Journey, where we would like to invite you, is passing at northern part of Turkestan ridge – one of four ridges forming Pamiro-Alay mountain massif. Here – in most beautiful region of Aksu peak and Karavshin river – you can completely feel your close unity with nature, You are going to be fully charmed with magnificence of mountain landscapes open in front of your eyes, slit by wavy wild rivers and crowned with sharp-shaped rocky summits in snowy-white attire, you will wander by fairy-tale juniper forests which suddenly change to wide areas of green alpine meadows, and shadows from swirling clouds floating above driven by free winds of mountain spaces are going to be like kind fellow travelers for you in bright sunny days. And feeling of happiness which you will sense every single minute from bestowed virgin beauty is going to comfort you long years after, and you will keep in palms this sun washed by rain like clear light of the joy, which is going to shine as salutary small beacon during all your lifetime… Welcome!

Total duration: 15 days / 14 nights.
Duration of active part: 11 days / 11 nights.

Program of the tour:

detailed tour description >>

The cost includes:

The cost does not include:

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Detailed tour description:

Day 1. Arrival in Bishkek. Meeting, transfer to hotel. Accommodation.
Welcome to Bishkek! Bishkek in nowadays is modern and well-planned city with all appropriate attributes which is worthy of the Kyrgyzstan’s capital. In contrast to majority of cities and megalopolises Bishkek is buried in puffed laces of leafage and acerose leaf. Climate here is almost the same like somewhere in the central part of Russia or Canada: the same coolness in summer days, the same abundance of precipitation which is necessary for all this garden-stuff, the same big number of water arteries. It seems like nature deliberately gifted all the best to this land for its prosperity. We could talk about hospitality of Kyrgyz people long time and cheerfully, but untill You know everyday life of Bishkek You are not able to believe that kind old times when everybody was open to each other still alive here. It surprises in our not easy time, but having tasted this most humane relate from other people You become better and kinder in some sense, realizing fully that it’s not so hard to help with advice to someboby, with word of consolation to somebody, with daily bread to somebody. Bishkek is kind city, You are going to feel here like being at home. There is «Osh bazaar» in Bishkek - exactly here You will be completely astonished! Besides plenty of fruits from every corner of the globe, «lepeshkas» (national kind of bread) with different shape and size, traditional candies, buns and rolls - national handicrafts will impress on You, so, let You buy souvenires to present it to Your friends after!

Day 2. Flight Bishkek - Osh, transfer Osh - Uzgarish (290km,7h). Pitch Camp 1 (1700m).
Uzgarish is not big mountain village. Quiet and regular life which is full of everyday things to take care of and usual for country is going on here in normal way. During ages people lives here moderately, works and has a rest, celebrates weddings and bears babies. As is the custom of plain folk, You will be welcomed and invited to come into their house, asked to dinner, and women will start bustling about at once around guests like bees trying to oblige and offer delicious food. Men graze cattle on rich pastures of downhills, and besides local people grows tobacco plants and looks after luxuriant fruit gardens - that is full sea of aromatic apricots and apples! And vitamins is exactly what You need after long winter, hard work and slow on the uptake bosses! So, dive in, everybody!, it"s up for grabs! Many dwellers have own watermills where they grind grains/ You can watch how do they do that - it’s very interesting process with strong followed technology. There are handsome donkeys around, they roam about the streets and call over the roll with each other. Just like fatigueproof Kyrgyz horses, donkeys got used to carry hard burden and not to complain of their life. And we are going to pass our first and very amazing trekking day tomorrow. Delicious dinner will spur You to go to sleep, and don’t resist, OK?

