Circuit de randonnée Khan Tengri

Upon arrival at Manas International Airport you are met by your guide and driver. Transfer to Bishkek (about 30 km, 45 minutes) and check in at the hotel (early check-in included), with time to relax after the journey. The city tour begins at Osh Bazaar, one of the most colorful markets in Central Asia, where you can stroll among stalls selling aromatic spices, dried fruits, handmade crafts and many other goods that reflect the culture and traditions of the region. Next comes a walking tour of downtown Bishkek. On Ala-Too Square you see the Manas Monument and the national flag, where the changing of the guard takes place, and nearby the 2010 Revolution Monument and the White House. Continue to Old Ala-Too Square with the Lenin statue and Soviet-era buildings, then through Oak Park with its open-air gallery and the monument to Kurmanzhan Datka, a legendary female leader. The walk ends at Victory Square, dedicated to those who died in the Great Patriotic War. Lunch and dinner in cozy local cafes. Overnight at the hotel in Bishkek (800 m).

Bishkek, Osh Bazaar (Bishkek), Ala Too Square, Bishkek Oak Park, Bishkek Victory Square

Au cours de la nuit : Bishkek (Hôtel)

Repas : Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we leave for the Karkara Valley. The drive from Bishkek takes about 7 hours: the road passes through the Boom Gorge and then along the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake. Lunch at a cafe in Cholpon-Ata. After lunch we drive through the village of Tyup and continue east to the Karkara base camp. Accommodation is in a camp with buffet-style meals where you can choose your own food. On arrival you can take a walk around the camp or towards the Chymyn-Sai Pass (2,700 m), or simply relax. Dinner and overnight at the Karkara base camp.

• Bishkek → Karkara base camp (480 km)

Au cours de la nuit : Karkara base camp (Yurt camp)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

An easy walk through alpine terrain to the Chymyn-Sai Pass. We walk along the border between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and then climb to the 2,700 m pass, which offers views of the entire Karkara Valley, the Char-Kuduk area and the Tyup Gorge. The hike is not difficult and helps you prepare for higher altitudes. The trail runs through a wide gorge with nomad yurts, a good opportunity to see the way of life of a disappearing culture. Dinner and overnight at the camp. Hiking: 10 km, about 3 hours, ascent +400 m / descent –400 m.

Au cours de la nuit : Karkara base camp (Yurt camp)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

Après le petit-déjeuner, un vol en hélicoptère passionnant nous emmène au point de départ du trek dans la vallée d'Engilchek, un endroit appelé Prijim. De là, nous remontons la vallée jusqu'au pied du puissant glacier Engilchek, avec des vues impressionnantes sur le pic Nansen (5 690 m) et le col de Tyuz (4 001 m). Le pic Nansen a été noté pour la première fois en 1902 par le géographe allemand Gottfried Merzbacher. Ayant vu les Alpes, le Caucase, l'Himalaya et le Karakoram, il fut frappé par la grandeur de la crête sud qui ferme la vallée d'Engilchek : de puissants sommets enneigés aux formes bizarres s'étendant d'ouest en est, selon ses mots l'un des panoramas alpins les plus impressionnants sur terre. Dans l'après-midi, nous arrivons au camp de tentes Iva, où le personnel amical nous accueille. Dîner et nuit au camp. Trekking : 10 km, 3–4 heures, ascension +700 m.

• Karkara base camp → Iva camp

Au cours de la nuit : Iva camp (Tent camping)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we pack our lunch and leave the camp. Today's route follows the lateral moraine of the Engilchek Glacier to its confluence with the Putevodny Glacier, the first big glacier of the trek. Steep ascents and descents make this day particularly intense and require extra stamina; wherever possible we follow the right slope. Some sections of the trail have rockfall, so extra care is needed, and the route constantly goes up and down. Lunch is right on the glacier, surrounded by majestic mountain scenery. After a rest we climb another steep terrace on a narrow path. At Glina camp, on a green clay plateau, we enjoy a cup of hot tea or coffee and relax after a busy day. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp. Trekking: 8 km, 5–6 hours, ascent +200 m.

Au cours de la nuit : Glina camp (Tent camping)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

Aujourd'hui, nous marchons le long de terrasses pittoresques avec des montées et des descentes. La distance est d'environ 9–10 km en ligne droite, mais l'itinéraire est intense. Nous traversons un petit glacier une fois, traversons une rivière à gué et déjeunons au bord d'un lac de montagne confortable. Après la pause, il faut environ une heure pour atteindre le camp. À l'arrivée, nous sommes accueillis avec du thé ou du café chaud et une vue imprenable sur le lac Merzbacher. La clairière Merzbacher est le dernier endroit herbeux de la région, directement en face du lac. Sur le glacier se trouve une station de recherche où des scientifiques du monde entier viennent chaque été pour étudier le mouvement des glaciers, le climat de la région et le lac lui-même. La prairie verte et plate autour de la station est idéale pour le camping. Dîner et nuit sous tente sous le ciel étoilé. Trekking : 9 km, 5–6 heures, ascension +300 m.

