The Fann Mountains are deservedly considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Even "inveterate" tourists never miss an opportunity to go hiking in the Fanns, visiting this magical region of Pamir-Alai for the n-th time. It seems to be the place where the most exquisite peaks are gathered, with dozens of blue-eyed lakes scattered among them. The difficulty of the route is quite high and it would be perfect as physical and acclimatization training for those who are planning to climb the summits. Please, pay your attention that first three days of the hike we will be accompanied by mules, who will take our things, the rest days we will carry our backpacks by ourselves.
At the end of the hike we will visit the ancient cities of Uzbekistan - Samarkand and Bukhara, which will take us back to the times of antiquity and the Middle Ages. We will explore the history and architecture of those times. We will see the greatest constructions: Registan square, Tamerlane's mausoleum, Lyabi-Hauz ensemble, Poi-Kalyan complex and many other sights, which are considered to be the heritage of the whole world.
We do not cancel or shift groups. If the manager approved the purchase of a ticket, you can surely buy it. The hike will not be canceled due to our fault.
Kuluar experienced teamleaders will accompany the group along the entire route, making your hiking as memorable and safe as possible! They have been to Tajikistan many times and know the country in details.
Teamleader will meet you at the airport and take you directly to the hotel. The guide will tell you and show you where to change money, buy souvenirs and equipment, what and where to eat.
The program of the trek was modified several times, we tried to make it as rich and comfortable as possible. That's why we have all the transfers on pre-booked buses.
The manager, who will advise you before the hike, herself was on the route and will tell you the details from personal experience!
More than 12,000 participants have already gone to the mountains with the Kuluar and 97,8% were satisfied.
The group will meet at the Tashkent airport in the morning, no later than 10 o'clock in the morning. If there are no flights from your city with a morning arrival, you will need to arrive the day before. We need to drive quite a few kilometers today to get to our first overnight destination. From the airport the group with a guide will take a pre-booked bus to Khujand. On the way we will stop at the train station to buy tickets to Samarkand and Bukhara, we will need them at the end of hike. After passing the Uzbek-Tajik border we'll stop in Khujand in a neighborhood cafe for lunch. Already today you have a chance to start getting acquainted with the local cuisine. From here our road goes up into the mountains. We change transport for a more suitable one and drive to Artuch Alp Base Camp (2200 m). We will arrive here after dark. We cook dinner, have a meal and go to have a rest after long day of moving.
When we look out of the tent, the magnificent Fann landscapes open up before our eyes. Only yesterday we were in noisy cities, driving on dusty roads, and today we woke up among the mountains under the blue sky. Feet are begging to hit the road! But first let's have breakfast and pack up our things, so we can leave our city clothes here in the mountain camp. Our things will be taken by the donkeys, and we will have a slow ascent to Kulikalon lakes. Our route starts with the ascent along the waterfall and the Khojirovat and Ruzirovat mountains. Slowly gaining height we will come to the Kulikalon lakes. It is hard to resist temptation not to take a dip in their clear waters. Cheerful and fresh we go down to the shore of picturesque Bibijanat lake. Here we are going to make our camp and stay for the first night in Fann trek.
From Artuch to the Kulikalon Lakes you can go through the Kuchurak Pass. The teamleader can choose this variant of the trail. Thereby already in the first day you will ascend to the Chukurak pass (about 3100 m) and to the Urech peak 3243 m, from where you can enjoy gorgeous landscapes on Kulikalon lakes and the whole valley. Teamleader can choose any route, depending on the wishes, weather conditions and the condition of the group.
After yesterday it would be good to rest and properly acclimatize. For that we will go to the summit Fluorite 3445 m. Here we will be able to stand in front of the Dushakha wall on our left and the Kulikalon wall on our right. From the summit we have a view of our tomorrow's Alaudin Pass, the Kulikalon Lakes, Bibijanat and Dushakha. The scale and grandeur of the mountains is breathtaking! At the top we will need to spend some time for acclimatization. So we take our time to make photos and enjoy the scenery. After our return we will have a rest in the camp.
We will have a very early wake up, because today is the ascent to the category pass Alaudin 1A. First, the trail will lead us to a picturesque mountain valley with scattered lakes called "Tears of Mary" at the foot of Dyushakha wall. Then we trek along serpentine path and come to the pass. Turquoise Alaudin lakes spread out among gray rocks below us. And here is the biggest one, Kulikolon Lake. After admiring the scenery we start descending to no less picturesque and charming Alaudin Lake. It's justly considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the trekking tour through Fann Mountains, so it's just impossible to pass by this place. We are going to stay overnight here on the shore. If you wish, in the evening you can hike to the other shore of the lake, to a teahouse and try tasty local pilaf there.
