Expedition from Lenin Base Camp to Sary Mogul & Jiptick Passes
Trekking Kyrgyzstan’s Alay Mountains
Overview
Kyrgyzstan is a mountain wonderland crowned by the mighty Pamirs, a towering, snow-capped range at the junction of the Hindu Kush, Tien Shan, and Karakorum peaks. In this remote realm, we’ve created a trekking adventure in the Alay Mountains with our venerable Trip Leader Hashmat Singh. The Alay are a stunning sub-range of the Pamirs that offers some of the most rewarding —and challenging—hiking imaginable, as well as a fantastic immersion into Kyrgyzstan’s welcoming mountain culture. From our yurt camps and tented camps, we’ll hike over high mountain passes with breathtaking panoramas of Lenin Peak (23,406') and other giants, and we’ll traverse along turquoise alpine lakes, desert moonscapes, and green valleys where semi-nomadic families graze their yaks. This is a demanding trek with some steep ascents and descents, and we cross three passes over 13,000 feet (the highest is 14,150'). But if you’re up for these challenges, the rewards are many, and you’ll be exploring one of the most wildly beautiful mountain regions in the world—and still relatively undiscovered!
Arrive: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Depart: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Highlights
- Hike amid the towering snow-capped giants of the Alay Mountains, including Lenin Peak (23,406')
- Cross three alpine passes over 13,000 feet, including Sary Mogul Pass at 14,150 feet
- Meet semi-nomadic Kyrgyz herder families in their mountain realm
- Stay in yurt and tented camps among the high peaks
- Explore Bishkek, the capital, and the ancient city of Osh
Itinerary
In Bishkek, the capital, we roam the open-air Osh Bazaar, with its wealth of colors and scents, and head out for a hike in the glacier-carved landscapes of Ala-Archa Canyon.
Driving along azure Lake Issyk-Kul, we visit the petroglyph site at Cholpon-Ata on our way to Karakol, an ancient Silk Road crossroads. One evening, we dine with a Chinese-Dungan family—and join them to make delicious hand-pulled noodles.
Camping in the Tien Shan Mountains In the high Tien Shan, one of our hikes brings us to red-rock towers where we can watch Kyrgyz horsemen compete in a traditional game of kok boru—a kind of spirited football game on horseback. Our tent camping is comfortable, featuring walk-in tents with cots, a fully staffed kitchen, a dining tent, and even a mobile sauna. Our camps move between two beautifully remote Kyrgyz mountain valleys amid herds of grazing horses.
At our special yurt camp above the wild southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, we’ll meet an eagle hunter to learn about the fascinating tradition of training eagles—these enormous birds are magnificent! From our next yurt camp at remote Lake Song Kol, at nearly 10,000 feet, one of our hikes brings us up to airy Jalgyz-Karagay Pass (11,276') for panoramic views across the snow-capped Tien Shan. Depart on Day 14 via Bishkek.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 5+, Strenuous to Very Strenuous, according to our trip grading system. Most hiking is between 10,000 and 13,000 feet, with a maximum sleeping elevation of 14,150 feet, when we cross the Sary Mogul Pass. You must be prepared for rough trails, changeable weather, and basic guesthouses and tented camp accommodations.
Average Hiking Day
Review Trip Level Details
- 8-9 miles
- 6-7 hours
- 2,600-3,000 feet ascent/descent
- Altitudes range 7,000-14,150 feet
Challenge Day
- Day 11: 8 hours, 10 miles, 3,770 feet ascent / 3,050 feet descent
At lower elevations, the trails are usually packed dirt. At higher elevations, they are much rockier, with occasional steep sections of loose scree, mud, and slippery grass. It may be necessary to ford rivers or cross sections of snow on multiple of the days depending on conditions, so this trip is for experienced, sure-footed hikers.
