Visit the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods on a trek to K2 Base Camp in 2026.
Visit the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods on a trek to K2 Base Camp in 2026.
DIFFICULTY: Strenuous
TOTAL DISTANCE: 110km trekking
MAX ALTITUDE: 4390 meters
TOUR DURATION: 13 days
LODGING: Mix of camping, hotels, guesthouses
GROUP SIZE: 10 people Max
In the summer of 2019, Epic founder Chris Lininger and co-collaborator Ralph Cope set off on a mission to explore a newly opened hiking area in a far corner of Kyrgyzstan. Having heard tall tales about what many locals referred to as Asian Patagonia, they were both eager to see what all of the fuss was about.
They quickly learned that the title was not undeserved, but rather, in fact, fell short of reality.
Trekking to the Ak-Suu and Karavshin Valleys may be one of the greatest adventures that the Epic team has ever set out on. A true wilderness experience in a landscape so dramatic that it can only be described through comparison.
Imagine hiking into somewhere like the Yosemite Valley (before there were cars, roads, or infrastructure) and then having the place all to yourself. This is the stuff hikers’ dreams are made of.
After many years and many tours later, we at Epic are stoked to be returning to this magical part of Kyrgyzstan with a group of lucky individuals. No matter how many times we visit, trekking to Karavshin Valley and Ak-Suu will be no less spectacular to us.
Dates | Places | Deposit | Full |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 20th - August 1st, 2026 | $600 | $3450 |
Whether you’re just curious about this trip or are ready to make a deposit, we’re here for you.
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An experienced trek leader and
IFMGA aspirant ski guide, avid alpine climber, devoted adventure photographer.
Organized and guided trekking expeditions, climbs and ski tours in Tajikistan’s Pamirs, Patagonia, Peru, Morocco, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Georgian and Russian Caucasus and Kamchatka.
A full member and meets the organiser of the British Alpine Club. Visited over 40 countries, lived in the UK for four years. Certified first-aider.
Today is the day our team assembles for the first time. Plan on arriving in the early morning in Osh (Southern Kyrgyzstan) and settle in to the accommodation. We have our first group meeting to go over the plan for the next few weeks as well as do a mandatory gear check.
After meeting, guests will have a free day in Osh to explore. Osh is a quiet town with a few interesting local sites, such as the sacred rock of Sulaiman-Too, but is for the most part sleepy. This is a good opportunity to be leisurely prior to our big adventure.
In the evening, we will meet again for a group dinner and will have a briefing outlining the rest of the trip.
Note: We always recommend arriving a day or 2 in advance if it is possible.
After our mornings breakfast and preparations, we’ll begin our journey, driving through scenic landscapes toward the remote village of Ozgorush.
The road transitions from urban to foothills, giving the first taste of Kyrgyzstan’s wild terrain. Ozgorush, surrounded by pastures and mountains, is your first step into the lesser-known heart of the Pamirs.
Total distance will be around 360 km and will take 7-8 hours. We will stay at a local family guesthouse.
A long but gradual day trekking along the Ak-Mechet River up the valley towards Ak-Su Base Camp. Along the way, we’ll be trekking through juniper forests and slowly be afforded views of the towering Ak-Suu Peak (5,355 m) in the distance.
After around 7 hours of trekking, we’ll make camp lower in the valley.
Today, we will get a little bit closer to the base of Ak-Suu Peak and it’s glacial moraine, making for high camp. Upon arrival, we will then continue on (sans camping gear and animals) and to get a closer look of the impressive rock face of Ak-Suu Peak. At almost 2 kilometers, it is one of the steepest vertical alpine reliefs in the world, comparable to the primary face of the Great Trango Tower and higher than El Capitan in Yosemite.
Total hiking will only be around 4 hours and will help serve to acclimate the group. We return to high camp when we’re done.
Cross the trek’s highest point at 4390m via Ak-Tubek Pass. Snow may linger into July, and scree makes sections challenging, but the panoramic views are worth it.
Descend to a verdant valley and set up camp near the river, surrounded by jagged peaks and alpine tranquility. Total walking time is around 6 hours.
We continue our descent down the gentle valley to its base, passing several nomadic stone huts along the way. Enroute, we will come to several river crossings that should have man-made bridges in place, although it is not guaranteed that they will be usable. In case of a river fording, having rugged sandals would be very handy.
We should arrive at camp after only 3 hours of hiking. We should enjoy our relaxed day as the next will be a bigger one.
We begin our ascent up Kosh-Moinok Pass with dramatic views behind you.
Continue climbing through a glacial basin to Kara-Suu Pass, revealing the iconic twin peaks of Asan and Usan. Descend through boulders and juniper to the heart of Karavshin Valley. After 7 hours, we should arrive at our camp for the next few days.
