Real alpine skills — crevasse rescue, glacier travel, rope work — taught in the uncrowded Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Built for complete beginners and for climbers sharpening their skills before a bigger expedition. Four days, not three weeks.
A compact profile — just 40km from Bishkek to the glacier, based at the Ratsek Hut throughout. Want to go further? Add the Uchitel Peak summit as an optional extension.
Four days, grouped by phase — tap any stage to open it.
Direct flight into Bishkek, arriving early morning, then a 40km transfer to the Ala-Archa gorge (2,200m). After breakfast we trek up to the Ratsek Hut at 3,300m, your base for the rest of the course.
A full day of technical training close to the hut: building anchors, hauling systems and crevasse rescue and self-rescue from a crack in the ice (2.5–3.5 hours of hands-on practice, plus review).
A full day on the ice: how to move safely roped up on a glacier, self-arrest technique with an ice axe, organising rope stations, and rescue and self-rescue drills — the technical core of the course. Overnight back at the Ratsek Hut.
Descend from the Ratsek Hut back to Ala-Archa and transfer to Bishkek, with free time to explore the city before your transfer to the airport.
Want to put the training to use on a real summit? We can extend the course with a push to Uchitel Peak — a beautiful 6-hour trek with panoramic views over the surrounding Tian Shan valleys and peaks. Ask Isa for details and pricing.
An outstanding experience with Thin Air Trips! Isa and the team brought so much care, enthusiasm and professionalism to the whole adventure. Their thoughtful planning, clear communication and attention to detail made everything feel smooth and well organised, allowing me to relax and enjoy the experience.
What stood out most was the personal approach. Isa was approachable, helpful and always happy to answer questions. You could really feel her passion for the mountains and her commitment to making the trip special.
A fantastic team that I would happily recommend to anyone looking for a memorable trekking or mountain adventure. Thank you, Isa and Thin Air Trips—I would love to join you again!
I’ve now travelled with Thin Air Trips twice — to Torres del Paine and Kyrgyzstan — and both trips were absolutely incredible. Two very different destinations, but equally unforgettable adventures!
One of the best things about travelling with them is that they take care of everything. From planning the itinerary to organising accommodation, transport and all the logistics along the way, they make the whole experience feel easy. There’s so much that goes into organising trips like these, and having it all managed means you can relax, enjoy the adventure and focus on the places you’ve come to explore.
Torres del Paine was spectacular, and Kyrgyzstan was another amazing experience, with breathtaking mountains and landscapes that will stay with me for a long time. Both trips gave me so many special moments and memories that I’ll always treasure.
For me, the real value of Thin Air Trips is being able to experience these extraordinary destinations without the stress of coordinating everything myself. You get all the excitement of an adventure, with the reassurance that the details are taken care of.
The fact that I booked a second trip after my first probably says it all! I would happily travel with them again and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a well-organised, memorable adventure. An easy five stars!
Fuimos con ellos al Ararat y todo perfecto, organización de 10, muy buena comunicación antes y durante el viaje, y muy buenos guías. Repetiremos!
I had a fantastic experience travelling to Russia to summit Mt Elbrus. Isa has been really communicative and helpful. I had a lot of hestitations about travelling to the region, but all went smooth and the entire trip was amazing. The team on ground were also just as professional and helpful, really helping to take off the logitical pressure and allowing me to focus on the summit.
Espectacular!!la ruta , la organización , la gente…repetiré sin duda!
Viaje top y equipo mejor aún!
Small groups, local guide, 4 days from Bishkek and back — with an optional extension to summit Uchitel Peak. Want it longer, or tailored around a specific peak? Ask Isa about a custom itinerary — this also works well as preparation before Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro or Ojos del Salado. See the full official itinerary & booking page.
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No. The course is built for complete beginners and takes you from your first steps with a rope and crampons through real glacier skills. If you already climb, it’s equally useful as a refresher or as focused practice on crevasse rescue and glacier travel before a bigger, more technical peak.
Rope work and knots, moving safely on a glacier, self-arrest with an ice axe, building anchors and rescue stations, and crevasse rescue and self-rescue — the core technical skills behind any glaciated mountain objective.
Yes — summiting Uchitel Peak (4,560m) is available as an optional extension on top of the 4-day course. Ask Isa for details and pricing.
Yes — it’s one of the most practical ways to arrive prepared for a technical objective. Several clients use this course as a warm-up before Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro or Ojos del Salado.
Airport and activity transfers, three nights at the Ratsek Hut, the Ala-Archa ecological fee, meals on the trip (except in Bishkek), and a professional local guide. International flights, visa, insurance, personal expenses and the Uchitel Peak extension are not included.
Yes. Beyond the Uchitel Peak extension, we can combine the course with additional peaks in the Tian Shan or tailor the itinerary around a specific objective — just ask Isa.