Cat Ski Kyrgyzstan

Cat Ski Kyrgyzstan

An incredible powder paradise awaits you in the eastern Tian Shan Mountains. Experience cat skiing in Kyrgyzstan with one of our Pistenbullys, typically used for slope preparation but repurposed to transport you to the most thrilling off-piste terrain. Sit comfortably in our custom-built cabin as the driver takes you to the most stunning peaks. Once at the top, you'll carve fresh lines all day long, guided by a local expert who knows the best spots. Get ready for an exhilarating adventure in this untouched winter wonderland.

As always, we work predominantly with local partners and guides. As a non-profit tour agency, we support tourism in developing countries, providing you with an authentic local experience while ensuring that locals earn a decent income. Additionally, we help foster local initiatives to grow (winter) tourism.

Bishkek

Upon arriving at Bishkek airport, we'll journey along the northern coast of Lake Issyk Kul to our base in Karakol. This massive lake creates a unique micro-climate, resulting in significantly more snowfall than other regions. By early afternoon, we will arrive in Karakol, the fourth-largest city in Kyrgyzstan and the hub for adventure tourism in Central Asia.

In Karakol, we'll take some time to acclimate, explore the city, visit the bazaar, and do any last-minute shopping. Then, we'll travel the final 60 km stretch east to Jyrgalan. The further east we go, the more snow there is. Our cat skiing adventure takes place in Jyrgalan, the easternmost village and the powder paradise of Kyrgyzstan.

After checking into our local guesthouse, we'll prepare for the safety briefing. We'll review the safety procedures and check your equipment. Following a delicious meal, you'll likely head to bed early in anticipation of the next day's adventure. In the morning, the cat skiing begins in earnest. We've marked several routes for the snow cat (Pistenbully), which reaches a maximum altitude of 3400 meters. The descents lead down to the village of Jyrgalan at 2300 meters, providing a serious challenge for your legs.

Jyrgalan

The old mining village of Jyrgalan used to smell like coal. Jyrgalan used to be the site of extensive mining during the Soviet Union. Today the industry has disappeared and the huge snowfields are left behind. Together with Destination Jyrgalan, we are bringing new life into the region. The village has rapidly developed into a tourist center in eastern Kyrgyzstan. Local guesthouses and yurt camps have been built. Moreover, there is a real tourism office with an apres ski bar (called Buchenwagen). Our cats leave from the village. You drive between the cows and sheep to the first slopes. It will be a true adventure.

Terrain

Nearly 10,000 hectares of terrain is available. This varies from mellow tree runs to faces of 40+ degrees. In the morning we decide where to go. Assume that you can do at least 6-8 runs with 4000-6000 meters of verticla each day. We mainly focus on the northern slopes of the Gora Tavlytor. This peak of 3652 meters provides the necessary shelter. The cat reaches an altitude of 3300-3400 meters so snow is guaranteed.

At an altitude of 2500 meters we have built an ice bar where we usually have lunch. From here you have an amazing view over the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains. On a clear day you can even see Kazakhstan. The icebar is centrally located in the cat ski area, it is an ideal place to recharge.

On bad weather days, we usually stay below 2900 meters, which is the tree line in this region. We have marked several tree runs and can even descend all the way to the village of Jyrgalan. So far, there have been almost no down-days during cat skiing.

Snow Cat / Pistenbully

Currently, our fleet consists of two Pistenbullys, German powerhouses equipped with wide caterpillar (cat) tracks. Since 2018, we've been using a Pistenbully 300 Polar, and in 2022, we added a Pistenbully 600. Both vehicles feature cabins that can accommodate 12-16 people. You board through the back via a handmade staircase, with skis and snowboards stored in boxes on the sides. Sometimes, we need to cover more than 1000 vertical meters, so we ensure you sit as comfortably as possible.

For the Wizkids among us: the Pistenbully has 461 HP and a maximum speed of 25 km per hour. This is the best snow cat for the conditions in Kyrgyzstan.

