Specialization – Mountain trekking.

Location: This tour is held on Matcha,  Pamiro-Alay, Osh region of Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

 

Durationis 16 days

               

Best timeis 1 June to 10 September.

 

Group size.This adventure travel holiday is generally limited to a maximum 12 people, not including any trek leaders or journalists. We feel that larger group sizes have an adverse for the natural environments and cultures.

 

Zerafshan belt of freezing in vast system of Pamiro – Alay is often named as mountain knot of Matcha tak, where Alayskiy Range is forked into Turkestanskiy and Zerafshanskiy Ranges on the meridian of 70 * 40’. There is gigantic Zerafshanskiy glacier, where Zerafshan River flows out from, and named as Matcha River in its upstream. Matcha knot is an alternation of high ranges and deep narrow glens between mountains.

Whole Matcha knot might be divided into two areas – Northern and Southern territories by drawing a straight line from the West to the East via Zerafshanskiy glacier, Matcha Pass and valley of Ak – Terek river. The basis of Northern territory of this mountain area is Turkestanskiy range, where Piramidalniy Peak is the highest top (A=5510 m).

There are glaciers, like Kshemysh, Shurovskogo, Min-Teke, Karatura, Tamyngen, and etc. in the Northern territory. There are glaciers, like Mir-Amin, Skachkova, Tolstogo, Farakhnow, Rama and etc. on the Southern slope.

The basis of the Southern Mountain area is two ranges of Zerafshanskiy and Alayskiy. Zerafshanskiy range is narrow range, covered with snow with summits of 5000 m high and higher. The slopes of this range are enough frozen. There are glaciers, like Beliy (White), Akhnun, Nazar-Ayljak, Paran and etc. there.

Alayskiy range is craggier and more pointed. There are glaciers like Matcha, Igla (Needle), Aylanish, Klueva, Northern Tutek, and etc. on the Northern slope of this range.

Contrasts of Matha nature are amazing. Here, travellers can walk from Zone of snow and ice to alpine meadows, up to wonderful and cosy groves and be warm welcomed by their shade for the only day. Here you can observe the unique neighbourhood of surviving juniper forests, alpine meadows, spectacular waterfalls, turquoise lakes, gigantic stony obstructions and so on.

Travellers to this area will see the Karakul – Katta lake (named as black pearl of Matcha), the fairy-tale Soh canyon, the grandiose, unique and majestic Raygorodskiy ice-fall, unforgettable magnificence of valleys of Kshemysh, Kolaimakhmud, Norlow rivers with their crystal-clear water, rowan and birch groves, peach orchards, blackberry and barberry thickets. Experience the cordiality and hospitality of shepherds, and appreciate the unforgettable beauty of the valleys and rivers - Kshemysh, Nurlow, Kalai-Makhmud .

Matcha is the enormous mountainous area, situated in the heart of the Pamiro-Alai, at the junction of three high-mountain ranges - Turkestanskiy, Alaiskiy, Zerazhsanskiy.

There are relict juniper forests, snow peaks, alpine meadows, grandiose frozen waterfalls, turquoise lakes and gigantic monoliths here.

Matcha is a country of contrasts, exotic and legendary.

 

Programme

Day 1.  Arrival in Tashkent. Met and transfer to a hotel. Check in the hotel. Lunch. Excursion around the architectural monuments of Tashkent city, including visit to Kukeldash madrasah, Barak-Khan and Orient Bazaar of Chor-Su for 4 hours. Dinner . Hotel.   

Day 2.Breakfast. Transfer to the ancient city of Kokand, Fertile Fergana Valley via Kamchik Pass. Lunch en route. Upon arrival in Kokand, excursion around Koaknd city, including visit to Khudoyar-Khan Palace and Djuma mosque for 2 hours. Transfer to Fergana. Dinner. Check in a hotel.   

 (D=400 km. T=5.5hrs). Hotel.

Day 3.Transfer to Vorukh settlement. Commence trek (its pedestrian portion). First night stop at Kshemysh River. You will be accompanied with a caravan of donkeys or porters carrying all equipment and clients’ baggage.

Day 4 - 5.Walk along the Kshemysh River via Norlow Valey with its dense and beautiful juniper woods up to the most beautiful Karakul-Katta Lake surrounded by rocks and juniper woods. Camp is in the upper side of the third dam of the river.

Day 6 - 7.Cross the Kurdaktyr mountain pass (H=3280m). The majestic panorama of the Alay range is observed from the mountain pass. Descend to the Kalay-Mahmud river where there are impressive views of the ice-fall of the Raygorodskiy glacier. This is a unique phenomenon of nature. The 8 km glacier breaks off in powerful falls of enormous blocks of ice with huge cracks (H=6000m, D=10km, T=6hrs). Camp is on the bank of Kalay-Mahmud River.

Day 8.Descend along Nurlow River to its confluence with the Kshemish River.  The camp is in a convenient fruit orchard, not far from Kshemysh village. You have an opportunity to visit a traditional Kirgiz house (H=2200 m).

Day 9 - 10.Ascend along the Kshemysh river over the glacier of the same name, one of the most beautiful glaciers of Pamiro-Alay (D=8 km). Contrast of changeable landscapes from steppe, through juniper woods to alpine meadows (D=10 km. T=5hrs). Beautiful views of rocky walls and glaciers of the massive Kshemysh-Bashi peak (H=5282 m).Visit to Birk –Su gorge en route. Camp is on the alpine lawn of Tubek (H=3000m).

Day 11.Approach to the Chegesly mountain pass.

Day 12.Walk over the Chegesly Pass (H=3300m) to the Chegesly River.

Day 13.You will enjoy the views of picturesque Valley of the Chegesly River. Camp is on the bank of this lake.

Day 14.Approach to the Muynak Pass and walk over this mountain pass (H=2540m) to the Lar River. Camp is on the bank of this lake.

Day15.Walk to the Karavshin River and descend to Vorukh settlement. Conclude trek. Transfer to Tashkent via Kokand city (D=360km, T=6hrs). Check in a hotel.

Day 16.Breakfast. Transfer to the airport. Depart Tashkent.

 

Transport:

In Tashkent -  on a comfortable bus

Tashkent - Fergana; Vorukh - Tashkent -  on a general-duty cross-country vehicle

 

Accommodations:

Tashkent and Fergana – accommodation in hotels

On trek – tents (2 for a tent)

 

Food:

3 meals a day in the cities

on trek – breakfast, dinner (hot course) 

lunch - dry ration, hot tee, coffee.

 

The price quoted for this programme includes the following:

visa authorisation letter

meeting in the airport and transfers airport-hotel-airport

transportation on the entire itinerary

providing a lorry and a general-duty cross-country vehicle

accommodation in twin tents within trekking and in double rooms with breakfast in hotels

rent of kitchen, dinning and  special equipment, like dishes, tents, ropes and etc.

services of mountain guide, interpreter, cook and porters or donkeys caravan

3 meals per a day

Excursion with local guides and  entrance fees to tourists sites of the above cities

Accompaniment of a national guide throughout

Licence fees

 

The price excludes the following:

Visas

Single supplement charge

Travel Insurance

Tipping

Items of a personal nature, such as laundry, drinks, etc.