Trekkings in mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

«Khan Tengri - in translation with Mongolian means - “ the Lord of the sky ”

We invite you to take advantage of our services and the organization of your travel:

For many years already the alpinists have trekked up to the Base Camp South Inylchek along the glacier in order to get a better acclimatization before climbing Khan-Tengri and Pobeda peaks. The trek up along the glacier not only helps you to get better acclimatization, but also gives you a unique opportunity to enjoy the beautiful views of Tien-Shan.
The trekking starts in At Jailoo gorge – an amazingly beautiful place on Inylchek river bank, one of your Camps overlooks stunning Nansen peak, and at the confluence of South and North Inylchek you can walk to see the famous Merzbacher Lake. But there were some people who wouldn’t accept this way of acclimatization because of the necessity to carry much - tents, food and personal belongings, etc. 2015 “Silk Road Adventures” will set up permanent tent Camps all along the route to make the trek possible and easy for you (see map).

We invite you to take advantage of our services and organization of your travel:

For your arrival will wait in each of camps.
You will place in convenient tents.
Will feed with tasty dishes of national and European kitchen.
You will be provided by communication, and can send the information on from each our camp.
Your route will be marked and in detail described in the booklet which you receive on hands at the order of services.
You do not need to carry from the house with itself (or to lease): tent, saucepans, utensils.
You should not buy products.
Services of porters will be not necessary to you.

Duration of tour: 14 days, 13 nights.
Distance of route: 1094 km.
Best time for travel: July, August.
Distance in an active part of a tour:  93 km.

Detailed description of program of trekking in mountains Central Tien-Shan to peak of Khan- Tengri:

Tour to glacier Southern Inylchek.

