Tian Shan

Johannes and Yannic's cycle tour through the Tian Shan continues: through spectacular mountain landscapes and past turquoise lakes, the two of them cycle and push their way back towards Bishkek, interrupted time and again by interesting encounters with other travelers and locals.

Some people may look askance when you tell them that you have cycled through Kyrgyzstan, but the Central Asian country is now well known among adventure seekers. Most of Kyrgyzstan is crossed by the Tian Shan, a mountain range that stretches between Uzbekistan in the east and the Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang in northwest China. Johannes and Yannic spent 4 weeks cycling there and report on their trip.

Kirgyzstan, Kyrgizstan, Kyrgyzstan: No matter how you turn it around, or write or speak about it - if you mention this vacation destination, you will mostly be met with puzzled looks. Either because the other person has no idea where the country in question is located, or because they don't understand what you are doing in such a remote country. It was precisely this lack of understanding that strengthened our decision to spend our vacation in Kyrgyzstan (we opted for this option), more precisely in the Tian Shan.

On November 20, the second Königslinie Ski Film Night will take place at the Royal Filmpalast in Munich. The occasion is the release of the first edition of "Königslinie - Magazine for Ski Culture".

Jalpak Tash – A Kyrgyzstan Epic – the new ski short film by Anthony Bonello. The three skiers Izzy Lynch, Leah Evans and Mike Hopkins traveled to Kyrgyzstan in February 2012 to explore the wild, unknown mountains of the Tienshan. A traditional yurt served as their base camp in the largely undeveloped mountain landscape. The result of this unusual ski trip is a no less unusual and extremely worthwhile film, which celebrates its online premiere on Wednesday, November 14, 2012.

We had the opportunity to interview the athletes of the film Jalpak Tash | A Kyrgyzstan Epic, the new ski short film by Anthony Bonello. The three skiers Izzy Lynch, Leah Evans and Mike Hopkins traveled to Kyrgyzstan in February 2012 to explore the wild, unknown mountains of the Tienshan.

We make the last run of the day from a smaller but very steep mountain directly into the "Chimgan" ski area. However, the term "ski resort" has a very specific meaning here. There are lifts here – even a chairlift – but no groomed slopes and you just ski down wherever you can...

A jet of fire hisses from the exhaust above the hatch and the turbine of the old MI-8 transport helicopter slowly starts to move. Driven by the flight officer's hop-hop-hop calls, we climb aboard at a run, past the dented external tanks, and squeeze into a row on the two benches inside.