Inylchek Glacier Trekking Tour

Highlights: Drive to wonderful valley Karkara

We start driving to Karkara valley. The drive from Karakol will take us about 2 hours . The road passes through Tup village, then continues East towards checkpoint Karkara. As we are going to enter the border zone, we must show our border-permits and passports to the soldier on duty. The accomodation will be in the tent camp with the lunch served as a buffet where you’ll be able to chose the meal at your taste.

After lunch (or taking lunchbox in advance) you may walk around the camp, to the Chymyn-Sai Pass (2700 m), going alon the border line between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Then start ascent to the pass 2700 m, from the pass you will see the entire Karkara valley, whole Char-Kuduk area and Tup gorge. The hike is not difficult and allows hikers to prepare for hiegher altitudes, also it requires a clear knowledge of the route from the guide. The trail goes along a wide gorge settled by yurts of nomads, and presenting a good chance to see the the life way of dissappearing culture. Dinner and overnight at the base camp.

Tent Camp (2200 m)
Meal: LD
Ascend: + 400m
Descend: – 400 m 
Path: 10km
Time: 3 h 

Highlights: 

• Unforgettable helicopter flight experience;
• Wonderful views to the five thousandth peaks;

After breakfast, we take a helicopter flight to the starting point of the trek in Inylchek Valley to a place called Prijim. Then we trek up along the valley to the foot of Inylchek glacier. On the way, you can see Nansen Peak (5690 m) and Tuz Pass (4001 m). 

In 1902, German geographer Gottfried Merzbacher noticed the Nansen peak. Even he, who had seen the panorama of many mountains on the globe, such as the Alps, the Caucasus, the Himalayas and Karkorum, had a feeling of surprise and delight at the sight of the giant ridge that bounded the valley of Inylchek from the South. Its mighty snow-capped peaks of the most varied sculptural forms (of which the creative forces of nature are capable for) are visible all the way from West to East. In his opinion, this is one of the greatest Alpine paintings of the globe. Arrival at the tent camp called Iva. Meet local staff and get accommodated. Dinner and overnight in tents.

Tent Camp (2900 m)
Meal: BLD
Ascend: + 700m
Descend: – 0 m 
Path: 10km
Time: 3h 

Highlights: 

• The first huge Glacier during the trek – Putevodniy glacier;
• The first day of trekking along the glacier;

After breakfast, we take our lunch boxes and leave the tent camp. Today’s trekking is going to continue along the lateral moraine of the Inylcheck glacier to the confluence with Putevodnyi glacier. Very steep ascents and descents are pretty much exhausting that will add some challenge to the day. We will try to go through the right slope of the terrace. 

Please note: there are lots of rockfalls along the trail, so it’s better to be very careful. The way goes up and down all the time. The lunch will be on the glacier. Then we ascent another steep terrace along a narrow trail. The variety of terrains and the steepness of the slope trails will add some more adrenaline into the blood. Arriving to the next camp – Glina, we will have some tea/coffee and rest. The camp has got its name (which means “clay” in Russian) because of its location on a green clay field. Dinner and overnight in tents.

Tent Camp (34100 m)
Meal: BLD
Ascend: + 200 m
Descend: – 0 m 
Path: 8 km
Time: 5 – 6h 

Highlights: 

• Last grassy place of the trek;
• Scientific station to research the glacier;

Today, we trek up and down various terraces, though we have about 9-10 km of a straight way for today. Only once we trek across a small glacier, passing a river and have lunch on the shore of a small lake, where you can have some rest. There will be about one hour left to get to the Camp. Upon arrival we get some tea or coffee along with wonderful views of Merzbacher lake from that spot. Merzbacher glade is the last grassy place in the area located just across the unique Merzbacher Lake. There is a scientific research station on the glacier. Scientists from all over the world come to work here every summer. They study glaciers moving, meteorological situation of the region and the lake Merzbacher itself. There is a large green area around which is flat enough for camping. Dinner and overnight at the tent camp.

Tent Camp (3400 m)
Meal: BLD
Ascend: + 300 m
Descend: – 0 m 
Path: 9 km
Time: 5 – 6h 

Highlights: 

• Mysterious Merzbacher lake;
• Sauna at the tent camp;

In the morning we start radial hiking, cross South Inylchek glacier up to Mertzbacher Lake. The glacier terrain is ice covered with rocks and stones, sand and mud. 

