What Happens If the Weather Changes Your Ski Holiday Programme?
At ski resorts, strong wind, fog, blizzards or heavy snowfall can close lifts and runs. In that case the ski pass is usually not refunded: in Erciyes, for example, there is no refund even if the lifts close because of weather or a fault, but unused rides can be used on another day in the same season. On package holidays, the programme is reordered or switched to an alternative programme: on Doğadayız Erciyes programmes, if the weather is bad on the mountain, there is a regional excursion in Cappadocia instead. If the weather turns bad before the holiday, the cancellation rules apply; buying your main travel tickets as flexible/changeable reduces the risk.
At ski resorts, the operator decides whether lifts and runs are open. Strong wind can stop gondolas and chairlifts in particular; fog and blizzards reduce visibility; very heavy snowfall or avalanche risk can lead to runs being closed temporarily. Closed runs are not checked by the ski patrol and are dangerous, so you never go onto a run marked as closed. You can follow which lifts and runs are open on the resort’s live boards; for details, see our guide How Do You Read a Piste Map?.
What happens to your ski pass?
At most resorts, the ski pass is not refunded even if the lifts close because of the weather:
Erciyes: Under Erciyes A.Ş.’s terms, there is no refund or exchange even if the lifts close because of weather or a fault; unused rides on a ride-based ski pass can be used on another day within the same season.
Uludağ: Under the terms of the shared ski pass system, there are no refunds for any reason, including bad weather.
So on a short holiday, a ride-based ski pass can be more flexible than a day pass when it comes to weather risk. For the types of ski pass, see our guide What Is a Ski Pass?.
On a package holiday: the alternative programme
The advantage of a package activity holiday is that the plan is ready in advance when the weather turns bad:
The order of the programme can change: On Doğadayız packages, the programme days are written as indicative; because of bad weather or operational reasons, the order of the programme can change, and the group leader keeps participants informed throughout the holiday.
Erciyes programmes: If the weather is bad on the mountain, an alternative regional excursion is organised in Cappadocia (lunch, ATV tour, pottery workshop, wine cellar). This is one of the reasons the accommodation is in Cappadocia.
Sarıkamış programme: In the event of bad weather, an alternative regional excursion programme is run.
Hot-air ballooning in Cappadocia depends entirely on the weather. According to the instructions of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM), passenger balloons may not fly if the wind exceeds 10 knots at take-off or at the expected landing; the decision to fly is made in the morning using a flag system. The chance of cancellation is higher in winter; on a programme that includes a balloon flight, you need to accept this possibility from the start.
If the weather turns bad before the holiday: cancellation rules
If news of heavy snow or road closures comes in the days before the holiday, the cancellation rules apply. On Doğadayız winter programmes:
Programme
Rule
Erciyes and Sarıkamış
Up to 10 days before the holiday, you can cancel and get a 100% refund, change the date, transfer your booking or keep the balance to use within 1 year. In the last 10 days, if there is a documented case of force majeure, you have the right to postpone to another date within the season, transfer your booking or keep the balance as credit.
Bansko
100% refund up to 30 days before the tour (or a date change, transfer or credit). If you cancel less than 30 days before, the amount paid is kept as credit and can be used within 1 year. With a visa refusal letter, you get a 100% refund regardless of the cancellation date.
Each right can be used once; requests are made by opening a support ticket in the booking panel. For the current, binding text, see the “Cancellation and Refund” section on the package pages and the Winter Programmes Digital Service Agreement.
Travel: buy flexible tickets
On winter journeys, the biggest risk is often the main journey itself: cancelled flights, snowy roads, closed mountain passes. On its package pages, Doğadayız also recommends buying main travel tickets that are flexible or changeable in case of bad weather. Not booking your return ticket for a very early time also leaves a margin for transfer delays.
Turning a bad-weather day into a bonus
A bad-weather day does not have to be a lost day: exploring the region, resting, a long lunch with the group or an activity at the hotel. On an activity holiday there is a plan B for these days; and on a social adventure holiday spent with a group, even a bad-weather day often becomes one of the most memorable days. For all programmes, see the winter activity holidays page.
Doğadayız Packages
Doğadayız packages for your level
Winter activity holidays with accommodation, ski pass and equipment included, shared with a group.
The easiest way to learn to ski: a winter activity 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.
Is the ski pass refunded if the lifts close because of the weather?
At most resorts, no. In Erciyes, there is no refund even if the lifts close because of weather or a fault, but unused rides on a ride-based ski pass can be used on another day in the same season. Uludağ’s shared ski pass system also gives no refunds for bad weather.
What happens on a package ski holiday if the weather is bad?
The programme is reordered or switched to an alternative programme. On Doğadayız Erciyes programmes, if the weather is bad on the mountain, there is a regional excursion in Cappadocia; in Sarıkamış, an alternative regional excursion.
Can I cancel my holiday because of bad weather?
The cancellation rules depend on the programme. On Doğadayız Erciyes and Sarıkamış programmes there is a 100% refund up to 10 days before the holiday, and in Bansko up to 30 days before. In Bansko, if you cancel less than 30 days before, the amount paid is kept as credit; with a visa refusal, there is always a 100% refund.
What happens if the balloon flight in Cappadocia is cancelled?
Balloon flights depend entirely on the weather; according to the instructions of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, passenger balloons may not fly if the wind exceeds 10 knots. The chance of cancellation is higher in winter.
A winter holiday is about more than skiing. In Erciyes, night skiing, sledging areas and snowkiting; in Cappadocia, where you stay, hot-air balloons, ATV rides among the fairy chimneys, the UNESCO-listed Göreme valleys and the underground cities; in Sarıkamış, horse-drawn sleighs, cross-country skiing, traces of the Sarıkamış Operation and the Ani archaeological site in Kars; in Bansko, the historic old town and nearby hot springs fill the days away from skiing. A winter activity holiday that combines skiing with exploring the region never leaves the programme empty, even on bad-weather days.
Insurance is not a legal requirement for skiing in Turkey, but it matters: under its general terms, standard personal accident insurance keeps sports on snow and ice excluded unless otherwise agreed, so you need to have skiing or winter sports cover added to your policy. A ski pass does not always include insurance: the Erciyes ski pass offers no insurance cover, whereas in Bansko mountain insurance is included in the ski pass price. Abroad, a Schengen visa requires travel health insurance with cover of at least €30,000. If you are buying a winter activity holiday package, check separately which insurance policies are included.
Two packages that both say “lessons included” may not be the same thing. When comparing, check ten points: (1) how many hours a day and how many days of lessons, (2) group size, (3) the instructor's Turkish Ski Federation certificate, (4) whether the ski pass is unlimited or ride-based, (5) which equipment is included, (6) transfers between hotel and slopes, (7) the accommodation's distance from the slopes and meals, (8) insurance, (9) cancellation and date change terms, (10) a group leader and a social programme. Comparing these points in a single table shows what the price of a winter activity holiday really covers.
