Kyrgyzstan Alay Valley Trek

Osh, Kyrgyzstan · Kyrgyzstan

Challenging5 daysAsia~£800 est.

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Overview

The Alay Valley is Central Asia gone widescreen: a 3,000 m grass corridor between the Alay range and the Trans-Alay wall, whose crest — Lenin Peak (7,134 m) among a hundred kilometres of snow summits — stands across the southern horizon like a second sky. From Sary-Mogol, trek south to the yurt camps at Tulpar-Kul lake (3,500 m), climb through edelweiss meadows to Lenin Peak's Achik-Tash base camp, and top out on the Travellers' Pass (4,150 m) viewpoint, where the mountain's north face and its glaciers fill your entire field of view. This is nomad country in July and August: CBT-organised yurt stays, kumis offered at every camp, and horses available for any stage. Nothing is technical, but everything is high — a night in Osh (963 m) barely counts as acclimatisation, so build the ascent gradually and expect below-freezing nights even in midsummer. June to August only; snow closes the valley otherwise. Around £800 for five days with Osh transfers, yurt lodging and a horseman. The Pamir Highway junction at Sary-Tash makes an epic add-on towards Tajikistan.