General Information

Duration:

15 Days

Location Start:

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Location Finish:

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Phone:

+99871 1735107

Fax:

+99871 1730871

Payment Types:

• Cash
• Credit Card
• Cheque
• Travellers cheque
• Paypal
• Wire Transfer

We Speak:

Russian, French, English, Turkish

Last updated: 07/04/2006

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Tashkent. Meeting at airport. Transfer to hotel. The rest of the day at leisure.

Day 2

Drive to Pendjikent (60km; 1,5 hrs) and further to Artuch base camp (2200m; +1400m; 70km; 3.5hrs).
We drive by car/coach to Uzbek-Tajik border where we bordercross on foot while local porters carry our luggage through. Emigration and customs formalities may take long - at least one hour - so, be patient. We are met by our Tajik partners helping us through and we take their truck/minivan/bus on the other side. Accommodation in 2-room cottages (no water in rooms, pit toilet outside). As extra - shower and/or sauna.

Day 3

Start of active part. To Kulikalon Lakes (10km; max. +700m; 5hrs).
Well-trodden trail takes us up Urjam River valley through mixed juniper and deciduous groves covering two giant scree dams steeply rising up the right-hand side of the tight gorge In 2-3 hours the track levels and we top the upper dam, on the other side of which is turquoise necklace of Kulikalon Lakes (numbering 14) framed in jagged ridges and summits over 4000m-5000m: Maria (4970m), Mirali (5120m), Rudaki (4900m), Adamtash (4700m) (the four peaks making so called "Kulikalon Wall"), Saryshah (4650m) and Aurondag (4573m). We picnic-lunch on the Grand Lake shore under the shade of a juniper tree. Then we resume going on the right-hand side of the valley making a shortcut on the trail running straight across the juniper forest keeping the lakes on our left heading to our camp set on the eastern shore of the Bibidjanat Lake (2,700m) or Dushokha Lake (2,900m). First overnight in tents.

Day 4

Easy walking in the region of Kulikalon lakes (8-9km; +/-200m; 4-5hrs).
This day those opted for more active pastime will spend whole morning and part afternoon to wandering amongst azure lakes, enjoying views of magnificent Kulikalon Wall and, possibly, reaching the snout of glacier at the foot of Mirali Peak. We can visit round the lakes: Lobnor Lake, Kuliob Lake and half a dozen of other smaller lakes. We take a chance of meeting with hospitable and friendly Tadjik herders and their families at their "kappas" (make-shift carcass huts covered in tarpaulin) sharing tea, ewe-milk yogurt, home-made bread with them, listening to Tajik songs and dances, watching them milking their seep and nanny goats.

Day 5

Trek over Alauddin Pass to Alauddin Lake (7km; +max. 950m; - 740m; 6hrs). This day we steeply uphill out of juniper forest and pasture through alpine meadows to Alauddin Pass (3,860m). On the way up we see vultures and eagles hovering in the blue sky. We enjoy a bird-eye view of Dushaha Lake and the entire Kulikalon Lake system. Down in the valley bottom we see a blue speck of Alauddin Lake (in fact, one of two major lakes) varying in colour from lilac to deep turquoise and providing a stunning contrast against the backdrop of the Chimtarga wall.

Day 6

Ascend to Mutnoje Lake (8 km; + 750m; 4-5 hrs). Camp on the lake shore. (3,600m).
We steadily climb up not wide and rather short U-shaped Alaudding River valley. It is surprisingly calm out there. Towering peaks are looming over us. During the day we enjoy views of Kaznok Peak (4200m), Zamok Peak (5070m), Cherny Peak (5010m), Paygambar Peak (4800m), Energiya Peak (5105m) and dominant Chimtarga Peak (5487m). On the way one can see natural phenomena: a rarefied birch grove and a small "Piala Lake" named for its round-shape bottom.

Day 7

Ascend towards "Camp 4500m" under Chimtarga Pass (5km;+900m; 6hrs).
The day is going to be most strenuous and challenging of the entire trek. First we bypass the lake on the right and cross over a stream running down from Chimtarga glacier. Having got to the top, we find some nice level spots among big boulders good for camping at 4500m. Zeravshanskiy Range and Gissarskiy Ranges converge here giving astounding panoramic views and feel of the whole Fan mountain highland in the rays of the setting.

Day 8

Trek over Chimtarga Pass to Bolshoye Allo Lake (8km; +240m; - 1840m; 8hrs).
The 4,740 m-high Chimtarga Pass is reached within one hour of walking along the simple scree trail. The uppermost bit of 50-60m may, for security reasons, require fixed roping on the snow - depending on general weather conditions of the year. Descend on the skidding rocky scree underneath the cliffy belt sloping on the right hand side of the valley down to its bottom where Zindon River runs. After lunch on the green spot near the stream we further downhill on the good trail to Bolshoje Allo Lake through picturesque sheer-sided valley. Camp on the lake shore (3,140m).

Day 9

Rest day.
Bolshoje Allo Lake is a real wonder of Fan Mountains and surely one of the most beautiful alpine lakes of the region. The lake owes its origin to the gigantic landslide happened in 1916. Day free for respite, or swimming, or round walking tour up valley to the small Verkhneje (Upper) Allo Lake and big waterfall (3kms; +300m; 3-4hrs). On the way we view the Moskva Peak (5,046m) and neighbouring peaks and glaciers.

Day 10

Drive to Samarkand via Pendjikent (130km; 5 ).
Easy downhill to confluence of Amshut River and Archamaidan River takes us 1 hour to go. Then we carry on to and over the bridge where are met by the truck. The rest of the procedures goes in the reverse sequences: Pendjikent, bordercrossing, coach and Samarkand. Hotel.

Day 11

Drive Samarkand - Tashkent (340km; 5 hrs). Hotel.

Day 12

Transfer to airport and departure.