Trekking in the Fann Mountains

Today is the day our team assembles for the first time. 

Plan on arriving in the early morning in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and settle in to the accommodation. We have our first group meeting and go over the plan for the next few weeks!

After meeting, we spend the rest of the day exploring the cultural sites of the old city, including the famous madrassas of Registan, with some free time sprinkled in so you can explore the bazaars and markets on your own. 

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. 

We depart from Samarkand early and head for the Tajik border, situated only 40 km away (1 hour drive). We will walk across the border and meet jeeps on the other side.

From the border, we will drive to ancient Panjakent and stop at a local market before moving on Artuch Base Camp. We will spend the night here at a Tea House (guesthouse) before beginning our 9 day/8 night trek.

6.75 km walking. 720m elevation gain.  Sleep at 2840m.

Today is the first of our 8-days trekking, We depart from Arctuch Camp and make for the picturesque Kulikalon Lakes. Overall, today is a moderate hiking day and a good chance to get our legs warmed up.

We reach our first lake of the trip and set up camp by mid-afternoon. 

5.75 km total walking. 270m elevation gain. Sleep at 2990m.

An easy trekking day as we walk a relatively short distance to a nearby group of lakes. Situated at the base of a mountain cirque, this is one of the most photogenic spots in our Fann Mountains trek.

7.8 km total walking. 840 meter elevation gain and 1080 meter loss. Top out at 3860m. Sleep at 2800m.

The first alpine pass we cross in the Fann Mountains! At the top, you will be afforded amazing views of the lakes below and surrounding mountains. 

Following our descent of Alaudin Pass, we will arrive at the Alaudin (Chapdara) Lakes. Total trekking time should be around 6 hours. 

Here we get our last taste of civilization for a while – a beer or hot tea at a tiny tea house that serves snacks and beverages to trekkers! 

7 km total waling. 790m elevation gain. Sleep at 3520m.

Today we veer south and head for Mutney Lake: the halfway point of this trek. A moderate hiking day before the push up to the trek’s highpoint, Chimtarga Pass, the next day. Sleep at the lake.

5 km total walking. 850 meters elevation gain. Sleep at 4115m.

A steep ascent up to Chimtarga High Camp just below Chimtarga Col. We will bivvy here and cross the pass the next day.

Note: our pack animals will only be able to walk until 4115 meters and will not be able to cross the pass.

Porters can be hired in the place of pack animals to carry your things for the duration of the trip (up to 15 kg) but this must be done in advance.

Depending on weather, we spend a full day resting at Chimtarga High Camp after to take in the views and for acclimatization purposes.  

Today is a day to chill out, read your book, drink tea, and take in the glorious scenery of the alpine environment. 

Sleep at 4115 meters. 

11.3 km total walking. 725m elevation gain and drop 1,600 m. High point is 4,750m. Sleep at 3,150m.

Chimtarga Col is the highest pass on this Fann Mountain itinerary and offers up some of the best alpine views of the whole trip. The journey from high camp to the top of the pass is relatively short and it should not take more than 2 hours to reach the top from our high camp. 

Following a brief rest at the top of the pass – where we are afforded excellent views of the two highest mountains in the range, Chimtarga (5,489m) and Energyia (5,109m) – we make the long descent down to Big Allo Lake.

We arrive at Big Allo Lake and give our feet a much needed rest. 

10.85 km total walking. 810 meter descent. Sleep at 2,390m.

A moderate hiking day where we descend down to Small Allo Lake from Big Allo Lake to an area locally refered to as “Little Tuscany” for its rolling brown hills and trees. This is our last night camping in the wilderness.

6 km total walking. 560 meter descent.

We make our final descent  and meet our jeeps at the end of the trail before saying goodbye to our hosts for the last week: the Fann Mountains. 

From the trailhead, we head straight to the border and cross back into Uzbekistan.

We spend the night in Samarkand again, where hot showers, a celebratory meal/drinks, and a comfy hotel bed await.

We depart from Samarkand at midday and take the high-speed train to Bukhara: another fabled oasis city on the old Silk Road. Bukhara is similar to Samarkand but offers a superior sightseeing experience.

We check into a guesthouse upon arrival and spend a half-day exploring the city while guided.

Bukhara is such a fascinating and beautiful city that today is dedicated to taking it all in without any busy time schedule. 

In the morning, there is an optional guided tour of some of the most important UNESCO cultural sites in the city. 

In the afternoon, you are free to drink lattes in breezy cafes, hunt for ice cream at local Uzbek gelaterias, shop for local souvenirs, or simply just chill out and take in the vibe on this ancient Silk Road town.  

We spend the morning in Bukhara before catching the afternoon train back to Samarkand. 

We check into our hotel and have one last debriefing and final team dinner, reflecting on the incredible last few weeks we have shared. 

The final day where we say goodbye to one another and the amazing country that has hosted us. Transfers from the hotel to Samarkand International Airport will be arranged.