Day 3. Passage up along Laylak river and further - along Ak-Machet to the confluence of Ak-Suu (wight water) and Kara-Suu (black water) rivers (14 km, 6h, +1100m). Camp 2 (2800m) on a green glade upper river’s confluence.
Get ready for long walk! Yes, we have to pass quite long distance today, but the way is not going to be hard and it goes by good path with gentle rising. But in return You have possibility to regale Yourselves with fresh apples again on the bank of Laylak river! Well, then we set foot on changing landscapes of the Ak-Machet river valley. There are rocky steeps around and also sparse islets of juniper forest on grass plots. Noisy river bubbles somewhere near here or stays somewhere down, and meanwhile the path rises closer to the foot of splendid Aksu peak (5355m), which is sharply outlined against a background of blue sky and white fleecy clouds. His two-headed neighbour – Iskander peak (4501m) - is covered with snowy skullcap of fanciful shape.

Day 4. Radial walk to the wall of Aksu peak (7km+7km, 7h,+700m,-700m). Return to Camp 2.
If You don’t visit the foot of colossal wall of Aksu peak then Your adventure will lose much. Perhaps, this place is most impressive – You just try to imagine: You are staying on huge moraine together with Your friends, throwing back your heads and striving to overlay mentally 2-km bar with plumb rocky wall. You can even not to check: the wall is really almost 2km of height. And Admiralteets, Petrogradets and Block peaks are rising near it. The path to the foot of all these beauties is lying along Ak-Suu river, and we make approach there by very picturesque wide gorge, trying not to lose something and attempting to shoot everything photocamera.

Day 5. Acclimatization hike to Uriam pass (3760m, 7km+7km, 7h,+960m, -960m). Return to Camp 2.
All these acclimatization hikes is very useful thing which was thought up by very clever men. Because You can not only admire agape the sceneries but at the same time You breath actively with open mouth and get rich experience of being at altitude. You know, it’s just like vaccine. You get small doze of the altitude - and go down. In return next day this altitude is just like mosquito’s sting for You - it’s barely palpable for organism. And when You reach Uriam pass then You can see that adjacent gorge shows parti-colored mountains which grow up along Uriam river. Among them Parus peak is particularly notable. It looks like some stony sail where winds of height strike in. (By the way, route line on its rock wall is extremely desired for mountaineers and climbers, and You may watch somebody from them scrambling with rope to the top of Parus). Let’s wave good bye to the adjacent mountains and go back - dinner is going to be soon!

Day 6. Passage across Ak-Tubek pass (4390m.). Descent to the Orto-Chashma river valley (12km,8h, +1890m, -1390m). Pitch Camp 3 (3000m) below confluence of Ak-Tubek and Dukenek rivers.
Are You ready to come higher? Of course, You’re ready! We are to long way today, dear friends. But we don’t get used to give up! Eh? Horses have already moved ahead with their - no, with our loads, then we follow them. We are to ascend to quite high pass called Ak-Tubek. This way is not so long, but we are going to get quite appreciable altitude. So, it’s important thing to use Your energy sparingly today in order to be still in good mood and to feel only light touch of sweet fatigue in the body tonight when we come to the lodging for the night. Descent to the Orto-Chashma river valley is long-continued but at the same time it is very enthralling and it passes across alpine meadows to confluence place where two rivers - Ak-Tubek and Dukenek, coming from two glaciers of the same name - flow into Orto-Chashma river. Tongues of these glaciers slip down from Turkestan ridge, losing more and more moisture from year to year and decreasing in size. But rivers though gladden the eyes with jolly swash on stones and plenty of water. And we are going to overnight here - near this confluence on the edge of juniper forest, and tonight You will see the show of the nature: in evening glow surrounding high summits will merge little by little into the background of becoming dark sky and soon they will completely disappear in the night darkness. But our fun company is not going to feel darkness - all people will get together at the table in roomy tent in order to eat with gusto at the dinner time and recover their powers spent today. It’s so fine - to sit around cozy campfire tinged with fragrance of dry gummed juniper twigs…Then - let You sleep, sleep, sleep!

