Skiing in southern Kyrgyzstan, small bases near Osh and Jalal-Abad

If you're in Osh in winter and fancy some skiing, plan on a day at a local base rather than a proper ski holiday: there's very little verified information on the southern bases, they don't publish prices, and the easiest way to find out whether a lift is running is to ask locals. The best-known bases in the south are Chyiyrchyk and Taldyk in Kara-Suu district of Osh region. Neither is in the Department of Tourism's register, although the department itself says the country's ski bases are concentrated in Chuy, Issyk-Kul and Osh regions.

We wouldn't recommend travelling south just to ski. Osh is 600–680 km from Bishkek by road, 10–12 hours of driving, while for a ski holiday you have Karakol and the new Ala-Too Resort at Issyk-Kul. But if you're already in Osh for work or visiting friends, a day in the snow can be a nice extra.

What's known about the southern bases

Skiresort.com also mentions Talas, Batken and Jalal-Abad regions, but without names or figures. We honestly don't know how many of these bases will operate in the 2026/27 season.

How to get to the bases near Osh

1. Get to Osh. From Bishkek it's 600–680 km on a mountain road, or a flight. We compare all the options in our Bishkek to Osh guide, and from Uzbekistan it's easier to come via Tashkent.
2. Ask your guesthouse or driver. We couldn't find timetables or websites for the southern bases, so locals are your best source on whether a base is open and whether there's snow and rental.
3. Hire a car for the day. Chyiyrchyk and Taldyk are in Kara-Suu district, and we found no public transport to them. A driver for the day handles both getting there and getting back. Our guide to hiring a private driver explains how.
4. Bring your own gear if you can. We don't know whether there's rental or what condition it's in.

How much does it cost?

None of the southern bases has published prices for 2026/27, and we couldn't find reliable figures for earlier seasons either. As a rough guide, the small bases near Bishkek charged 800–1,000 som a day in 2024/25, as described on our page about small ski bases near Bishkek. Bring cash, since we have no information on card or QR payments at the southern bases.

The Emergencies Ministry inspection before 2025/26

Before the 2025/26 winter, Emergencies Ministry staff inspected the Chyiyrchyk and Taldyk bases and, according to mts.kg, found serious violations. The article doesn't list them, though it separately discusses the use of car gas cylinders. We found no reports on whether the problems have been fixed. That doesn't mean the bases are unsafe, but if you're going with children it's worth asking locals about the current state of the lift.

Arslanbob and backcountry

Arslanbob in Jalal-Abad region is sometimes mentioned as a ski-touring area, but we have no recent verified information about it. With no lifts, patrols or avalanche service, a trip like that is only for people with an experienced guide and full avalanche kit.

Who the southern bases suit

People living in Osh and Jalal-Abad who want to ski at weekends, and travellers who find themselves in the south in winter and are happy with a simple one-lift base. For a first taste of skiing in Kyrgyzstan or a family trip, the bases near Bishkek and at Issyk-Kul are a better fit, and our overview of ski resorts in Kyrgyzstan compares them.

Safety

No first-aid posts or ski patrols are confirmed at the southern bases, so stay on prepared slopes. The emergency number is 112. If you're planning to go off-piste or ski tour, read our avalanche safety guide first.