Two different places in one trip. Ushkonyr is a plateau near Almaty with almost a kilometre of vertical and a 500-square-kilometre flying area. Tekeli is the foothills of the Dzungarian Alatau, the site of the Asian-Oceanic Championship.

Ask about dates Format and price All destinations

September

trip window

€2 550

Guiding format, from

1 : 4

one guide per four pilots

IPPI 4

pilot requirements

SkyAtlantida › XC trips worldwide › Kazakhstan

Site

Tekeli and Ushkonyr: numbers, not impressions

Ushkonyr

launch at about 1950 m

800–1000 m of vertical, flights north off the edge of the plateau

Tekeli

launches at 1200, 1800, 1950 m

two landings: 1000 and 1250 m

Ushkonyr flying area

500 sq km

in the massif of Mount Atzhaylyau, 2405 m

Road

Almaty → Taldykorgan → Tekeli

310 km from Almaty, then another 40 km

Duration

10 days

Trip window

September

Meeting hub

Almaty airport

the country's hub, not a fixed launch — we pick the valley from the forecast about a week before departure

Level

adventurous XC / mountain

Why fly here

What this place gives you

Strengths

Ushkonyr is 50 km west of Almaty: an earthy grass launch, slopes of 35–45°, easy to launch in different directions
Tekeli is a World Cup and Asian-Oceanic Championship site; past championship tasks were 30, 50 and 65 km
In the Almaty area pilots regularly climb above 5000 m; in 2024 one pilot reached about 7400 m
Visa-free entry for Russia, Ukraine and Georgia

What is dangerous here

Outside competitions there is no helicopter evacuation, radio monitoring or medical post at the sites — organisers bring all of that only for the events
Working altitudes require oxygen readiness and warm gear
Communication on course is not guaranteed

Routes

What people fly here

Ushkonyr — flights north, off the edge of the plateau towards the valley. Tekeli — tasks of 30–65 km under championship rules.

Competitions. Kazakh Pre World Cup in Tekeli, June 2024. Asian Tour World Cup in Zhetysu, June 2024 — more than 150 pilots from 33 countries. FAI Asian-Oceanic Championship test event, May–June 2025. The Asian-Oceanic Championship itself — Tekeli, June 2026.

Format

Dates, price and what is included

Guiding

€2 550per pilot, EUR

Guiding + stay

€2 950twin/shared for the whole trip

Group

4–8 pilotsratio 1 guide : 4 pilots; a second guide joins the larger groups

Deposit

30 %non-refundable — except when the group does not form and we cannot run the tour

The Guiding format includes: a guide on site for the whole trip, weather briefing and the task of the day, shuttle to launch, retrieve from the landing, radio guidance and live tracking, track debrief every evening. Accommodation and meals are yours.
Guiding + stay: twin or shared for the whole trip, price in the table above.
Not included: flights, insurance, personal equipment, visa fees, local site fees — cable cars, launch fees, forest and park fees.
Booking and invoicing are handled by the manager. This is a partner site, so the final price and deposit are confirmed by the manager — the price in the table is valid at the time of publication.

Groups of 4–8 pilots; a trip runs from four. Dates inside the window are adjusted to the group that forms — tell us the month and we will schedule the trip. The 30 % deposit per pilot secures your place and is non-refundable, except when the group does not form and we cannot run the tour. What to bring — on the pilot requirements page, full rules — in the XC booking terms.

Preparation

Visa, weather and non-flying days

Visa

Russia, Ukraine and Georgia — visa-free. Citizens of Russia may enter on an internal passport.

Rules change — check the primary source before buying tickets. If you need help with documents, write to us.

Weather in the window

Reference for Almaty: June 28 °C, July 31, August 30, September 25. Driest in August and September.

If we are not flying

Taldykorgan, the gorges of the Dzungarian Alatau, Charyn Canyon from the Almaty side.

Read before the deposit

Insurance, documents and rules

Insurance that covers paragliding is mandatory — at least €100 000, with search and rescue, helicopter evacuation and repatriation. Before the trip every participant signs the participant document and sends it to us together with a photo of their passport and licence.

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Pilot requirementsLevel, equipment, radio, insurance, emergency procedure

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XC booking termsVersion 1.3 of 21 Aug 2026, 23 sections

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Safety briefing“You are the pilot in command”, weather, radio

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Participant document (RU)PDF · filled in and signed once before the trip

Where else

Other destinations

There is a flying destination in every month of the year. If your dates do not match this window, look at the neighbouring ones.

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We will answer straight: whether you are ready for this destination now or should first take a step down. In Russian and English.

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