8 Days Trekking in Kyrgyzstan: Alay Mountains Adventure
Overview
- Incredible mountain vistas at Sary Mogul (4, 306 m) and Jiptick (4, 185 m) mountain passes where you’ll feel as though you’ve landed on another planet.
- Stunning views of snow- and glacier-covered Lenin Peak (7, 134 m), including up close from Lenin Base Camp and Traveler’s Pass (4, 100 m).
- Diverse landscapes, from turquoise alpine lakes and lush green valleys to high desert moonscapes and the red rock formations of “Three Dragons Gorge”.
- Sleeping in a traditional yurt where you’ll have an opportunity to meet Kyrgyz shepherds, learn about traditional nomadic culture, and enjoy home-cooked meals.
- Community-Based Tourism. Your use of us will contribute to local communities.
Inclusions
- Accommodation 7 nights
- English speaking trekking guide
- Lugguage horses
- Horse man
- Transport from/to Osh city
- 7x Breakfast
- 7x Dinner
- 7x Lunch
- Accommodation included: 8 nights
What to expect
Day 1: Osh city - Sarymogul Village
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Arrival in Osh*, the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan and once an important trading center along the Silk Road. Meet with your guide for a briefing about the tour and trek. After lunch, drive to Sary Mogul village at 3, 000 meters above sea level (approx. 4 hours). Enjoy a home-cooked dinner and overnight at a local family homestay. Enjoy the view of the 7, 000+ meter high snow-capped Pamir Mountains in the distance.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at homestay
Day 2: Sarymogul village – Sarymogul Pass 4, 306m – Campsite
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Distance: 12 km trekking
Ascent: 1054 m, Descent: 477 m
After a hearty breakfast, drive for 20 minutes from Sarymogul village to the starting point of the trek. Walk along the stream on a one-person trail all the way up to the first viewpoint (1 hour). Some parts are a bit challenging as the trail is narrow and the terrain is composed mainly of scree and small pebbles. Enjoy a break and views of the Pamir Mountains at the viewpoint before descending into a valley to follow the small stream all the way to a flat meadow. We break for lunch at the riverbank with glacier views all around. After lunch, we head to Sarymogul Pass at 4, 306 meters (1 hour). As you ascend, the glaciated peaks and alpine lakes will begin to appear. Enjoy your accomplishment at the top of the pass with its otherworldly and stunning views. The descent from the pass is steep and covered in loose scree, so consider long sliding strides or “skiing” down in a zigzag motion as you navigate the snaking path. After descending, we walk down to the campsite and set up the tents at 3, 934 meters. Enjoy your dinner under the stars.
Duration: 7 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at yurt camp
Day 3: Campsite – Kyzyl Shoro village
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Distance: 15 km trekking
Ascent: 31 m, Descent: 1579 m
Compared to the first day, the beginning of the second day is relatively easy-going and mainly downhill. As the trek progresses through the valley, the trail cuts back and forth across the river several times. With the decline in elevation, the terrain begins to change from high alpine rocky and dry to mid-mountain green punctuated by the alpine lush of juniper bushes. Don’t forget to turn around from time to time to enjoy views of the surrounding glaciers and snow-covered peaks above and behind you. Pass through fields filled with grazing cows and shepherd’s yurts inviting you for a tea. Break for lunch near these yurts. After a few kilometers, you’ll reach the farmlands of the nearby village, Little Sarymogul village. Pass through the village and walk for 3, 5km along the dusty road to Kyzyl Shoro village. Dinner and overnight in a homestay at 2, 389 meters.
