FAQs
- How many vertical meters can I ski per day?
- The number of vertical metres skied per day depends on several factors: the weathe r, quality and stability of the sno w, and the skiing ability and fitness of the clients.
In general you can expect to ski between 6000 and 12,000 vertical metres per day.
- Our stats from the last four years give us an average of 7,367 vertical metres per day and 5 out of 7 days skiing per week.
- Do I need to take my own ski equipment? / What kind of ski s/ snowboards do you have?
- You must bring your own ski clothing and your own ski/snowboard b oots.
- We provide the following equipment for the duration of your stay, as part of your package:
- 'Fat' powder skis: 153-193cm 'Pure' & 'Mission' skis by SCOTT
- 162-172cm 'Solitude' snowboards by SCOTT
- 110-140cm ski poles
- 1 ABS [Avalanche Balloon System] backpack with shovel & probe
- 1 Avalanche Transceiver
- Touring skis with Diamir bindings & skins (158-190cm)
- When is the best time to heliski in Turkey?
- The winter season in the Kaçkar Range is the same as the winter season in Europe. The main difference is that you get, generally speaking, much more snow than in the Alps! In fact, we could easily ski from the beginning of December until the end of May.
- Our season starts at the beginning of January and lasts until the middle of April. From January until the beginning of March you will find powder snow . From mid-March to mid-April you will mainly encounter spring-corn conditions. However, on some north-facing slopes at altitude you can still find powder right up until the end of the season.
- How far is the heli-pad from the hotel?
The helicopter will pick you up from outside the hotel
- In both Ayder and Ikizdere the helicopter picks you up from in front of the hotel. If you haven't returned to the hotel at the end of the day, the helicopter will pick you up and drop you off at the hotel. All groups leave from the hotel, hence there is no need for transfers from the hotel to a heli-pad.
- What is included in my package?
- 'Prestige' Package
- 30,500 vertical metres, 20,000 vertical metres guaranteed
- Services of a UIAGM guide (1 guide per group of 4 skiers/snowboarders)
- Technical equipment (skis, ABS backpack, shovel, probe, avalanche transceiver)
- Full-board accommodation in a double room, plus the last night (Saturday) at the Novotel in Trabzon
- Transfers from & to the airport in Trabzon.
- 'Private' Package
- Heliski package with 6 or 9 hours of helicopter time.
- Services of a UIAGM guide (1 guide per group of 4 skiers/snowboarders)
- Technical equipment (skis, ABS backpack, shovel, probe, avalanche transceiver)
- Full-board accommodation in a double room, plus the last night (Saturday) at the Novotel in Trabzon
- Transfers from & to the airport in Trabzon.
- Am I good enough to go heliskiing?
You don't have to be an expert skier to go heliskiing.
- Nowadays thanks to the development of gear especially designed for deep snow (fat skis), you can ski as well in deep powder as you do on the piste. If you can do parallel turns you can go heliskiing.
- Having said that , if really want to enjoy your heliskiing week a good level of fitness will enhance your enjoyment tremendously. Hence some kind of pre-heliskiing fitness program is strongly recommended.
- Do you have internet access?
- Yes, our hotels in Ayder and Ikizdere have wireless internet connections in the common areas. There is wireless in the rooms in Ayder and in Ikizdere there are cable connections
- Can I use my cellphone in the hotel and the region?
- Yes, there is good cellphone coverage in the hotels and the region as a whole
There is good cellphone coverage
- How far is the nearest hospital?
- In the case of accident, we have the equipment and training to be totally independent, and can quickly and efficiently rescue and evacuate injured clients to the nearest hospital. We also have our own emergency protocols in place to deal with a range of different accidents and injuries.
- The nearest doctor is located in the neighbouring village, 3 minutes by air or 20 minutes by car from our base
- A private hospital as well as a general hospital are located in Rize 15 minutes by air or 1 hour by car from our base
- The university hospital in Trabzon is 30 minutes by air or 2 hours by car from our base
- On a 'Private' package do the helicopter hours include the whole time the engine is running or only the actual flying hours?
- The helicopter hours only include the actual flying hours.
- The meter is stopped while the helicopter is on the ground, even if the engine is running.
- What is the time difference between the bases and Europe?
- The time in Turkey is UTC +2.
- This means Turkey is 1 hour ahead of Europe (CET) and 2 hours ahead of Britain (WET).
- Which is the nearest airport to the bases?
- The nearest airport to our bases in Ayder and Ikizdere is Trabzon International Airport (TZX) and you can transit via Istanbul (IST), which is served by daily flights with Turkish Airlines and most other major airlines.
- Do I need a visa to go to Turkey?
- Visitors, other than those from the countries on the list below, only need a valid passport to enter Turkey. Citizens of the following countries must get a tourist visa to enter Turkey and this can be obtained on your arrival at Istanbul airport: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan... see rest of list
Turkey Heliski