Off-season hiking: where to go in the mountains in late October and November

Late October and November are the most underrated time for hiking in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The summer heat is long gone, the popular trails are almost empty, the air is clear and the peaks are already covered in fresh snow. At the same time the off-season is treacherous: in Bishkek it can be +12 °C and sunny during the day, while at 2,400 m there's a piercing wind, ice on the rocks and dusk as early as half past five.

How the off-season differs from summer and winter

• Temperature contrast. In a single day you pass through two climate zones: the dry foothills and the snowy zone of forest or alpine meadows.
• Hidden ice (verglas). Streams and wet rocks in the shade of the gorges freeze under a thin layer of the first snow — it's easier to slip than on packed snow in January.
• Short days. In November it gets dark around 17:30, and in deep gorges the sun drops behind the ridge an hour earlier still.
• Unpredictable precipitation. Rain in the valley almost always means snowfall above 2,000–2,200 m.

The best destinations for late October and November

1. The Konorchek and Kok-Moinok canyons

The Boom gorge and the clay labyrinths of Konorchek are an ideal choice for late autumn. The altitude is low (1,600–2,000 m), there's almost no snow until December, and the dry riverbeds and red rocks warm up in the daytime sun.

• Walking time: 3–5 hours.
• Difficulty: easy.
• Keep in mind: if it rained heavily the day before, the clay in the narrow canyons gets slippery — pick dry weather.

2. The south shore of Issyk-Kul: Skazka canyon, Barskoon and the Aksai canyons

Issyk-Kul works like a huge heat battery, so autumn lingers longest on its shores. In November the panoramic ridges of the Aksai canyons, looking out over the dark blue water and the white wall of the Terskey Ala-Too, look especially striking.

• Walking time: from 2 hours to a full day.
• The upside: dry ground and comfortable daytime temperatures.

3. Panoramic ridges of the foothills (Ala-Archa, Tatyr, Belogorka)

Rather than walking along the dark, cold floor of a gorge beside a frozen river, in November it's better to choose open south-facing slopes and low panoramic ridges up to 2,500–2,700 m. They're in the sun all day, the snow melts off them faster, and the Kyrgyz Range is laid out in front of you.

• Walking time: 3–6 hours.
• What to take: microspikes in your pack — the north-facing and shaded parts of the trail are already covered in hard ice.

What to pack in November

• Microspikes and trekking poles — they save your knees and ankles on icy descents.
• A fleece and a light down jacket — even if you leave home in just a windbreaker.
• A hat and gloves — the wind on the ridges burns your fingers within ten minutes.
• A headlamp — a must on every outing, even if you plan to be back by lunch.
• A thermos of hot tea and a sit pad — the ground and rocks are already ice-cold in November.

The main tip

Set off an hour earlier than you would in summer — leave the city at 7:00–8:00 in the morning. That way you catch the warmest part of the day and get back down to the car well before dusk.