School Ski Trip Guide: Planning for Teachers and Parents

What makes a school ski trip a success is choosing the right destination for the students' age and the length of the trip, and planning equipment, instructors and parent information in advance. For first-timers and younger groups, resorts close to Istanbul with short journeys work well; for high school and university groups, programmes of several nights with flights are a good fit. If you send the number of participants, age range and shoe sizes in advance, the day of the trip runs much more smoothly.

Step 1: Choose the right destination for your group

Primary and secondary school groups

For younger students, resorts with short journey times and compact programmes are a better fit.

• Uludağ: can be planned as a day trip or 1 night, 2 days. The programme is designed so that students first take a short history tour in Bursa and then head for the snow.
• Kartepe: with its short journey time, a good option for secondary school groups' first ski experience. Lunch at the hotel makes it easier to keep the group together.

High school and university groups

For older students, programmes with several nights' accommodation give them more time on the slopes and strengthen the social side of the trip.

• Bolu Kartalkaya: 2 nights, 3 days, by coach. As no flights need to be arranged, it is practical for large groups.
• Erzurum Palandöken: 3 nights, 4 days, by plane. You can add a history and culture element with an optional Erzurum city tour on one day.
• Kayseri Erciyes: 3 nights, 4 days, by plane. The optional Cappadocia day adds an educational dimension in geography and history.

To see the resorts side by side, read our comparison of Türkiye's ski resorts.

Step 2: Set the date early

The busiest periods at ski resorts are New Year and the schools' mid-year break. For school groups:

• The earlier the date is confirmed, the easier it is to plan accommodation and transport.
• Weekdays are usually quieter.
• Snow conditions vary from year to year; conditions are monitored as the date approaches, and if necessary a date change or an alternative programme is planned together with the group.

Step 3: Informing parents and permissions

When parents feel at ease, the trip goes smoothly too. Before the trip:

• Parental permission form: collect permission forms in line with your school's trip procedures.
• Health information: the teachers in charge should know about students' chronic conditions, allergies and any medication they take regularly.
• Emergency contacts: a list of emergency contact numbers should be prepared for every student.
• Information meeting or letter: the programme, clothing list, trip rules and contact details should be shared with parents in advance.

Step 4: Equipment and clothing plan

Hired equipment

Skis, boots, poles and helmets can be hired at ski resorts. If you send the number of participants, age range and shoe sizes in advance, equipment sizes can be prepared, which avoids long waits on the day. On the Uludağ and Kartepe programmes, ski passes, ski clothing and equipment can be provided by the ski rental shop; whether these are included in the package is confirmed in the quote.

Personal clothing

Send parents the clothing list in advance. A waterproof jacket and trousers, thermal base layers, gloves, a hat and sunglasses are the basics. For a detailed list, you can share our ski clothing and equipment list with parents.

Step 5: Instructors and level planning

In school groups, most students are skiing for the first time. So:

• Instructor support for students who can't ski can be planned at the quote stage.
• Splitting students into small groups by level improves both safety and learning.
• Students who don't want to ski can have free time in the snow; plan for these students to be supervised by a teacher too.

For the basics, you can share our guide for first-time skiers with students.

Step 6: Managing the group

• Meeting point: set a fixed meeting point in the ski area that everyone knows.
• Time rule: give clear times for lunch and departure, and ask students to stick to them.
• Buddy system: pair students up so that nobody is ever alone on the slopes.
• Helmets required: every student who skis must wear a helmet.
• Head counts: take a roll call before and after every move.

Step 7: Make the trip educational

A ski trip is not just sport. Bursa's historic buildings on the Uludağ programme, Cappadocia's volcanic landscape at Erciyes and Erzurum's Seljuk heritage at Palandöken all give you a chance to link the trip to topics covered in class. Sharing these links with students in a short presentation before the trip enriches the experience.

For all school trip options see our school trips page, and for winter programmes our ski holidays page.

After the trip

Giving parents a short update after the trip and asking students to share their impressions makes the experience last. A photo exhibition, short pieces of writing or class presentations help students remember both what they learned on the slopes and the cultural side of the trip.

Frequently asked questions

Which resort is suitable for a school ski trip?

Uludağ and Kartepe, close to Istanbul, suit primary and secondary school groups; programmes with accommodation such as Kartalkaya, Palandöken and Erciyes suit high school and university groups. We can make the choice together based on the students' age and the length of the trip.

Can students who can't ski join the trip?

Yes. Those who do not want to ski can enjoy free time in the snow; for those who want to learn, instructor support can be planned at the quotation stage.

How is students' equipment arranged?

Equipment can be hired at ski resorts. If you send the number of participants, age range and shoe sizes in advance, sizes can be prepared.

What happens to the school trip if there's no snow?

Snow conditions vary from year to year. Conditions are monitored as the date approaches; if necessary, a date change or an alternative programme is planned together with the group.