Seasonal migration to the high pastures has been part of Kyrgyz life for centuries. Each summer, herding families move with their livestock into the mountains, setting up yurts and living much as their ancestors did. Today, this way of life is enjoying renewed attention as Kyrgyzstan seeks to balance tourism growth with cultural preservation and environmental care. Domestic travellers are reconnecting with their heritage, while international visitors explore alpine landscapes and nomadic traditions. This growing interest has created opportunities for small guesthouses, yurt camps and mountain lodges.

Accelerate Prosperity (AP) in the Kyrgyz Republic, an AKDN initiative, helps entrepreneurs seize these opportunities through coaching, mentorship, financing and market access.

Adapting hospitality to the high mountains

Abdirasul Akmatov, an entrepreneur supported by Accelerate Prosperity, began building a yurt-inspired dome hotel in 2019 near Taldyk Pass on the Pamir Highway, at 3,450 metres. What started as a family vision soon became a business with six rooms and 14 beds. Food is supplied by local farmers and there are jobs for nearby villagers.

The launch came just before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, closing borders and suspending tourism for nearly three years. With new direct flights, including Istanbul to Osh, visitor numbers are now beginning to recover.

Running a hotel at this altitude requires innovation. With no power lines, the family installed solar power for electricity and hot water, and insulated the dome to withstand long winters. A wastewater treatment system protects mountain springs and they work with herding families nearby to collect and remove litter. “Even in the high mountains, plastic bottles and bags appear,” says Abdirasul.

Through AP training, Abdirasul learned novel ways to remain competitive. “We realised that without adapting, we would fall behind. The training helped us think differently, especially now that mountain tourism is growing,” he says. The family is now constructing a second dome, with plans to expand services and attract visitors beyond the short summer season.

Blending culture with modern comfort

In the Alay Mountains, another entrepreneur, Islambek Ibragimov, saw untapped potential in mountain tourism. When his Osh hotel stood empty during the pandemic, he shifted focus to creating an alpine retreat.

Through AP’s accelerator programme, Islambek gained practical training in planning, marketing and pitching to investors. “AP was the first to believe in our idea,” he says. His project initially received a soft loan and later investment financing support.

The resort has grown into one of southern Kyrgyzstan’s most distinctive destinations. It combines a summer yurt camp for day and overnight visitors with modern cottages designed for year-round stays. Guests can enjoy traditional Kyrgyz cuisine, join craft workshops, ride horses across the pastures, or visit a bathhouse complex inspired by nomadic practices. The project creates jobs for local residents and generates indirect income by sourcing food, services and horses from nearby families.

For Islambek, the initiative is more than hospitality. It shows how entrepreneurship, with the right support, can meet hidden demand, strengthen communities and celebrate Kyrgyzstan’s cultural heritage in its mountain areas.

A hub for mountain travellers

In Osh, Temirlan Mamasaliev was inspired after visiting the Lenin Peak base camp in 2021 and seeing the needs of mountain travellers. He developed Sunny Hostel into more than a place to stay, turning it into a hub for trekkers with route advice and rental equipment.

Through AP’s support, he secured $10,000 in funding to purchase professional tents, sleeping bags and stoves, moving from improvised to structured services. Sunny Hostel has now begun working with tour operators such as OshTrips and Visit Alay, and involves young people: students volunteer as city guides to practise English before moving into jobs in tourism. “Sustainability is not just a word for us. We want to preserve nature, avoid artificial experiences and focus on real culture,” he says.

Local entrepreneurs, lasting impact

Other entrepreneurs have followed similar paths. Support from AP helped Meergul Karakozueva plan her project, set prices and establish a yurt camp in the Alay mountains. In 2019, she received two yurts and a solar panel that remain central to the camp. Electricity was added only recently, and water supply is the next priority. She later expanded her business by opening the Art Hotel in Osh city, and in 2023 received in-kind technical assistance (washing machine, built-in dishwasher, steam generator) after pitching at the Women CUP incubation programme.

Baktybek Nuridinov and his friends began by leading informal tours in Osh, introducing friends and visitors to Kyrgyz landscapes and culture. As demand grew, they joined AP’s acceleration programme, receiving training, mentorship and financing. This support helped them move from “amateur to professional tourism”, expand their tours, hire more guides and improve service quality, turning Around.kg. into a rising force for community-based travel in the region.

From high-altitude domes and mountain cottages to yurt camps, hostels and locally led tours, these and other entrepreneurs supported by AKDN are transforming the Kyrgyz mountains. Their ventures are creating jobs, preserving cultural heritage and offering lasting opportunities for communities in some of the country’s most remote regions.