About the trip
Only since the collapse of the Soviet Union have western mountaineers been permitted to visit the vast and beautiful mountain ranges of Central Asia.
In 2022, ISM celebrated 25 years of leading adventurous expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, and we are proud to have been part of the climbing and mountaineering history during this time.
Our expeditions have always been a mixture of exploration, virgin summits, and all very much centred around the cultural and traditional Kyrgyz way of life. 2025 will be a very special expedition, as we head back to Kyrgyzstan with M2M into another unexplored part of the beautiful Tien Shan mountains.
“As one of the M2M experts working closely with this amazing charity, I’m excited to open this window into one of my favourite places in the world and for you to join in and explore these beautiful mountains and experience the rich culture history that is Kyrgyzstan.” – Ade, our Mountain Expert & Guide
It’s the unspoilt landscape, the nomadic Kyrgyz families living in yurts, tending horses, yak and sheep, the smell of freshly cooked bread over open fires, the backdrop of unclimbed mountains, untrodden glaciers and crystal clear streams and rivers, the people and friendships made and adventures had, which highlights so many stories told after ever one of these trips making this an experience of a lifetime.
Itinerary
Day 1:
2nd August, 2024
You will fly into Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. In 1991 Kyrgyzstan declared independence from Moscow and the city’s central hub today still preserves its former Soviet feel with Soviet period buildings, gardens and statues overlooking an explosion of modern shops, cafes and restaurants. When travelling to Kyrgyzstan, it’s capital Bishkek is easily reached from London via Istanbul flying with Turkish Airlines. There will be a transfer from Manas International airport in Bishkek to your hotel in the city centre which will take about 35 minutes. On arrival you’ll first get some rest as it will most likely be an overnight flight and then you’ll have the chance to do some sightseeing around the city and a visit to one of the markets before everyone coming together for dinner and for the expedition to kick off more officially.
Day 2:
3rd August, 2024
Leaving Bishkek you very quickly find yourself in the mountains. The houses become yurts and cars are exchanged for horses. The Kyrgyz people owe their survival to their nomadic lifestyle which has been key for over 2,500 years. Yurts acted as temporary homes as their livestock roamed the mountains in search of food and water. The nomadic people of Kyrgyzstan say ‘a man should move, because the sun, animals, fish – everything moves and only the land and dead creatures stay where they are’.
From Bishkek we’ll transfer in minibuses and head towards Lake Issyk Kul, which is the second largest lake in the world at an altitude of 1600m and close to the Kazakhstan border. The lake is fed from the stunning back drop of the Tien Shan mountains where we’ll be heading and there will be a chance to relax and have a swim in the lake once we arrive at our destination Karakol.
Two great ranges embrace over 90% of this beautiful country – the Tien Shan Mountains, which stretch for 2,500km from east to west and the Tajik Pamir Mountains, which spill into Sothern Kyrgyzstan. Over 30% of the country is covered in permanent snow and ice
The Tien Shan boasts peaks such as Khan Tengri (the Prince of Spirits) at 7,1010m and the highest Peak Jengish Chokosu or Peak Pobeda at 7,439m. In the Pamir, Peak Kuh-I-Garmo or Peak Lenin’s summit is 7,134m.
Once in Karakol, we’ll stay a second night in a hotel and then head out for dinner. Karakol is the fourth largest city in Kyrgyzstan and on the eastern edge of Lake Issyk Kul and the gateway into the central and eastern Tien Shan mountains.
Day 3:
4th August, 2024
Leaving Karakol the scenery very quickly changes as we head off the main road and onto dirt tracks in 4WD vehicles. Snaking our way up huge glaciated valleys we pass yurts and livestock feeding on the rich and fertile steps at the foot of steep and craggy mountain tops. A day of off-road travel over passes and fording rivers leads us to an idilic place to overnight camp. Camp is a great way to sort some kit and start that all important acclimatisation process of sleeping high before we move on to higher altitudes at BC.
Day 4:
5th August, 2024
The next day we continue along the valley over rough dirt tracks, until a sharp left fork in the valley opens up the most incredible vista of snow-capped peaks and white glaciers we’ve come to explore, trek in amongst and to climb. These beautiful mountains feed the now swollen river in the afternoon sun slowing the progress but leads us to Base camp (BC) at around 3000m.
