When thinking of an escape to Türkiye (formerly known as Turkey), with ancient mosques, spice markets and white sandy beaches, skiing is probably not the first adventure that comes to mind.
Every year, the scenic Kaçkar Mountains of the country’s Black Sea region, welcome athletes from around the world from the late winter until the early spring because Türkiye has some of the best heli-skiing in the world that is a draw for skiers and snowboarders from the US, Canada, Switzerland, France and Italy with its deep powder snow and long ski runs.
Highest Peak
Located between the Rize and Artvin provinces of northeastern Türkiye, the highest peak in the Kaçkar Mountains reaches nearly 12,800 feet in altitude. The more than 400 ski runs in the area range from about 11,800 to 4,000 feet above sea level, with vertical drops of 2,300 to 4,000 feet.
Add to that mix, the premium snow quality, highly stable snowpack and varied ski terrain, this mountain range is perfectly suited to heli-skiing. In addition to heli-skiing and snowboarding, the Kaçkar Mountains also offer rafting fans an adrenaline rush in the world-class rapids of the Fırtına Stream.
Where to Stay
Based on the Ayder Plateau in Rize, the Kaçkar Mountains are home to a wide range of accommodations from boutique hotels, and hostels to rental bungalows. The team on site consists of experienced professional ski guides, pilots, massage therapists, engineers, interpreters and tourist guides.
All hailing from different alpine countries, some of the guides on Kaçkar Mountains are also professional helicopter pilots, renowned Himalayan specialists or members of professional rescue teams.
Swiss Pros
The pilots on the team, all of whom are of Swiss descent, also work in Alpine conditions all year round doing heli-ski flights, rescue work or hauling loads. The massage therapists, available to offer relief after a day of leg-burning laps, are trained in physiotherapy, acupuncture and reflexology.
Safety First
Taking great precautions to ensure a safe experience, the resorts in the Kaçkar Mountains have all the necessary equipment and evacuation aids at their disposal, ranging from rescue mats with a winch cover, vacuum mattresses and defibrillators, to ventilation systems and first-aid kits. There to assist you in the event of an accident, all guides on site are trained in emergency snow procedures and the use of equipment.
Cultural Pursuits
If you don’t feel like hitting the slopes, the Kaçkar Mountains offer plenty of culture with historical settlements and churches. Located in Artvin and dating back to the Middle Ages, some of these structures sit perched atop mountains with stunning views of the Black Sea below.
There are also regional culinary delicacies for indulging as the Kaçkar Mountains holds many local gastronomy delicacies, including the famous hamsi or Black Sea anchovies, served either cured or fried, and the Black Sea regional variation of traditional Turkish breakfast, including Rize’s famous black tea, muhlama (a mixture of cheese, cornflour and butter), turşu kavurması or fried pickles, mısır ekmeği (cornbread), a variety of pides (flatbreads), local butter and Anzer honey, which is locally produced on the green plateaus of the Black Sea.
And, at this year’s Oscars in Los Angeles, a little of this region found its way to celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s after-party menu which featured Black Sea flatbread (Karadeniz Pidesi) and dried apricots stuffed with clotted cream (Kaymaklı Kayısı Tatlısı).
“Türkiye is one of the richest cuisines of the world thanks to its traditional recipes and organic products,” said Chef Puck. “There are many recipes and products to discover in Turkish cuisine. All seven regions of Türkiye are full of flavor, history and culture. There are many cities in Türkiye that must be visited and that have delicious food. My family and I visit Türkiye every summer with pleasure.” So, now you know.
