central asia travel lenin peak

• Big Almaty Lake
• Charyn Canyon
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• Ornithological Tour
• Communism Peak
• Khan Tengri Peak
• Korjenevskaya Peak
• Pobeda Peak

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TRIP DETAILS

Price: $2,850 usd + guide/equipment, trip length: 27 days, elevation: 7134 m (23,406 ft), trip origin: dushanbe, tajikistan, dates: july & august, group: individuals + groups, difficulty: extreme, experience: physically fit, mountaineering trips, the best 7000 m peak in central asia.

With the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1998 and bringing independence to Tajikistan, Communism Peak was renamed Ismail Samani. However, names are hard to change in the climbing community and Communism Peak is still used today.

Rising to 7495 m (24,590 ft) above sea level, the mountain is the highest peak in the Pamirs, and the highest in the former Soviet Union. It is located at the junction of Academia Nauk and Pyotr Pyervy ridges and so remote it took explorers 20 years to find a way to it.

Communism Peak is a huge craggy mountain and heavily glaciated despite it rising above a dry, barren region. The rock is poor and the approach difficult, but because it is the highest of all the peaks in the region, climbers have been attracted to the mountain for decades. There are a variety of routes to the summit.

Even with its remote location and being the highest of the five 7000 meter peaks in Central Asia, it has been a goal of serious mountaineers. Successful climbers of all five peaks gain the title of “Snow Leopard”.

• Highest of the five “Snow Leopard” peaks
• Huge, craggy mountain and glaciated
• Renamed Ismail Samani but Communism Peak still used
• Remote location; Took 20 years to find a way to it
• Variety of routes used to summit

Route Description

The safest route for Communism Peak leads from the Walter Glacier bivouac at 4500 m (14,764 ft) and across the Big Pamir Plateau at about 6000 m (19,685 ft), 3 km wide (1.9 mi) by 12 km long (7.5 mi). The ascent of Peak Dunshabe at 6950 m (22,802 ft) is reached by a long and steep ice slope. Hike up Walter Glacier and traverse through the northern slope (4 — 5 hrs).

Camp 1 at 5100 m (16,733 ft) — hiking up by the right side of the moraine of Walter Glacier. Crossing the glacier by the ice plateau under the walls of Pamir Big Plateau. It is necessary to cross it as early as possible and at maximum speed. Further, the route follows by a rock section to the crest (about 6-7 hours).

Camp 2 at 5800 m (19,029 ft) — northern ridge (4-5 hrs). This part of the route is technically not too difficult, wide snow crest with parts of 35-40 degrees steepness. The camp is located in mould.

Camp 3 at 6100 m (20,013 ft) — Pamir Big Plateau (4-5 hrs). Early start and ascent to the two-headed summit. Climbing in roped-party. Traverse to the left to the top and then descent to Pamir Big Plateau.

Camp 4 at 6700 m (21,982 ft) or 6900 m (22,638 ft) — northern snow/ice slope of Mt. Peak Dushanbe (7-8 hrs). Early start. Climbing in roped-party. The ascent is technically easy. After ascent to Mt. Peak Dushanbe at 7000 m (22,966 ft), descend to Camp 4. Ascent to summit with early start. The route climbs up the steep snow slope to the rocks. Above this, there is an exposed part leading to the summit. Back to Camp 4 (8-9 hrs)

Climbing Lenin Peak

Day 1 – Arrival in Dushanbe. Accommodation in hotel Day 2 – Take helicopter flight to Base Camp at Moskvina Glacier Day 3 – Preparation day Day 4 – Acclimatization climb to Vorobiova Peak to the camp at 5300 m (17,389 ft) Day 5 – Climb the summit of Vorobiov Peak at 5690 m (18,668 ft). Descent to BC Day 6 – Rest day Day 7 – Preparation day Day 8 – Ascent to Camp 1 at 5100 m (16,733 ft) Day 9 – Ascent to Camp 2 at 5800 m (19,029 ft) Day 10 – Descent to Base Camp Day 11 – Rest day Day 12 – Preparation day Day 13 – Ascent to Camp 1 at 5100 m (16,733 ft) Day 14 – Ascent to Camp 2 at 5800 m (19,029 ft) Day 15 – Ascent to Camp 3 at 6100 m (20,013 ft) Day 16 – Ascent to Camp 4 at 6700 m (21,982 ft) or 6900 m (22,638 ft) Day 17 – Ascent to the summit at 7495 m (24,590 ft) and descent to Camp 4 or Camp 2 Day 18 – Descent to Camp 1 or Camp 2 Day 19 – Descent to Base Camp Days 20-25 – Reserve days in case of bad weather Day 26 – Take helicopter flight to Dushanbe. Overnight in hotel Day 27 – Departure from Dushanbe

Guided Expedition

• Arranging of necessary documents
• Meeting / seeing off transfers from / to airport
• All transfers according to the program
• Dushanbe with 30 kg (66 lbs) per person luggage limit (overload payment extra — max 10 kg/22 lbs)
• Accommodation in shared (between 2-3 persons) tents (tents in the Base Camp are improved with wooden flooring, and electric lighting)
• Full board (variety of food including vegetarian, 3 meals a day from professional chef, possibility for special personal ordering)
• Toilets, luggage office (tent) at BC
• Sauna (steam room) at BC
• Medical services (by professional doctor) in BC
• Electric supply 220V; 50HZ
• High-altitude guide consultancy services
• Registration with rescue team
• Accommodation in Dushanbe (hotel 2* with breakfast, Twin room, 2 nights)
• The cost of visa support
• Document of acceptance of tourist
• Tajikistan visa
• Services of high-altitude guides and porters during ascending
• Rent of mountaineering gear
• Gas canisters and petrol for stoves and burners

Trip Pricing

Full package per person, separate services & fees.

• Accommodation in tents
• Meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Shower/ Sauna
• New gas canisters
• Satellite phone, e-mail, bar, etc. – according to price list of the Base Camp
• Rent of radio station
• Services of a mountain guide
• Services of porters for ascending

When planning your expedition, please coordinate with our helicopter schedule to the mountain BEFORE booking air tickets.

RESERVE YOUR TRIP TODAY!

Select tour* Day Trip – Altyn-Emel (March – November) Day Trip – Big Almaty Lake (March – November) Day Trip – Borovoye (March – November) Day Trip – Charyn Canyon (March – November) Day Trip – Issyk Lake (March – November) Day Trip – Tamgaly (March – November) Day Trip – Turgen Gorge (March – November) Multi-Day Trip – Almaty (March – November) Multi-Day Trip – Astana (March – November) Multi-Day Trip – Astana-Skymkent-Almaty (March – November) Multi-Day Trip – Baikonur (March – November) Multi-Day Trip – Ornithological Tour (March – November) Multi-Day Trip – Silk Road (March – November) Mountaineering Trip – Communism Peak (July – August) Mountaineering Trip – Khan Tengri Peak (July – August) Mountaineering Trip – Korjenevskaya Peak (July – August) Mountaineering Trip – Lenin Peak (July – August) Mountaineering Trip – Pobeda Peak (July – August) Number of persons+ 1 2 3 4 5 6+ Name* Email* Phone number* Additional info

The Ultimate Guide to Climbing Lenin Peak

November 15, 2019.

