UZBEKISTAN: BIG CROSSING OF TIAN SHIAN

Morning wake up 2 hours driving by bus on good road till Boom canyon (1450m). Our horses will be waiting for us at the leopard stone statue, different statues are considered to be popular in Kyrgyzstan most of them you may see along the road such as: animals, workers with hummers and other “objects of labor” there’re symbols of Soviet power. We will spread the load on horses. Keep our way on narrow path. After big farm we rise up on gorge of ‘Pilon” with local Kyrgyz friends. Next day we will go to big valley to the west. Next stop on farm after which we go to gorge 1 hour walking. narrow pass will lead us to plateau. From both sides of the plateau we may watch a red beautiful canyons flowing together with river. Further next on the path to canyon. Overnight in camp.

Raised up in valley, you will see much vegetation; keep going the path narrowing till the right bank. We walk on canyon to go out on huge pasture. Glacial tops of the mountains remind us the tops of nomadic yurts established by nomads in summer. You will see here ex collective farms abandoned many years ago. As regime changed the yurt camps became practical and cozy especially for nomads whose life style is cattle-breeding. From gorge we go down to the valley Touyk. Make camp on lawn among held in front of big mountain snow tops.

There is a beautiful path of ex landing strip to Belboulak gorge. We will able to see a magnificent panorama: conifer forest, mountains and snow tops. Going down on landing strip till the ford, keep walking on water or by horse. One more hour of walk till camp located next to several yurt camps.

Raised up from valley we go on landing strip then continue walking on path. Cross several small rivers. We establish camp at the feet of Chamsy gorge. In July the valley is covered with flowers, the vicinity is going to be hilly! Consequently one should be trained to establish a tent correctly.

We will be rising up on ascent covered with flowers. Further up on the path along which you may watch rock fall and beautiful views from gorge. Further down to the valley marked on the map which finishes by canyon. At the end of canyon you will see plain with dry path leading to Kochkor valley. Our buses will be waiting for us here. The way to Kyzart village will take 1:30 hours. Overnight at local people.

It’s 30 min walk to the south bank. it’s enough to raise up on the path 2480m altitude. The raise up to the mountains till Tuz Achou. The only panorama on Song Kul Lake considered the most beautiful. Smooth rise down where we will see many yurt camps around the lake. At the lake buses will join to us. Overnight in yurt.

Whole day horseback riding tour at Song kul lake. The life in Song kul lake is very interesting, on the way of our tour we will visit nomads and their hoses- yurts, where we can drink tasty tea with salt, try real beer of nomads-which call Kumys (fermented milk of mare), and eat Kyrgyz sheep`s cheese – Kurut. We ride horses towards the lake where we could find local fish men, they know many facts about the real life at Song Kul lake , sometimes they live there the whole year and in the winter temperature is around -40. We visit stones of Manas, where your guide will tell you the story about ancient Kyrgyz athletes. In the evening visiting of Moldo Ashuu pass which is on an altitude 3251 m. above sea level. Night in yurt.

Walk up to the slopes above the lake to see the landscape clearly. You may see herds of animals with its shepherds. We may also climb up to a high cape to see the valley in all its length. Lunch in a yurt. After lunch we go to Naryn city where on the way you will enjoy a beautiful landscape. We reach Teskei-Torpok valley (3130) then we go down to Korgo valley. Dinner and overnight in local guest house in Naryn.

We keep our way on “international” motorway leading us to Torugart Pass and China. This road is very important for economics of Kyrgyzstan and China. After 2 hours on good road we raise up to Itchke valley. Small picnic. Keep our way on the path to Tash-Rabat (3500m). We stay in yurt camp and have dinner. Our buses will bring us our clothes. We also have to meet horse riders (couriers) who will be following us next 12 days. Night in the yurt camp.

Today we shall have a long trek. Rise up to the valley on the main road which will be divided into many paths soon. A rough rise up from Tash-Rabat (4000m). It will be very difficult to rise down on the rock falls. Finally we reach the bank of Chatyrkul Lake on the south-west of Karatai valley. Dinner and overnight in tents. We also may watch yaks.

We start our way by rising up from the valley among many yaks grazing on the green pastures. We rise down to west and north side of the bank of the lake. we follow the path which leads to Torugart. One hour of trek till glacier borders with China. Overnight in tents in Musteur valley.

For today we have a choice. You may stay in yurt camp to wash the clothes, to talk to local shepherds or chill out. For others we may go up to glacier Kakchaal (5108m). Then we go back to our camp.

The main direction of trek we experience today will involve ice channels of Fergana which we are going to cross on between east and west. This is a mountain chain with the north ice, slopes. Shepherds graze here horses, goats and cows. Here you can meet poachers hunting on animals. We will go to wild green water-meadows at the feet of the ice tops. Start walking to gorge located 3800m above the sea level. Overnight in tents at the bank of Kuzguntash River.

We will start our way between 2 mountain chains. We cross the Seuk River. This side of the path allows us to enter on Chinese border quickly, the path used to be used in contraband aims. We keep our way on the stony road till the Kokbell valley. (Means on local language: worker). Rise down is going to be rough and difficult.

We keep our way up till merging the path with a big valley. The path goes on the left of the bank. We will see a beautiful ice tops and several rivers we have to cross. The path keeps left side, from that side we may enjoy a magnificent mountain forest tract which according to words of local people is considered to be a good lightning-conductor. Overnight in yurt camp about small water spring.

From left side there’re high tops with glaciers from the right side of the mountains where often you may watch storm. We come close to grassy zones. We cross three rivers. Put our tents in Kitchi Karakaman camp at the feet of beautiful mountains. This is a dream of every alpinist!

The road is going to be difficult and hilly. We cross 2 rivers according to program. Lunch at local carbonated water spring. last raise down left. We keep our way to Chilbily valley. Overnight in tent.

Agaty valley; Gelanghatch valley (3040m). We start out trek rising up to Keuk Kia valley. We keep left side to find the valley which leads to Gelanghatch. Lunch in Agaty valley (2620m). 2 hours 30 min of walking to reach our camp located higher Gelanghatch valley. We will be invited be hospitable shepherd family.

The path will follow crossing Fergana valley. The road is difficult for horses because it’s stony. We have rough and difficult rise down to valley until we reach canyon. After canyon we keep another path leading to our yurt camp. We won’t be able to put tents due to hilly vicinity. So, we stay at yurt camp with big herds of sheep. Dinner and overnight in yurt camp.

Last day trek begins with a small rise up to escape rocky road blocking the valley. Many nomads and shepherds live in the valley especially in summer. We cross several rivers even on an old bridges. The valley is covered with limestone on the bank. The will be shining hard so it’s going to be difficult trek. We reach the bridge crossing the Yasseuh River. We leave our friends with horses who goes back to Tash-Rabat. Buses will be waiting for us. After lunch we go to Osh a huge city on the south of Kyrgyzstan. On the way we visit ex mosque and Uzgen minaret (XI-XII). Overnight in Osh guesthouse.

Visit of big bazaar, Suleiman Too Mountain. It’s very hot in Osh, so we stay in shadow of huge trees. Lunch and relax. Last diner in national cuisine. Short night in Osh.