Day 1. Bishkek - Karakol (400 km, 8 hours. + 900 m). 
Arrival in Bishkek, a meeting at airport "Manas", transfer to hotel (30 km). Accommodation, overnight and rest. After short rest and late breakfast transfer to town of Karakol. Lunch on the way. Arrival to Karakol, transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.  
Day 2. Karakol 1700 meters above sea level “At-Jailoo” Base Camp 2500 meters above sea level (200 km, 5 - 6 hours. + 800 m).
Breakfast. After a breakfast short walk on the town of Karakol. Karakol is at east coast of lake Issyk-Kul, at bottom of majestic mountains Tien-Shan. The town based by Russian cossacks in the middle of XIX century, for military garrison for immigrants. Visiting Dungan of the mosque constructed in the Chinese style and Troisk of Russian orthodox church. A lunch in local cafe. After lunch transfer to At-Jailoo base camp.
The road passes through a number of villages, then continues up along the canyon Turgen Ak-Suu towards Chon-Ashuu Pass 3808 meters above sea level. Descent to Ashuu-Tor valley. On the way we pass by Koilu and Sary-Dzhaz rivers. Later we drive along Sary-Jaz river to the check point Echkilitash as we are going to enter the border zone, we must leave our permits here.
Sary-Dzhaz river is one of the largest in Kyrgyzstan. Lunch on the way. The river has a length of 200 km and carries its water into Inylchek river which flows to China About 1 - 1.5 hours drive through a village and along Inylchek river, arrival in “At-Jailoo” camp. Dinner and overnight in tents.
Day 3. Camp "At-Dzhailoo" - a glacier Southern Inylchek - camp «Iva» 2900 underground above sea level (18 km, 5 - 7 hours).
Breakfast. Hiking: «At-Dzhailoo» - camp «Iva». Hiking with our backpacks on the road. We take lunch boxes and will leave the camp in order to be able to cross At Jailoo river before 9 am while there is still little water and the water level is low. We cross its freezing cold water, but it gets more difficult the later we do it.
Within an hour we reach a place called Prijim. If the water level allows, we walk and easily cross another stream here.  Our way passes on an extensive valley of the river Inylchek, places overgrow small islands woods. Our way passes along the river Inylchek to the beginning of glacier Inylchek. On a way the kind on glacier Inylchek, peak Nansen of 5697 meters above sea level which will settle down in the south from our next camp opens.
In the north opposite to our camp there is a pass Tyuz in height of 4000 meters above sea level and peak the Battleship which divides Southern Inylchek on Northern Inylchek. Otherwise we have to ascent and descend a steep and overgrown path which takes us about an hour extra. All depends on the lake Merzbacher.
Whether it is the time when the lake opens and its water rushes down, or it has already or vice versa not opened yet, then we are lucky! Still it is highly recommended to bring along the sandals which you can wear when crossing the river and streams. A lunch in a way. Arrival in camp «Iva», accommodation in tents, a dinner and overnight.
Day 4. Camp «Iva» - a moraine of glacier Inylchek - camp «Glina» 3100 meters above sea level (8 km, 5 - 6 hours. + 200 m).
Breakfast. The Inylchek Glacier is the largest glacier and centerpiece of the Central Tien-Shan. Extending 62 km in length with a width of over 3 km, the Inylchek Glacier is the third longest glacier outside the Polar Regions. It is estimated that the glacier holds enough ice to cover the entire country of Kyrgyzstan in three meters of melt water (Stewart, 2002). The first outside to travel into the area and visit the glacier was the European Pyotr Semenov in 1857. Climbing in the area began in the early 1900’s and continued through the 1930’s.
Under Soviet rule, the permitting system restricted foreign access. It was not until after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 that foreign climbers began to climb in the area (Stewart, 2002). We take our lunch boxes and leave at about 9 am. Very steep ascents and descents take exhaust. We will try to go through to the right slope of the terrace. The trail crosses the terrace, later small rivers, washes out mountain slope, Putevodnyi glacier. We go up and down, up and down all the time.
Lunch on the glacier at about 1 pm. Then we ascent another steep terrace along a narrow trail. The variety of terrains and the steepness of the slope trails will add some more adrenaline in blood. Arriving in Glina Camp we will have some tea or coffee and rest. The camp has got its name (which means “clay” in Russian) because of its location on a green clay field. A lunch in a way. Arrival in camp «The Glina», accommodation in tents, a dinner and overnight in tents.
Day 5. Camp «The Glina» - a lateral moraine of glacier Inylchek - camp «Glade Mersbakher» 3400 meters above sea level. (9 km, 5 - 6 hours. + 300 m).
Breakfast at 9 AM. Hiking to glade Merzbaer. Glade Mersbakher - last island the greens, located nearby to unique lake Merzbaher. On a glade there is a research station. Scientists from all world come here every summer. They study movement of a glacier, meteorology in region and lake Mertsbahera.
A lunch in a way. In this extensive green territory there is our camp «Glade Mertsbakher». Again we trek up and down various terraces though have also about 10 km of straight path. Only once we trek across a small glacier, passing a river and have lunch on the shore of a small lake, swim and rest. It will be an hour left to get to the Camp. Upon arrival we have some tea or coffee, then dinner at 6 pm. Wonderful views of Mersbacher lake open to us from the Camp.
Mersbacher glade is the last grassy place in the area located just across the unique Mersbacher Lake. There is a scientific research station on the glacier. Scientists from all over the world come working here every summer. They study glaciers moving, meteorological situation of the region and the lake Mersbacher itself. There is a large green area around which is flat enough for camping. Arrival in camp, accommodation in tents a dinner and overnight.
Day 6. Mersbakcher Lake (10 km, 4 - 5 hours).
Breakfast at 9 am. We take our lunch boxes and leave at 10  am. Across South Inylchek glacier up to Mertsbakcher Lake. The glacier terrain is ice covered with rocks and stones, sand and mud. The trekking time both ways is 4 - 5 hours. Sandwiched between the Northern and Southern branches of the glacier lies the mysterious Mersbacher Lake, which form every summer and then, sometime in August, burst through the ice banks and the waters flow into the Inylchek River. 
(Actually, the timing varies – for example in 2012 it happened on 10,July.)  In reality, only part of the lake drains – the lake, which is 6 kilometres long and one kilometre wide, is in fact divided into two by a bridge of ice and whilst the lower half empties regularly, the upper part is always full of water. Also, the lakes empty twice a year – once in the summer and once in the winter – but most people only know about the summer event.
In 1903 the German geographer and mountaineer, Gottfried Mersbacher, first discovered the lake while leading an expedition into the Tien-Shan Mountains aiming to reach the summit of Khan-Tengri. Forced back by ice, from their originally intended route through the Byankol Pass and along the Semyenov and Mushketov glaciers, they attempted a different approach – along the Enilchek glacier.  Once again they failed, but they had shown that Khan-Tengri was in fact on a ridge and not in the centre of that particular knot of the Tien-Shan Mountains as had been thought. 
