Things to Do Besides Skiing on a Winter Holiday: Erciyes, Cappadocia, Sarıkamış and Bansko

Beyond skiing in Erciyes

• Night skiing: run no. 13 at Tekir Kapı (the Tekir gate) is floodlit. According to Erciyes A.Ş., weather permitting, night skiing is available until 8 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings, and every evening during the mid-year school holiday.
• Sledging: the resort’s live board lists three sledging areas; a good option for non-skiers and children.
• Snowkiting: in this sport, where you ski or snowboard using the power of the wind, Erciyes has hosted one of the legs of the Snowkite World Cup since 2018.
• Snowpark: jumps and rails for freestyle snowboarding and skiing.

For detailed information on the gates and runs, see the Erciyes piste guide.

Cappadocia: Erciyes’ other side

On Doğadayız Erciyes programmes, accommodation is in Cappadocia (Ürgüp), which adds a whole extra region to the days away from skiing.

• Hot-air balloon: Cappadocia’s best-known experience. 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; flights are managed with a flag system (red: no flights, amber: get ready, green: flights allowed). In winter, factor in the chance of cancellation due to the weather.
• Göreme and the valleys: Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985. Paşabağ (formerly known as the Valley of the Monks), the Devrent and Güvercinlik (Pigeon) valleys, Uçhisar Castle and the Göreme Open-Air Museum are the most visited places.
• Underground cities: the Kaymaklı and Derinkuyu underground cities, which are part of the UNESCO site; according to the Culture Portal, Kaymaklı has eight levels, four of which are open to visitors.
• ATVs and workshops: ATV safaris among the fairy chimneys, pottery workshops and the region’s wine cellars.

On Doğadayız 4-night, 5-day Erciyes & Cappadocia programme, alongside two days of lessons, a balloon flight, an ATV safari, a pottery workshop and a Cappadocia regional tour with wine cellars (Paşabağ, Devrent, Göreme Open-Air Museum, Uçhisar, Güvercinlik Valley, Kaymaklı Underground City, Üç Güzeller) are included in the package; entrance fees to the sites are not included. If bad weather hits the mountain, an alternative sightseeing programme in Cappadocia may be arranged.

In Sarıkamış and Kars

• Horse-drawn sleighs: sleigh rides through Sarıkamış’s pine forests are one of the symbols of its winter tourism.
• Cross-country skiing: according to the Governorship of Kars, the resort has a cross-country skiing area of 50 km in total, 5 km of which is certified by the international federation.
• History: Sarıkamış is where the Sarıkamış Operation, which began on 22 December 1914, took place. Figures for the losses in the operation vary by source: the Governorship of Kars writes that losses reached 90,000; the TDV Encyclopaedia of Islam considers this figure wrong and gives about 23,000–30,000 dead and 20,000 taken prisoner.
• Ani archaeological site: the medieval city of Ani in Kars has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2016.
• Touristic Eastern Express (Turistik Doğu Ekspresi): according to Anadolu Agency, in the 2026–27 season Ankara–Kars services will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 21 December 2026 and 10 March 2027; the journey takes about 32.5 hours.

On Doğadayız Sarıkamış programme, there are hotel activities and a Caucasian night in the evenings; transport includes a transfer from Sarıkamış railway station to the hotel.

In Bansko

• Old town: Bansko’s historic centre, with its stone houses and narrow streets; according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Tourism, the Holy Trinity Church, built in 1835, is here.
• Pirin National Park: on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1983; Bansko’s ski area lies outside the heritage site, in the buffer zone.
• Hot springs: according to the ministry, the village of Banya, about 5 km away, has thermal springs at 57 °C.
• Evenings: the town’s restaurants and live music venues; for details, see our guide What is après-ski?.

A plan for bad-weather days

Snowstorms, fog or strong winds can close the lifts and slopes. Making a plan B for these days in advance saves the holiday: on Erciyes programmes, Cappadocia’s valleys and underground cities; in Sarıkamış, Kars and Ani; in Bansko, the old town and hot springs are good options.

Skiing + the region = an activity holiday

Activities beyond skiing turn a winter holiday from a classic ski holiday into an activity holiday: slopes during the day, exploring the region in the afternoon or on a bad-weather day, the group in the evening. Doğadayız winter programmes are designed with this balance, and each one is a social adventure holiday. We explain how to plan Erciyes and Cappadocia together in our guide How to combine ski lessons in Erciyes with a Cappadocia holiday; for all programmes, see the winter activity holidays page.