Blog
Winter hiking: the gear you need
What to take to the mountains in winter: layered clothing, footwear, crampons and snowshoes, an avalanche kit and the small things without which a winter outing becomes an ordeal. With a PDF checklist.
- Difficulty: Any level
- Duration: From 1 day
- Season: Winter
Winter route difficulty: how to assess a destination
Why a summer stroll becomes a serious hike in winter, how to read difficulty grades and the avalanche scale, and which level to choose for yourself.
- Difficulty: Any level
- Duration: 2 hours to 4 days
- Season: Winter
The most difficult winter routes in Kyrgyzstan
The Ratsek hut and Uchitel peak, Ala-Kul lake over the pass, Son-Kul in winter and the peaks of Ala-Archa: routes for the experienced, what makes them hard and how to prepare.
- Difficulty: Hard
- Duration: 1–4 days
- Season: Winter
The most popular destinations for winter hiking
Where people go most in winter: Ala-Archa, Karakol, Issyk-Ata, Chon-Kemin and Issyk-Kul. What to see, how to get there and how much time to plan.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 1–4 days
- Season: Winter
Easy winter spots you should definitely visit
Frozen waterfalls, hot springs and snowy gorges you can visit for a day without serious preparation: Ala-Archa, Kegety, Issyk-Ata, Jeti-Oguz and more.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 2–5 hours
- Season: Winter
Off-season hiking: where to go in the mountains in late October and November
November in the mountains sits between golden autumn and real winter. Which routes around Bishkek and Issyk-Kul are safe and beautiful in the off-season, and how to dress when it's +12 °C below and snowing above.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 1 day
- Season: Autumn
Your first day hike from Bishkek: how to choose a route and not wear yourself out
Want to head to the mountains for the weekend but worried about long climbs and lack of experience? How to read elevation gain, which gorges to start with and which mistakes experienced hikers avoid.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 3–6 hours
- Season: All year
A first-aid kit for the mountains: what you really need in your pack
From a day trip to Ala-Archa to a multi-day trek to alpine lakes: what goes into a personal and a group first-aid kit without extra boxes, plus what altitude and cold change.
- Difficulty: Any level
- Duration: From 1 day
- Season: All year