Accommodation

We stay at the Baitor guesthouse in Jyrgalan. This cozy guesthouse is run by a local Kyrgyz family. They provide meals and entertainment. The twin/triple rooms have their own modern bathroom and are fully equipped.

We have built a yurt camp at our freeride base.These felt tents are the traditional homes of the Kyrgyz nomads. A yurt consists of a wooden frame with a round opening in the roof (the tunduk). You can even find this tunduk in the Kyrgyz flag. We have adapted the yurts to the winter temperatures. This means that there is a protective layer and that there is a heater inside. Next to the yurt camp is a Russian sauna tent for you to relax after an intensive day on the mountain. When available, you can spend a night in a yurt. There are usually 8 sleeping places per yurt.

Staff

We have a fantastic group of freeriders on site. Roman Nasyrov is the driver of the Pistenbully. Aleksey Balabyn is the lead guide during the descents. The tail guides are Maksat Aitkulov, Vasily Nemchenko and Vadim Karaulykh.

All guides know the mountains like no other. They all have their diplomas from the KMGA Guide School in Karakol. This means that they have the necessary certificates in avalanche science, mountaineering, first aid and knowledge of snow composition. Due to the current political and financial situation, they do not have IFMGA certified diplomas yet.

The après ski bar (Buchenwagen) is run by our friends Vasily Bazhinov and Kostich Kulakov. Here you are always welcome to enjoy a drink after a long day in the snow.

Electricity/Internet

Electricity is available everywhere. The plugs are the same as in Europe (220V and 50Hz). Wi-Fi is available in the guesthouse. You can also choose to purchase a local SIM card. The range even extends to the cat ski terrain.

Food

The Kyrgyz cuisine is a really tasty mix of Turkish, Chinese and Russian influences. Usually we will have bread, eggs and/or porridge for breakfast and a lunch on the mountains. After an intense day skiing we will prepare meals like Kurdak (beef and potatoes), Laghman (noodles and vegetables in spicy sauce), Plov (rice with meat and carrot), Borscht (beet soup), Ashlan Fu (rice and vegetables in spicy sauce), Beshbarmak, Mante (dumplings) and all kinds of salads

Bathroom

In the guesthouse you have access to modern bathroom and toilets. At the yurt camp we have long-drop toilets and on the mountain we have an improvised toilet. You can always find a wild tree for stone, of course.

Sauna

The biggest treat in our yurt camp in the Russian style banya. This very hot sauna tent is located next to the yurts. Temperatures can reach 90 degrees so it will be quite refreshing to have a dip in the snow afterwards. Traditionally the Russian sauna is a ritual of at least 5 sessions of 10-12 minutes and only after the 4th or 5th time you are ‘allowed’ to cool down in the snow.

Transportation

Private cat / individual reservations

We run several open group tours per season. But you can always contact us for customized cat skiing tours We apply a minimum of 3 cat skiing days and a minimum group size of 6.

Cat Ski Kyrgyzstan for you?

• Adventurers looking for something different than the Alps
• Experienced skiers/snowboarders with freeride equipment (ABS, beacon, probe, shovel)
• Powder and first tracks lovers

Including

• Transfer Bishkek – Karakol and vv
• 6 nights in Baitor guesthouse Jyrgalan
• 1 night in Olive Hotel Bishkek
• All meals and drinks during these meals (3x daily)
• City Tour Bishkek
• English speaking guide during the entire tour
• Local KMGA guides
• 5 days of cat skiing Jyrgalan
• Shovel, probe and beeper
• Visit to Fairy tale valley
• Farewell dinner in Bishkek
• Local taxes

Excluding

• Flights
• Meals and drinks not included in the 3 daily meals
• Alcoholic drinks
• Tips and souvenirs
• Freeride ski/snowboard rent (€150 per week)
• Insurance
• Avalanche airbag

Cat ski Kyrgyzstan