During our study trip with Maksat and Adilet we encounter a small ski rental in Itter, Austria. The owner Leo Fuchs is very enthusiastic about the initiatives that Ryce Travel is developing in Central Asia. After a nice conversation about the chances and opportunities in Kyrgyzstan, Leo comes up with a special proposal.
Last year they stopped the toboggan run in Itter. Near the village was a tow lift and a trail to slide down with an inflatable tire. Due to the warm winters, the toboggan season in the low-lying village has become increasingly shorter. It was therefore no longer possible to continue this. Leo would love it if the toboggan run was rebuilt in a developing country.
Our timing for the visit was perfect. Maksat started immediately to find local entrepreneurs to finance this project. Although the lift and the tubes could be bought for a reasonable price, transportation is still conplicated. It has to be transported for almost 8000 kilometers on miserable roads.
Fortunately we have found Bukit, the owner of local transport company from Karakol in Kyrgyzstan. He wants to be less dependent on the transport sector and he wants to invest in a winter sports project. A few days later he was already on the plane to see the lift and the tubes
It was a short visit and Bukit was quickly convinced of the possibilities. Because he has a transport company, the transport could be arranged easily. Even before Maksat and Adilet were back in Kyrgyzstan, the tow lift was already in Karakol. After finding out the right location, people worked hard to get the toboggan run open for the winter.
The track was festively opened on January 1 and many tobogganists have already come down. With the new Pistenbully we have created a real track that has made the descent even longer. Below you can see the images from the local TV station.