Day 7. Passage across Kosh Moynok pass (3260m). Descent to Kosh-Moynok river (8km, 4h, +260m, -260m). Camp 4 on the river bank (3000m).
In the morning while stream of the river don’t gather full strength we cross Orto-Chashma: horses will help us to do that. Then we go by juniper forests to turn of the path in direction of the pass, moving off from Turkestan ridge - but it is not for a long time, friends! You can gather mushrooms by way (they are huge here) – our cook will say such a great Thanks to You! Then he will cook super delicious mushroom soup or might be fried mushrooms - it’s going to be just finger-licking good! Having turned the path rises up again and then it twisting with zigzags finally leads to the pass. If we linger over here for several minutes then we have a time for looking over all these powerful walls overhanging the river bed, now we leave it behind. Believe: the wiew is very beautiful and it deserves to be shot by photocamera. Well, now we move almost by aclinic line to Kosh-Moynok river. It’s so fine to step to the camp which is situated near «kosh» (summer shepherd’s hut). Because everything is ready to Your coming – tents is pitched, table is set for dinner. And ahead - just like subtle hint at next day - the saddle of Kara-Su is being seen clearly there in the twilight. But we are going to set off there only tomorrow, and now it’s going to be rest, dinner, become traditional medley near campfire under starlit sky of the high mountains with songs and romantic stories from Your own truthful lips. Enjoy it, dear friends!

Day 8. Passage across Kara-Su pass (3720m.). Descent to the Kara-Suu river valley (8km, 4h,+720m,-620m). Camp 5 near spring on wide glade at up edge of forest (3100m ). Walk to the uppers of Kara-Suu river. Return to Camp 5.
It’s time of Kara-Su pass, we start walking up right from camp spot - it’s gong to be by gentle zigzag without feeling of weariness. The slope is grassy here and the path is comfortable – so, the way to the pass it not going to take too a lot of time and it’s quite interesting. Don’t forget to greet Echo being on the saddle. Mr. Echo has permanent residence there. Step-by-step we come down to Juniper forest on a bank of Kara-Suu river. «How come? – You might be ask, - We had already passed by one Kara-Suu river» Don’t be surprised, dear friends. In Central Asia mountains some rivers, passes and even some peaks have the same names very often. And here we have similar situation – there was one Kara-Suu, and now we have another one here. But this Kara-Suu doesn’t look like that one, because the gorge where our present Kara-Suu runs eating from Asan-Usen glacier is crowned with finest peak - Piramidalny peak (5509m). As the way did not take too a lot of time today, and our feet which were get used to move ask to set off somewhere then let’s don’t disappoint them ? and make a nice walk up by powerful walls under Asan and Usen to the foot of snowy Piramidalny peak towards the oppers of Kara-Suu. Don’t forget to take photographs! And after that – when we return to the camp, our campfire will gather friends into its warm circle. One more day of the trek is finished, and it is overfilled with interesting events and new impressions. Let’s forget it!

Day 9. Walk along the Ak-Suu river gorge to the foot of Slesov, 4810, Tisiacheletiye Krestcheniya Rusy, Russkaya Bashnia peaks. Descent to confluence of Kara-Suu and Ak-Suu rivers and further along Ak-Suu river to the tongue of Ak-Suu glacier (6km+6km, 7h, 3000m). Return to Camp 5.
Let’s wake up today earlier in order to have enough time to come by adjacent gorge to Turkestan ridge. Now You are going to be fully taken aback: yes, yes, the river of this gorge has Ak-Suu mane, too (do You remember – we had been ascending along the river of the same name to Ak-Suu peak?) Moreover, – the glacier has the same name, too. What’s a jumble with these similar names – that’s good we have guide and map! Otherwise we could think we go round. And when we pass over the crest dividing two gorge then we can consider that tierce of the way is over. There are mushrooms stick out from grass here around again. How come that You are not bored with them? Just You still gather and gather mushrooms… Oh, we had to bring basket in the trek. Well, well, friends, let mushrooms be mushrooms, but we have absolutely another purpose today – that is uppers of Ak-Suu river plus glacier slipping from Turkestan ridge of imposing magnitude. After making descent we start walking up along the Ak-Suu stream – by juniper forests again, and we have to force our way through, because it’s just dense juniper forest. At will we could perch quite high, because (we tell it in confidence!) there is path through Turkestan ridge which passes by moraine firstly and then by glacier to Buztor pass and further – to Tajikistan. But we don’t need to get there, we just only want to admire Kyrgyz side of the ridge. There is a reason to be dumb-founded here – all these colossal peaks appear very forcible, there are 4810m (it’s called this way because it has got that altitude), Slesova, Tisiacheletiye Krestcheniya Rusy, Russkaya Bashnia peaks… Living pictures… Fabulously wonderful… Afterwards they are going to come to You in Your dreams…