The expedition will be better remembered, however, for the discovery of the mysterious lake that now bears Mersbakcher’s name. Returning in camp “Glade Mersbaksher”, dinner and overnight in tents.
Day 7. Camp «Glade Mersbakhera » - camp «Glacier Komsomol» 3800 meters above sea level (12 km, 4 - 6 hours. + 400 m).
Breakfast. Hiking to camp «Gglacier Komsomol». We take our lunch boxes and set off at 9 am. It is a long day of trekking surrounded with beautiful landscapes – snow, rocks and multi-colored ice – black, white and sometimes even striped. The first part of our trek goes along the right side over terraces and, right before we reach Shokalskyi glacier it smoothly goes down.
The trail reaches the glacier and the black moraine which flows out of Komsomolez glacier. We follow it up to the glacier itself. The terrain is very diverse: rivers, crevices, ascents and descents, the hikes around those take much time and energy.
It will be our first night at the glacier. Strong wind usually starts here after 4 pm. It might be much colder than before. Hot drinks are very helpful here, the dinner is as usual at 6 pm. Arrival in camp «Glacier Komsomol», accommodation in tents. A dinner and overnight.
Day 8. Camp «Glacier Komsomol» - camp «Dikiy Glacier» 3900 meters above sea level (7 km, 3 - 5 hours. + 100 m).
Breakfast. Hiking in base camp «Southern Inylchek». Departure at 9 am Lunch boxes. Hiking in this part of Tien Shan is absolutely fabulous. The distinctive characteristic of the region is a great number of nameless peaks, unclimbed yet, about 5000m above sea level high. 
Straight from the camp we cross Proletarsky glacier moraine, get to the middle of Dikyi glacier moraine and walk along it up to the Dykyi glacier. The first part of the way is uneven, we walk up and down. Closer to the glacier the moraine becomes more even, without so many crevices, creeks and, no needs of working around to escape crossing small streams.
Lunch break. In front of Proletarsky glacier we go up straight. Dikyi camp is located behind Pesnya Abaya peak (in 30 minutes). From Dikyi camp you have beautiful view of Khan Tengri, Pobeda, Gorky, Chapaev, Trehglavaya peaks. Tea, coffee and dinner at 6 pm. Arrival in camp «Glacier Dikiy», accommodation in tents, a dinner and overnight.
Day 9. Camp «Glacier Dikiy» - base camp «Southern Inylchek» 4100 meters above sea level (8 km, 4 - 6 hours. + 200 m).
Breakfast. Hiking in base camp «Southern Inylchek». The first part of a way - rises and descents, becomes closer to a glacier Wild a moraine equal - here there are no cracks and the rivers. This part of a track is one of the most beautiful and surprising, in this district there is a huge quantity of anonymous tops, from 5000 meters and above, many of which yet not subdued. Places it will be possible to see traces of passed expeditions.
A lunch in a way. Optionally: Climbing to Pesnya Abaya - 4901 a.s.l. Short trekking, so we can depart at 10 am. We take our lunch boxes. We cross the whole glacier till the central moraine where the base camp is situated. The path is covered with rocks, ice, creeks, lakes and cracks. But it is possible to do without any ropes and crampons.
We arrive in the base camp (4000m) at about 2 pm. “Southern Inylchek” Base Camp is ideally situated in the heart of North Tien-Shan at the South Inylchek glacier approximately at 4000 meters above sea. above the sea level. It has a picturesque view of Khan-Tengri 7010 meters above sea and Pobeda  7439 meters above sea peaks. Arrival in base camp “Southern Inylchek”, accommodation in base camp, a dinner and overnight in tents.
Day 10. “Southern Inylchek” base camp (15 km, 5 - 6 hours. +/-150 m).
Breakfast. Rest day at South Inylchek BC or Radial hiking to Khan-Tengri Peak (7010 meters above seal. “South Inylchek” BC is open from 6 of July till 31 of August every year and might be interesting not only for alpinists, but also for usual travelers, who would like to enjoy the views of beautiful mountains on the flight by helicopter.
The beautiful pyramid of Khan-Tengri is without doubt the Jewel of the Tien Shan. It is the second highest mountain in this most northerly and remote of the great Asian mountain ranges. Among the local people, the white peaks are known as 'The Mountains of Heaven'.  Khan Tengri peak was first climbed by a Soviet expedition in 1931, via the West Col and West Ridge. Since then, most of its ridges and faces have been climbed - all by Soviet teams. Overnight in tents. 
Day 11. Base camp «Southern Inylchek» - base camp "Karkara" – Bishkek – Issyk-Kul lake (200 km. – 2500 m).
Breakfast. Flight by the helicopter in Karkara (40 min). Transfer to Issyk-Kul Lake. In the afternoon three hour drive to the Issyk-Kul Lake, lunch on the way. Issyk-Kul is the second largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America.
Measuring 182 km long by 58 km wide, the lake appeared as a result of volcanic activity. It is heated from below by thermal activity and never freezes even in the depths of winter. In the summer the water temperature reaches 25-28 degrees centigrade (warmer than the air) and you can swim in the lake enclosed on all sides by the snowy peaks of the Tien-Shan Mountains.
Extremely deep and nicely warm over the centuries the lake has been something of an oasis in this inhospitable mountain environment. With diverse flora and fauna Issyk-Kul Lake and the surrounding environments are rightly considered to be one of Central Asia most remarkable locations. Arrival to the hotel, accommodation, rest, overnight and dinner in hotel.
Day 12. Issyk- Kul lake – Bishkek (250 km, 5 - 6 hours.  - 800 m).           
Breakfast. Time at leisure. Lunch. In the afternoon transfer to Bishkek through tight Boom Gorge where boisterous Chu River, so much loved by rafters (routes up to 6th category difficulty!), cuts its way. On the way visit Burana Tower (old minaret) near Tokmok town. That minaret was constructed in Balasagyn town; one of the capitals of Karakhanid State existed in XI – XII centuries AD.
Explore ruins of that important trading point at the Great Silk Road and visit a little local museum telling about that civilization. Also watch a collection of Balbals, Turkic ancient tombs. Arrival to Bishkek, transfer to hotel or guest hose, accommodation in guesthouse. Dinner and overnight.
Day 13. Sightseeing tour in Bishkek.
Breakfast. After breakfast a short sightseeing tour in the city. The capital and industrial centre of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek is a city of wide avenues, handsome buildings and Soviet heritage. It is the permanently snow capped Kyrgyz Ala-Too mountain range which towers over Bishkek providing a quite stunning backdrop.
Visit Manas Monument, the main national hero of the Kyrgyz people. Then excursion to the State History Museum and walking tour around main Ala Too Square to watch ceremony of changing of the Guard of Honor, Independence Monument, and finish at the Old Square with Government House.
Transfer to the Victory Square to finish the city tour by short excursion there. After excursion tourists may go shopping in the largest department store in the city – TSUM and a colorful oriental bazaar. Farewell dinner in restaurant. Overnight is in hotel
Day 14. Flight back home.
Early in the morning transfer to the airport. Departure back home.

