Skiing in Uzbekistan: Amirsoy, Beldersay and Chimgan compared

Leave a Tashkent hotel at 7:30 on a January morning and you reach the Amirsoy gondola as it starts at 9:00. By evening you can be back in the city for dinner. Skiing in Uzbekistan is that close: three ski areas, Amirsoy, Beldersay and Chimgan, lie in the Chatkal Range 65–85 km from the capital, and the season runs from December to March.

We live in Tashkent, and these are our home slopes. Here is how the three compare, when the snow is at its best and how we fit a few days of skiing into a trip along the Silk Road.

Is there good skiing in Uzbekistan?

For families, beginners and holiday skiers, yes. In autumn 2026 the British magazine Skier & Snowboarder wrote about skiing the Silk Road here and praised the wide runs at Amirsoy, the small crowds, the dry climate and the snow. The areas are compact, so we plan two or three days on the snow inside a longer trip.

Amirsoy: the ski resort we suggest first

Amirsoy is the largest ski resort in Uzbekistan and the most complete. It has 15 km of runs and 660 m of vertical. The longest run, Papa, is 3,550 m long and drops 637 m, while the Oscar lanes lose less than 50 m and suit your first confident turns. Two gondolas, a chairlift and conveyor lifts run from 9:00 to 16:00.

You can arrive with nothing. The rental shop holds 650 sets of Head and Rossignol skis and snowboards, plus jackets, trousers and helmets. The Ski Academy gives private and group lessons, for children from the age of 3. Snowmaking keeps the runs open for up to 100–120 days a year. For the chalets, restaurants and everything else at the resort, read our Amirsoy guide.

Beldersay: the biggest vertical and a new hotel

Beldersay lies on the slopes of Mount Kumbel, 5 km from Chimgan. Its 6.2 km of runs drop from 2,307 m to 1,506 m, a vertical of 801 m, the largest of the three. A Doppelmayr gondola with 43 ten-seat cabins now serves the mountain, with a mid-station at 1,676 m.

Beldersoy Resort and Spa opened here in July 2026, with a thalasso spa and indoor and outdoor pools, so winter 2026/27 is its first ski season. Before we book, we confirm which lifts and runs are working on your dates.

Chimgan: the classic Tashkent ski area

Chimgan is the old name in Tashkent skiing, under Greater Chimgan, 3,309 m. The ski area sits between 1,570 m and 1,975 m. It has an 800 m run with a chairlift, a 1,500 m beginners’ run with a drag lift and many short slopes of 300–500 m. Choose it for a simple day on the snow, with hotels in the village for the night.

When to ski in Uzbekistan

The Uzbekistan ski season usually lasts from December to March. Amirsoy runs from mid-December to late March, Beldersay from early December to early April, and Chimgan from December to mid-March. Each year’s start depends on the snow, so we check conditions before we fix your dates.

January and February are the heart of the season. Dress for real winter: in January the Chimgan weather station averages 1.2 °C in the afternoon and −5.6 °C at night, while Tashkent stays above zero by day. The rest of the country in the cold months is covered in Uzbekistan in winter.

How we plan a ski trip to Uzbekistan

Our ski weekend in the Tashkent mountains is the easiest start. We pick you up at your hotel, drive you to Amirsoy, Beldersay or Chimgan, book the room at the resort and help with ski passes, rental and an instructor. It takes 2 days and 1 night, and 3 days on request.

Many guests add the snow to the cities. On the Winter Silk Road, 8 days from December to February, you travel by train to Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, and the last day can be at Amirsoy, on skis or just for the view. If part of your group does not ski, we arrange a mountain day at Amirsoy and Chinorkent with lunch and a cable-car ride.

Tell us your level, your dates and who is travelling, and we will suggest the resort. Before you fly, check that your policy covers skiing: our travel insurance guide explains what to look for.