Mountain Hikes in Central Asia

Check out the UNESCO-listed ruins at Merw and climb Suleiman Too mountain in Osh for great views over the Fergana Valley. Trek through Jety Öguz gorge to see the famous red rock formations and the broken heart formation, then hike to petroglyphs near Song Kul Lake. Cross the Kysil Art Pass at 4,336m.

This 18-day trek takes you through Kyrgyzstan's Tienshan mountains with challenging ascents including Telety Pass at 3,780m and Alakul Pass at 3,880m, suitable for ages 5+. Camp beside alpine Alakul Lake, trek through Karakol River Valley, then relax at Issyk Kul Lake after 8 days of tent trekking with porters carrying 12kg luggage.

Trek across the Inyltschek Glacier, the second largest non-polar glacier on earth, to see the annual eruption of Merzbacher Lake at 3500m between the northern and southern Inyltschek foothills. Two helicopter flights in Russian MI-8 helicopters take you over the 7010m marble pyramid of Khan Tengri and 7439m Pik Pobeda, the northernmost 7000m peak on earth. Camp at the Südinyltschek Base Camp at 4100m surrounded by snow-capped Tienshan peaks, with acclimatization days at Dikij Glacier and hikes across the Komsomolsky Glacier offering views of multicolored ice formations.

Walk through Ala-Archa National Park's rugged alpine terrain near Bishkek, then hike the red sandstone formations of Jety-Oguz gorge in the Tian Shan Mountains. Stay overnight in traditional yurts at Son-Kul Lake sitting at 3,015 meters, check out Chong Kyzyl-Suu Gorge's natural hot springs at 43°C.