What's on in Uludağ (Uludağ), Turkey through the year

Peak crowds — School semester break, Semester (winter) break in Turkey

• Holiday

  School semester break

  19–30 JanSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  Turkey's two-week mid-year break is the fortnight the whole country decides to learn to ski. Hotel rates at Oteller double and the beginner slopes are unusable; the gondola queue starts in Bursa. Source ↗

Still on: Ski season (15 Dec – 31 Mar (usually))

Busy — Semester (winter) break in Turkey, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Ramazan Bayrami (Eid al-Fitr)

  20–22 MarRamadan & EidClosuresBook early

  Three days of public holiday after the fast, with a half day before, and often bridged into a longer break. Government offices and many family-run shops close on the first day, and intercity buses and domestic flights sell out days ahead as families travel. Source ↗

Still on: School semester break (19–30 Jan), Ski season (15 Dec – 31 Mar (usually))

Peak crowds — Ramazan Bayrami (Eid al-Fitr), Second-term mid-break in Turkey

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Ramazan Bayrami (Eid al-Fitr) (20–22 Mar), Ski season (15 Dec – 31 Mar (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Season

  Between the seasons

  5 Apr – 15 Jun · usuallyOff-season shutdownClosures

  Once the snow goes the hotel village at Oteller mostly shuts and the road is wet mud until the meadows dry. There is nothing to do up here in May but walk in cloud.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Between the seasons (5 Apr – 15 Jun (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Turkey, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Alpine meadows in flower

  20 Jun – 31 Aug · usuallyWildflowers & blooms

  The summit plateau above the treeline flowers through high summer, with Apollo butterflies over it, while Bursa bakes 2,000 metres below. Half of Bursa drives up on a Sunday for the same reason.

Still on: Between the seasons (5 Apr – 15 Jun (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Turkey, school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Alpine meadows in flower (20 Jun – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Turkey, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Alpine meadows in flower (20 Jun – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Turkey, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Nature

  Beech forest turns

  15 Oct – 20 Nov · usuallyAutumn colour

  The beech and chestnut belt on the Bursa side colours from mid-October, and the gondola ride up through it is the whole point. Above the treeline there is nothing to see but rock.

Busy — First-term mid-break in Turkey

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Beech forest turns (15 Oct – 20 Nov (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Season

  Ski season

  15 Dec – 31 Mar · usually

  The lifts usually turn from the third week of December to late March, snow permitting. It is a short, low mountain by Alpine standards, and the season ends abruptly rather than tailing off.