Duration: 6 minutes
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at homestay
Day 4: Kyzyl Shoro village – Koshmoinok Pass – Koshmoinok Valley – Kojokelen village
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Distance: 22 km trekking
Ascent: 1303 m, Descent: 1124 m
After breakfast, leave your homestay and walk to the gorge to the east of the village. The trail becomes steep and ascends approximately 860 meters through grass meadows and pastures to Koshmoinok Pass at 3, 210 m. After the pass, descend into Koshmoinok Valley (1 hour). There are several shepherd’s yurts and huts in this valley. Break for lunch near one of the shepherd’s yurts. After lunch, cross over the stream and walk up to Sarybell Pass at 3, 132 m (1 hour). The magnificent views of the rugged Kichik Alay Mountains open up on top of the pass. From there, follow the path as it winds along the edge of the hills on your left and enjoy the expanse of unusual red rock formations forming the “Three Dragon Gorge.” The diversity of colors and landscapes is something travelers have called “The Best of Kyrgyzstan” where you can see the dramatic and snow-covered Pamir landscapes in the distance with various grades of high-, mid- and low alpine landscapes along the way. Eventually, the trail winds its way down into a small stream through evergreen trees and continues on the edge of the valley until it reaches Kojokelen village (3 hours). Enjoy a hearty home-cooked meal and overnight in a guesthouse.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at homestay
Day 5: Kojokelen village – Shepherd’s camp
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Distance: 10 km trekking
Ascent: 833 m, Descent: 69 m
Today is an easy walk on an unpaved road along the river leading up to the foot of Jiptick Pass. Enjoy walking in this beautiful gorge with evergreen trees, and engage along the way with Kyrgyz nomads who are busy with their daily activities, including shepherding their animals. Arrive at the yurt camp. Enjoy a home-cooked meal with a local family and overnight in a yurt.
Duration: 4 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at yurt camp
Day 6: Yurt camp – Jiptick Pass at 4, 185 meters – down to Darbazatash Valley
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Distance: 16 km trekking,
Ascent: 1150 m, Descent: 931 m
From the yurt camp the trail goes easily up along the river all the way to the foot of Jiptick Pass (1 hour). Head up to the pass on a barely seen trail in a zigzag formation on loose scree (2 hours). Reach the breathtaking Jiptick Pass at 4, 185 meters and enjoy the stunning view of the snowcapped Pamir Mountains with towering Lenin Peak at 7, 134 meters in the far distance. Break for lunch on top. The path then goes steeply down to Darbazatash Valley (3 hours). Arrive in the valley at 3274 meters. Dinner and overnight are in yurts on the shore of the stream.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at yurt camp
Day 7: Darbazatash valley – Sarymogul village – Peak Lenin Base Camp
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Distance: 11 km trekking
Ascent: 34 m, Descent: 286 m
Walk to Sary Mogul village on an unpaved road (3 hours). While walking, enjoy the expansive view of the Alay Valley and snowcapped mountain ranges of Pamir-Alay in a distance. Arrive at your homestay and enjoy a home-cooked lunch. Take a shower, check your emails if you wish. After lunch, drive to the yurt camp at Tulpar Kol Lake at Lenin Peak base camp (1 hour). Enjoy walking around this turquoise high alpine lake at 3, 500 meters before you are invited for a home-cooked dinner. Overnight in a yurt.
Duration: 5 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight in yurt camp
Day 8: Peak Lenin Base Camp – Traveler’s Pass – Osh city
Stop At: Alay Mountains, Osh Kyrgyzstan
Distance: 20 km trekking
Ascent: 760 m, Descent: 760 m
After a hearty breakfast, walk up about 10 minutes from the yurt camp to the south and cross the bridge to get to the Peak Lenin base camp where the mountaineers are staying. Pass by the tents of big mountaineering companies at the base camp and take the trail leading to Traveler’s Pass. The trail goes slowly up except for the last 20 minutes where it becomes a steep zigzag trail that ends up on the mountain pass. Reach the Traveler’s Pass at 4, 100 meters and enjoy the magnificent views of glaciers tumbling off the massive peak. Go to the view point on the right of the pass and get an even better view of Lenin Peak at 7, 134 meters, the highest peak in this Pamir-Alay Mountains. Break for the lunch there to continue enjoying the views. Return to the yurt camp on the same way you came. Drive back to Osh city (5 hours).
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Not included
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- We can cusomaize the tour according to your interest
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 8 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
Ticket delivery
Cancellation
We went to Kirgistan in a group of 8 people. Thanks to the Office in Osh for the perfect organization of pur trip 8 days, 7 nights, and other activities in Kyrgystan (Toktogul, Songkol Lake, Ala Kul Lake). The views were spectacular and the Kyrgyz team was very professional. Everything was carrie...
We went to Kirgistan in a group of 8 people. Thanks to the Office in Osh for the perfect organization of pur trip 8 days, 7 nights, and other activities in Kyrgystan (Toktogul, Songkol Lake, Ala Kul Lake). The views were spectacular and the Kyrgyz team was very professional. Everything was carried out as previously agreed. If there was a need, we could modify the trip according to current needs. Kyrgyz people are authentic and very hospitable. If you want to feel adventure and admire beautiful views, you must visit Kyrgystan. I highly recommend a trip with an office from Osh.This trip was one of the best organized hikes I’ve ever taken. Everyday was was full of incredible views, traditional meals and a glimpse into the lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people of the area. Azi was my initial contact and he helped us join up on a previously arranged trip and arranged all our tra...