Next our trail passes through a narrow gorge that will lead us to the foot of the highest peak of the Fanns - Chimtarga Mountain (5487 m). We will pass by the clearest high-mountainous lake Piala with deep and clear water. But you don't really feel like swimming, the water temperature is not higher than 4 degrees Celsius. In 3-4 hours after leaving the camp we will already be by Muddy lakes. We'll put up our tents and rest here, surrounded by the highest peaks of the Fanns: Chimtarga, Adamtash, Castle, Energiya and Fagitor. You can swim in the green lake, sunbathe and enjoy the silence and majestic scenery.
Tomorrow we will have a serious ascent to the pass of 1B category of difficulty. From Muddy Lakes to the saddle it is necessary to gain 1200 m. That's why today we will ascend only to the foot of the pass, gradually acclimatizing and gaining altitude. The trail goes first on gentle screes, then turns to a gentle glacier descending from the top of Energy, and leads us to quite steep scree slope, passing that we will get to the comfortable mountain pass. We are going to spend the night here. We'll take water from the snowpack.
Early rise, quick pick-up and preparation. We go to the pass, which connects two peaks - Chimtarga and Energy. After some time, with some effort, we will be at an altitude of 4750 m. Above us the Chimtarga wall proudly rises, and on the other side the distant overhead peaks are beautified. No matter how beautiful it is, we should not linger here, it's cold and piercing wind blows on the pass. We start our descent to the next overnight stop. You might feel how useful trekking pads can be exactly at this part of the route. It's hard to go down the rocky scree without it. Be extremely attentive and careful. When we pass a huge rockfall and find ourselves at the crossing of the valleys, know that it's not much further to our Big Allo Lake, where we'll spend the night.
Sometimes the weather makes adjustments to our plans. Strong winds or rain can cause the schedule to shift. This day we will have as a reserve in case of bad weather or other force majeure circumstances. If the route is on schedule we will have the possibility today to make a radial trek to the beautiful alpine lake of Verhnyaya Allo which is hidden among gray rocks at the height of 3150 m. Its history is remembered by the formidable peaks, when a hundred years ago a strong earthquake scattered the rocky slopes, and among them in the hollow formed a wonderful lake with incredibly blue and cold water. On the way, you can swim in the waterfall.
Today is the final part of our trekking route. To get to civilization, we'll have to trek a decent distance. The trail leads us along a steep gorge, past a small lake called Little Allo. You can often admire it only in high-water years, when melted snow and rainwater fill the lake with crystal-clear water. We will have lunch here, enjoying the coolness and tranquility of the lake. With each hundred meters down to the village of Gaza, the temperature will become noticeably warmer. On the outskirts of the village we will set up our tents. So that's the end of the hiking part of our Fanns Trek. The last night in the tent under the stars.
In the morning we gather the camp and go to the village. A car is waiting for us there to take the group to Penjikent. From there we drive to Samarkand and get our passport stamped at the border to leave Tajikistan. In Samarkand we check into a hostel, get cleaned up, and go for a walk through the evening streets of the city.
Sitting in one place is not for us. Early in the morning we start our journey through the ancient city of Samarkand. Its history goes back 2,750 years. In the very center of the city is the most beautiful square in the world - Registan. The main attraction here is a gorgeous ensemble of three ancient universities: Ulugbek, Tillya-Kari and Sherdor madrassahs. Built in remote XIV-XVII centuries, they have preserved their grandeur and beauty. These unique samples of Persian architecture decorated with murals and mosaics are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. After the central square we will visit the mausoleum of Tamerlane and his entire family. Just imagine what significance Tamerlane's tomb had for the Central Asian peoples, if it served as a prototype for the construction of the Indian Taj Mahal. We will spend the whole day in the city, looking at the ancient architecture and various historical sites. Of course, we can't do everything in a day. But we have to take the evening train to Bukhara. We'll spend the night in a hostel in Bukhara.
Bukhara is the architectural center of Uzbekistan, a fine example of the creations of medieval architects XI-XVII centuries. At that time there were about 350 mosques and 80 madrassas (Muslim schools and seminaries). Many of them we can see nowadays. The main attraction of the city is the ensemble Lyabi-Hauz. Around the picturesque man-made lake in the XVI-XVII centuries were built Kukeldash madrassah, and later madrassah and khanaka (dwelling) Nadir Divan Begi. After survey of these majestic constructions we will go to Poi-Kalyan complex, which consists of mosque, minarets and Miri Arab madrassah, generously decorated with paintings and mosaics. We walk around the city till the evening, get acquainted with its history and other architectural peculiarities. Then we take an overnight train to Tashkent.