Sandwiched between the Northern and Southern branches of the glacier lies the mysterious Merzbacher Lake, which forms every summer and then, sometime in August, bursts through the ice banks and the waters flow into the Inylchek river.  The lakes empty twice a year – once in the summer and once in the winter – but most people only know about the summer event. In 1903, German geographer and mountaineer, Gottfried Merzbacher, first discovered the lake while leading an expedition into the Tian Shan Mountains aiming to reach the summit of Khan Tengri.  Dinner and overnight at the tent camp.

Tent Camp (3400 m)
Meal: BLD
Ascend: + m
Descend: – m 
Path: 7 km
Time: 4 – 5h 

Highlights: 

• Huge Shokalskiy glacier;
• Magnificent view to Petrovskiy, Kolyady, Tyurina, Bronenosets peaks;

After breakfast we take lunch boxes and start a long day of trekking surrounded with beautiful landscapes – snow, rocks and multi-colored ice – black, white and sometimes even striped. The first part of our trek goes along the right side of the terraces and, right before we reach Shokalskyi glacier it smoothly goes down. The trail reaches the glacier and the black moraine which flows out of Komsomolez glacier. We follow it up to the glacier itself. The terrain is very diverse: rivers, crevices, ascents and descents, the hikes around those take much time and energy. It will be our first night at the glacier. Strong wind usually starts here after 4 pm. It might be much colder than before. Hot drinks are very helpful here. Dinner and overnight at the tent camp.

Tent Camp (3800 m)
Meal: BLD
Ascend: +400 m
Descend: – m 
Path: 12 km
Time: 5 – 6 h 

Highlights: 

• View of Khan Tengri, Pobeda, Gorkiy, Chapaev and Trehglavaya peaks;
• This place used to be a starting point for climbers to Pobeda peak;

Breakfast at the tent camp and departure. Trekking in this part of Tien-Shan is absolutely fabulous. The distinctive characteristic of the region is a great number of nameless peaks, unclimbed yet, about 5000 m above sea level high.  

Straight from the camp we cross Proletarskiy glacier moraine, get to the middle of Dikiy glacier moraine and walk along it up to the Dykiy glacier. The first part of the way is uneven – walk up and down. Closer to the glacier the moraine becomes more even, without so many crevices, creeks and, no needs of working around to escape crossing small streams. Lunch break. In front of Proletarskiy glacier we go up straight. Dikiy camp is located behind Pesnya Abaya peak (in 30 minutes). From Dikyi camp you have beautiful view of Khan Tengri, Pobeda, Gorky, Chapaev, Trehglavaya peaks. Tea and coffee are available at the camp. Dinner and overnight.

Tent Camp (3900 m)
Meal: BLD
Ascend: +100 m
Descend: – m 
Path: 10 km
Time: 4 – 6 h 

Highlights: 

• Optional radial hiking to the foot of Pobeda peak;

Today, we have quite short trekking day. After breakfast we cross the whole glacier till the central moraine where the base camp is situated. The path is covered with rocks, ice, creeks, lakes and cracks. But it is possible to pass without any ropes and crampons. We arrive in the base camp (4000m) and have our lunch, tea/coffee. Inylchek Base Camp is ideally situated in the heart of North Tien-Shan at the South Inylchek glacier approximately at 4000 m. above the sea level. It has a picturesque view of Khan-Tengri (7010 m) and Pobeda (7439 m) peaks. The climbers from all around the world making attempts to climb to the magnificent peaks. Dinner and overnight in BC in tents.

Tent Camp (4100 m)
Meal: BLD
Ascend: +200 m
Descend: – m 
Path: 8 km
Time: 5 – 6 h 

Highlights: 

• The flight on helicopter will be along Central Tian-Shan range, an opportunity to see Merzbacher lake;

Breakfast at the Base Camp, than we take a helicopter flight to Karkara base camp. On arrival to the Base Camp we start drive to Karakol town. End program.

Meal: B
Ascend: + m
Descend: – 2400m 
Helicopter & Vehicle: 120 km
Time: 2 h