Niğde is an important centre for mountaineering and winter sports. Part of the Taurus Range, the Aladağlar and Bolkar Mountains are famous for hiking, trekking and mountain sports. The Aladağlar have been designated as National Park and boast 4 major peaks: Demirkazık at 3756 m, Kızılkaya at 3725 m. In Kaldı group, the highest peak of the Mount Kaldı is 3688 m. The highest summit of the Torasan group on Mount Vayvay is 3565 m.
Excursion and Climbing in Aladağlar: Generally the way into the Aladağlar for explorers and mountaineers intending to tour or climb in the mountains is through the village of Çukurbağ in Çamardı/Niğde. Those intending to climb only to the Demirkazık summit of the Aladağlar, approach the mountains through the village of Demirkazık. Anyone who is going to climb the west slope of Demirkazık or explore the Çımbar valley goes up to the mountains from Demirkazık village. Both Çukurbağ and Demirkazık villages are connected to the provincial centre of Niğde via the state highway. To reach Çukurbağ village, take the road from Niğde to Çamardı (72 km). The road is asphalted. Passengers taking the Niğde-Çamardı bus service should get off at the village of Çukurbağ, 6 km before Çamardı. Any necessary preparations should be completed here before going up into the mountains.
Mountain and trekking hiking routes are as follows:
● Demirkazık Climb (3,756 m)
● The Ascent of Demirkazık Summit by the West and North Slopes
● Summit Ascents from the Yedigöller Valley (3,100)
● The Ascent from Yedigöller Valley to Kızılkaya (3,725 m)
● The Ascent from Yedigöller Valley to the Direktaş Peak (3,510 m)
● The Ascent from Yedigöller Valley to Demirkazık (3,756 m) Crossing the Aladağlar, the “Trans-Aladağlar”
● The Mount Kaldı Ascent (3,688 m)
● The Ascents of Güzeller and Gürtepe Peak
● The Ascent of the Torasan Mountains
Mount Bolkar: The Mount Bolkar (3,524 m) ski slopes are situated within Niğde Province. The ski centre is located between 2,300 and 3,003 m on the northern slopes of the Bolkar mountains which are to the west of Çiftehan area of Maden village and to the south corner of Darboğaz in the district of Ulukışla in Niğde Province. The Bolkar Ski Area covers approximately 2,000 hectares surrounded by, to the east, Top peak (3,017 m), Tahtalıkaya (3,372 m) and Koyunaşağı peak (3,426 m), to the south, Eğerkeya (3,347 m), Erkaya (3,308 m) and Çinigöl and, to the west, Gökbüyün (2,757 m) and the Meydan plain (2,300 m). The best season for skiing is between December 10th and April 20th in this area. In the ski season, the depth of snow is between 100 and 200 cm. The gathering point of Bolkar and the best place for settling is Meydan Yaylası, which 7km from Darboğaz and 5km from the village of Maden. Investment into the overall development of the area has not yet happened. The region is also suitable for nature tourism, trekking and mountaineering.
