This trekking is designed for the fans of horse riding who are keen to visit picturesque, intact corners of nature. The trek takes place in the mountains of Western Tien Shan and comprises a vast area, including the Kirghiz natural sanctuary “Sarichelek”.
We start from the garden-clad Fergana valley, a pearl of Central Asia, through which the Great Silk Road passed. The mountainous area of Western Tien Shan is regarded as very attractive in the region, owing to its immense valleys and peaks exceeding 5000 metres. We make our way in picturesque valleys, cross several passes that lead to great canyons, cloudless alpine lakes and foamy mountain rivers. We’ll visit the large valley of the Chatkal river with a pristine nature. Twice we’ll cross the Chatkal ridge by simple passes in the vicinity of the highest peak with the same name – Chatkal (4503 m). Also during the trek we shall be meeting with warm – hearted locals, so that we can learn of their simple nomadic life and taste their local round bread and yogurt with aroma tea.

Tour duration: 15 days / 14 nights.

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Detailed tour description:

Day 1. 1) Arrival to Bishkek. Flight to Osh. Meeting, accommodation at hotel. 2) Arrival to Osh. Meeting, accommodation at hotel.
Osh (more often this city is called as «Southern capital») is the largest city at the South of Kyrgyzstan, where you will be met by friendly and hospitable people, busy green streets with many café, vivid orient bazaar and main attraction – Suleyman-mountain. This mountain rises above the city straight in the middle of it and looks perfectly against the background of the brisk city life reminding about immediate closeness of its grand brothers – Tien-Shan and Pamir mountains.

Day 2. Transfer Osh – Aphlatun village – Camp 1 at the confluence of Aphlatun and Utur rivers (1300m) – 300km, 10h.
We are to spend first night in mountains at the confluence of two rivers in picturesque place. The main thing before having enthralling and quite long-continued adventure is to have a good sleep and have a good rest.

Day 3. Preparation to the route. Start of the active part of the route. Riding up along South. Aphlatun river. Camp 2 (2000m) – 18km; 6h; +700m.
Meeting with horses. Trial riding. Riding up along the gorge of South. Aphlatun river to the place of its confluence with Uialma river. First day is always difficult with its novelty of feelings. Good ground road leads by South. Aphlatun river canyon among spectacular forest of the Tien-Shan firs. Motley green grasses of the Alpine meadows clear contrasts with severe beauty of mountains. Camp is on a bank of Ashuu-Ter river.

Day 4. Passage up along the Ashuu-Ter river valley to Ashuu-Ter pass (3368m) and descent to the North. Aphlatun river valley. Camp 3 (3000m) – 12km; 7h; +600m; -400m.
Long-continued ride to Ashuu-Ter (Middle Aphlatun) pass will reward us with beauty of grand wall of the Chatkal Ushba (4346m) – one of the most famous summits of Chatkal ridge. Soon we ride down by good path to the up Alpine zone of the North. Aphlatun river valley where we settle for overnight at comfortable grassy glades.

Day 5. Ride down by the North. Aphlatun river canyon to the Chatcal river valley. Ride to Terek-Say river, Camp 4 is on a bank (2500m) – 18km; 5h; -500m.
Valley before the canyon of the North. Aphlatun river is wide. By way we can make not long-continued excursion to Aphlatun lake, which was founded by one of tributary. Canyon of North. Aphlatun river amazes with huge size of its vertical walls. Good path leads us to wide valley of Chatcal river, where some time later we going to turn to Terek-Say river. Camp is set at grassy hills of its bank.

Day 6. Ride from Terek-Say river to Kara-Tokoy river. Camp 5 (2700m) – 8km; 3h; +200m; -200m.
During short day passage from Terek-Say river to Kara-Tokoy river we can see greatness of nature and unbelievable beauty of the Chatkal river valley with one"s own eyes. Camp.

Day 7. Excursion to Kara-Tokoy lake and ride across Kokuy-Bel pass (3037m). Camp 6 (2600m) – 4km; 5h; +400m; -500m.
Today we are to not hard riding excursion up along Kara-Tokoy river to the wonderful secluded lake called Kara-Tokoy. At the second part of the day we are to not difficult ride across kokuy-Bel pass (3037m) to the Ak-Suu river valley.

