Kyrgyzstan trekking is among the finest on the earth. With the Tian Shan Mountains operating via the nation, the choices for nice journey are infinite.
If Kyrgyzstan had nothing else to supply however mountaineering and trekking within the mountains, it will nonetheless be price visiting. That’s how wonderful it’s to immerse your self into the Tian Shan Mountains, more often than not with no one however you, the information and the mountains.
It is a place the place you’ll be able to have an actual journey if you wish to, and trekking in Kyrgyzstan shouldn’t be ignored by the adventurer.
There may be an abundance of choices for mountaineering in Karakol starting from flat valley hikes to aggressive mountain trekking that can take you over excessive elevation passes. You may head for a day or weeks, the choices are infinite.
On our first go to to Kyrgyzstan, we needed one thing that may give us a real style of what’s provided within the mountains and opted for an aggressive 3-day hike throughout 2 massive valleys, over a move and thru the countryside.
The Chon’ Kyzyl Suu – Jeti Oguz Trek over the Archaly Tor Go delivered all the pieces that’s epic in regards to the outdoor in Kyrgyzstan.
It was an irresistible introduction to the sweetness and journey that the realm provides. In the event you’re on the lookout for a spot to get off the crushed observe, we might have simply discovered what you’re on the lookout for.
This intensive information chronicles our 3 days within the mountains together with all the pieces you must learn about arranging your personal Kyrgystan trekking expertise.
Kyrgyzstan Trekking from Karakol
Day 1 – Chon’ Kyzyl Suu Village to Highlands
Distance: 12km / Elevation Acquire: 900m / Time Taken: 5 Hours
Our day began in Karakol with a pickup at our lodging, the place we squeezed right into a van with our information, driver and 4 porters.
We headed out of city in what would find yourself being a 3-hour drive to the small, nearly non-existent village of Chon’ Kyzyl Suu the place we might unload our gear and set off on foot into the valley.
It was roughly 1 pm once we began strolling and the primary hour adopted a tough dust highway via a forested space, over a couple of rivers, previous grazing herds of horses earlier than opening up into a formidable valley.
We adopted the valley for a means earlier than stopping to eat our packed lunch that consisted of a cheese sandwich, yogurt, dried fruit, banana, juice field, and a snickers bar.
Instantly following our lunch cease we headed on to the river we had been following into the valley. The crystal cool, turquoise glacier water rushed alongside in distinction to the inexperienced valley.
It might be our first water crossing and we have been fortunate to discover a pulley system with a switch field to make sure a dry crossing.
After 4 journeys throughout, we gathered our stuff up and headed straight for the forest. Our ascent from 2500m would start at that tree line and can be nothing however uphill till we reached the pasture highlands for the remainder of the day.
At this level, the path went from comparatively flat and open to a slender path, heading uphill via thick forests.
I wouldn’t name this an aggressive climb, however it’s a calf burner till you get above the tree line as a result of there may be restricted area for switchbacks and we discovered that the one method to navigate the path was straight up.
Cresting the tree line into the highlands was a welcome change in not solely the surroundings however in uphill climbing too. Entry to the valley and the climb up took us roughly 3.5 hours.
From this level, we walked with a river on our proper shoulder for one more 1.5 hours earlier than the Archaly Tor move got here into view up forward.
This was a conquest we’d be saving for the next day, however seeing it for the primary time was a incredible feeling of accomplishment.
It additionally instructed us camp was close to and after 5 hours of strolling, largely uphill, we have been wanting ahead to placing our ft up and resting for the rest of the day.
Our porters had hiked forward and the camp was already arrange once we arrived. We’ve each camped quite a bit in our lives, however the solitude that comes from a mountain camp is unmatched.
It was simply us, the mountains and nature throughout. Being within the mountains has a means of humbling you and making you’re feeling extremely small.
The porters set to work getting ready meals whereas we settled into our tents, establishing our sleeping luggage and adjusting to the results of the altitude at our 3,400m camp.
You lose sunfast within the mountains and because the shadows round us started to develop we rapidly realized that it will be a chilly evening within the mountains.
Day 2 – Archaly Tor Go to Jeti Oguz Valley
Distance: 12km / Elevation Acquire: 600m / Elevation Loss: 1500m / Time Taken: 7 Hours
Waking the following morning, I poked my head from the sleeping bag making a fog cloud with my first exhale of breath into the chilly morning.
Though I had slept nicely, regardless of the chilly, it was all I may do to encourage myself to depart the heat in my tent.
The solar was up however the shadows from the encompassing mountains have been too lengthy to offer heat to the campsite simply but.
After all, morning in camp is all enterprise. Get up, go to the bush bathroom, have some breakfast, pack up camp and set off for the day. As a result of nature of the climate, we had no intention of setting off earlier than 9 am.
