How Asia Trains IFMGA Guides: Japan JMGA, Nepal NNMGA, Georgia GMGA, Kyrgyzstan KMGA | IFMGA Mountain Guides
Asia has only three IFMGA members, Japan, Nepal and Kyrgyzstan, plus Georgia on the Europe–Asia border. Japan takes at least about 7 years, runs entirely in Japanese, and is not taking new international-guide candidates in 2026. Nepal is a No Ski association that was allowed to take Asian students from 2020. Georgia trains guides through a state vocational diploma taught in Georgian. Kyrgyzstan takes about 3 years, teaches in Russian and English, and charged US$3,300 in total for the 2016–2019 intakes.