Kyzyl Ozgorush - Kyzyl Ozgorush

We rise early and set out across the meadows toward the summit of Kara-Kyr at 3,700 m. Along the way, if conditions are right, your group may choose to steal a few runs between the shepherds' refuges scattered across the slope — the backcountry skier's equivalent of stopping for coffee.

The Kyzyl Ozgorush region is a natural amphitheatre of open meadows stretching from 2,000 to 4,000 metres, north-facing and largely untouched — precisely what backcountry skiers come looking for. For those wanting to venture further, the approach can be organised on horseback, with nights spent in a mountain hut under a sky that needs no filter.

The day ends as the best mountain days do: a long ride back down to the village, a hot bath, a home-cooked dinner and a bed in a local homestay. And if you happen to be there on a Sunday morning, don't miss the weekly livestock market — loud, colourful, and about as far from a ski resort as you can get.