As the winter tourism season approaches, Kyrgyzstan’s state-owned Asman Airlines has announced the launch of a new regular flight connecting Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, with the Kyrgyz town of Karakol, home to the country’s most popular ski resort.
The Karakol-Almaty-Karakol route is set to begin operations on December 5, with flights scheduled every Friday and Sunday. The flight time is approximately 35 minutes.
Asman Airlines will operate the Dash 8 Q400, a Canadian-made short-haul turboprop aircraft that can carry up to 80 passengers and has a range of up to 2,000 kilometers.
Karakol is the highest ski resort in Central Asia, located at an altitude of 3,040 meters in the Tien Shan Mountains. The resort offers panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and nearby Lake Issyk-Kul. Situated just 7 kilometers from Karakol and 400 kilometers from Bishkek, it features ski trails suitable for both professional athletes and beginners. The ski season runs from December to March.
The new air route is expected to significantly improve access to Karakol for weekend travelers from Kazakhstan’s commercial capital.
In a related development, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have further enhanced air connectivity with the launch of a direct flight linking their capitals, Astana and Bishkek.
On November 10, Kazakhstan’s Vietjet Qazaqstan operated its inaugural flight on the Astana-Bishkek route. The service runs twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays.
Officials anticipate that the new flights will promote tourism, business, and cultural exchange between the two neighboring countries.
