Kartepe is a compact ski area in Turkey's Kocaeli province, rising above the Gulf of İzmit and popular as an easy winter escape from nearby Istanbul.
- 1,249 m Base
- 1,589 m Top lift
- 340 m Vertical
- 5 Lifts
Best known for
Après & vibe
There is a hotel and a scatter of restaurants near the summit, though most visitors treat Kartepe as a day trip and return to Istanbul or İzmit in the evening.
The resort
Kartepe sits atop a forested ridge in Kocaeli province, overlooking the Gulf of İzmit and the plains east of Istanbul. Its greatest asset is location: it is one of the closest ski areas to Istanbul, making it a favourite quick winter getaway and family day trip for the city's millions. The mountain is small and approachable, with pistes suited to beginners and intermediates and a hotel and restaurant complex near the top, and on clear days the panorama down to the gulf and its waters is the real showpiece. Being a modest coastal-influenced mountain, its snow can be changeable, but snowmaking and a genuinely handy position keep it busy through the season.
Snow & weather
Live conditions from the mountain, plus the average snow you can expect month by month.
- Feels like
- —
- Conditions
- —
- Wind
- —
- Fresh snow (3-day)
- —
Live data © Open-Meteo.com
Variable, as befits a modest mountain near the sea, so cover is best in the depths of winter and is supported by snowmaking.
Average monthly snowfall
Snowfall climatology unavailable.
Terrain & aspect
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Slopes mostly face NW — 80% on snow-holding, poleward-facing slopes.
Aspect derived from run bearings · OpenSkiStats / © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Skiing & terrain
Gentle upper slopes make it a comfortable place for beginners and families.
A handful of blue and red runs give intermediates enough to enjoy.
Limited steep terrain for stronger skiers.
Not an expert's mountain; its appeal is access and views.
Skiing above the Gulf of İzmit
From the top, clear days open up sweeping views over the gulf and the plains towards Istanbul, a striking backdrop unusual for a ski hill.
On the map
Legend
Run difficulty
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced / Expert
- Freeride / Extreme
- Unknown
Run types
- Downhill — groomed
- Downhill — ungroomed
- Downhill — gladed
- Nordic (groomed)
- Ski tour
- ☾Lit (night)
- △Not patrolled
- →One-way
- ❄Snowmaking
Lifts
- Operating
- Operating (private)
- Non-operating
- Lift station
Slope-gradient grading
Downhill / ski tour
- Flat<3°
- Easy3–14°
- Intermediate14–22°
- Advanced / Expert22–45°
- Freeride / Extreme>45°
Nordic
- Easy<6°
- Intermediate6–9°
- Advanced>9°
Aspect (sun exposure)
- N — least sun
- E — morning
- S — most sun
- W — afternoon
Legend after OpenSkiMap
Stay in Kartepe
A summit hotel offers slope-side rooms, while many visitors stay in İzmit or make the short trip from Istanbul.
Lifts and pistes from the door — the point of a high, purpose-built resort.
Self-catering residences, the bulk of the beds and the flexible-budget option.
Catered and self-catered chalets for groups wanting the whole place.
From simple to high-end, with pools and spas to thaw out in.
How to get there
Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) on the city's Asian side is the nearest major gateway, within easy reach by road.
A drive of roughly one to two hours from Istanbul, then a mountain road up to the resort.
Best time: January and February give the best chance of good cover on this coastal-influenced mountain.
Nearby resorts
Other resorts within reach.
Faces north-east © ilhan turun / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) Ilgaz-2 Yurduntepe Kayak Merkezi
- Vertical
- 493 m
- Lifts
- 2
Faces north © Жемчужина у моря / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) Davraz Dağı
- Vertical
- 706 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 11
- Lifts
- 7
Denizli Kayak Merkezi
- Vertical
- 393 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 1
- Lifts
- 4
Getting to Kartepe
Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at Bursa (YEI) — search and compare without leaving the page.
Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.