Orlovka, a ski base with beds and night skiing on the road to Issyk-Kul

In 2024/25 night skiing at Orlovka only ran for groups of 10 or more, so if you're planning an evening on the slope, call the booking line first and ask whether a group is going. The base is in the town of Orlovka in Kemin district, about 90–100 km from Bishkek, roughly an hour and a half along the road to Issyk-Kul. Unlike the bases in the valleys just outside Bishkek, it has a hotel and cottages, so people come here for a weekend with an overnight stay rather than a single day.

According to 24.kg, the base has 2 chairlifts, 2 T-bars and 9 runs, and it uses snow cannons. It also has a rail-mounted alpine coaster where sledges reach 70 km/h, which goes down well with children and with friends who came along but don't ski.

How high is Orlovka?

This is where sources disagree, so we give both figures. In its report on the pre-season inspection of 13 December 2024, the Department of Tourism gave the altitude as 1,840 m. Skiresort.com shows the slope running from 1,200 to 1,650 m. A 2018 description mentioned a longest run of 2.89 km with up to 590 m of vertical, which doesn't fully match either. What matters in practice is that Orlovka is one of the lowest bases in Chuy region, so early-winter snow isn't guaranteed and the cannons earn their keep.

How to get to Orlovka from Bishkek

1. Call and book. Admin: +996 701 787 807, bookings: +996 701 787 815, email info@orlovka.kg. We couldn't read orlovka.kg automatically, so the phone is the more reliable option.
2. Head east towards Issyk-Kul. Orlovka is about 90–100 km away, roughly an hour and a half by car. Your own car or a private driver is easiest, and a driver can take you on to the lake afterwards.
3. Ask the base about a shuttle. In 2018 a pre-booked transfer left Dordoi Plaza at 7:30. We don't know whether it still runs.
4. Combine it with Issyk-Kul. Orlovka is in the same Kemin district as the Chon-Kemin valley, and the road carries on to the lake. Our page on Issyk-Kul in winter covers the lakeside in the cold months.

How much is a lift pass at Orlovka?

The base hasn't published new prices, so these are the latest known ones, for 2024/25 (24.kg, February 2025).

That makes it one of the cheaper bases with chairlifts in Chuy region. You can compare it with the others in our overview of ski resorts in Kyrgyzstan.

Orlovka compared with the bases near Bishkek

The main trade-off is distance against a bed by the slope. The valleys just south of Bishkek are closer, but most of them have nowhere to stay.

Where to stay and what to do in the evening

The base has a hotel and cottages, a bar, a restaurant and a sauna. Our sources don't give room prices, so you'll get those when you book. In the evening, besides night skiing, there's the alpine coaster, or just the sauna after a day on the slope. For a change of scene the next day, you can ski closer to Bishkek at Chunkurchak or Kashka-Suu.

Who Orlovka suits

Families who want a weekend with a bed by the slope, without spending six hours on the road to Karakol. Beginners have somewhere to learn too: the separate "Malysh" run cost only 600 som in 2024/25. Strong skiers will find Orlovka small, but it's a handy warm-up stop on the way to Issyk-Kul and the Karakol ski base.

Safety

Orlovka is among the bases inspected before each season by the Department of Tourism, the Emergencies Ministry and local authorities, and it was declared ready in December 2024. There are no patrols outside the runs, and the emergency number is 112. For winter mountain safety in general, see our avalanche safety guide.