Amirsoy Ski Resort
The Amirsoy Ski Resort is the knight in shining armour of
skiing in Uzbekistan. Prior to 2019 there were just a couple of very primitive ski resorts in Uzbekistan, but with an investment of a reputed 100 million Euros, the Amirsoy Mountain Resort was born and Uzbekistan skiing started getting a tiny bit of international attention. Not many of the Uzbekistan locals ski or snowboard, so the resort has been launched with the leadership of international experts. A shiny new gondola and chair lift are Doppelmayr, and the lodging is the complete antithesis to a soviet concrete hotel that you may expect in Uzbekistan.
Whilst the Amirsoy Resort is very developed by Central Asian standards, it’s still very much in its infancy. There are grand plans afoot to add lifts and terrain, and potentially link Amirsoy with the Beldersay and Chimgan ski resorts.
Pros and Cons of Amirsoy Uzbekistan
Pros
- Heading to Uzbekistan offers amazing adventure travel, and even though the resort has been somewhat westernised, the whole experience offers a unique cultural experience.
- Amirsoy Ski Resort doesn’t attract many international powder hounds so there’s no powder feeding frenzy. The only potential crowds are of the non-skiing variety.
- The chair lifts are fast and the amenities are modern.
- Amirsoy has good lift assisted backcountry, and with a little ski touring a series of ridges offer up plenty of pow riding.
- Nearby heli skiing is some of the cheapest in the world.
Cons
- The on-piste offerings are still pretty limited.
- We’re not in Kansas anymore so expect to find some inferior service levels and growing pains, but if you weren’t looking for a different experience then you wouldn’t be researching skiing in Uzbekistan, right?!
Pro or Con Depending On Your Perspective
- Lift passes are dirt cheap and food is somewhat inexpensive. Conversely, the lodging options are limited to only fancy chalets that cater for 4-8 guests, so accommodation is particularly pricey for solos or couples.
Amirsoy Ski and Snowboard Terrain
Amirsoy Mountain Resort is the biggest ski resort in Uzbekistan, but it’s modest sized by international standards. The resort has 900 hectares of terrain, with 10 runs that equate to 15km slope length across 660 metres vertical (1,630 – 2,290m). The plan is that by 2022 there will be 28 runs.
The marked runs are suited to beginner to intermediate skiers and snowboarders, and there’s plenty of space for off-piste skiing in the sub-alpine terrain for advanced riders. With a ski touring or split-board set-up the backcountry options are plentiful, with ridges and bowls just a short traverse from the gondola.
An 8-person gondola travels the vertical of the Amirsoy Ski Resort, and thankfully skiers and snowboarders join a different queue to that of all the sightseers. A fast quad chair lift on the lower mountain services a handful of beginner runs. There are also 5 magic carpets for novices and tubing.
Amirsoy Snow
The average snow quantity per season at Amirsoy in Uzbekistan is unknown, and the investment in snowmaking guns seems to suggest that the snow volumes are sometimes inconsistent on the lower mountain. Even though the altitude is not particularly high, the Amirsoy snow quality is usually exceptional thanks to low evening temps, north to northwest facing slopes, and no nearby ocean to provide wet maritime snow.
Where is Amirsoy Resort?
Amirsoy Mountain Resort is situated on the northern flank of Mt Maygashkan in the Bostanlyk district of the Tashkent region in Uzbekistan. This is the western part of the Tien Shan Mountains of Central Asian, and not far from the border with Kyrgyzstan. Amirsoy Ski Resort is 98km by road northeast of the city of Tashkent (the capital) and 93km from the Tashkent International Airport which is serviced by Uzbekistan Airways and Turkish Airlines as examples. You can look at flight options here.
You may want to do a stopover in Tashkent to soak up the atmosphere of the capital city.
Tashkent Hotel Listings
Amirsoy Accommodation
The base of the ski resort has 40 chic Swiss style wooden chalets that form the 5 star
Le Chalet by Amirsoy. The self-contained luxury chalets have a kitchen, lounge with fireplace, and terrace with mountain views, and cater for 4 or 8 guests. If not dining-in at your chalet, there are a few restaurants to choose from that include a good range of international cuisine.
Facilities
The ski resort facilities are very contemporary and in addition to the restaurants at the base, there is a little bar slightly up the hill. Food prices are comparable to what you’d expect to find in Eastern Europe.
There is ski and snowboard rental equipment available but best to bring your own, especially touring gear. There are also snowsports lessons with English speaking instructors, but if you’re an adventure skier or rider heading to Uzbekistan it may be safe to assume that you already know how to slide on snow.
Off snow activities are limited to a lavish spa complex at the hotel, whilst other activities include tubing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing.