Kazahkstan cat skiing trips
Early season powder!
Kazakhstan is a vast country in Central Asia, located between Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The nature there is very diverse and there are many mountainous areas. In the south, at the border with Kyrgyzstan, are the country's highest mountains and also Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty. In addition to these high mountains, there is an interesting area in the east, near the Russian border, the Altai Mountains, which are known for their fine forest skiing, cold climate, and very long ski season. Snow falls abundantly already from the end of October. Before the war initiated by Russia, we skied for several years in the same Altai Mountains, but on the Russian side. There was always enough snow for good skiing already from the beginning of November and most often we had excellent powder conditions. Last winter, we made our first trip to Kazakhstan and we were not disappointed! We were the only snowcat in the entire area and made our own tracks in the light powder snow every day. This year we are returning to Ridder with a slightly updated program, now we have five days of catskiing, instead of last year's four.
Your guides
Pette Halme & Jimmy Oden
Your main guides will be Pette Halme and Jimmy Oden, a Finnish and a Swedish UIAGM - mountain guide, and other guides will be the local mountain guides.
Pette Halme & Jimmy Oden
Your main guides will be Pette Halme and Jimmy Oden, a Finnish and a Swedish UIAGM - mountain guide, and other guides will be the local mountain guides.
Kazahkstan cat skiing trips
Program of the week
The trip includes five days of catskiing (Monday-Friday) and possibly half a day on the departure day, Saturday, if the weather permits. Additionally, we have a warm-up day (Saturday) at the Shymbulak ski resort near Almaty.
Flights and ground transport
We fly to Almaty via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. After the warm-up day in the ski resort near Almaty, we continue to Ust-Kamenogorsk on an Air Astana flight, which takes approximately 1.5 hours. The return flight is from Ust-Kamenogorsk to Astana with Air Astana and then from Astana to Helsinki / Stockholm via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. The airport transfers from Ust-Kamenogorsk airport to the hotel take about 2 hours.
Passport and visa
Finnish citizens do not need a visa for trips to Kazakhstan lasting less than 30 days. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of the trip. If you are citizen of some other country, please check the requirements for your country in the local Kazahkstan embassy or consulate.
Difficulty level
You are able to ski in varied snow and terrain conditions, including deep snow outside of groomed slopes.
Equipment
- We recommend bringing equipment that allows for ascents using muscle power (skins, snowshoes, or a splitboard). Sometimes we may need to ascend short distances if the snowcat cannot reach the starting point for some reason. Bringing these items is not mandatory but recommended.
- Warm clothing! The Altai Mountains can sometimes be very cold, with temperatures ranging from -25 to -40 degrees Celsius. Generally, temperatures vary between -5 and -20 degrees Celsius.
- Avalanche safety equipment
- Off-piste/freeride insurance
Other
The price of the trip in November and December is 2690 euros and in January it is 2590 euros. The price including flights may change if the flight prices change, and generally, prices increase as the departure date approaches. The trip can also be purchased without flights, in which case the price is 1900 euros in November and 1800 euros in January, and these prices do not change.
Price
Price includes
- Airport transfers
- Ski transportation on flights (NOTE! Skis or snowboards and other equipment must fit into one checked bag weighing 23 kg. In addition, an 8 kg carry-on bag is allowed. If you want to take more items and/or a separate bag and ski bag, this costs 280 euros).
- 6 nights accommodation near the village of Ridder in the brand new and cozy Bear Log hotel in double rooms with breakfast.
- 1 night accommodation in Almaty in a 4-star hotel in double rooms with breakfast.
- 2 local guides for the warm-up day at Shymbulak resort on Saturday.
- 5 days of catskiing, guided by local guides and Pette Halme and Jimmy Oden (in December) and Krister Jonsson (in January).
- On the departure day, possibly an additional optional and extra cost half-day, if the weather permits.
- Field lunch in the terrain during the cat skiing days.
- Avalanche safety day in Helsinki in fall 2024.
- Carbon offset for the trip.
Price excludes
- Lift tickets at the Shymbulak ski resort (approximately 20 euros per person).
- Transportation from the hotel to the ski resort in Almaty (a taxi for 3-4 people costs 10-20 euros).
- Dinners. The hotel in Ridder has a good restaurant, and it is also possible to dine in the nearby town of Ridder.
- Entrance to the spa at the Ridder hotel. However, during the week, we have one free spa entrance.
Accommodation
The accommodation is in the brand new Bear Log Hotel. The hotel features double rooms, each with its own bathroom. Additionally, the hotel boasts a splendid spa area (additional fee) and a restaurant where we will have breakfasts and some dinners. The hotel is conveniently located, with snowcats departing directly from the hotel most skiing days. On some days, we will travel by car for approximately 15 - 30 minutes to the snowcat departure point. From the hotel, it's easy to take a taxi to the nearby city of Ridder for dining.