Our journey has come to an end. Upon arrival in the capital, we can go to a cafe and have a farewell breakfast. We buy souvenirs for those who haven't done so yet, and fly home. Now the Fann Mountains are forever in our hearts...
The manager will advise you about equipment, help you find the best air tickets, share information on hotels and excursions. You make your own payments and purchases. If you want the manager to buy the ticket for you, it is possible, but for extra money, because it is a big responsibility. More in the article: additional services and service fee
Depending on the weather conditions, condition and general wishes of the group, the teamleader has the right to make changes to the route.
You must have a valid passport, visas are not required.
You must have no illnesses from this list in order to participate in the hike.
After hiking in Tian Shan, we recommend the following routes:
Often when you buy tickets a few months before your departure date, the cost will be much lower. The later you buy the tickets, the more expensive they will be. And it doesn't depend on us) There are no direct flights from Ukraine. Basically all flights are connecting in Kazakhstan (Almaty, Astana).
When choosing tickets do not forget that you need to arrive in Tashkent before 9 am on the day of the meeting. Go through passport control, get your luggage and arrive at 10:00 am to meet the group. In any case, we advise you to coordinate your flights and arrival times with the manager before buying and paying for the tickets, to avoid unpleasant situations.
Our recommendations for airline ticketing services can be found in this article.
To participate in the program, you need good insurance that is valid up to 5,000 m, covers mountain hiking, and includes helicopter evacuation. Please do not neglect this point. It has saved some participants thousands of dollars. ou can find our recommendations for taking out insurance here: "Insurance for Kuluar hikers"
On the active part of the route there will be no civilization and no mobile communication (only on the 4th day at the Alaudin Pass).
Since the program includes not only hiking, but also sightseeing, we will have a lot of moving around. These are the ones that make up most of the extra expenses. We travel from Tashkent to the Artuch Alp Camp and back by pre-booked bus and four-wheel drive car. Between Samarkand-Bukhara and Bukhara-Tashkent we travel by night trains. Tickets are purchased on the first day of the trek for the entire group.
It is most advantageous to change currency in the official bank exchange offices (and especially not at the airport), or in the markets at the foreign exchange dealers. The official bank rate is about $1=7760 soum. If necessary, the teamleader will help you with exchange.
Surely you are wondering what we will eat on a hike? Let's just say that you don't have to worry. Many participants say they eat better on the hike than they do at home. The basis of the menu is a simple meal of cereals and soups. You should not count on gourmet delicacies (although they can be).
If you do not eat any products, be sure to inform the manager so that the guide can slightly adjust the menu for you. We also recommend taking some yummies with you - nuts or sweets. Appetite on a hike is much better than at home.
Please note that the menu shown is indicative only. Team leaders usually have their signature dishes that they love to pamper participants with.
Features of nutrition for vegetarians - if you do not eat meat, be sure to read. We tell here how we will feed you and at the same time we give you a 5% discount to the hiking.
It is best to go in August and September, as this is the driest season in these mountains, and the snow is above the level of our trek.
You should have about 12-13 kg of packed backpack before the trekking.
In the hike you will be given a public weight of about 5-7 kg for men and 4-5 kg for women.
Yes, you can, but it will be hard and you must be mentally and physically prepared for it.
If you can comfortably run 10 km, can ride a bike more than 30 km at a time or are active in other sports - you will be able to handle this hike as well.
The total amount of obligatory additional expenses will be about $100 + airfare. But it is better to take $150-200 with you, so you can have a hearty meal in a cafe and bring home souvenirs. In total, participation in the program will cost you about $1,100.
*Please note: It is not the manager's task to choose a separate flight for each participant. The manager gives general recommendations from his experience and shares flights of other participants, so you can fly together. It's up to the participant to select and purchase his own convenient airfare. If you want the manager to buy you a ticket, book a hotel or an additional excursion, read the terms and conditions on the page: additional services.
We are limiting the number of participants in the group. In order to reserve a place for you need to make an advance payment of $ 100.
Attention: Due to Uzbekistan's internal legislation on limitation of currency export from the country, the whole cost of the hike will have to be paid before it starts, no later than a week before the start. You can do it on the payment page of the website or ask the manager for details. If you like, you can pay in installments.
Friends, we ask very much that you pick up dollar bills from 2003 or newer. Dollars from the 90's are not accepted in many countries and we sometimes have problems when paying to local partners. Thank you for your understanding and new dollars to all:)
