Cat Ski Kyrgyzstan
Cat skiing in Kyrgyzstan isn’t your typical winter trip—it’s the kind of place you go when you want something a bit more real, a bit more off the map. Out in the Jyrgalan Valley, the mountains are wide open and covered in light, dry powder. Thanks to Issyk Kul Lake nearby, the area gets a surprising amount of snowfall, and it sticks around in great condition.
You’ll head out each day with a guide and a snowcat, riding up into the mountains and dropping into untouched lines—no crowds, no tracks, just open space and fresh snow. At the end of the day, things slow down. You come back to warm food, simple comforts, and traditional yurts, with nothing but quiet mountains and a sky full of stars around you.
Ski Adventure Kyrgyzstan
The Kyrgyzstan Ski Adventure is our most famous ski tour. In 8 days, we will explore the remarkable highlights of skiing in Kyrgyzstan. Don’t expect autobahns, groovy after-ski pubs or raclette. Get yourself ready for horseback riding, nomadic culture, yurts and shashliks.
Freeride World Tour – Silk Road Freeride – VIP experience
A VIP experience at the Freeride World Tour Qualifier in Kyrgyzstan. As a supporter of our non-profit, you can be part of this unique freeride event in Kyrgyzstan, all week long. You’ll get a special behind-the-scenes view of our organization. After arriving in Bishkek, we’ll arrange a transfer to the eastern part of the country.
Tour Ski / Splitboard Kyrgyzstan
Tour Ski / Splitboard in Kyrgyzstan? We offer the best Kyrgyz backcountry experience! Join us for a remarkable trip to the Tien Shan mountains in Eastern Kyrgyzstan. We work exclusively with local guides and employees, allowing you to meet the wonderfully hospitable Kyrgyz people and taste all of what Kyrgyz culture has to offer. There are endless options for ski touring and splitboarding in Kyrgyzstan but our pick would be the Issyk Kul province.
Ski Safari Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan, the place where it all started for us. In addition to our celebrated Ski Adventure trip, we will also be offering a Ski Safari. As always, a combination of winter sports and culture, for the adventurous, autonomous and curious winter sports enthusiast.
Jyrgalan, the coal valley
Jyrgalan (Жыргалан) is a valley in the imposing Tian Shan Mountains, the far east of Kyrgyzstan, near the border with Kazakhstan. The Jyrgalan River flows through the valley, next to the town that bears the same name. It is about 60km from Karakol and can be easily reached by cab or marshrutka.
Coal has been mined in the valley since 1932. The town of Jyrgalan was established to provide housing for miners. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the industry all but disappeared, leaving the miners dejected. Difficult years for Jyrgalan, cut off from the rest of the world. Many went to seek their fortune elsewhere and moved to Karakol. Only the vast expanses of snow remained.
Then it became summer again. Those who stayed behind jointly founded Destination Jyrgalan Management Organization (DMO), an organization that invests in sustainable tourism, in 2016. A new economy that benefits local people and creates more future opportunities. Every year since then, DMO has succeeded in bringing the region to the attention of modern explorers. And we are happy to do our part in that.
Today, the village is inhabited by about 1,000 men and is seeing ever-growing opportunities: new guesthouses and yurt camps were set up, new hiking and mountain bike trails established. Winter is also attracting more and more adventurers. Snow cats take experienced and slightly less experienced skiers into the mountains, to a freeride Valhalla to dream away.
Winter in Jyrgalan
Snowfall here is significantly higher than in many other places in Central Asia due to the valley’s unique location: a perfect combo of a high-mountain climate with the microclimate of Lake Issyk Kul. Annual snowfall averages more than 10 meters. Meters and meters of fine, dry, drifting powder snow. Enjoy boy, enjoy.
The terrain alternates between rolling wooded slopes – mellow runs – and challenging, steep couloirs. The tree line here is 2,900m. The largest open area is found in the south of the valley. Jyrgalan offers more than 10,000 acres of unexplored powder – yes, we want to leave now too!