Everything you need to know about climbing Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan. How to get there, the climbing route and a lot more are covered in my comprehensive guide.

Lenin Peak is often touted as one of the easiest and cheapest 7,000-meter mountains to climb.

Let me start right off by saying that Lenin Peak is by no means an easy mountain to climb . It isn’t technically challenging, but at altitudes above 6,000 meters, anything can happen.

I made a solo attempt on Lenin Peak in August 2019. I wasn’t successful – I turned back at about 6,000m just before reaching Camp 3. I’ll explain more about my personal climb later in this post.

• 1 A History of Lenin Peak
• 2.1 Flying to Kyrgyzstan
• 2.2 Getting from Bishkek to Osh
• 2.3 Osh to Lenin Peak Base Camp
• 3 Lenin Peak Gear List
• 4 Lenin Peak Climbing Routes
• 5.1 Base Camp (3,600 m)
• 5.2 Hiking from Base Camp to Camp 1
• 5.3 Camp 1 (4,450 m)
• 5.4 Climbing from Camp 1 to Camp 2
• 5.5 Camp 2 (5,450 m)
• 5.6 Climbing from Camp 2 to Camp 3
• 5.7 Camp 3 (6,100 m)
• 5.8 Climbing from Camp 3 to the Summit
• 5.9 Summit (7,134 m)
• 6 Solo Climbing Lenin Peak
• 7 Lenin Peak Acclimatization Itinerary
• 8 Lenin Peak Climbing Season
• 9 Lenin Peak Agencies
• 10.1 How tall is Lenin Peak?
• 10.2 What is the weather like on Lenin Peak?
• 10.3 Can you ski on Lenin Peak?
• 10.4 What’s the success rate for climbing Lenin Peak?
• 10.5 Is there internet access at Lenin Peak?
• 11 Resources for climbing Lenin Peak
• 12 Lenin Peak Wrap-up

A History of Lenin Peak

Lenin Peak is the third tallest peak in the former Soviet Union and is one of the five snow-leopard mountains . The summit of the mountain has a metal statue of Vladimir Lenin’s head, a reminder of the peak’s history.

It’s also where the most deadly mountaineering accident in history occurred. On the 13th of July, 1990, an earthquake triggered a massive avalanche that completely buried Camp 2. In total, 43 climbers died that day on Lenin Peak.

Nowadays, Lenin Peak is one of the most popular 7,000 meter climbs in the world and one of the best ways to get experience at extreme altitude without much technical difficulty.

Getting to Lenin Peak

Lenin Peak is located in the far south of Kyrgyzstan , on the border with Tajikistan .

For such a large mountain, it’s actually quite easy to get to Lenin Peak. Base Camp (BC) is accessible by a bumpy dirt road from Sary Mogul, a small town in Kyrgyzstan’s Alay Valley.

But first, you need to get to Kyrgyzstan.

Flying to Kyrgyzstan

Most people who climb Lenin Peak fly into Bishkek. It’s the capital of Kyrgystan and has a decent international airport with direct flights to Dubai, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tashkent, and Astana (or Nur-Sultan).

If you find a cheaper flight, you could also fly into Osh. It’s the second-largest city in the country and is home to an international airport with connections to Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kuwait.

Getting from Bishkek to Osh

If you opted to fly into Bishkek, the next thing to do is to get to Osh. There are a number of local airlines operating daily flights on the Bishkek to Osh route, so just pick one and go for it. Prices tend to range from $30-50 depending on how far ahead you book.

Osh to Lenin Peak Base Camp

The drive from Osh to Base Camp is absolutely gorgeous. It takes about five hours in total, and during that time you’ll gain almost 3,000 meters in elevation.

At first, the road follows the gorgeous Gulcha River towards the Alay Valley. When you first drive into Sary Tash at the entrance of the Alay Valley, you’ll be blown away by the 6,000 and 7,000-meter mountains dominating the entire landscape.

From Sary Tash, the drive continues on well-paved road for another hour until the town of Sary Mogul. At Sary Mogul, you’ll turn off on a bumpy dirt road for the remaining hour-long drive to Base Camp.

Lenin Peak Gear List

Here’s the gear I recommend for climbing Lenin Peak, based on a ton of research and input from other climbers. I am still working on the complete list.

Lenin Peak Climbing Routes

There are a number of different climbing routes on Lenin Peak. The most common, and safest is the classic route via Razdelnaya top. I’d guess that 99% of all summits occur via this route. When I was in Kyrgyzstan, I didn’t meet any climbers attempting other routes.

Other routes include the route via Lipkin Rocks, via the Krylenko Pass, or straight up the north face.

The Razdelnaya Route

The Razdelnaya Route is the most common route used to climb Lenin Peak. Let’s go over the different stages and camps on the route.

Base Camp (3,600 m)

Lenin Peak’s Base Camp is located in a gorgeous meadow at 3,600 meters above sea level. It’s accessible by road, so amenities here are quite good.

The larger agencies operating Base Camps typically have dining yurts, spacious tents for climbers, hot showers, a storage room, and even a sauna. There is even electricity and WiFi (for a fee).

Overall, Base Camp is a pretty comfortable place – especially if you’ve just come from one of the higher camps. Temperatures are quite hot during the daytime, and the air isn’t too thin.

Hiking from Base Camp to Camp 1

The route from Base Camp to Camp 1 is basically just a hike – the trail is well defined, and it’s all on gravel until just before you reach Camp 1.

Departing from Camp 1, things are pretty flat until you reach the beginning of the Traveller’s Pass. The ascent up to the top of the pass is your first challenge. It’s all worth it though – when you get to the top you’ll have an incredible mountain panorama right in front of you.

Have a quick snack at the top of the pass, and then continue towards Camp 1. The next part of the route is straightforward, with a few ups and downs along the way.

Eventually, you’ll arrive at the first and largest river crossing. The water level will vary depending on the time of day, being at its lowest in the early morning. You can cross the river yourself if you’re experienced with river crossings, or pay a local for a ride across on a horse. About 200 som is the going rate for a ride across, although you need to negotiate as initial quotes were usually around $10.

Climb back up from the river, and you’ll be quite close to Camp 1. There are signs around here pointing you in the direction of your Camp 1 depending on the agency you’re climbing with.

Camp 1 (4,450 m)

Considering its location, Camp 1 is also quite well serviced by most Lenin Peak climbing agencies.

Camp 1 is located on or at the edge of the glacier that flows off of the northern face of Lenin Peak. You’re surrounded by mountains here, and Lenin Peak’s scale really begins to come into perspective.

The camps here are usually spacious two-person tents, and the meal area is inside of a yurt.

Climbing from Camp 1 to Camp 2

The route from Camp 1 to Camp 2 is the dangerous part of the climb. You’ll have to pass over a number of large crevasses, and then spent a short amount of time walking through an area that’s susceptible to avalanches.

It’s advised to start early for this section – most people begin climbing around 4:30 am. The crevasses are smaller when the temperature is cooler.