To our luck, we had awoken to a minimally windy day with brilliant sunshine and a blue sky. Close to good situations to tackle the 4,000m move that stood earlier than us.
Whereas the move was in clear view in entrance of us, it will be a stable hour of strolling throughout the remainder of the rolling highlands, following the river, earlier than we reached the bottom of the move and began our ascent.
As soon as on the base, it was all about climbing. First following a rocky path with gradual switchbacks earlier than having to navigate solely a scree path.
It appeared, because the path acquired increased and steeper, the trail turned tougher to observe and navigate.
At one level, we have been even making our personal path as a result of we had utterly misplaced the path. This made the climbing very gradual and in lots of locations left us slicing footholds into the aspect of the move with our boots simply to keep up our grip.
The persevering with ascent in elevation making it tougher to maintain constant respiration additionally added to the problem of the path.
Regardless of all of it, reaching the highest was extremely rewarding with panoramic views of the place we’d been and the place we have been headed throughout us.
Exhausted, I took all of it in for a couple of moments then laid down on the high of the move for some reflection whereas David put his drone within the air. I used to be wanting breath at 4,000m and closed my eyes to calm down.
It’s not each day you get to energy nap on the highest of a mountain within the solar.
We spent half-hour on the move earlier than beginning our descent into the Jeti Oguz Valley. Leaving the move was very steep with free rocks leading to extra of a sliding state of affairs than strolling.
It was a second I needed for mountaineering poles to assist stabilize the steps as a result of every step induced a considerable amount of sliding rock. As an alternative, I spent a while crouched down and sliding on my ass down the hill.
Lastly reaching the tip of the scree, the terrain gave method to massive boulders that had been left by the glaciers that moved via the realm.
There is no such thing as a set path right here and a little bit of bouldering is important till you attain the primary grassy components of the valley.
Every part on this aspect of the move is downhill, generally fairly aggressive and different occasions extra gradual, however an assault on the quads and knees nonetheless.
The highlands appear to go on without end till you attain the tree line. It was laborious to not get excited once we reached this level, however there was nonetheless very steep downhill navigation via the forest earlier than we might really attain the valley flooring.
Regardless of our drained legs begging for a break, we pushed on whereas sneaking in wonderful viewpoint stops of the Jeti Oguz mountains on the appropriate aspect of the path.
Our complete descent from the move took 5 hours earlier than stopping to make camp within the Jeti Oguz Valley.
Our camp for the evening would find yourself being one in all my all-time favourite camps so far. The valley flooring is minimize in two by a brilliant teal river fed by glacial mountain water.
Main up the valley was the clearest view of the snowcapped Jeti Oguz Mountains. The contrasts, colours and pure splendor of the view might be a troublesome one to beat.
Establishing camp was a welcome change of activity and we even set off to collect some wooden for a bonfire to have fun our feat of conquering the Archaly Tor Go.
Day 3 – Jeti Oguz Valley to fiveth Bridge
Distance: 8km / Elevation Loss: 500m / Time Taken: 3-4 Hours
The beginning of at present was very like the primary evening with a gradual rise, breakfast, packing up and setting off as soon as the shadows have been gone.
We walked a brief means up the river the place we encountered a nomadic household residing within the valley. They welcomed us to see inside their yurt and to pattern some freshly churned butter.
It’s not each day you get an opportunity to mingle with native folks within the mountains so we spent the higher a part of half-hour with the household earlier than setting off straight in direction of the river.
Our second journey of the day would contain a river crossing, this time with none cables.
For David and the information, the river peak was possibly knee-high. They have been in a position to take away their boots and roll up their pants to cross.
I, alternatively, was dealing with a mid-thigh crossing and I knew it wasn’t attainable for me to roll up my pants that far.
As an alternative, I opted to not roll them up and sacrifice the pants. It meant I’d have a sopping set of pants and socks, however I’d be capable to find a bush on the opposite aspect and utterly change earlier than persevering with our hike out of the valley.
It took us the higher a part of quarter-hour to find part of the river that wasn’t too quick to cross. At this level, we unhooked our waist belts for our backpacks, locked arms along with our information and stepped into the speeding waters.
It was chilly and I imply REALLY chilly. Though it solely reached mid-thigh for me, the temperature took the breath proper out of my lungs. Inside seconds it felt like a whole bunch of needles on my ft however we pushed on collectively and reached the sandbar within the center.
That’s proper, we had solely crossed the primary half. Navigating the rocky sandbar in socks was a problem however we finally discovered one other appropriate place to cross and once more linked arms to step within the water.
It was tougher the second time realizing simply how chilly the water was going to be, however we made it.
I jumped up and down for a number of minutes to convey blood circulate to my toes earlier than setting off up a small hill searching for a spot to vary into my dry garments.
Fortunately the day was stunning with a excessive solar and a pleasing temperature round 70 levels.