 The price of "Full package under the program «Hiking tour from Sarydzhaz to Merzbaher lake": 
Accommodation in “Asia Mountains” Hotel or similar in Bishkek  - 3 nights, accommodation in “Amir” hotel or “Green Yard Guest” guest house in Karakol – 1 night, accommodation at the hotel at Issyk-Kul Lake  – 1 night, accommodation in already installed tents with 3 time meal (hot dinner, hot breakfast and lunch as packed box) starting from camp “At-Jailoo” till camp “South Inylchek”  – 9 nights (Please note, you do not need to set up your tents, they will be set in advance + cook will be waiting for your with hot meal when you arrive), FB during whole program, escorting Guide during the whole program, porter service during the trek (*please read about baggage allowance on trek below), all the transfers according to the program, helicopter flight from base camp “South Inylchek” to base camp “Karkara”, entry and ecological fee, brder zone permit.

The price doesn’t include:
Visa support and visa fee (if necessary), all optional deviations from the main itinerary, beverages and meals not included in main menu.

Note: The price for porter service:
Luggage allowance on trek - Your baggage on the trek will be carried by porters. The packed weight of your trek bag whilst trekking should be no more than 12 kg of personal belongings. It is possible to leave travel clothes or other items not required on trek in our office – we will deliver them to Karkara Camp on your arrival there after BC.

Recommended equipment:
For this trip you will need the following: 4 season sleeping bag, Thermarest or similar sleeping mat, walking boots, waterproof jacket and trousers, fleece jacket or similar, warm hat and gloves, sunglasses, a daypack of around 40 liters, head-torch and batteries, 2 x 1 liter water bottles, sun cream. A down jacket, pair of sandals and walking sticks are recommended.

Photos by:
Vladimir Serbenko.