There are snow bridges to walk across for most crevasses, and there are fixed ropes that you can clip into for the more dangerous ones.

After passing the crevassed area, you’ll get a look at Camp 2. It’s not to far away now – but try to go quickly as this area just before Camp 2 has a high avalanche risk.

Camp 2 (5,450 m)

Camp 2 is probably the most miserable place I’ve ever had to spend a night.

It’s located in a giant bowl of reflective ice, and daytime temperatures inside of tents at Camp 2 can reach upwards of 50°C. You’ll see people walking around in shorts and t-shirts and tents covered by sleeping bags in an attempt to keep out the sun. At night, temperatures plummet and you better get ready to put all of that gear back on.

The toilet situation here is also quite dire – there’s just a tiny wall of snow to hide you from the entire camp, and the route to the toilet area is surrounded by crevasses. It is seriously dangerous to try to go there at nighttime.

One plus – there is running water during the daytime at Camp 2. A bit above the camp, there’s a small stream created from melting snow, so you can get water there to save your precious gas canisters.

Climbing from Camp 2 to Camp 3

The route from Camp 2 to Camp 3 is quite straightforward, but you’ll definitely be feeling the altitude from this point on.

Leaving from Camp 2, you’ll begin an upwards climb right away. This section is a bit steep, but nothing too bad.

After topping out, you’ll get a glimpse of the next uphill section. It’s longer and can take a long time to get up. But good news – at the top of the second uphill, you’ll be in Camp 3!

Camp 3 (6,100 m)

Camp 3 is located near the summit of Razdelnaya Peak. It’s very exposed and can get pretty windy. But you don’t have to worry about the heat like at Camp 2.

At Camp 3, you’ll also get gorgeous views of Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains, a great reward for making it this far.

Climbing from Camp 3 to the Summit

I personally haven’t attempted the route from Camp 3 to the summit.

From what I was told by climbers who did attempt it, it’s a  long journey. You ascend over 1000 meters and travel a horizontal distance of about seven kilometers. You’ll follow a ridge most of the way, so it’s not too hard to stay on track if the weather is good.

Depending on your level of fitness and acclimatization, the summit push can take anywhere from 8 to 24 hours. Most climbers I met were in the middle of that range.

Summit (7,134 m)

I haven’t stood here (yet…), so I can only go by reports that I heard on the ground.

Lenin Peak’s summit is located on a large plateau and it can be difficult to find if the weather isn’t great.

But the view from the top is amazing, apparently. If you’ve made it this far, you’re a badass.

Solo Climbing Lenin Peak

It’s totally possible to solo climb on Lenin Peak if you have enough experience. If you have enough experience to make a solo attempt on a 7,000-meter peak, you probably already know.

Solo climbing is definitely more dangerous than climbing with a group, especially when climbing between Camp 1 and Camp 2. Falling into a crevasse and disappearing forever is a real possibility.

When you’re solo, you also won’t be able to tell if you’re succumbing to a High Altitude Cerebral Edema (or HACE). It can happen suddenly, and if you’re alone on your summit bid when it does then that’s a really bad situation to be in.

I climbed solo but tried to stick with other solo climbers on the dangerous stretch between Camp 1 and Camp 2.

Lenin Peak Acclimatization Itinerary

Climbing Lenin Peak normally takes about three weeks, due to the amount of time needed to acclimatize its extreme altitude. Here’s a sample climbing & acclimatization itinerary for Lenin Peak:

The above itinerary is similar to what most climbers on the mountain follow. It has a couple of reserve days, in case you aren’t feeling good with the altitude or get food poisoning.

Lenin Peak Climbing Season

Unless you’re a professional climber, you’ll be climbing Lenin Peak during its normal climbing season. The season is short, running only during July and August.

You might be wondering – is it better to climb in July or August? There’s no simple answer, and both months have decent weather.

In July, there will be a lot more snow on the mountain, and the crevasses between Camp 1 and Camp 2 will be smaller. In August, much of the snow has melted but the crevasses open up quite a bit.

In late August, things will start to get a bit colder. I climbed in late June and early August – most days had good weather and there were a decent number of summits.

Lenin Peak Agencies

Unless you really know what you’re doing, you’ll likely want to organize your Lenin Peak climb with one of the numerous agencies that can provide you with logistical support.

Most agencies have different levels of service offerings. The base offer normally includes permits and use of their BC, but after that, you’re on your own.

The most common level of service I saw used (and what I used myself), includes room and board at BC and C1. It also includes transportation to/from Osh to BC as well as climbing permits.

The two largest agencies that operate on Lenin Peak are Ak Sai and Central Asia Travel . They’ve both got a ton of different service offerings, so I’d recommend checking out their sites for more information.

I climbed with Central Asia Travel and had a good experience overall. Staff at BC and C1 were wonderful, shoutout to Nurdanat, Icy, and Dima 🙂

Lenin Peak FAQ

How tall is lenin peak.

Lenin Peak has an elevation of 7,134 meters.

What is the weather like on Lenin Peak?

The weather on Lenin Peak is all over the place, but it is consistently cold as hell. Lenin’s summit is frequently blasted by 100km+ winds, and snowstorms are frequent.

There’s a general rule that mornings will have clearer skies, and in the afternoon things will begin to get cloudy.

Your best bet is to keep updated with the weather forecast from BC while you’re climbing on the mountain.

Can you ski on Lenin Peak?

Yes! I saw a few skiers while I was there. It’s definitely not easy to ski at these altitudes, so some experience in high altitude skiing would be necessary.

What’s the success rate for climbing Lenin Peak?

Apparently, the success rate for climbing Lenin Peak is about 30%. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if this figure was even lower.

Is there internet access at Lenin Peak?

The larger climbing agencies offer WiFi at BC and C1, for a fee. With my agency prices were $10 for 300mb at BC and $15 for 300mb at C1.

If you buy a local SIM card when you arrive in Kyrgyzstan, you can get 3G signal in BC. I recommend getting a SIM from the O! telecom – it’s what I used and it worked great. Prices are around 250 som ($3.5) for 40GB of internet.

Resources for climbing Lenin Peak

You’re probably going to want to do a lot of research before you head to Kyrgyzstan, so let me help you out with some resources that I found helpful when planning my climb.

• Lenin Peak SummitPost – SummitPost is a great mountaineering resource, and the page on Lenin Peak is quite useful even if it’s a bit outdated in certain sections.
• Lenin Peak info from Central Asia Travel – This is the agency that I climbed with and mentioned earlier on in this article. They have some great info on the route and preparing for your climb.
• Climbing Lenin Peak from The Sandy Feet – Chris has written up some great info on the climb.
• Lenin Peak Trip Report from TheCloudOcean – Ian has some great trip reports on his site.

Lenin Peak Wrap-up

I hope this post has helped you plan your Lenin Peak climb! It’s a challenging mountain, but even if you don’t make it to the summit the views are magnificent. Feel free to ask me if you’ve got any further questions about the climb!

Good luck and stay safe!

Check out my guide to travelling in Kyrgyzstan for more useful info to help plan your trip.

Yay transparency!  There are affiliate links in this guide. If you book or buy something using my links, I’ll make a bit of money  at no extra cost to you.

