Chunkurchak Valley

Chunkurchak is a wide open valley in the foothills of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too, closer to Bishkek than the deeper gorges and gentler in character: rolling grass slopes rather than rock walls, with scattered spruce and views back over the Chuy plain. In winter it holds several small ski bases with short lifts, the most convenient skiing to the capital and busy at weekends; in summer the same slopes are used for walking, mountain biking and paragliding, and yurt camps and guesthouses have opened along the valley. Wildflowers cover the meadows in May and June. It is not dramatic country and it is not wild, but it is easy, and for a first afternoon in the mountains or a short break from the city it does the job.

What you actually see

• Open meadow slopes - rolling grassland rather than rock gorges.
• Small ski bases - short lifts working through the winter.
• Paragliding launches - flights off the ridges in summer.
• Yurt camps - seasonal accommodation along the valley.

When to go

December to March for skiing, May and June for wildflowers, and June to September for walking and flying. The valley works year round, which is unusual for the region.

Honest expectations

The skiing is limited: short runs, old lifts and unreliable snow in warm winters. In summer the landscape is pleasant rather than spectacular, and the deeper gorges nearby are better for serious walking. Weekend crowds from Bishkek are heavy and the road can jam.

Nearby

Ala-Archa lies southwest; Bishkek is north.