Day 5-12:
6th-13th August, 2024
Once at BC, we’ll continue our acclimatisation process by exploring the glaciers and climbing some lower peaks, as well as setting up an advanced base camp from which to attempt the higher peaks in the area. From information gained from previous trips, carefully looking at old Soviet maps and Google Earth, it’s clear that there’s a great number of superb looking unclimbed objectives. There are two possible valleys and BC options that we’ll assess once there, but both look like they lead into the heart of some great looking unclimbed mountains. The higher mountains look glaciated with a year-round snowpack, with most of the summits above 4000m and so plenty to explore and plenty unclimbed!
Day 13:
14th August, 2024
We leave BC and drive to Karakol for an overnight hotel stay.
Day14:
15th August, 2024
Leave Karakul and minibus back to Bishkek, visit the afternoon markets and rest up overnight at a hotel.
Day15:
16th August, 2024
Homeward bound!
Details:
We have porters to help assist us throughout the trip and to keep our high camps supplied, giving us maximum time and energy for the climbing.
This region is of a similar latitude to the southern Pyrenees, so the peaks feel much higher than those of a compatible altitude in the Himalaya or Andes. Their remoteness and untapped mountaineering potential gives the mountains of Kyrgyzstan a unique attraction.
Ade (our Mountain Expert & Guide) likes to ensure that the areas we visit have a variety of different objectives which he feels have helped make these expeditions inclusive and led to their success. Coupled with this, the adventurous nature of these trips and the rich history of from the nomadic people that live in these remote regions through to the historic Silk Road dating back to the 2nd century. This trading route which threaded its way for over 6000km through these beautiful mountains played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political and religious interactions between a China and the west. It’s the fabric and people that make Kyrgyzstan a truly magical place.
We will be travelling in 4WD and 6WD off-road vehicles transporting the whole expedition team, food and all our equipment. We will have an excellent cook serving up fresh meals each day at BC and porters to then help ferry equipment up to an advanced BC (ABC) from where we can then explore the more remote summits as well as experiencing expedition life in a very remote and wild setting. A qualified first aid professional will be on hand to help if needed and Guides will communicate with each other, ABC and BC with reliable 2way radios and there will also be two satellite phones to communicate back to Karakol, Bishkek and the emergency services if we need them.
Qualified and very experienced IFMGA Mountain Guides will play a key role in helping you enjoy this experience through instruction and coaching, whether that’s with camp craft, to safe glacial travel or helping you climb your first virgin summit.
Adrian Nelhams will be your expedition leader with over 30 years qualified professionally as an IFMGA Mountain Guide and leading over 20 expeditions to remote regions of Kyrgyzstan and climbing over 150 virgin summits above 4000m.
Fundraising
We ask participants to use this opportunity to help fundraise for the charity with a target of £1,500. Details over how to best go about this will be shared closer in time; but feel free to get in touch with any questions – [email protected]
Cost
£2,750
Included
- Transfers from Manas International Airport in Bishkek to the hotel.
- Hotel accommodation at the start & end of the expedition.
- National Park & military border permits.
- Transfers from Bishkek to expedition BC – Minibus, 4WD & 6WD vehicles.
- 1 Kitchen tent, 1 mess tent, chairs, 1 toilet tent, all BC tents, all ABC tents.
- Ground staff: 2 porters, 1 cook, 1 kitchen helper, drivers.
- All food and drink when at basecamp (BC).
- 4 Mountain Guides working.
- Qualified First Aid person and first aid supplies.
- 2 Satellite phones & solar panels.
- 2-way radios to communicate between camps and guides working.
- All climbing & trekking hardware such as ropes, ice screws etc.
Not included
- Flights: Turkish Airlines – £650.00 – London – Istanbul – Bishkek – return
- Insurance
- Personal clothing, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, boots etc – we can pull together a kit list.
- Personal climbing hardware such as crampons, harness, ice axe and a helmet.
- Drinks when not in BC.
- Personal spending money.
