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Backcountry Skiing in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a highly mountainous, mysterious country in Central Asia, with a rich culture and colourful history. It also contains some absolutely glorious backcountry skiing locale's to explore and discover.

Kyrgyzstan is an underrated and hidden gem in Central Asia, with its highly mountainous terrain and constant, heavy powder making it an ideal location for backcountry skiing. There is a wide array of places to backcountry ski, and with its relatively low profile and population density, the slopes are all yours to discover. Take a pick from our selection of backcountry skiing trips in Kyrgyzstan, and discover its charms and delights!
 
 
 
 
 

Top backcountry skiing trips | Kyrgyzstan:

 
 
 

What people are saying about these trips

Antoine Prédour

5.00

March, 2023

Suusamyr Valley 8-day ski touring trip

Fantastic trip with Anastasya who is a great and friendly guide. She is very experienced, safe and always looked for the best places to ski. We had long days and could do several ascents in a day. We went to Jyrgalan, not to Suusamyr as the region was closed. Jyrgalan shows a lot of options. We highly recommend a stay in a yurt camp. We stayed in a nice guesthouse which served very good food. Great experience and for sure we will use Explore/Share service again.

Odile Giger

5.00

February, 2023

Ski touring program in Arslanbob, Kyrgyzstan

We had a really nice time with Yaroslav and his driver Daniel. We were skitouring in the end of February in Karakol and Jyrgalan. Yaroslav is a very professional guide and knows the region very well. Thanks to him we always found the best spots for powder snow. The hostels that he selected were all excellent and clean. Both, Yaroslav and his driver Daniel are very punctual and reliable. They helped us in all matters and were very warm-hearted and fun! all in all we had an amazing week and are very thankful for the fun time that we had together! I would defently book again with Yaroslav!

rodolphe hentz

5.00

February, 2023

Suusamyr Valley 8-day ski touring trip

It was great skitour program in Jirgalan valley. It was pretty deep powder and new experience skiing in such conditions. If you want to come to Jirgalan for ski touring, I recommend bringing wide skis. Our tour was well organized and we really enjoyed the food and hospitality. Anastasia is a friendly, experienced and patient guide.

Andrew

5.00

March, 2022

Suusamyr Valley 8-day ski touring trip

Thank you for showing us your wonderful country, guiding us safely through the mountains and teaching us so much about ski touring. Our eyes have been opened to future possibilities and we hope you can guide us again another time.

Eugene Wojciechowski

5.00

March, 2022

Suusamyr Valley 8-day ski touring trip

We spent our time skiing in Jyrgalan as there was a lot more snow there than in Suusamyr Valley. Jyrgalan was fantastic - blue skies and deep powder! It was a truly remarkable few days. Our guide, Anastasiya, was excellent and she is highly recommended - friendly, good fun, highly knowledgeable (particularly in respect of managing avalanche risk) and extremely helpful.

Michael E.

5.00

January, 2021

8-day ski tour in the Terskey Mountains, Kyrgyzstan

Great experience in Jyrgalan Kyrgyzstan - Very competent end experienced guide. Very involved in making sure we got the best experience. A must do and highly recommend it!!

Eric 0

5.00

March, 2018

Suusamyr Valley 8-day ski touring trip

I was noy in Suusamyr, but in Karakol yurt camps. It was was great. Anastasiya was very helpfull, friendly and professional.

Andreas Waal

5.00

March, 2018

Guided ski tour in the Terskey Mountains

We were a large group of 15 guys that spend one week with Andrey and his colleagues (because of the group size we had two additional guides). Andrey is a great guide and a good organiser. From we ordered until we arrived Andrey was available on Whatsapp and responded almost imminently to all our questions. When we landed we were meet by Andrey at the airport and a fleet of large SUV`s that took us to the base camp that was the starting point from the touring. The base camp was located far up in the mountains on the Kazakhstan border. The accommodations where ok, with a nice sauna as a pleasant surprise. The ski touring was nice in variated terrain. We were a bit unlucky with unstable snow conditions forcing us to ski a bit less steep than we hoped for, but the area got massive potential for nice skiing. We decided to end touring after five days in the mountain and spend the last night in Bishkek. There Andrey stepped into the role of a tourist guide and showed us around town, a really nice gesture which we did not expect. Overall a trip I would recommend to anyone wanting to ski in a country you would not expect to travel to. And when you go, Andrey is your choice for guide ;)

Sam

5.00

May, 2017

Ala Archa Glacier ski touring 6-day trip

It is a very nice trip within the untouched landscape of Kyrgyzstan. I highly recommend Andrey as a guide, he is a really skillful and experienced mountain guide. He takes his job very serious and calculate risks as much as possible. For this trip you need to be very fit because the first day you need to do a hike of 18km with al your gear for the week. If you are fit enough and don't mind to go back to basic then I would recommend this trip. If you are not, then Andrey has also some other trips that can fit your needs.

Erik in 't Zand

4.00

April, 2017

Ala Archa Glacier ski touring 6-day trip

I have to say I really enjoyed the trip. Andrey is a very experienced and skilled mountain guide who took us for a very intense but also incredible trip to the Ala Archa glacier. He adapted to our preferences and informed us about the conditions where needed. I was also amazed about the beauty of the Kyrgyzstan mountain range and the opportunities it has to offer.


 

There are many reasons for choosing Backcountry Skiing in Kyrgyzstan

While Kyrgyzstan’s continental climate makes for chilly temperatures, it also creates some of the lightest and fluffiest snow on the planet. With over 20 meters of annual snowfall, you can count on abundant powder pretty much everywhere you turn.

 

Good to know:

Country Code

+996

Language

Kyrgyz, Russian

Currency

Kyrgyzstani Som

How to get there

Flights to Bishkek from most Eastern European and Central Asian hubs

Best time to visit

December to March is the best time to ski in Kyrgyzstan, due to the extremely cold weather and very heavy snowfall

Weather

Kyrgyzstan has a continental climate, which is characterized by extreme variations in seasonal temperatures. Summers can be scorchingly hot while winters are cold and long. If you are headed to Kyrgyzstan for skiing during the winters months, temperatures can be as low as -30° C

More info about Backcountry Skiing in Kyrgyzstan:

Kyrgyzstan may be an unsuspecting destination for backcountry skiing, but it is one of the best out there. If you are looking to stray away from the crowds and inflated prices of Europe this winter, consider booking a backcountry skiing trip to Kyrgyzstan. The temperatures may be below freezing, but the continental climate of this former Soviet nation also makes for some of the very best snow conditions on the planet. You won’t want to miss the truly one-of-a-kind “après ski” experience here in Kyrgyzstan either. Try the hearty, traditional dishes and strong drinks while you chat with the curious local characters. This mountainous country located along the Silk Road to China is incredibly interesting and just waiting to be discovered by the outside world. Plan your trip before the word spreads about backcountry skiing in Kyrgyzstan!

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