Day 10. Approach under Uponim pass (15km, 7h, -100m) along Karavshin river. Camp 6 (2900m) near up edge of forest.
Let’s look back – there is Piramidalny peak in splendour of its snowy garment. And at the moment that particular instants come when You may
say goodbye to Piramidalny peak and its stately neighbors which are being at the same Turkestan ridge, because now we are going to walk down, moving away from these magnificent mountains more and more. We are to long way, but it won’t be boring. Firstly we reach confluence Ak-Suu and Karavshin rivers, passing by ruins ancient settlement called Karavshin, then we get confluence with Kindik river. Somewhere along the way we will have rest, boil water for making tea and have a snack, and after that we will go further – to the tributary of Karavshin river called Uponim river. Now ascent to Uponim pass starts. Today we are not going to get there, we only gather some altitude in order to make our tomorrow aim easier. Soon we stop on a river bank and pitch camp.
It becomes dark… Turkestan ridge is left far from here - now You have it only on pictures and in memories, and that’s not so minor thing, don’t You agree? Two days more we will go by picturesque mountain landscape passing by summer shepherd’s huts where You can drop in and talk with hosts about all life things, and also You can meet with their everyday unpretentious order of being. They got used to live this way, and they are glad to every single sunny day, to new good tidings, to rich harvest, to happy birth of new baby, to every guest dropped in at the firelight, to appearing young newborn foal, to good health of their family and long lifetime of their old parents, to this sun and this sky, to their motherland, which is smiled by Allah every single morning… That’s way to be learnt, isn’t it?

Day11. Passage across Uponim pass (3200m). Descent down (8km, 3h, +300m, -600m). Camp 7 (2600m) near spring.
Today there our final pass is, and we go there not being in hurry, crossing several saddles - that Uponim pass is. In return, alpine meadows and juniper tangles below. We will descend to the right tributary of Laily-Mazar river (Ak-Mechet river from which we started our enthralling adventure along Turkestan ridge flows into this full-flowing river), and then we settle in for the night, having set next camp. Do You feel light touch of sadness? Yes, that feeling comes every time when You suddenly realize that interesting adventure draws nearer to its logical completion. But the truth is that our hearts are always bared for new discoveries, and our live has purport only when human soul is tuned up to cognize this wonderful world.

Day12. Descent to Boljuma river (9km, 4h, -1300m). Stopover at national guest house in Uzgarish village (1300m).
The sun is rather hot - it’s because we almost came down, and now we are passing by apricot gardens picking ripe and odoriferous fruits again and again and regaling with it. At known villadge host greets us and accommodates for overnight. And the most interesting event is going to be tonight - that is celebration dinner in honor of ending of the mountain journey to Turkestan ridge! Rich table is waiting for You, all Your new friends will gather here, and goblets will be raised surely! Now we’re going to make merry all night long, because we can have enough sleep tomorrow. Tonight You can sing a lot and listen to the differeng songs too much, and of course You will make photographs for long memory sitting all together at the fun table!

Day 13. Transfer Uzgarish village - Osh (290km, 7h). Accommodation at hotel.

Day 14. Flight Osh - Bishkek. Accommodation at hotel.

Day 15. Transfer to airport and departure.

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