Mountain Biking Kazakhstan And Kyrgyzstan

Looking for a raw, off-the-grid mountain bike adventure in Central Asia? One that involves Soviet-era military trucks to transport camping gear and a helicopter to lift us up a mountain just to ride back down? Then look no further. On this epic 13-day journey we take to the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan where the endless skies, formidable peaks, and nomadic lifeways will make you forget that we have crossed borders at all.

Starting from Almaty, we head out of the city and ride across the foothills and river gorges of the Northern Tien Shan. We cross weathered ridges and high-altitude wilderness before transitioning onto the vast Kegen Plateau where semi-wild horses roam the grasslands. After entering Kyrgyzstan via a remote border post, we get into position at Karkara Base Camp for the heli-biking. Then it gets gritty as we dive deep into the backcountry of the Central Tien Shan, where the region’s most iconic peak, Khan Tengri, looms in the background. After conquering the Chon Ashu Pass at nearly 4,000 m ASL, it’s a crowning downhill into the plains of Issyk-Kul, the second-largest alpine lake on the planet. Upon driving back into Kazakhstan the tour ends with a final night back in Almaty.