21-year old Canadian dude who loves to visit off-the-beaten-path places, climb tall mountains, and try delicious foods.

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Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Tours

The Lenin peak is a 7134 meters high mountain peak located in the Chon-Alai Range at the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan . It was the third highest peak in the former Soviet Union. The highest one was Communism Peak, now called Ismoil Somoni Peak in Tajikistan with 7495 meters and the second highest was Pobeda (Victory) p eak with a height of 7439 meters located on the border of Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, 16 km southwest from another 7000+ meters peak The Khan Tengri peak. Lenin peak has a majestic mountain charm with its remarkable landscapes and green valleys surrounding it inclduing the Alai valley in the North.

Climbing the LENIN PEAk

A standard expedition takes 12 days including the acclimatization and resting days before the final push. Moreover, you need to get used to the frigid cold and prepare the mind for the toughest next days of climbing to the peak.  Lenin p eak demands a certain level of fitness, basic mountaineering skills, prior experience at high altitude and certainly the desire to reach a peak of 7000 meters.  If you have never been to mountains before, you should start from lower mountains, for example, from Elbrus, Kazbek or Kilimanjaro, to find out how your body will react to high altitude conditions, then test yourself at altitudes of 6000-6500 meters.  Note that staying in the mountains can be life-threatening if you do not have enough experience or the equipment and hence it is better to use the services of local guides and travel agencies. 

Many travel agencies offer several packages to Lenin peak. For instance, packages may include transfer from Osh to the Achik-Tash camp, taking care of paperwork for staying in the border zone and several days in the camps for acclimatization. The option to go independently is  much cheaper, but it has its disadvantages, firstly obviously the lack of an experienced guide who can save your life in case of a dangerous situation. 

In fact we do not recommend anyone to try to reach the peak without experienced company and adequate previous experience in mountaineering!  

Not Climbing the Lenin Peak

Even if you are not planning to climb all the way up to the mountain, visiting even the base camps (that can be reached by car) and the surrounding areas in the  Alai valley  are worth the time. Nearby are the the beautiful group of the Tulpar Kol lakes and there are several nice hiking routes in the area. Even admiring the peak from afar is an impressive experience.

How to get to LENIN PEAK

The easiest way to reach the Lenin peak from the Kyrgyz side is entering the Alai valley from Osh . You canget a marshrutka from Osh to Sary Mogul village ( 220 km). It leaves from  next to the bazaar and old bus station.  Sary Mogul is a village of around 3000 people on the north side of the Alay Valley in southern Kyrgyzstan . 

There are 16 routes in total to reach the summit of Lenin Peak.  The most common is the classic North Face route. It is also considered the safest and technically the easiest one.  Majority of tours start with an 8-hour drive from Osh to the Lenin Peak Achik-Tash Base Camp which is located at the foot of the Lenin Peak in the Pamir Mountains at an elevation of 3 500 meters above sea level. Lenin Peak towers an additional 3 634 meters above the camp. There are several other  Base Camps also in the higher levels.  Each of these stages may take one or several days, depending on acclimatization requirements and weather conditions.

There are also possible ways to reach the Lenin peak from Tajikistan, but the climbing conditions are a lot harder and therefore it is the most common way to climb from the Kyrgyz side. 

Sights near Lenin peak

Alai valley, kolduk lakes, karakul lake (tajikistan), pamir national park (tajikistan), murghab (tajikistan).

Page updated 1.8.2021

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Peak Lenin Base Camp Trek – Kyrgyzstan Hiking Guide [2024]

• Last Updated: February 5, 2024

A firsthand experience at what it is like to climb and hike to Peak Lenin base camp, one of the highest mountains in Kyrgyzstan

We had left Sary Moghul behind and had been walking for more than two hours along the Alay Valley, a massive, isolated plain, which marks the beginning of the Pamir Range, hence Tajikistan.

The green pastures with beautiful Kyrgyz horses grazing on them were quickly replaced by an arid, extremely flat valley, whose very end was striking views of the whole Pamir range.

The closer we got to the mountains, the greener the arid land became and, very soon, we were suddenly surrounded by green, rolling hills, in which we could spot several nomadic yurts between them.

It was such a long way but, thanks to the warm greetings from the Kyrgyz nomads and the kumis they offered us to drink, it was totally worth it.

As we kept advancing, we reached Tulpar Lake, a dreamy alpine lake from which you see epic views of the snow-capped mountains and their reflection on the water.

We couldn’t find a better place where to camp before continuing our way to the advanced base camp.

Welcome to Lenin Peak.

Table of Contents

Lenin Peak Base Camp – Trek Overview

When to visit lenin peak base camp, altitude and acclimatisation, how many days are needed, how to get a permit to climb peak lenin, how to get to the base camp, where to stay, do you need a guide, trekking to lenin peak base camp.

Before traveling to Central Asia, I didn’t really know about the region’s geography. I had heard of the Pamir Highway and the mountain ranges in Tajikistan but I didn’t know about any specific peak.

However, Lenin Peak had been on my thoughts for years and was, definitely, something I didn’t want to miss when I went backpacking in Kyrgyzstan.

Lenin Peak is an imposing 7,134-meter peak shared between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It is the second-highest in the Pamir range and third in the former Soviet Union, after Jengish Chokusu (7,439 meters), located on the Chinese-Kyrgyz border, and Ismoil Somoni Peak (7,495 meters), located in the Tajik Pamirs.

You probably wonder why I knew about Lenin and not the other peaks. Well, the Lenin Peak is the easiest 7,000-meter summit to climb in the world, as it doesn’t really require any hard mountaineering experience but you can reach it by foot.

Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you can climb it with your backpacking trekking shoes and gear. The altitude is a real issue and only well-prepared people can reach the top.

Basically, it is a mountain for amateur professional climbers.

However, the base camp can be easily reached by absolutely anyone and, if you are in good shape, you can even get to the advanced camp.

Lenin Peak is located in the south of the country, pretty much on the way to the Chinese – Kyrgyz border at Irkeshtam Pass and Kyzylart Pass in Tajikistan.

It is far away from most touristic places so, normally, the only people who visit it are overlanders travelling to Tajikistan, people who have plenty of time to spend in Kyrgyzstan, or mountaineers.

Moreover, most travellers just make it to Tulpar Lake, as anyone who goes beyond it requires a special permit. The base camp is just 1 or 2 hours walking from the lake and the advanced base camp is 6 or 7 hours after that.

Tulpar Lake is an awesome spot but the views of the peak are not as amazing as from the base camp itself. In the same way, most travelers who make it to the base camp don’t make it to the advanced one, which is a huge mistake, as there you will experience the real wild Pamirs.

Massive glaciers, contrasting colours and striking scenery, makes me believe that going to the advanced base camp was one of the best trekking experiences I’ve ever had.

On the way to the advanced base camp, we didn’t see any travellers but just actual alpinists, meaning that they were people who traveled to Kyrgyzstan with the sole objective of reaching the peak.

We had been backpacking in Pakistan , China, and Central Asia for months, every day meeting travellers who we exchanged great travel stories with.

