An eight-day heli-skiing week in the Tien Shan, with helicopter access to remote mountain terrain and off-piste descents on untouched snow. Ski across wide snowfields, steep ridges and narrow couloirs, with up to six descents per day and up to 6,000 vertical metres in total. The cold Kyrgyz winter helps preserve light, dry powder.
Flights operate on helicopters with experienced crews, with eight hours of helicopter time included in the program. Two professional guides accompany the group throughout the week, selecting routes according to the group’s ability and daily snow conditions. Ski terrain ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 m, with runs of 1.5 to 7 km.
Stay at Karkyra yurt camp on Kyrgyzstan’s eastern border, approximately 120 km from Karakol and 470 km from Bishkek. The camp offers full amenities, with a sauna and herbal hot tub available. The final night is spent at a four-star hotel in Bishkek.
Heli-skiing follows the weather. The program is planned for good weather and includes a reserve day, and if the Karkyra area cannot fly, the trip moves to another area. This is off-piste skiing in avalanche terrain. Valid insurance and avalanche safety equipment are mandatory. Review the requirements below before booking to make sure you have the equipment, experience and preparation this week demands.
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Arrival at Manas International Airport, meeting with our guide, and transfer to Bishkek for breakfast at a café, then drive to Karkyra (470 km).
The road runs through the Boom Gorge, where the slopes rise above the Chu River, and then along the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake.
Lunch is at a café on the way, and by evening you reach the Karkyra yurt camp for dinner and your first night.
Overnight: Karkyra yurt camp.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Five days of heli-skiing, one of them held in reserve for the weather.
The daily rhythm is set: breakfast at 08:00, out to the ski area at 09:00, where the helicopter lifts you to the peaks for off-piste descents; lunch in the mountains around 12:00; back to camp by 15:00; sauna and herbal hot tub from 17:00 to 19:00 (you should choose which day); and dinner at the camp at 19:00.
Across the program you have ~25 hours of helicopter time, and on a full day up to 4–5 runs.
Overnight: Karkyra yurt camp.
Meals each day: breakfast, lunch box, dinner.
After breakfast you drive back toward Bishkek, with lunch in Cholpon-Ata on the Issyk-Kul shore.
You reach Bishkek in the afternoon for a short city tour of the main sights, then check into a four-star hotel, with dinner at a restaurant serving Kyrgyz and European dishes to close the trip.
Overnight: four-star hotel, Bishkek.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Manas International Airport for your departure flight.
Meals: breakfast at the hotel.
The price starts at $5,500 per flight hour and depends on the total flight time. Your travel advisor will confirm the exact cost.
| Accommodation | Price |
|---|---|
| Double/twin occupancy | from $85 per night |
| Single occupancy | from $95 per night |
Insurance is mandatory: medical and transport cover of at least 30,000$, covering helicopter flights and downhill skiing and snowboarding. Without a policy you cannot fly, and the fee is not refunded.
The flight is on a Eurocopter or Mi-8 MTV helicopter with experienced pilots, and the program includes 4–6 hours of helicopter time per day. On a full day you make up to 5 descents, with a total of up to 6,000 m of vertical. The terrain runs from 3,000 to 5,000 m, with runs of 1.5 to 7 km, from wide snowfields to sharp ridges and narrow couloirs. Two guides choose the routes to the group’s level and the snow, so a mixed-ability group of competent off-piste skiers can be looked after within reason.
Heli-skiing follows the weather, and the trip is built to move with it. The main area is Karkyra, in the Terskey Ala-Too near Issyk-Kul, taking in Karkara, Zhyrgalan, and the Kuilu tract, with skiing heights from 3,000 to 5,000 m and runs of 800 to 1,200 m vertically.
If weather conditions prevent flights in Karkyra, the program can move to alternative skiing areas, including Susamyr, Western Karakol, Upper Ala-Archa and the Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountains. Depending on the location, accommodation is arranged at Zhanat Resort, approximately 30 minutes from Bishkek, or Too-Ashuu ski resort. These areas offer reliable powder conditions during the winter months.
Heli-skiing takes place in off-piste terrain with avalanche risks. Insurance with a minimum coverage of $30,000, including helicopter operations, off-piste skiing and emergency evacuation, is mandatory. You will not be allowed to participate without valid coverage. All participants must carry avalanche safety equipment (transceiver, shovel and probe), which is not included in the tour price. You should know how to use this equipment; if you need assistance or training, please let us know when booking.
Skiing takes place at elevations of 3,000–5,000 m, where the thinner air makes physical activity more demanding. Good physical fitness is essential, and we recommend allowing time to adjust to the altitude before pushing yourself.
Compulsory equipment:
Clothing:
The local currency is the Kyrgyz som (KGS). Bank cards are accepted in Bishkek; outside the capital, please plan to pay in cash.
If you bring US dollars or euros to exchange, bring notes of 50 and 100 in clean condition, without stamps, inscriptions, or damage, as damaged banknotes are not accepted by banks and exchange offices. US dollar notes must be issued from 2009 or later. Euro notes should be no larger than 100.
Many European, UK, and US travellers can enter Kyrgyzstan visa-free for up to 30 days within any 60-day period. Check the current rule for your nationality before you book.
What level of skiing do I need? You should be a confident skier or snowboarder in ungroomed snow. The guides choose routes to the group’s level and the snow, so a group of competent off-piste skiers of mixed ability can be looked after, but it is not a trip for beginners or on-piste-only skiers.
What helicopter do you use, and how much flying is there? We use either a Eurocopter, accommodating up to 4 passengers, or a Mi-8 MTV helicopter for larger groups, depending on group size. All flights are operated by experienced pilots. The program includes 4–6 hours of helicopter time per day, with up to 4–5 ski descents on a full day, depending on weather and snow conditions.
What happens if the weather is bad? Heli-skiing is weather-dependent, and flights operate only when conditions are safe. The itinerary includes a reserve day to allow for weather delays. If bad weather or safety concerns prevent flying, refunds are calculated based on the actual helicopter flight hours used, with unused flight time refunded. No refunds are provided for missed descents due to personal reasons, such as equipment failure, illness or late arrival.
Do I need my own skis and avalanche kit? Ski gear and avalanche kit (transceiver, shovel, probe) are not included in the price. You should bring your own or rent them. You should be able to use the avalanche kit, or tell us at booking.
Is insurance required? Yes. You must hold a cover of at least $30,000 for helicopter flights and downhill skiing and snowboarding. Without a policy you cannot fly, and the fee is not refunded.
Is this a good trip for solo travellers? Yes. Solo travellers are welcome; a single-occupancy supplement applies, and the per-person price also depends on the size of the group.
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Ak-Sai Travel has organized tours across Kyrgyzstan’s mountains, valleys, and nomadic regions since 1998, led by our local team.
Guides grew up in these mountains and valleys, so you get straight answers about the route, the weather, and the culture from people who know the ground firsthand.
Ak-Sai Travel owns and runs the transport, the guides, and the camps you stay in, so one local team handles your whole trip and looks after you if a plan changes.
You stay in traditional Kyrgyz yurt camps and have lunch in local family homes, experiencing Kyrgyz culture through where you stay and where you eat.
Ak-Sai Travel has been organizing tours and mountain expeditions across Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia since 1998, using routes that have been tested and refined over decades.
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