Topics Winter Activities for Families

Snowshoe hikes expand the accessibility of winter tourism to guests of any fitness or experience level. Outfitters across the country can rent snowshoes to tourists for day-trips or long-term journeys, and offer guided excursions for groups that prefer a managed experience or offer trailhead tips for those looking for a more independent journey. With beautiful landscapes all across the country, and many trailheads accessible directly from villages or off major highways, an endless array of walks await those who want to explore in the 'off-season'. 

Cross-country ski tours – whether as a skills training class or a guided trip in the foothills of the mountains anywhere in Kyrgyzstan – open the world of winter tourism even to visitors with no experience at all. Cross-country is great as a standalone activity, as well as a useful training regime for visitors who would later like to go on to learn downhill or freeride skiing. 

Horse trekking in winter, typically on mellow trails and in regions with lower snowfall, is another option for exploring snowy landscapes – full-day trips up and down an easy valley, with a break for lunch and tea near a picturesque frozen waterfall or a view of craggy peaks covered in snow, make for excellent outings that the entire family can enjoy. 

After any family journey into the winter wilds, a hot-spring soak is a welcome itinerary addition. Kyrgyzstan is home to countless hot springs, offering everything from backcountry wilderness pools to upscale hotel resorts, but all offer the opportunity to take away winter's cold and life's worries.

Drive-in backcountry yurt camps, such as in Kok-Jaiyk Valley near the Jety-Oguz resort, open up these wild winter landscapes and casual outdoors excursions suitable to all ages and experience levels in an immersive overnight opportunity that combines all the best aspects of Kyrgyzstan's beautiful winters. Whether a cozy afternoon with family drinking tea and telling stories in the warmth of a heated yurt or an ambitious snowshoe hike to the top of a mountain pass, with panoramic mountain views and the light reflecting off the deep blue waves of Issyk-Kol to the north, these backcountry camps open up the magic of winter in the mountains to every type of guests.