It was very curious to realise that climbers are not necessarily travellers, so the type of conversation was very different. For example, they didn’t believe that we had managed to come from Bishkek by public transportation and hitchhiking.

From Sary Moghul, both Tulpar lake and the base camp can be easily reached in a day, either by car or by foot. On the other hand, the advanced base camp is a serious trek which only reasonably fit people should attempt, especially if you want to go back on the same day.

Practical Information For Trekking The Lenin Peak Base Camp

Here’s some good information to have in case you are thinking of climbing or trekking to Lenin Peak base camp.

Kyrgyzstan is very seasonal and Lenin Peak is no exception. Summer would be the best season, although late spring and early autumn should also be good, at least, for both Tulpar and the base camp.

However, when I came here in mid-August, the advanced base camp was covered in ice and snow, so I can’t imagine what it is like during colder seasons.

Sary Moghul, the starting point, is at above 3,200 meters already and the base camp is around 4,000 meters. The advanced base camp is higher than 5,000 meters, so you really need to be prepared for high altitude.

We had been trekking in both Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan for a long time, so we were more than used to the high altitude. However, if you just came to the region, it is recommended to drink loads of water and split the trek over a couple of days.

You need a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 4. One night will allow you to visit the base camp and, perhaps, do a small day-trek on the day after.

If you want to go to the advanced base camp or explore the area further, you will need 1 or 2 more additional days.

Personally, we spent 3 nights there. On the first day, we walked all the way to Tulpar, where we spent the night.

On the following day, we walked to the base camp and explored a little bit of the surrounding area, while hanging out with some climbers.

On the third day, we hiked to the advanced base camp and came back on the same day. We went back to Sary-Moghul early in the morning of the last day.

Don’t get the permit through a travel or trekking agency, as they tell you that you need to organise a full tour with them, which is a lie.

Instead, email CBT Sary Moghul to ask for prices. Normally, they would ask you for $65 USD and it takes 5 days to process. Yes, it is very expensive but the fact is that this permit allows you to climb the peak all the way to the top.

I told them that we just wanted to go to the base camp, asking if there was any way to get it cheaper. They said no, that $65 was the only price.

Therefore, we decided not to get the permit for Lenin Peak. Seriously, who is going to ask you for a permit, in the middle of nowhere, at 4,000 meters above sea level?

CBT claims that the police do some occasional random checks but I need to hear it from a traveler in order to believe it.

Most likely, your journey will start from the southern capital of Osh. If you come by public transportation, these are all the steps you need to follow:

Getting to Sary Tash from Osh – Marshrutkas run every day until 2pm. The station in Osh is located here: 40.536484, 72.798298. Price is 350KGS (4USD) and it is a 3-hour journey.

Getting to Sary-Mogol from Sary Tash – Sary-Mogol is 30 kilometers from Sary Tash. Your best bet will be to wait on the road to hitch a ride.

Getting to Tulpar Lake from Sary-Mogol – It’s a 5 or 6 hour walk. CBT can also organize the taxi for you, which costs around 10-15USD.

Tulpar Lake – There is a lovely CBT camp right next to the lake, charging around $10 USD per night, including dinner and breakfast. When we went there it was really busy though, so hopefully, they have built more yurts.

Base Camp – You can also find many yurt camps but they are more expensive, around 15USD a night.

Advanced Base Camp – Due to the altitude, the advanced camp has no yurts but only tents for alpinists, which are quite expensive. Moreover, unless you have a super professional mat, you cannot camp there, as the ground is very rocky, so we decided to go back on the same day. It’s a really long day trek but you can finish it in 10 hours, so start early in the morning.

Camping – Lenin Peak has some of the most epic camping spots in Kyrgyzstan, so we decided to camp there every night. We had plenty of snacks and we just paid for our dinner, which ranges from $3 to $5 USD per meal.

No, you don’t, seriously. The trail is extremely easy to follow and there are plenty of yurt camps where you can stay, so there is no need to arrange your accommodation in advance either.

Joan Townsend Torres

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

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So glad I found this blog! Really well-written and chock full of specific, useful information. Thanks for all the deets!

I intend to hike Kyrgyzstan over Aug/Sept ’20. I want to start in Bishkek, hike to Lenin Peak (and climb to advanced base camp) and on to Osh. Then fly back to Bishkek and home. 600 miles over six weeks. Does that sound feasible to you?

Hi Chris, that’s great you are planning to go hiking in Kyrgyzstan. Sound like a jam packed holiday but it can be done. If you have a little bit more time in the south of Kyrgystran, do check out the Truly Nomadic Land trek or horse trek. https://www.nomadasaurus.com/truly-nomadic-land-trek-kyrgyzstan/

That hike was incredible too. Check out Tilek Guesthouse in Sary Mogol. The couple that own it are the sweetest. And if you want a great hostel in Osh and Bishkek, check out Apple Hostel.

Have a great trip.

Hi there! Great post! Could you please tell what place do you call Base Camp and Advanced Base Camp? Is “your” base camp described on maps as “Camp 1” (about 4300m) and Advanced Base Camp is “Camp 2” (about 5300m)?

On maps that I found “Base Camp” is at 3600, thats a reason of my confusion;)

Thanks! Mark

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Staying at Peak Lenin Base Camp in Kyrgyzstan

by Kirsty | November 28, 2016 | Kyrgyzstan | 6 comments

We were following a barely discernible track traversing the grazing pastures which are home to nomadic Kyrgyz families and known locally as the jailoo , the rain beating down on our 4WD and the mist lying heavy on the endless horizon.

Our destination was Peak Lenin Base Camp, one of the most eagerly anticipated spots on our Kyrgyzstan travels, and our reward was to be panoramic views of majestic Lenin Peak. Only the weather wasn’t playing ball… again.

We’d spent the previous night in a yurt at Lake Tulpar Kul. As the crow flies, Peak Lenin Base Camp is only a few kilometres away but valleys and ridges separate the two and our vehicle needed to return to the village of Sary Mogol, an hour away in order to backtrack for another hour on an almost parallel track.

We were at Lake Tulpar Kul to watch the annual Nomadic Horse Games and whilst the day had been dry, we woke up in the night to the sound of rain battering the felt roof of our yurt. Staying in a traditional Central Asian yurt is a great experience… until it rains! Generally, I’m not too fond of the hole-in-the-ground toilet but they lose any possible redeeming features pretty rapidly when the need to take a pee in the middle of the night involves dressing in waterproofs and pulling on walking shoes in a sleep-induced state to make a 200-metre dash under heavy rainfall in the pitch black to a rickety wooden shed in the middle of nowhere!

It was still raining when we woke and cold as well: the warmth from the wood-burning stove in the centre of the yurt had long died out. At breakfast, a plate of greasy fried rice that looked much the same as our meal the previous evening was placed in front of us and we grew despondent. This was hardly going to set us up for our journey across the jailoo .

So there we were, bumping along towards Lenin Peak with the prospect of spending another night camping in the rain …

Lenin Peak is firmly planted on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and is the third-largest mountain in the former Soviet Union . At 7,134 metres, only Jengish Chokusu (7,439 metres) on the Kyrgyzstan – China border and Ismoil Somoni Peak in Tajikistan (7,495 metres) are higher.