This trip was one of the best organized hikes I’ve ever taken. Everyday was was full of incredible views, traditional meals and a glimpse into the lifestyle of the Kyrgyz people of the area. Azi was my initial contact and he helped us join up on a previously arranged trip and arranged all our transport to and from Osh seamlessly. Our guide was Cuba and our horseman was Mousa, both were quick to answer any questions we had and were always in good moods. It was a very professionally run company and was also so much fun. We are already planning on a return trip next summer! 10/10 would recommend this to anyone that enjoys hiking!This is a very beautiful trek that is also well-paced. The mix of natural beauty and cultural immersion via homestays and yurt stays is a pleasantly holistic view into what Kyrgyzstan is all about. Very smooth and professional handling by the whole team at CBT Osh (Visit Alay).
This is a very beautiful trek that is also well-paced. The mix of natural beauty and cultural immersion via homestays and yurt stays is a pleasantly holistic view into what Kyrgyzstan is all about. Very smooth and professional handling by the whole team at CBT Osh (Visit Alay).Had the best time! We also had an amazing driver, would highly recommend - great English and very knowledgable, safe & friendly! Muhammed Karimov drove us all around Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. He was fantastic
Had the best time! We also had an amazing driver, would highly recommend - great English and very knowledgable, safe & friendly! Muhammed Karimov drove us all around Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. He was fantasticQuick responses from Azi made it possible to book our trek easily. The 8-day trek in Alay mountains was tough but the amazing views throughout the journey made it all worth it. Homestays with the locals gave the trip a good mix of nature and culture. Food was always a spread after a long day ...
Quick responses from Azi made it possible to book our trek easily. The 8-day trek in Alay mountains was tough but the amazing views throughout the journey made it all worth it. Homestays with the locals gave the trip a good mix of nature and culture. Food was always a spread after a long day of trekking. Our guide Kubat and porter Sadirbek always made sure we were well taken care of. They were part of what made our trip such a memorable one. We will definitely choose Visit Alay when we get a chance to go back to Kyrgyzstan again!Me and a friend booked the 6 days, 5 nights tour "Heights of Alay Valley" beforehand, through e-mail. After transferring 20% of the cost through Western Union we were all set. The communication with Talant was really smooth, we never had any issues and he usually responded very quickly through e...
Me and a friend booked the 6 days, 5 nights tour "Heights of Alay Valley" beforehand, through e-mail. After transferring 20% of the cost through Western Union we were all set. The communication with Talant was really smooth, we never had any issues and he usually responded very quickly through e-mail. When we arrived in Osh, the team came to pick us up in the middle of the night (4AM) at the airport and we were brought to their hostel for a (short) sleep. We woke up at 9AM to discuss our hike. The team explained that it might be difficult to cross Sary Mogul pass due to hefty snowfall. We discussed what to do and they tried to find out how experienced we were (spoiler alert: not that experienced). They offered us a different trip, of multiple day-treks and a 3 day trek in lower areas of the Alay mountains, but we were quite keen to try our original trek. After quite some deliberation we collectively decided to give it a try, and return it would turn out to be too difficult. This compromise was something we really appreciated, it felt like the team at CBT really listened to our wishes and was willing to actively explore the possibilities. Ultimately, it turned out we could not do the original tour, but the alternative that CBT had devised for us for us was fantastic. Our guide, Timur, was someone who really understood our vibe and (definitely at the end of the tour) laughed and joked as if he’d be with us for weeks instead of days. He also gave us a very safe feeling, as it seemed he was prepared for anything and always took great care of us. The people we were staying with, the food, the views, the hike, it was all exactly like we had wanted it. Tough, rewarding, special, we really felt like we were given an opportunity to explore the region in a very special way. Don’t expect too much luxury, and do expect to put a lot of effort into one of the most rewarding things you’ll do. Don’t expect “fine dining” but do expect some of the greatest jams, creams and teas you’ve ever tasted. Don’t expect a super touristic activity, but do expected a very vivid and real taste of what nomad life in Kyrgyzstan looks like. So, all in all, a big thanks to CBT Osh, and especially to Timur who was one of the best, most curious and fun guides I have ever been with. Thanks for the flexibility, hard work and caring attitude.