From right here the trek is fairly straightforward, barely descending out of the valley and assembly up with a highway, just like how we began the trek.
We stored the mountains to ourselves till we reached the highway. At this level, we met different hikers for the primary time in 3 days.
It’s fashionable for folks to hike within the valleys and many individuals choose to remain in already established yurt camps alongside the best way. Only a few individuals are venturing up into the mountains, which is a disgrace as a result of it’s spectacular.
Strolling out we handed a number of yurt camps, a handful of different hikers and as we neared our ‘extraction’ level, a few tour buses bringing vacationers in for day journeys on the yurt camps.
The valley is gorgeous and in my view the higher of the 2 we traversed on our trek.
Loading our gear into the truck and heading again to Karakol was bittersweet. I used to be wanting ahead to a scorching bathe and heat mattress however in my coronary heart, I used to be not fairly prepared to depart the mountains.
This made for a reflective journey again to city and I spent the 1.5-hour journey deep in thought. Till subsequent time Kyrgyzstan, till subsequent time.
Plan Your Personal Kyrgyzstan Trekking Journey
Unbiased vs Guided Trekking in Kyrgyzstan
With all hikes beginning out of Karakol, it’s attainable to arrange this trekking route independently. You may organize transport to take you to Chon’ Kyzyl Suu after which decide you up within the Jeti Oguz Valley. Nonetheless, it’s not a straightforward course of.
There is no such thing as a telephone service when you find yourself up on mountain trekking, so it is rather vital that precisely the place and when to rearrange your pickup. One thing to notice, there isn’t a public transport from Karakol to Chon Kyzyl Suu Village.
It’s not sensible to take a one-way switch to the beginning of this trek and assume that when you attain the tip you’ll name somebody. You won’t be able to make a name for a experience, even when you begin reaching small yurt camps within the Jeti Oguz Valley, there isn’t a mobile phone reception.
Moreover, in case you’re mountaineering unbiased and also you haven’t organized a decide up time and date, in case you do have issues on the mountain, no one will know you might be there.
With one thing organized, in case you miss your pickup somebody will know to ship assist up the mountain for you.
I also needs to notice that the best way shouldn’t be nicely marked on this trek and there aren’t any set trails. You need to be proficient in studying topography maps with compass navigation in case you plan to set off on this trek alone.
It’s a backcountry hike and you should carry all the pieces out and in that you just want to your trek.
Having carried out this trek, I wouldn’t suggest going by yourself. I’ve a couple of causes for this. The primary one being threat of getting misplaced.
Like I discussed earlier than, there aren’t any trails on this route and the ‘path’ shouldn’t be marked nicely. Whereas they’re making robust efforts to mark the routes higher on this space, this trek goes for lengthy distances in between markers.
There are a lot of horse trails that run via the valleys that may give you a misunderstanding that you’re following a path, that is additionally not the case. You might want to know the place you’re going.
David Inventory with our mountain information, Alex
The opposite motive I’m recommending a information is for the easy undeniable fact that this a strenuous hike that would end in severe harm must you take a misstep.
I do know that is attainable with all distant mountaineering, however having further folks with you reduces the chance of you turning into stranded if an harm does happen.
On the very least, rent a porter to hitch you. They know these areas very nicely and won’t solely offer you companionship however make sure you gained’t get misplaced. Know although, that they won’t probably communicate English.
To rearrange a guided trek, you’ll be able to contact the C.A.T Journey Company or make contact with the Karakol Tourism Workplace. They’ve the very best contact info for hiring an expertise that can replicate our time within the Tian Shan Mountains.
What to Pack
Trekking within the mountains is not any joke. You need to be ready, have an honest degree of health and a rattling good blister package. You’re going to be on a mountain trek and you must pack appropriately.
The climate can change in a second so being ready is important to not solely take pleasure in your trek however to be protected from the weather.
Mountaineering necessities embody:
- Down Jacket
- Rain Jacket / Rain Pants
- Fleece LS pullover
- Wool sweater
- Thermal high / Thermal bottoms
- Wool socks
- Mountaineering Pants
- Mountaineering Boots
- Trekking Poles
- Hat
- Buff or neck gaiter
- Gloves
- Blister Package
- Sandals for water crossings
- Light-weight Tent
- Heat Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
It’s also attainable to lease quite a lot of gear in Karakol earlier than your hike. The costs under come from the Gear Rental Pricelist launched by TUK in Bishkek.
All costs are in Kyrgyz Som.