The mountain is considered to be one of the easiest 7,000ers to the summit, but we weren’t there for a challenge in any way close to that scale. We just wanted to gaze upon the mountain, be awed and take a few photographs! Only we couldn’t see either the proverbial nor the literal hands in front of our faces!  The rain got heavier and by the time we arrived at Base Camp, the weather was nothing short of downright miserable! At 3,600 metres above sea level, the rain was turning to icy snowflakes but not the pretty crystallised confetti kind – these were the sort that bites into your skin.

Our home for the night was Ak-Sai Travel’s Achik-Tash camp and as we approached we could make out their bright yellow two-man tents through the thick cloud; standing in neat rows on top of the ridge.

We arrived at the camp and were met and ushered into the large dining tent packed with expectant climbers clad in branded climbing gear. It wasn’t particularly warm, but it was dry. Just as we sat down, lunch was served and plates were put in front of us.  We looked at each other in amazement: salmon steaks, fresh vegetables and creamy mashed potato! A far cry from the greasy fried noodles we’d eaten for three meals on the trot at the Tulpar Kul yurt camp! It was delicious too, and the salmon was preceded with soup and followed by dessert (freshly baked sponge pudding!). Things were looking up.  Whilst a good meal couldn’t compensate for the lack of views, it was better than greasy noodles and no views!

Later that evening, dinner was also three courses but the main dish was simpler and more traditional – plov (rice, meat and vegetables). However, of the countless plates of plov we ate during our time in Central Asia, this was definitely one of the best! The kitchen is filling bellies for a day on the mountain and, unsurprisingly, breakfast was equally satisfying. Tea and coffee were available during meals and water bottles could be filled from urns of hot water at any time. There was also a small bar in the corner of the dining tent offering beer and spirits for an additional charge (more than you’d pay normally, but reasonably priced considering the remote location). Additionally, the dining tent held another rare treat – Wi-Fi!

After lunch, we were shown to our tents. The rain had eased off a little but it was still extremely cold and I was dreading the prospect of a night under canvas. I think we were all worried we would be frozen to the core but my spirits lifted when I saw our tent – a cosy two-man tent, seemingly brand new, with two camp beds each covered with an incredibly puffy sleeping bag and, just in case, a snuggly fleece blanket. The tents also had an electric light and a power socket… the height of luxury in the wilds of Central Asia!   With the addition of an outer area to store boots and bags, the tents were well-designed. As it was, we needn’t have worried about the cold – we had one of the warmest and cosiest night’s sleep of the trip! Getting out for a pee at 3am was a different story!

Inside the tents at Peak Lenin Base Camp

While we’re on those kinds of practicalities, we were all excited to discover that we could have a hot shower! Housed in a converted storage container, this was another wonderful surprise!

By mid-afternoon, the rain had stopped and the clouds had started to break up a little so Mark and I decided to head out for a walk. We climbed a small hill for a panoramic view of the area. Looking back towards Lake Tulpar-Kul the gently rolling hills were dimpled with smaller pools.

Turning around, we were facing Lenin Peak but we couldn’t see it: clouds were obscuring any views of mountain peaks but the wind was quite strong and the clouds were moving across the sky so we waited patiently.

It was worth the wait and before long, although the clouds were still touching the mountain tops we were rewarded by some fantastic views ….

Meal times are fixed at the camp so we headed to the main tent for dinner. The mood was optimistic – we were surrounded by climbers who had been grounded by poor weather for too many days and they were all getting itchy climbing boots. After we’d eaten, and with a mug of tea in hand, I stepped outside the tent to check the weather. Wow …

At this point, I will stop rambling and just say it with photos!

As night fell, the stars came out and the yellow tents glowed in the dark.

We awoke to an equally glorious day and rushed around excitedly taking more photographs prior and after breakfast until, before long, it was time to move on towards … Tajikistan.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR TRAVELLERS TO PEAK LENIN BASE CAMP

Where to stay for views of lenin peak.

As touched on above, there are two places in Kyrgyzstan where you can base yourself for views of Lenin Peak. One is the CBT yurt camp near the shores of Lake Tulpar Kul, where outside of the annual horse games, the area is all but deserted save for a handful of tourist yurts. The thing about staying at Tulpar Kul though is that you can’t actually see Lenin Peak and the surrounding dramatic snowcapped mountains from there. I’m not saying the scenery around the lake isn’t beautiful. It is, but to see Lenin Peak from the yurt camp you need to hike out for around an hour or more to reach a decent viewpoint, and then hike back! Some travellers do this, but as a result, many miss out on the best views. If that had been our plan, with the weather the way it was, we would have had to give up on the idea and move on…

The second spot and the place which offers far superior views of Lenin Peak is Lenin Peak Base Camp. Sometimes referred to Achik-Tash, the name of the plateau on which Base Camp is located, it is the starting point for climbers attempting to summit the mountain. Base Camp consists of a handful of tented camps and a couple of small yurt settlements. The camps are operated by various companies that arrange climbing expeditions and sits in a basin at 3,6000 metres surrounded by the Trans-Alay mountain range which includes Peak Lenin itself. We stayed at Achik-Tash Base Camp, operated by Ak-Sai Travel which felt like it was the largest, most comfortable and professionally run camp.

DO YOU NEED SPECIAL PERMISSION TO GO TO PEAK LENIN BASE CAMP?

Whilst it’s possible to go to Tulpar-Kul Lake without any additional permits, you do need permission to visit the region in which Base Camp is located. It was a very simple process – we emailed copies of our passports to Ak-Sai Travel and they took care of everything. There was no additional cost for the permit. That said, no one bothered to check if we had permission to visit Base Camp.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR AK-SAI TRAVEL’S ACHIK-TASH BASE CAMP

The camp is only open from 25th June until the 1st September, to tie in with the climbing season.

The nightly cost for one night at the camp is US$30 per person which includes three meals, tea/coffee and hot water (both for drinking and showering). The average cost for an average homestay in rural Kyrgyzstan and along the Pamir Highway is US$15 per person including breakfast (and sometimes, but not always, dinner) but we feel the splurge would be well worth it, even if you’re on a budget.

And one final surprise … Base Camp has a mobile phone signal meaning you can upload photos to Facebook or Instagram via 3G from the cosiness of your sleeping bag if you don’t want to hang out in the main dining tent to use the Wi-FI!

LOCATION AND HOW TO GET TO PEAK LENIN BASE CAMP

The closest village is Sary Mogol, a 3-hour drive south of Osh. From Sary Mogol, the drive to Base Camp is approximately 1 hour. If you’re following the Pamir Highway, Sary Mogol is about a 30-minute westerly detour off the M41 at Sary Tash.

If you are visiting Peak Lenin as a side trip from Osh, Ak-Sai Travel can provide transfers for US$25 per person and if money is no object, they can even arrange for you to be flown in by helicopter!

