9-Day Trek from Iskanderkul to Alauddin Lake

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Duration 9 days

Distance 89 km

Max. altitude 3800 meters

Camping 5 nights

Homestay 3 nights

Difficulty

Hard

Price

From €1188 $1335 / person

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Traverse the mighty Fann Mountains

Trekking through the heart of the Fann Mountains in Tajikistan is an amazing experience. Starting at Iskanderkul Lake, this long 89 km trek brings you all the way to Alauddin Lake. You pass some of the best highlights of the Fann Mountains along the way including the Kulikalon and Chukurak lakes, which both offer great lakeside camping opportunities. The trek is designed to experience a mix of hiking through untouched nature and inhabited valleys, where you get to experience the local village life in the mountains. Three nights are spent in homestays in local villages, while the other five nights are spent camping in tents at some of the most idyllic places imaginable. The trek is physically quite demanding as it crosses two mountain passes at 3800 meters.

Highlights

Iskanderkul

Cross mountain passes up to 3800 meters high

Alauddin Lake

Kulikalon Lakes

Pass several mountain villages along the Archamaidan river

Wild camping under the stars

Available departure dates

Available

Unavailable

Group departure

Itinerary

The day-to-day itinerary gives a detailed overview of the hiking and highlights planned for each stage of the trek. The itinerary has been carefully tested and tried. Although it rarely happens, unforeseen circumstances can force us to make (minor) adaptations to the schedule, even during the trek. For example, weather and road conditions may change rapidly while trekking and make certain parts of the route less passable. Flexibility is indispensable when traveling and hiking through the rugged lands of Tajikistan.

Day 1 – Dushanbe to Iskanderkul

5 km

Departure from Dushanbe in the morning. Pick up from your desired location in Dushanbe. The drive to the start of the trek at the lake of Iskanderkul (2200 meters) takes about 3 hours. The road leads straight through the mountains and already offers the first scenic views. At Iskanderkul, we first explore the nearby waterfalls and Kulimoron (Snake Lake). Afterwards, we drive along the shore of Iskanderkul and then up to the village of Sarytag (2380 m). The night is spent in a homestay in Sarytag.

Day 2 – Sarytag to Dukdon Pass

12 km

By leaving Sarytag, we also leave the last bit of civilization behind us. The first part of the day is an easy walk along the Karakul river through a green valley. The path then leads to the foot of the first major pass of the trek: Dukdon Pass. Today brings us up to an altitude of approx. 3100 meters, where we set up camp. Prepare for a cold night at the highest campsite of this trek.

Day 3 – Crossing Dukdon Pass (3805 m)

13 km

Today marks the literal high point of the trek. Walking up to Dukdon Pass brings us to an altitude of 3805 meters. From the pass, a far-reaching view opens up over the mountains to the west and east. After a well-deserved break, we continue down the western flank of the pass, which usually involves crossing some small ice fields. The descent leads down into the valley of the Archamaidan river. The overnight camp is set up along the river at around 3000 meters.

Day 4 – Archamaidan Valley

14 km

Compared to the previous days, the fifth day presents a relatively easy hike. The hike continues down through the valley along the banks of the Archamaidan river. The valley becomes gradually more inhabited as we move down. We pitch our tents again along the Archamaidan river to spend the night.

Day 5 – To Zimtut

14 km

On day five, we continue our way down through the Archamaidan valley. We pass through several small villages along the way. In the village of Zimtut, we end the day to spend the night in a homestay. This is the lowest point of the trek at around 1550 meters.

Day 6 – Chukurak Lake

12 km

Straight from the start of the day, the path leads upward to Guitan Pass at an altitude of 2650 meters. The total height difference of the climb is more than 1000 meters, which makes it a very strenuous hike. From the top of the pass, the hike continues for a while over a flat path before dropping down to the idyllic Chukurak Lake (2430 meters). The Chukurak Lake is ideal for a refreshing swim. From Chukurak Lake, we hike further down into the valley of Artuch, where we reach our accommodation for the night.

Day 7 – Kulikalon

8 km

Today, we climb up to the Kulikalon lakes, which are located on an impressive plateau at 2800 meters altitude. The vertical ascent of the climb is 700 meters. Kulikalon is a true heaven for wild camping, which is exactly what we are going to do tonight. The plateau where we camp is covered by various lakes and offers great opportunities for short hikes for those who still have energy to go exploring in the afternoon.

Day 8 – Crossing Alauddin Pass (3780 m)

11 km

The final stretch of the trek goes over Alauddin Pass at 3780 meter, which is only a few meters lower than the highest point of the trek on Day 4 at Dukdon Pass. The top of the pass provides great views over both Kulikalon on one side and Alauddin Lake on the other. The descent from the pass brings us to Alauddin Lake, which is one of the most stunning lakes of Tajikistan. Several other lakes of a deep azure blue are located in the direct surroundings of Alauddin Lake. The night is spent camping close to the shore of Alauddin Lake.

Day 9 – Return to Dushanbe

Today marks the return to Dushanbe. By car, we first drive for about two hours over dirt roads through an impressive valley. Along the way, we pass several villages to eventually reach the main highway M34. From that point, it is another two hours to get back to Dushanbe, where you are dropped off at your preferred location.