Lac Merzbacher

Au cours de la nuit : Lac Merzbacher (Tent camping)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we take our lunch boxes and start a long hike through majestic landscapes: snowy slopes, steep cliffs and amazing multicolored ice – black, white and even striped – with views of the Petrovsky, Kolyady, Tyurina and Bronenosets peaks. The first part of the route runs along the right side of the terraces, and before the huge Shokalsky Glacier the trail gently descends. We then reach the glacier and the dark moraine formed by the Komsomolets Glacier and follow it to the ice. The terrain is varied and full of obstacles – mountain streams, deep crevasses, steep ascents and descents – and getting around them takes time, effort and attention. Tonight is our first night on the glacier. Strong winds usually come up after 4 p.m. and the temperature drops noticeably, so hot drinks are especially welcome. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp. Trekking: 12 km, 5–6 hours, ascent +400 m.

Au cours de la nuit : Komsomolets camp (Tent camping)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at the camp and departure. Trekking in this part of the Tien Shan is mesmerizing in its pristine beauty; a distinctive feature of the region is the large number of unnamed peaks of around 5,000 m that are still unclimbed. From the camp we cross the moraine of the Proletarsky Glacier, climb to the middle of the Dikiy Glacier moraine and follow it to the glacier itself. The first part is uneven, with ascents and descents, but closer to the glacier the moraine becomes smoother and the crevasses and small streams disappear. During the lunch break we enjoy a great view of Khan Tengri, Pobeda, Gorky, Chapaev and Trekhglavaya peaks. Dikiy camp was once the starting point for climbers heading to Pobeda Peak; hot tea or coffee awaits. Dinner and overnight in the tent camp. Trekking: 10 km, 4–6 hours, ascent +100 m.

Au cours de la nuit : Dikiy camp (Tent camping)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a relatively short day. After breakfast we cross the whole glacier to the central moraine where the base camp is located. The trail passes rocks, icy sections, streams, lakes and crevasses, but can be walked without ropes or crampons. We reach the base camp in time for lunch and hot drinks. The South Engilchek Base Camp lies in the heart of the Central Tien Shan on the South Engilchek Glacier at about 4,000–4,100 m, with breathtaking views of Khan Tengri (7,010 m) and Pobeda Peak (7,439 m), which attract climbers from all over the world every year. An optional radial hike leads towards the foot of Pobeda Peak. Dinner and overnight in tents at the base camp. Trekking: 8 km, 5–6 hours, ascent +200 m.

Au cours de la nuit : South Engilchek Base Camp (Tent camping)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at the base camp, then a helicopter flight along the Central Tien Shan range – with a chance to see Merzbacher Lake from the air – to the Karkara camp. From there we drive to Issyk-Kul Lake (about 200 km, 3 hours), stopping for lunch at a local cafe on the way. We also visit the famous Stone Garden at Cholpon-Ata, an open-air temple with rock carvings associated with the Scythian and Xiongnu cultures, dating from the 9th–8th centuries BC to the 3rd–4th centuries AD. The carvings lie at the foot of the Kungey Ala-Too range, with a magnificent view over the whole lake. Afterwards a short transfer to the hotel on the shore of Issyk-Kul (1,600 m). Dinner at the hotel restaurant and overnight.

Cholpon Ata petroglyphs museum, Cholpon Ata

• South Engilchek Base Camp → Karkara base camp
• Karkara base camp → Cholpon Ata (200 km)

Au cours de la nuit : Cholpon Ata (Hôtel)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

A full day of rest on the shores of Issyk-Kul Lake, the second-largest mountain lake in the world. No transfers or organized activities – just free time to relax, swim in the clear water, stroll along the shore or simply enjoy the fresh mountain air and the silence of nature. In the evening dinner at the hotel restaurant and overnight.

Issyk-Koul

Au cours de la nuit : Cholpon Ata (Hôtel)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we drive to Bishkek with a stop at the Burana Tower, one of the oldest surviving minarets in Central Asia, near the town of Tokmok. It stands on the site of Balasagun, one of the capitals of the Karakhanid state, and nearby is a collection of balbals – ancient Turkic stone sculptures that hold the secrets of the distant past. Lunch on the way, then we continue to the capital. Check in at the hotel, dinner and overnight in Bishkek. Drive about 270 km, 5–6 hours.

Tour Burana, Bishkek

• Cholpon Ata → Bishkek (270 km)

Au cours de la nuit : Bishkek (Hôtel)

Repas : Petit déjeuner, Lunch, Dinner

Early in the morning, transfer to Manas International Airport (about 30 km, 45 minutes) for your departure flight. End of the program.

Repas : Petit déjeuner