We visited Peak Lenin Base Camp as part of our longer Pamir Highway and Wakhan Valley adventure and so had our own driver and vehicle. Note that the camp doesn’t have any separate facilities for drivers and guides – they can be accommodated but the price is the same for everyone. Bear this in mind if your transport price includes an allowance for the driver’s accommodation and food – our arrangement factored in US$15 a night for our driver and so we offered to pay the extra so he could also stay at the camp. In the end, he preferred to find a nearby family and stay in their yurt (and presumably keep back most of his US$15 allowance, which is fair enough).

Full details of Achik-Tash Base Camp and all the services offered by Ak-Sail Travel can be found on their website .

Disclaimer: We were invited to stay at Achik-Tash Base Camp as guests of Ak-Sai Travel. We were under no obligation to write about it on our website. However, we both agree that it is an experience we would happily pay for out of our own pocket and highly recommend it to other travellers.

IF YOU FOUND OUR GUIDE TO STAYING AT PEAK LENIN BASE CAMP HELPFUL, PLEASE SHARE IT

Very interesting, and spectacular photos, but what I want to know is whether a little mint was placed on your sleeping bag before bedtime? And, if you can describe it, which one of those snow covered peaks along the snow covered ridge is Peak Lenin?

This part of the world looks unbelievably stunning. Really loving your posts and photography, it’s really inspiring!

Thank you so much. Yes, it really is a stunning part of the world – it’s difficult to take a bad photo there! 😉

This is an impressive peak and I would love to go a days. Thanks for this great write up.

Photos are jaw-dropping. Now you need permit to visit Lenin Peak Base Camp. You can read about getting a permit and other paperworks here. https://visitalay.com/lenin-peak-base-camp/

Thanks. We also needed a permit, but it was very easy and the camp arranged everything for us. 🙂

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Lenin Peak - the best way of wintering the summer!

Poor people are said to exhaust with the heat in hot Asiatic summer, seeking an escape in swimming-pools and in small green oases, drinking all their reserves of cool water and eating any cold food in their way… It can be simple untruth!

Actually, it"s much simpler, than you"ve just imagined. To manage being frozen in real unbearable Asiatic heat conditions you need just find yourself there, where there isn"t any heat. Where? Well, for instance, in snow, that is hereabout … on Pamir …

An idea to go there, to test my own strength hasn"t been left me from last winter. I said “I"ll be there!” and this phrase represented the most important one - my aim. It remained only to solve some formal problems. For the beginning I should to clarify the main thing - HOW to get there? Certainly , there is somebody , who is occupied with it.

We can get the answer to any question from our best friends - computer and Internet, as there is a great number of traveling firms" sites, which offer the full account of their services. Now all depend of your own demands and wishes. “Central Asia Travel” firm site has interested me the best of all.

At last, June came. June is not the best month to mountaineer, but I couldn"t wait any more. I was introduced to people who went the same way; we were placed into a comfortable car and… “Oh summit, welcome us!!!”

However, step by step. At first, we should arrive to Kyrgyzstan…

Osh is good-natured, hospitable, bright and lively town, where there are a host of side-streets, cozy open-air cafes and restaurants, bazaars and the main point of interest - “Sulayman-Mountain”.

If you have a choice - to get Lenin Peak by helicopter or by truck, surely choose the second one. You"ll see such marvelous beautiful nature, that even the best photos wouldn"t show you the same. In spite of 7-8 hours" way from Osh to the Base Camp, you won"t be tired. Why? You"ll have a wish to look through the window all the time: villages with ordinary houses imperceptible give place to single yurts, and small green hills - to mountains of imposing magnitude. You don"t want to drink any more. Now you want to eat. By the way, what about eating?

One of the most impressive sights on your way is the sight of ascending Taldyk Pass ( 3615 m high): you see several tiers of serpentine road downstairs, where you"ve just been, and imposing mountainsides against a background. At the time of recurrent stops you have a chance to photo that glory, but as a rule tourists try to do it right through the truck window. The road is very bumpy and has many turns, therefore you should try to hold your springing camera in your hands. The fresh mountain air crisps and wind becomes colder. You realize it is a time to put any overcoat on. And feeling of summer is slowly leaving you…

It is getting dark. Windows are closed and you don"t know what the temperature is outside. You enjoy panorama of Zaalayskiy Range - a giant 5000m-6000m high natural barrier separating 135km-long and up to 22km-wide Alay Valley (300m above sea level) from Pamir . You don"t believe that as recently as 6-7 hours ago it was hot and you wanted to drink.

It"s getting dark… The day is ending and we are near to picturesque"Edelweiss Glade"(3600 m ), which is situated in Achik Tash area. … at last, here it is! That"s all, your trip by truck is over. From this place you"ll have to go on foot.

Base camp (3600 m)

Friendly team is greeting you. You are little bit surprised with such hearty welcome. Smiling, you jump out of the truck to green ground. Now you don"t even remember feeling of summer. Cold and gusty wind brings you a wish to get into your sleeping-bag…

You"ll take place in big and comfortable tent, which is given you for use while you are in the camp. Then you can go and have a dinner in yurt (National Kirghiz round-shape house of felt laid upon wooden framework; it can be very warm there, especially when a stove is lighted, and a foul weather is outside). You"ll be certainly offered rich dinner and dessert. On yurt bar prop you always can find cool and strong drinks. If you are bored, take a look around! You can see argali on the wall and take a photo with it, maps, national Kirghiz souvenirs and guitar. If you are able to play it - you can do it, otherwise it is better to listen to music.

When you went to “bed” last evening, you could see only starry sky above you. But next morning you are surprised with raving beauty around you! Sun is shining, fresh wind is blowing, water in wash-stands can get cold if you don"t use it; pit toilet waiting for you and breakfast has already prepared. You can carefully look around. To stay at the camp became impossible for you - there is a great wish to go for a walk, to gladden your eyes with wide variety of gay flowers (edelweiss put down to Red Book is among them), to seize immensity…

Snowy summits attract you with their grandeur and independent. And standing here, right in the heart of Pamir , you just recognize again who is more chief in the world - mighty and willful nature or jumped-up, proud man. You recognize you are just a guest here, and it means you must live according to rules of this place, the rules of nature. In spite of big number of civilization signs (such as toilet, bath, computer, phone, … people after all), you feel all nature domination anyway. It is important to find a necessary balance between “civilization” and “unsociableness”, not to step over a thin line between simple human comfort and needless conveniences. People wittingly come here from cities as far as possible from dins and bustles. Nevertheless, without any water, food and light long stay in mountains turn from rest into a misery. That"s why in “Central Asia Travel” camps there are all necessary condition of comfort without any excesses. But outside the camps you"d be under the squall wind that carries away all your obtained warmth. But what"s a pleasure to find yourself in a coziness, satiety, warmth and mirth, at the same time mountain conditions are not abolished.

You feel sure and foolproof if you know you can come back to the camp any moment, that tired and hungry you always would be fed, given to drink and warmed. If you are missed home you can use satellite phone any moment, and at your service there always is the rescue team. Outside the camp you are at full nature"s disposal. The summit promises you many adventures on the path to it. And that attracts climbers.

