Derbent – Kuzuyayla cable car makes getting up the mountain easier. The lifts have historically belonged to the The Green Park Kartepe hotel.
Piste guide →
