€2280 / 6 days skiing
exclusive of flights
3 days of catskiing: 5-8 runs per day.
3 days of ski touring, 600-1,300m daily.
Fun 20-35° slopes. Sparse larch trees.
Luxury lodge with a spa.
Exquisite dishes from acclaimed chef.
Crème de la crème snow.
Kazakhstan: safe and visa-free.
Flights from London or via Istanbul.
Combine ski touring and cat skiing for the off-piste adventure of a lifetime — on a sick week of deep, feathery pow in Kazakhstan’s wild woods!
Still under the radar, the Altai Mountains near Ridder deliver epic tree skiing on par with BC. Yet here you are likely to spend the entire day without seeing any other groups, let alone crossing their tracks.
After a full day skiing our signature cold-smoke powder, unwind in style at a newly built 4-star lodge. Expect cozy wooden interiors, hand-crafted furniture, and walk-in showers to recharge you for another day of adventure. On-site, you’ll find an upscale restaurant serving both Kazakh and European dishes prepared by an acclaimed chef.
Wind down even further in the spa, or kick back at the bar with a great selection of local and international beers, wines, and spirits.
Explore Kazakhstan’s Altai backcountry on skis: climb through pristine, snow-plastered forests, top out on ridgelines with breathtaking views, then drop into steeper, wide gullies. Next day, immerse yourself in the powder frenzy of cat skiing in Ridder, Kazakhstan, shredding through conifer glades with your friends!
Forget about rappeling into steep couloirs hunting for the last stretches of unscratched hardpack or teetering along icy ridges with ski crampons on. Skiing in Ridder is laid back and playful! The slopes are fun 20-35º steep while small terrain features deliver ski revelations on a daily basis!
9 reasons for skiing in West Altai Mts, Kazakhstan
1. RIDDER’S EXQUISITE FEATHERY POWDER simply does not exist in Europe. Ridder’s cold and arid continental climate, coupled with moisture-laden air masses from the Siberian plains, results in dumps of snow with exceptionally low water content. This translates to incredibly light and non-sticky snow — a pure delight for exhilirating powder turns!
2. LONG SEASON, guaranteed. While the quest for powder in the Alps becomes progressively more challenging each year, Ridder maintains its status as one of the snowiest destinations on the continent. Skiing here is reliable from late November until early April.
3. SKIING FIRST TRACKS every day. Remaining under the radar, the West Altai mountains offer pure unspoilt backcountry experience devoid of lifts and crowds. You are likely to spend the entire day without seeing any other groups, let alone crossing their tracks.
4. WORLD-CLASS TREE-SKIING. While European alpine forests (and Georgian for that matter) tend to be rather dense, the slopes in Ridder are covered with sparse coniferous trees devoid of undergrowth, allowing plenty of space for fast and fun tree skiing.
No need to rappel into steep couloirs hunting for the last stretches of untracked powder, and no need to scratch your way along icy ridges with ski crampons — skiing in Ridder is laid back and playful! The slopes are gentle 20-35 degrees steep while small terrain features deliver ski revelations on a daily basis!
5. NO ADVERSE EFFECTS OF HIGH ALTITUDE which can be an issue in the Alps. Most skiing in Ridder is below 2,000m.
6. CATSKIING ‘ON PAR WITH BC, CANADA’:
— snowcats await you right next to the hotel door, no extra driving is required.
— warm, cushioned and spacious cabins, pre-groomed snowcat roads, and super-experienced drivers warrant safe and comfortable riding.
— enjoy 5-8 runs with a total vertical drop of 3,500-4,000m per day.
7. FIVE MOUNTAIN RANGES with diverse terrain for ski touring are accessible within a 10-50 minute drive from your hotel.
8. TOP NOTCH ACCOMMODATION ensures proper rest after a day of skiing. As a standard, we offer twin/double ensuite rooms in a recently built timber lodge, complete with a buffet breakfast. There’s also a steam sauna, spa, and an upscale restaurant on the premises.
9. IT IS JUST WILDLY DIFFERENT from your usual ski holidays in the Alps!
West Altai mountains comprise several ranges up to 2,000+ meters tall, clustered around a small mining town of Ridder, 1hr domestic flight from Kazakhstan’s largest city of Almaty. Founded in 1796 by a German engineer, Ridder has recently become a growing powder skiing playground, still waiting to be discovered by European skiers.
This is one of the snowiest places on the continent with reliable skiing possible from late November until early April. Air masses moving east from the Siberian plains hit the westmost extent of Altai mountains near Ridder, resulting in ample amounts of light and fluffy powder totally unsuitable for making snowballs — but fast and a sheer delight to ski!
Arrival to Almaty and connection to a 1hr domestic flight to UKK airport where you will be met by your guide. We then hop on a private minivan transfer to Ridder which takes about 2hrs depending on the road conditions. We check into the hotel, have dinner, run gear check and safety briefing. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have time for a city tour in Almaty.
A TYPICAL DAY starts with a hearty buffet breakfast at 8:00, featuring aromatic filter coffee. Rich buffet breakfast at the lodge is served at 8:00 and includes aromatic filter coffee. At 9:00, we gather around the snowcat for a safety briefing and transceiver check. The 50-minute snowcat ride is a chance to relax and soak up the snowy landscape.
On the first ski day, we’ll do a hands-on avalanche search & rescue practice session to ensure everyone’s prepared for the unexpected.
