Lenin Peak
Lenin Peak
The Lenin peak (officially Ibn Sina 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, Pamir with 7495 meters and the second highest was Pobeda (Victory) peak 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 both in the Tien Shan mountains. Lenin peak has a majestic mountain charm with its remarkable landscapes and green valleys surrounding it including 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 peak 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 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.
Travel 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
Page updated 1.8.2021