Day 8. Ride up along Ak-Suu river and further by the South. Kara-Kuldja river valley. Camp 7 (3000m) - 12km; 4-5h; +400m.
We ride up by Alpine high grasses of the South. Kara-Kuldja river valley to the foot of the pass of the same name. Our way is lying in immediate closeness to Talass Alatau ridge with summits of more then 4000m altitudes. One of these summits is Kara-Kuldja (4115m). Camp is on a bank.

Day 9. Ride across Kara-Kuldja pass (3161m) and descent to the North. Kara-Kuldja river valley. Camp 8 (2000m) – 16km; 6h; +1500m; -1100m.
We overcome Kara-Kuldja pass and make descent by path to the valley of North. Kara-Kuldja river. Good path leads us to this pass very gently, the pass is situated at the junction place of Chatkal ridge and Talass Alatau ridge. From the saddle the path goes down gently to North. Kara-Kuldja river passing a few its tributaries. Luxury landscapes accompany us from both sides of our way. Camp is at comfortable place on a bank of the river.

Day 10. Ride up along Okun river across not hard Okum pass (2649m) and ride down to the valley of Kara-Suu river. Camp 9 (1900m) – 16km; 6h; +700m; -700m.
Grand view at vast Talass Alatau ridge appears from the line of the ascent to the pass. We can see all its peaks and precipices of rocks. Okun river is falling around southern-eastern extremity of Atoinak ridge and divides two tracts – Karagay-Tumshuk and May-Litor. The uppers of Okun river (called May-Litor river) round Shukoletau summit (3054m) from South-North, and the saddle of Okum pass is not far away from this place. Descent to Kara-Suu river is not hard, and very soon we are going to come to the place of pitching our camp.

Day 11. Excursion to Kara-Suu (called also Karakamish) lake. Return to Camp 9.
This day is the day of the rest with having not exhausting excursion to Kara-Suu (Karakamish) lake and to the waterfall where the water leaves the lake spouting with impetuous stream and rushes down by huge boulders of a swell. Compact mountain massif called Min-Teke appears from banks to the South-East of the lake, and mountain ridge dividing us from several lakes (there are Kely-Kel, Iry-Kel, Chacha-Kel, Bockaly etc. lakes which are situated in close neighborhood with huge Sary-Chelek lake) is rising above western side of Kara-Kamish lake. At will not hard ascent to the saddle of Kuturma pass (2446m) is possible, where incredible view at all cavity with scattering of lakes appears from.

Day 12. Ride across Makmal pass (2654m). Camp 10 is on a bank of Sary-Chelek lake (1900m) – 18km; 7h; +750m; -750m.
This is interesting in its impressions day. We ride up along valley of Kara-Suu and Kyzyl-Suu (the uppers of Kara-Suu river) rivers and then having overcome Makmal pass (2654m) we get to Kara-Tokoy tract. Having descended along Sary-Chelek river to the valley we turn out at the shore of majestic lake – Sary-Chelek lake – which is considered as a pearl of beauty in area of Chatkal ridge. It’s going to be difficult, long-continued and most memorable day with great impressions. This day is going to end with overnight on the Sary-Chelek lake shore.

Day 13. Ride to Ashuu pass (2551m) and descent to the Kechkil river valley (Arkit-Say river). Camp 11 is near Arkit village (1300m) – 12km; 6h; +750m; -1100m.
Today we are to say Goodbye to stunning Sary-Chelek lake. It’s going to be not long ascent to Ashuu pass and descent to Kechkil river valley (Arkit-Say river). Easy pass connects valleys of Sary-Chelek river and Arkit-Say river. Emerald-blue water of the lake and its shores having become overgrown with Tien-Shan firs appear from the saddle of the pass. Camp is on a bank of the river.

Day 14. Transfer Arkit village - Osh (420km;8h). Accommodation at hotel.

Day 15. 1) Transfer to airport. Early flight Osh – Bishkek. Departure home. 2) Transfer to airport. Departure home.

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