Snow, Saunas and Yurts in Kyrgyzstan

Despite the sub-zero temperatures in winter, snow is not guaranteed across Kyrgyzstan due to the dry continental climate. However, the mountainous areas visited such as Ala Archa, Jyrgalan and Jety Oguz (including the two winter yurt camps used) are expected to have significant amounts of snow from November through to March. All activities included in the trip can take place with or without snow, and they are equally enjoyable. Your guide may slightly alter the snowshoe/hiking routes and distance in order to offer the best and safest possible experience. Visits to Burana Tower and Konorcheck Canyon are unlikely to feature snow, although the snowy high mountains are visible from most places in Kyrgyzstan! Occasionally, the pass to Enilcheck is blocked by snow (although efforts are made to clear it daily); in this event you will spend an extra night in Jyrgalan and undertake a day snowshoeing there.

For most of this trip, the temperature dial will be below freezing with expected temperatures dipping to as low as -20°C in the mountains.

It is therefore important to ensure you bring all items on the kit list to provide an appropriate layering system to keep warm. This will include thermal base layers, warm mid layers (fleece / insulated jacket, fleece lined trousers), a warm down jacket and a waterproof/windproof shell. To keep your hands warm you should also consider layers including a liner glove and insulated mitts (mitts will keep your hands warmer than gloves!).

On your feet, you'll need warm hiking/skiing socks (pack a few pairs!) and warm winter hiking/snow boots - often winter boots will have a temperature rating they are comfortable down to.

Your guide will check your clothing and equipment during the first night's briefing and can offer the option of purchasing/hiring additional equipment. Often local clothing can be best suited to the local conditions.

In addition, your vehicle will be at the start/end of each activity and your guide will be carrying spare clothing and a thermos with hot tea and snacks to keep you warm on the go. If the weather conditions do not allow safe operation an alternative activity will be organised for that day (e.g. visits, sauna sessions, cooking classes, etc.)

The overlanding style of this trip means there are drives each day, some covering long distances. This style of travel allows you to see the best of Kyrgyzstan in the time available, including accessing some remote areas and the best locations for exploring and experiencing the wild natural environment and local communities that make up the highlights of this trip.

The driving is undertaken in large, comfortable 4-wheel drive mini busses (e.g. Mercedes Sprinter), or depending on the conditions you may also use Kamaz Trucks or several jeeps. The journeys are broken up with multiple stops each day for the main itinerary activities, such as the hikes and horse riding, as well as stops at hot springs, restaurants and cultural sites along the way. On the longer days of driving (to and from the remote town of Enilcheck), your guide will make multiple stops along the way for short hikes to viewpoints and exploration of the mountain pass you are travelling over.

You'll have one English-speaking tour leader with you throughout the trip, as well as the drivers of the 4x4 vehicles used to transport you and your luggage. For groups above six people, you will also have an assistant guide. For the horse riding activities you will be joined by local horsemen who look after the horses.

There are cultural differences in attitudes towards horses in Kyrgyzstan when compared with the West. The use of horses as working animals is firmly ingrained in Kyrgyz custom and tradition, so whilst they are an important part of life here, they are generally not petted by their owners nor given names. Despite being working animals, the horses do spend the majority of their time roaming free on the green pasturelands.

Our host takes the welfare of the animals very seriously, only working with families who ensure their horses are not exploited. The horses you encounter on this trip will only be used for one excursion or one group per day, so that they do not become injured, exhausted or overworked. Additionally, our host is certified by Travelife, who include animal welfare as a criteria for certification.

Yes, usually the maximum weight per person is 95kg.

Absolutely. Your host can look after any luggage you don't need during the trip.

Your host carry 20l water tanks in the vehicle throughout this trip, so there is always drinkable water to fill up with if you have your own bottle. You may also wish to pack pack a filtration system of your own (e.g. Sawyer or Steripen) or water purification tablets (e.g Aqua Tabs or Micropur) if you want to fill up from other sources.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

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All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

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Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

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Kyrgyzstan experiences cold and dry winters, with Siberian or Arctic winds resulting in consistently low temperatures. On this trip, it can be expected to regularly experience temperatures between the range of -0°C to -15°C, and when travelling in the mountainous regions more like -10°C to -20°C. Kyrgyz winters are usually sunny, however, which means that even if the temperature is below freezing, the feeling is much warmer.

Temperatures can drop below this to extremely cold temperatures in certain conditions. Cosy yurts and guesthouses will keep you warm during the night and the local people and infrastructure are well-equipped to deal with these conditions.

Dry micro-climates occurring regularly can turn a snowy winter into a dry one, and therefore a planned snowshoeing activity into a hiking one. The most likely time of year for there to be snow cover in the area this itinerary explores is mid-December to early March. Most of Kyrgyzstan's high altitude mountains remain snow covered year-round.