Every participant must understand that this trek is truly challenging—you should be in excellent physical condition. Even though trip members carry only a daypack (with camera, jacket, rain gear, water bottle, and other small necessities you may need during the day), we recommend you make a special effort to get in top physical shape for the trip by hiking, running, swimming, bicycling, or engaging in other forms of aerobic exercise well beyond your normal routine. Many activities get the heart and lungs into shape, but the most effective way of getting fit for hiking is to hike! Walking up and down flights of stairs is also an effective way to train for the steep ascents and descents in the Himalaya. Bending your knees as you go down stairs will help strengthen your quad muscles. At least two months prior to your trek, we urge you to go on weekend day hikes that involve long uphill and downhill walking.
For this trek, we require your doctor sign the Wilderness Travel Medical Form. Once Wilderness Travel has confirmed your place on the trip roster, no refunds beyond our standard fees will be made if your physician refuses to sign the form. It is very important that you and your physician fully agree that you are physically capable of undertaking a strenuous trek, and equally important that you undertake proper conditioning prior to the trek.
The Trip Leader has the right to disqualify any member from the trip at any time if it is medically necessary, to avoid endangering the group, or if the participant in question is physically unfit for the rigors of the trip. Refunds are not given under such circumstances.
Rain or hail storms are a definite possibility in the Alay Mountains in the summer, but sudden changes of weather are typically of short duration. At altitudes over 10,000 feet, weather is unpredictable and the wind chill factor comes into play. Daytime temperatures at these heights can be in the 60Fs, but also as low as the 30s and 40s, especially if it is windy. Temperatures drop very quickly when the sun goes down, and evening/nighttime temperatures at high altitudes often drop to around 15F and sometimes lower. Nighttime temperatures are cold at altitude and you should have proper clothing. You may experience all four seasons here in one day here, so dress in layers. Our packing list will have suggestions.
The city hotels we use are the best available and have comfortable rooms with en suite bathrooms. In the mountains, our accommodations are simple guesthouses or tented camps. Our guesthouse accommodations are homestays, meaning we’ll have comfortable but very basic accommodations with dormitory-style shared rooms and shared bathrooms and home-cooked meals enjoyed around a table. In the tented camps, we sleep in two-person tents with sleeping bags and inflatable camp mattresses provided. When we use a dining yurt on trek, we eat sitting on the ground on camp mattresses around a low table. A shared toilet tent is provided at each camp.
In the tented camps, meals will be nourishing but simple. Breakfast might be porridge, eggs, or pancakes, with tea or coffee available. Lunch may be a salad and main course of meat or vegetables, and dinners are typically salad, soup, main course, and fruit for desert. When we are in the cities, we can enjoy the full diversity of Kyrgyz cuisine, sampling kebabs, Ukrainian borscht, Russian pelmeni (ravioli), Uzbek plov (lamb pilaf), and beshbarmak (Kyrgyzstan's meat-and-noodle national dish), and manty (steamed dumplings).
Our road journeys will be in a minivan or minibus, depending on the size of the group. On the way to and from our base camp and Sary Mogol Pass we will be local four-wheel drive vehicles on dirt roads.
Hiking distances on trek are normally measured in hours, not miles, since maps aren’t really accurate enough to assess how far we walk up and down winding mountain trails. On a typical trek day, wake-up is around 7:00 am. After packing up our duffels and having breakfast, we set off on the trail. There is always a guide in the lead and a “sweeper” who trails behind the slowest hiker to ensure that no one is lost on the trail. We ask you not to hike ahead of the leader because trails are often not well-marked. We typically walk for three to four hours in the morning, then stop for a leisurely picnic lunch of an hour or more. After lunch, we walk for another three hours or so until we reach our next night’s camp, where we can enjoy a cup of tea and relax before dinner. Temperatures drop quickly as the sun falls behind the peaks, and it’s easy to get chilled after exerting yourself for several hours, so have an extra layer of clothing ready.
Client Testimonials
"Excellent visit to some of the higher peaks and passes of southern Kyrgyzstan, with the added highlight of a good introduction to the country’s history, politics, and economy."
David R.
Leesburg, VA
"This was a great trip! Spectacular scenery, challenging hiking, and some good cultural interactions."
James H.
Newton, MA
"Very interesting and challenging trip! The opportunity to have lunch with a family in Osh at the end of our trip was fantastic."
Sharon C.
Newton, MA
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.