Winter
Winter adventure around the Kyrgyz range
A winter in Kyrgyzstan like no other
- Duration
- 7 days
- Countries
- Kyrgyzstan
- Activities
- Backcountry Skiing , Snowshoeing
The story
The journey
You will discover the losted shepherds of the Tien Shan range. Yak's farmers are living in difficult conditions but they will open their warm house and yurts, and you will enjoy the Kyrgyz hospitality. After an short hike south of Bishkek, we reach Chong Kemin National Park, before going up to frozen Song Kul lake and enjoy a night in the unique winter yurt camp of the lake.
This tour will be adapted depending on your preferred activity and snow conditions. This program has been designed for lovers of snowshoeing or ski touring accompanied by horses.
Route map
The route
Day by day
The journey, day by day
7 chapters
Day 01 Skitouring or snowshoeing in Chunkurchak, and overnight in Chong Kemin
Skitouring or snowshoeing in Chunkurchak, and overnight in Chong Kemin
Today you will enjoy the pittoresque road linking the high plateau of Chunkurchak where you can enjoy an half-day hiking with snowshoes or ski-touring. In the end of the afternoon, you will drive to the National Parc of Chong Kemin. Overnight and dinner in a local family house.
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 02 Backcountry skiing or snowshoeing in the Chong Kemin National Park
Backcountry skiing or snowshoeing in the Chong Kemin National Park
Today you will be able to feel like a Kyrgyz Nomad because you will have a horse that you can ride to higher grounds. You will be able to ski different slopes and get many runs in today. But you can also choose to snowshoe on forest road. Lunch will be had in the mountains with the horseman and your guide. After a full day of horseback riding and touring you will head back to your guesthouse and share dinner with the shepherds family that you are being hosted by.
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 03 Road from Chong Kemin to Kilemche
Road from Chong Kemin to Kilemche
This morning, you leave the National Parc of Chong Kemin, and you take the road by the Boom canyon, a dry and cold place in winter, but colorful. After a low pass, the road goes down to the Orto Tokoy reservoir and the small city of Kochkor. Then the road leave the civilisation and accross the Kyzart pass, and you will have lunch in a shepherd's house in the village of Kyzart. In the afternoon, you will snowshoeing or skiing or horsebackriding into the gorge of Kilemche, a short walk of 6-7 km. Arriving in the high part of the gorge, installation in a shepherd's house.
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 04 Heading to Song Kul lake
Heading to Song Kul lake
Kilemche Jailoo Tuz Ashuu (Song Kul)
This morning, we take the path to reach the shores of Lake Song Kul. On skis, snowshoes or on horseback, and depending on the snow conditions, you will choose your favorite activity to reach the immense plateau of Lake Song Kul. All morning, we climb to the Tuz Ashuu pass by road, then from the pass, we descend to the shores of the lake, which we follow to reach our winter camp in yurts.
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Stay Ruslan's yurt camp
Day 05 A winter day on the frozen Song Kul's lake
A winter day on the frozen Song Kul's lake
Tuz Ashuu (Song Kul) Tuz Ashuu (Song Kul)
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 06 Skiing in the morning, then drive to Bishkek
Skiing in the morning, then drive to Bishkek
In the morning, you horseride till the pass of Tuz Ashuu, then you will enjoy 6 km downhill skiing till the Kilemche river where your driver will be waiting for you. Drive to Bishkek. Dinner in the town. Installation in our guesthouse.
Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 07 Transfer from Bishkek to Manas International Airport
Transfer from Bishkek to Manas International Airport
Bishkek Manas International Airport
Depending on your flight time, your guide will join you to the airport and help you check in for your flight. If your flight is later in the day your guide will show you more places in Bishkek before your flight. We hope you enjoyed your trip to Kyrgyzstan and we hope you come back again to explore other counties in Central Asia with us.
Photography
Along the way
Further reading
More from this journey
Practical information
Prepare for the journey
- All transportation in a private vehicle
- All airport transfers
- Accommodation as described in the program
- Meals (3 per day)
- Bottled water & tea
- English-speaking IFMGA ski touring tour leader
- All the activities listed in the program
- Entry fees at national parks and/or border zones listed in the program
- Entry fees at museums and historical sites listed in the program
- Domestic flights mentioned in the program
- A contribution to our sustainable development projects
- Organisation of the trip & local taxes
- International flights
- International banking fees (PayPal, ...)
- Travel & repatriation insurance
- Visas / LOI (if applicable)
- Alcoholic and soft drinks
- Personal expenses
- Personal equipment (sleeping bag, headlight, personal medication, etc)
- Additional costs due to unexpected personal events (health, loss of luggage, ...)
- Tips for guide & driver (always optional, always appreciated)
Reviews of Nomad's Land
Travelers, in their own words
Published reviews of our team and service.
Nous tenions à vous remercier pour l’organisation de notre voyage au Kirghizistan. Ce pays est magnifique avec des personnes très accueillantes. Grâce à l’énergie positive de notre guide Baktygul, nous avons pu entrer en contact avec la population locale, aidée par quelques vodka bien sûr.
Nomadsland organized a 5 days 4 nights winter tour from Bishkek to Issyk Kol lake via Chom Keming (horse riding), Jyrgalan (snow shoeing), Karakol (museums) and Bokanbaevo (fairy canyon, 7 bulls, eagle hunting), then back to Bishkek. Nikita, our guide, picked us up from the airport and drove us round the snowy roads in his excellent v8 4wd.
4 Day Hike through Archa Tor pass It’s my first trip to Kyrgyzstan! My wife and I are independent travelers and prefer the solitude of traveling without guide or porters. I found Aibek Nomad's Land online as we were on a short 5 day trip, 3 or which were full day hikes so transport to and from the exact start and end points were essential.
Private travel, made personal
Plan this private tour
Tell us your dates, group and travel preferences. Our team will shape the details with you.
Your quotation depends on dates, party size, transport, guide needs and overnight arrangements. Agree inclusions and requested changes with the team. An enquiry is not a confirmed booking.