You can expect 5-8 runs per day, with verticals ranging from 300-800m each, adding up to 3,500-4,000m total. Getting back to the top of the run usually takes 15-30 minutes depending on whether we change spots. In the middle of the day we share packed lunch on the mountain.
We head back to the lodge around 16:00, with dinner served at 18:30. In the evenings, unwind with a sauna session (optional) or enjoy drinks at the bar.
Three days of ski touring in quiet conifer forests with access to steeper terrain in different location,usually 2-3 runs per day and total elevation gain of 600-1,200m depending on the fitness of the group. One day may end with a ski-in to an authentic steam sauna in the woods! Drive from the hotel to the trailhead usually takes 20-40 minutes.
Drive back to the UKK airport and flight to Almaty, a short optional city tour, overnight in a 3-4-star hotel.
SKI GEAR FOR KAZAKHSTAN POWDER
To fully enjoy our light, dry powder, we recommend fat skis with 105-120mm underfoot.
A selection of wide planks, as well as splitboards, is available for rent locally at €190 per trip. Avalanche kit rental consisting of transceiver, shovel and probe is €70 per trip.
You won’t need an airbag here. As skiers track out the slopes, regular snowfalls cover their tracks and the process repeats again and again, destroying any potential snow instabilities. With most skiing below the tree line, the risk of snow instability is minimal, and helmets are far more essential for tree skiing than airbags.
Your guides
Andrew Golovachev, an IFMGA aspirant ski guide within the guides’ association of Kyrgyzstan, an avid alpine climber, and devoted adventure photographer.
Ran treks, climbs, ski tours and expeditions to Tajikistan Pamirs, Patagonia, Peru, Morocco, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Caucasus and Kamchatka. A full member of the British Alpine Club. Professional avalanche education: equivalent of Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 certificate.
Visited over 40 countries, lived in the UK for four years. Certified first-aider.
Accommodation in Ridder
We will be based at a recently built timber chalet-style hotel with door-to-door access to snowcats
and 20-30 minutes drive away from ski-touring spots. There are 17 spacious twin or double ensuite rooms featuring hand-made wooden furniture.
There is an upscale restaurant serving dishes of European and Kazakh cuisine and providing killer buffet breakfasts, a bar, a SPA center with saunas and massage, and a drying cabinet for ski boots and clothing.
Salad with baked beetroot and feta cheese €9; Lentil soup €4
Creamy fish soup €11;
Premium ribeye steak €37
Chicken fillet fricassee €11; Salmon with taboule and tomatoes €21
30cm pizza €13; Cheesecake €8
Trip Extension: 3 days yurt-based ski touring in Kazakhstan
Should you feel that shredding knee-deep powder for six days is not long enough to justify a flight to Kazakhstan then consider extending the trip with more ski touring based in an off-the-grid yurt!
Located in the heart of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains at 1,750m a.s.l., just 3 hrs drive from the city of Almaty, the yurt gives private access to diverse ski touring terrain with 700-900 meters of vertical drop and epic views of 5,000m peaks in the distance.
The yurt is heated with wood-burning stove, has bunk beds, and comes with half-board cooked meals, a power generator, and a steam sauna. Thanks to absence of 4G signal, internet detox comes as a pleasant bonus. Please enquire for details.
HOW DO I GET TO KAZAKHSTAN FOR SKIING?
While it’s a bit more of an adventure to reach the West Altai mountains, it’s still easier than getting to Canada or Japan — and the reward is pure wilderness, untracked slopes, and no crowds. We take care of all the logistics from flight recommendations till airport pickups and transfers to your lodge, so you can focus on the skiing!
The nearest airport is Oskemen (UKK) in East Kazakhstan. A short 1hr domestic flight operated by reputable AirAstana airline takes you there from cosmopolitan Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city. Almaty itself is only 30km from the Tien-Shan mountains, and for those interested, it’s a great spot to warm up with a couple of days resort skiing before heading to Ridder.
The best international flights to Almaty are AirAstana’s DIRECT from London or Frankfurt. Air Astana proudly offers metal cutlery in Economy class and carries ski bags free of charge as long as they are your only checked luggage.
Otherwise, Turkish Airlines and low cost Pegasus Airlines fly to Almaty via Istanbul from pretty much anywhere: Geneva, Manchester, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Vienna and Milan, to name a few other airports in Europe, as well as New York, San-Francisco, and Seattle. The timing of all flights is ample for a stress-free connection in Almaty.
Once you arrive in Oskemen, our driver will greet you at the airport and take you on a smooth 2-hour ride to the lodge near Ridder. On the way back, you’ll need an overnight stay in Almaty, but we’ve got that covered too — enjoy an evening exploring this vibrant city before heading home.
Booking terms
Sounds exciting? It truly is! We love the place and would be happy to share it with you. Should you have any questions, please check out our FAQ section below. Alternatively, don’t hesitate to send us your inquiry using the contact form or WhatsApp.
We require financial commitment from the participants in a form of 20% deposit paid via SEPA bank transfer or Paypal/card. The remaining balance is paid in cash or wire transfer upon arrival.
Cancellation policy
We promise a 14-day risk-free booking window: you can cancel at any point within two weeks after you put down the first deposit. This buys you time to sort out vacation and flights, to bring in your friends, etc. and not have to worry about someone else taking your spot on the trip.
In case of cancellation of the trip by the participant due to any other personal circumstances any deposits made are NOT refunded. At our sole discretion we may put them towards your future trips with us.
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