In February 2020, the FAM tour was organized for six leading English- and Russian-speaking travel bloggers and active users of social media to present Kyrgyzstan’s winter tourism potential. Thе FAM tour was organized by the Sustainable Winter Tourism Development Project (Helvetas), funded by the Swiss government in partnership with the USAID Project on competitiveness, trade and jobs in Central Asia and Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism.

Kyrgyzstan's traditional nomadic culture and the ongoing revival of these traditions since the end of the Soviet era, as well as the diversity of ethnicities that live together across the country, makes for an elegant tapestry of cultural traditions that visitors often find themselves enjoying as much as or more than the headline 'outdoor adventure' activities that are typically the major flow of tourists to the country.

Driving tours across Kyrgyzstan are popular in any season, but the comparatively lack of tourists and overwhelmingly different landscapes provided by the onset of winter offer a unique and memorable experience even for visitors who have come to Kyrgyzstan time and time again. 

Winter tourism in Kyrgyzstan is fun for the whole family – whether out on the slopes of Kyrgyzstan's top ski resorts or freeriding the backcountry powder, or engaging in lower-impact winter sports and activities that showcase that the beautiful natural landscapes and cultural traditions of Kyrgyzstan in the winter season are very attractive as is in the rest of the year – whether as an alternative to ski-focused trips or as an addition to your powder days.

Kyrgyzstan is full of possibilities for travellers looking for serious winter adventure way beyond the beaten track. From groomed resort pistes and powdery freeride runs to paragliding over the vast expanse of Issyk-Kol lake and even heliskiing deep in the untouched slopes of the Tien Shan backcountry, there's so much to discover for visitors that are willing to get stuck in deep.