- Sleeping Bag Down 160
- Sleeping Bag Artificial 120
- Sleeping Mat 50
- Tent 2-3 Individual New 300
- Tent 2-3 Individual Outdated 200
- Tent 10-12 Individual Angara 1300
- New Backpack 65-85L 200
- Outdated Backpack 60 -100L 100
- Fuel Range 100
- Fuel Cylinder – Sale 200gr 500
- Fuel cylinder- Lease 2.5L/5L 300
- Plate 15/ Bowl 15
- Spoon 15/ Fork 15
- Plastic Mug 15
- Saucepan / Kettle 40
- Small Folding Chairs 40
- Ice Axe 100
- Crampons 150
Finest Time to go Mountaineering in Kyrgyzstan
The prime Kyrgyzstan trekking season is June – September. You’ll encounter sunny days, much less rain and ‘not so chilly’ nights of tenting within the mountains.
That mentioned, it may nonetheless dip to freezing whenever you’re tenting at elevation, even within the peak of summer time. Probably the most optimum time for the climate in August.
Our trek happened within the first week of September and the climate was good. We didn’t expertise any rain. It was fairly chilly at evening although, and we at occasions thought the gear we rented was on the verge of not being sufficient for the situations. In the course of the day the solar was excessive and powerful with a superb circulate of wind.
From what we understood, it’s attainable to trek in a really quick shoulder season, all climate dependent. The higher reaches of many routes obtain a good quantity of snow within the winter.
Which means that the shoulder season is totally depending on how a lot snow was acquired over the winter, how heat the spring climate has been or alternatively, how chilly the autumn climate has been.
As soon as the snow begins falling on the passes, you’ll wish to keep out of the mountains.
Price to Trek Chon’ Kyzyl Suu – Jeti Oguz Route
In the event you want to trek this route on a completely guided and catered to journey, the present price is $350USD per particular person for 3 days and a pair of nights.
This consists of transport from Karakol to the drop level and pickup level again to Karakol, an English talking information, 3 meals per day in the course of the trek, tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, 1 porter to hold your provides, 1 cook dinner porter to hold the meals and 1 cook dinner to arrange meals.
So far as piecing collectively a visit by yourself, prices run as follows:
- $50/day for information
- $40/trek per porter
- $160 for return transport (Karakol – Chon’ Kyzyl Suu / Jeti Oguz – Karakol)
As you’ll be able to see, reserving a bundle trek is a superb worth versus piecing it collectively by yourself.
Locations to Keep in Karakol Pre/Put up Hike
There are a variety of vacationer appropriate locations to remain in Karakol for earlier than and after your trek. A few of the authentic mountaineering hostels are nonetheless open, in addition to many new locations that can supply the next commonplace of facilities.
TAGAITAI HOTEL
That is the bottom we utilized in Karakol and have been very proud of it. The lodge is a 3-star property by western requirements, very clear, comfy and with scorching showers.
They provided a terrific breakfast, WIFI and have been inside a really quick strolling distance to the principle middle of Karakol. We will extremely suggest this property to your pre and post-hike lodging.
Locations to Eat in Karakol
Fats Cat Café: It is a small cafe serving sandwiches, pizza, beer, and different drinks proper subsequent to the vacationer workplace in Karakol. The proprietor is charming with a giant smile and the meals is tasty. It’s a terrific place to hang around with buddies and share mountaineering tales and even simply seize a fast chunk to eat whenever you’re out exploring the town.
Zarina’s: The staple restaurant of all guests to Karakol, this place options staple Kyrgyz dishes in addition to a couple of western staples. The ambiance is nice, costs inexpensive and also you’ll meet loads of different hikers right here.
Dungan Household Lunch: For cultural immersion, guide your self on a Dungan Household Lunch expertise. You’ll not solely be fed a ridiculous quantity of conventional meals but additionally get a tour of the Dungan village and an intimate look into the historical past of how they got here to be in Kyrgyzstan.
Mountaineering in Kyrgyzstan – Our Ideas
We weren’t positive what to anticipate once we have been provided the chance to go to Kyrgyzstan. We had heard many nice issues, seen intriguing images and skim in regards to the tradition.
Nonetheless, none of that would put together us for the way unimaginable the expertise can be in particular person.
The mountains in Kyrgyzstan are a particular place, nonetheless extremely wild and someplace you’ll be able to go to have a real journey within the outdoor.
You’ll not solely see unimaginable issues, check your health boundaries and reconnect with nature but additionally meet locals and get an inside look into one other tradition.
It’s an expertise we wouldn’t commerce and we will’t wait to return.
Extra on Central Asia:
- Kok Boru in Kyrgyzstan – An Intimate Look At Lifeless Goat Polo
- Trying Past the Stan- 33 Epic Kyrgyzstan Pictures
- Important Uzbekistan Journey Information: Every part We Want We’d Identified
- Turkmenistan Journey Information: An Inside Take a look at a Weird Nation
- Contained in the Capital of Turkmenistan: Ashgabat is a Unusual Place
- How one can Journey Tibet: Every part You Have to Know
- Folks of Tibet in 25 Pictures
Did you want this story? Share it!
740 shares
- Share
- Tweet
- Pin