Not everybody can understand why, for what people wittingly come to this beautiful, but very dangerous area to run the risk of their lives. There is something more great than a daring wish to conquer the nature. You just recognize you can"t live without mountains…

Let"s return to our trip. You are going to prepare for your first ascending. You should not only equip rucksack with all necessary equipment, but decide if you want to use services of high-altitude guide and porters…

The Base camp was called like this because of all necessary equipment for you to have the most comfortable sojourn. Toilet is said to be an exterior of any organization. For example, in this Camp the best toilet you can find at this altitude is situated. It is always kept perfectly sanitary clean (daily cleansed with antibacterial agents) and there is no lack of toilet paper there.

You can descend to the Base Camp and take a rest here after a long stay at high altitude or reaching the summit.

You remember the feeling after long stay at extreme conditions when you want to throw off your dirty clothes, to wash yourself and recall the feeling of freshness and neatness. Such your wish is also provided here. In the Base Camp you have a chance of full value bathing in real steam bath. After visiting that bath you feel yourself anew born and spick and span. These complete your pleasant rest with cheerful mood and vivacity. It is a pleasure to stay tidy and clean person even in real mountain conditions.

First ascending to the Camp I (4400 m)

It’s time to ascend the Camp I (4400 m). It takes you about 4-5 hours (8 km). First you ascend over the Puteshestvennikov pass (4200m) on a good mountain path; it can be snow and strong wind there, but you see an magnificent moraine of the glacier. This Pass is a boundary of your way"s first section. Getting the moraine of glacier you see another view without yellow and green colors. Now here is another beauty. There is ice underfoot, sun overhead and Lenin Peak in front of you. Ski sticks will be your best friends and helpers in overcoming of different widths and depths fissures.

It is difficult not to look around and to look only underfoot. You see and can"t see enough of great beauty on the left, on the right, in front of you - in short, everywhere. You think particular that moment will never repeat. That"s why you try to memorize as much as possible not only different details (for instance clouds, wind, air, smells, tiredness in your feet, thoughts, feelings, associations), but the picture as a whole. You attempt to seize something unbounded and realize you have managed to memorize or to photo just insignificant piece of something huge that is around you in fact. That is the place for getting great impressions!

While you are walking you don"t feel any cold, but you have only taken your rucksack off and your back finds strong wind at once. It will be much colder if the sun disappears behind the clouds.Then you see tents and yurts in a distance. That means you have arrived. Camp I (4400m) meets you with hot tea…

Camp I (4400m)

It is especially beautiful on sunsets when the white moon has already appeared from behind the ridge but the sun paints it into orange. Lenin ridge is also beautiful on dawns when specific morning lighting forms some mystic figure, like a frame from a special effect movie. It seems the summit is very close, but there is many hours way to it. Each camp has its own beauty. Edelweiss Glade attracts with its green and flowers, but Camp I presents you the glacier with all its advantages and disadvantages, amenities and dangers.

The weather differs from the same one in the Base Camp. It could rain in the mornings there, but it is snowing here. And if the hot summer sun has warmed you in the morning it doesn"t mean you wouldn"t find yourself in a winter blizzard in the evening. At Edelweiss Glade (you can see four seasons a day, but here you can see only two ones: either summer or winter. And it looks very strange when a girl can acquire a tan in the middle of snow. The only one enemy of good tan is cold wind that compels you to get dressed again.

There are many new things you haven’t seen in the Base Camp. For instance, after a great snowfall you can often see avalanching and ice fallings. To be sure, you can only hear them due to sound delays. If you look at the mountain while the heavy wind is blowing, you’ll see “flags” like clouds. In fact, the wind has just picked snow up with a great speed to several meters from the surface. It is during a day, but at night you can awake due to deep, muffled noise. That means the glacier is cracking… All those facts make you stay here more interesting.

Motor-generator gives you a chance of recharging batteries for your cameras and videos. There is a computer in the yurt (you can look your photos and record disks on it) and nice sound (often real parties with dances are realized). Later you can boast of your dancing at the altitude of 4400 m! Near there is a bar with bear, tea, coffee, stiff and cool drinks, snacks and so on that make your party more festive. Such holidays you have very seldom, do you? Furthermore, the tables are laid with many tasty meals. Members of Camp’s team always can tell you about current information on weather forecast and give you some advices.

You haven"t enough time to comprehend the last. In your usual life to know a person well you need long period of time. But here it’s enough to walk from one camp to another to understand what a man he is. It is another world; there are another problems, another gladness and trials and tribulations here.

Not only the insurance is tested here, but friendship and love, will-power and character are also tested. It is very difficult to conceal something here, that’s why genuine nature of a person becomes apparent.

It is early morning. The snow is sparkling and glittering underfoot, cold wind is blowing vestiges of sleep out and you are waiting by the SUMMIT. Will it let you ascend to it? Will you see the world from that almost the skies altitude (7134 m)? Who knows! It is time to continue your way, ascend firstly to Camp II, next to Camp III… However, wherefore to talk any more? You should go there by YOUR OWN feet, look with YOUR OWN eyes and perceive by YOUR OWN perception. Why should you read the most interesting? You should be there BY YOURSELF!

Photos of the «Ascension on Lenin Peak» tour:

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Videos of the Lenin Peak tour: Video about Lenin Peak, video about Base camps, video of ascension on Lenin Peak.

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This summer, you will have opportunity to visit one of the festivals featuring national horse games, an agro event, a Manaschi reading performance, and a falconry show in the following locations:

Dates that have not yet been fully approved are marked in red. We will keep you updated on this matter.

Regarding organizing a tour including one of the festivals, please contact us: [email protected]

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Trekking to the Lenin Peak via the Picturesque Kozho-Kelen Valley

• Introduction
• Day 1 Arrival in Osh.
• Day 2 Osh – Kyzyl-Shoro village (120 km, 3 h).Trekking (10 km).
• Day 3 Trekking (12 km)
• Day 4 Trekking (18 km).
• Day 5 Trekking (18 km).Darbaza Tash village – “Edelweiss Meadow” yurt camp (40 km, 2 h).
• Day 6 Trekking (10 km).
• Day 7 Petrovskiy Peak ridge (~ 6 km).“Edelweisse Meadow” camp – Osh (280 km, 5 h).
• Day 8 Departure from Osh.

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Reviews About This Operator

• Tour Operator Central Asia Travel LP 4.8
• rey · 23rd October 2023 On my first day, I missed my flight connection. I am glad that Olga helped me a lot and was responsive on the... Show more
• Kate · 5th October 2023 By and large a very well done tour. The hotels were all above expectations except for Ashgabat where things were... Show more
• Phillip · 2nd October 2023 Great scenery, architecture, and different culture. I found each country interesting. Our guides in each country... Show more

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• Upcoming departures
• August 2024
• Get Instant Confirmation Tuesday 2 Jul, 2024 Tuesday 9 Jul, 2024 Filling Fast Multiple Room Types €829 Confirm Dates
• Get Instant Confirmation Tuesday 30 Jul, 2024 Tuesday 6 Aug, 2024 Filling Fast Multiple Room Types €829 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates
• Get Instant Confirmation Tuesday 13 Aug, 2024 Tuesday 20 Aug, 2024 Filling Fast Multiple Room Types €829 0% Interest Instalments Confirm Dates

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