Dubbed the Switzerland of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan remains a hidden backcountry haven. Owing its nickname to the hilly terrain making up 80% of the country, Kyrgyz Tian Shan mountains welcome you to an 8-day winter tale. Blend in with the locals by staying in yurts, providing you with unbeatable backcountry access and feeling of harmony with nature. Your guide Pawel knows the language and he’s almost a local in these parts of the world, so you can count on him to take you to the best hidden gems in the area. Acres of powder host terrain which makes even the best question their skill: find rocky drops, smooth lines, steep chutes, and tough couloirs at the dizzying 4,000m/+13,000 ft. When you’ve satisfied your touring appetite for the day, take the ski suit off, put your swimsuit on and end your day with hot banya saunas and a shot or three of vodka.
Perfect ski lines down the 4,000-meter Tian Shan peaks
Ak-Suu and Jyrgalan Valley ensure the most challenging terrain
Name a better duo than traditional yurts and steaming banyas
Luckily for you, Kyrgyzstan still manages to stay under the radar, despite its awe-inspiring mountains. If your priority is reconnecting with nature while skiing on world-class powder of the Tian Shan mountains, this 8-day backcountry ski tour is for you. Ski epic lines from 4,000-meter summits and tackle the difficult terrain of Ak-Suu and Jyrgalan Valley. Staying in warmly lit yurts and bathing in traditional banyas will make you feel like a local in no time. Add to the equation touring the capital Bishkek and Kyrgyz, and you’ve got yourself a perfect off-piste cultural experience.
Before heading out to the backcountry, spend a day in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek. Having gained its independence from the USSR only 20 years ago, you’ll notice Soviet architecture and monuments wherever you turn. Score some good deals at Bishkek’s bustling bazaars, go for a banya in one of the bathhouses, or find the Kyrgyz’s White House. Enjoy your day in the green space city hemmed in by the snowy mountain peaks. Hit the hay, as tomorrow’s your first day on the snow.
A 6-hour drive from Bishkek takes you east to the Ak-Suu Valley, nested in the northern Tian Shan mountains, your base for the next three days. Use snowmobiles to reach your yurts—that’s right, yurts. In order to feel like a local in the mountains and in sync with the surrounding nature, you’ll be happy to hear you’ll be sleeping in traditional yurts! While your yurt camp sits at 2,600m (8,530 ft), the area around it offers nearby day-tours to summits of up to 4,000m (13,123 ft) in heavenly height. Acres of challenging terrain are waiting for you to show off your skills—you’ll find rocky drops, smooth lines, steep chutes, and tough couloirs. After an exhausting day out, use hot banyas to recuperate. As an addition to a yurt adventure on the mountains is the fact that there’s no mobile coverage—consider this your sign to fully unplug.
Change of locations! Next stop: Jyrgalan Valley. After getting a few final turns on the powder of Ak-Suu Valley, pack up and rest during your two-hour drive to the Jyrgalan Valley. Get settled in and prepare for three more pow days ahead!
Situated in the heart of Tian Shan Mountains, Jyrgalan Valley is your perfect winter playground. Just under 3,000m (9,843 ft), the area boasts countless miles of snowy terrain. Skin uphill, cruise downhill—rinse and repeat for the next 3 days. Untouched powder is blanketing seven surrounding peaks of the Jyrgalan Valley, so get ready for some epic lines. Skiing days are guaranteed even if the weather decides to go against you—woodlands of pine trees are an ideal practice spot. In the evenings, retreat back to your lodge, but don’t forget to get warm in a banya.
Use the last day in Jyrgalan Valley to shred that last powder of your Kyrgyz adventure. It’s a 7-hour drive to the capital, but you’ll likely sleep through it. Arrive in Bishkek in the evening, and if you’ve got it in you after six days of skiing, feel free to go out for the night!
The backcountry adventure has come to an end, but you still have some time left in this hilly country. This is your last day in the hilly country, but if you’re not ready to leave just yet, you can definitely prolong your stay!
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Kyrgyzstan, please refer to Foreign Travel Advice to Kyrgyzstan.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
What you get in this adventure:
What’s not included:
To enjoy the backcountry skiing tour in Kyrgyzstan, you need to have at least a moderate fitness level. The Kyrgyzstan adventure offers intermediate to expert level of difficulty, meaning that previous backcountry skiing experience is required. If you’re an intermediate backcountry skier, your expert guide will help you improve your skills and coach when things get a bit more difficult. Don’t worry if you’re on an advanced to expert level, the terrain is challenging so you’ll still have lots of objectives to tackle! For the latter level, you’ll need to be in excellent physical shape.
To participate in this tour, you need to have previous backcountry skiing experience. You will be skiing, touring, and summiting on glaciated terrain every day. Your guide will take care of the planning, oversee your technique, and teach you how to better manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training necessary to keep you safe.
Clothing list
Gear
Snow Safety Equipment
Personal Equipment
If you have any questions regarding the equipment list, feel free to contact us prior to booking.
As you won’t be based in one single place for the duration of your adventure, we recommend bringing your own equipment for backcountry skiing. Other than that, areas to which you are going to do not have rental shops.
Group sizes and pricing:
Ski touring in Kyrgyzstan can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to your backcountry skiing adventure in Kyrgyzstan, most people fly into Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek, i.e., into the Manas International Airport. Turkish Airlines is recommended, as they’ll take your ski gear for free. There’s a regular connection between Istanbul and Bishkek.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet. There’s even a possibility of meeting at Istanbul airport.
A 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