Hike to the top of the Yellow Wall, made famous by Tommy Caldwell and group’s infamous climbing expedition in 2000. While there are no signs of insurgency in the area any more, the wall is no less spectacular. No technical climbing is required either.
This day hike will take around 5 hours in total.
Another day hike, this time deeper into the Karavshin Gorge towards the glacier. As we walk along the Kara-Su River, we will have perfect views of a cirque of granite peaks, including Asan, Usen, and Odessa Peak. Departing the river’s edge, we will eventually traverse the moraine and enter the heart of the cirque, where 360-degree views are abound.
This will be a longer day hike then the one before and should take around 7 hours in total.
Alas, we must depart our temporary Eden, but at least we’re going to a similar place!
We hike only 4 hours on easy terrain to an adjacent valley: home to even more granite spires. We make camp near the entrance of the new valley.
We spend an easy morning exploring this new valley, hiking deeper into it until we get to the bases of Slesov and Bird Peak, which are no less stunning than those in the neighboring Karavshin.
Once we’ve had our fill, it’s an easy walk back to camp, and should take no more than 4 hours in total round-trip.
We make for the exit, taking advantage of new mining road that recently opened to the public, significantly reducing the amount of time needed to finish the Asian Patagonia Trek. This will still entail a lot of descent and total distance covered but it’s the quickest way out! We will need to be cognizant of timing as well as this valley can get very hot later in the day. Total walking time will be 7 hours.
Arriving at the end of the trail and the beginning of the road, Jeeps will be there to meet us. We’ll head directly back to Osh from here, meet our van and driver along the way, where hot showers will be waiting!
The final day where we say goodbye to one another and the amazing country that has hosted us.Transfers from the hotel to the airport in Osh will be arranged, or clients may continue onward in their travels.
There are two dominant languages: the native Kygryz language and Russian.
Most western nationalities do not need to obtain a visa in advance to visit Kyrgyzstan, including the USA, EU countries, the UK, Australia, and Canada.
A mix of hotels, homestays, and tents while camping. Prices are based on shared accommodation (2 people in one room).
This is not an easy trek. Over the course of eight days, we will walk 100 kilometers or more and cross no fewer than six alpine passes. There will be plenty of elevation gain, and even on rest days, potential activities will be planned.
Although there will be porters to help us carry camping equipment, participants need to be able to handle themselves on the trail. Most days feature at least 12-14 km of hiking and over 1000m elevation gain. Given the remote location, self-sufficiency is highly valuable, and it is very important not to put ourselves in a compromising situation.
For more information on training, be sure to check out our guide on trekking fitness and preparation.
The Batken is historically one of the more contentious parts of Kyrgyzstan due to disputed territories with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. While there have been isolated incidents of unrest and border skirmishes in certain parts, the region has stabilized over the last decade.
We keep in regular contact with local partners to ensure that the region is secure before visiting, and can confirm that is the case now. So in short, the Batken is currently safe to visit, and we’re very much looking forward to returning there.
“Asian Patagonia” is a title that was given to an area of the Turkestan Range of the Pamirs by local operators. We can only assume it was due to a lack of proper words to describe the area.
While we don’t often rely on the use of language like “The Venice of Central Asia” or “The Matterhorn of Pakistan”, the comparisons are often justified. In the case of “Asian Patagonia”, it does make sense. After all, it does bear a striking resemblance to the actual South American region.
Once you’re in Bishkek, you will need to transfer to Osh, the largest city in southern Kyrgyzstan. There are a few ways of going about this:
If opting for the overland route, we recommend setting aside a few days to do it and hiring some sort of private transport. It’s a 12-14 hour straight shot from Bishkek to Osh, should you choose, but it makes for a great leadup to the trip.
Yes, we will employ pack animals to carry much of the camp gear.
That being said, they cannot carry everything – weight limits are imposed to preserve the livelihood of the animals, who deserve our love and care, and we want to respect those limits. We hire a certain number of porters for the trek to carry group gear, but if for some reason the porter team is not able to accommodate all of the guests’ items, the guest in question will need to reassess and/or be responsible for hiring an additional porter.
Trip Leader
Noemi grew up in the mountains of German-Speaking Switzerland where she naturally developed a deep love and respect for mountain environments.
She is a talented photographer, aspiring climber, and speaks at least 5 languages fluently including Arabic (and probably a few more that we don’t know about), which she taught herself in a matter of months by watching YouTube videos.
Noemi has spent the last several years traveling, hiking, and photographing her way around many different countries in the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Europe, and we could not be more stoked to welcome her to the Epic team!
Meet her during : Discover the Celestial Mountains | Island Peak Climbing Expedition
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Our flagship Pakistani adventure tour. Road trip with some hiking and cultural immersion.
A trekking-style tour that features some very remote locations, inlcuding a K2 viewpoint.
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