Summer Expedition to Kyrgystan and Uzbekistan

Expedition to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan - written about a month ago!

Earlier this week I returned from a month long trip as an expedition leader with a group of 12 students and 2 teachers.  Not only was it lovely to have such a small group of bright students, but the entire expedition was a great success from the trekking to the project and the rest and relaxation at the end.

Market shopping for vegetables in Kyrgyzstan

Having only been in Kyrgyzstan for a couple of days we were off on the acclimatisation trek around Son Kul.  A beautiful lake just south of Bishkek and surrounded by hills and snowcapped mountains.  Along the way we crossed several high cols and the students had to cook all of their own food and wild camp.

First campsite on the Son Kul Lake acclimatisation trek

Walking up the 'gorge' on the Son Kul trek, beautiful scenery and trickier underfoot

Soon after this was our main trek in the Tereskey Alatau mountains south of Karakol – one of the main starting points for trekking in the East of the country and at the far end of Lake Issu-Kul (the second largest alpine lake in the world and very much like Lake Geneva).

First day of the main trek in the Terskey Alatau range

On the way up to the first big pass on the main trek

This was a tough and demanding trek through stunning alpine scenery and crossed several passes over 3500m.  With singing, determination, good pace setting and amazing food cooked on trangias the entire group made it through.  

Amazing alpine like trekking on the way to the main pass of the big trek

The famous Ala Kol Lake

We were lucky to encounter no snow fields and have no serious river crossings.  The weather was also reasonably kind to us, letting us off with a few strong rain showers in the afternoons, no snow and only one freeze overnight.

Lots of the local kids took part in the project

From here we began our epic five day border crossing through Kazakstan to our project site in the Nurata mountains of Uzbekistan.  Generally the project phase of the trip is the phase I am most worried about.  High expectations from the group, combined with 3^rd world organisation and plans, communication through many channels from organisation to organisation, and you can often have a mini nightmare on your hands.  However I can honesty say it was the best project I have been part on the leadership team for yet.  The task was to provide the school with a water source by digging a small trench 1.2km long, laying pipes in it and there you go (in three days).  The first day 600m was dug, the second and morning of the third the rest was dug, and by the afternoon of our last day the pipes were laid, connected and covered and water was flowing out of the end by the school.

The Kalon Minaret in Bukhara

More buildings in Bukhara

After this it was time to head for the final expedition stage, the Rest and Relaxation (or R+R).  A whirlwind tour of Bukhara and Samarkand followed, both as incredible as each other and filled to the brim with huge buildings somewhat controversially restored mixed in with older derelict and modern mosques.  Outside of tourist season it was hot but quieter and a great end to the trip, not least because the food was better!

The Registran in Samarkand

Overall it was a thoroughly successful expedition and I can't wait to explore more of the Alpine like terrain of Central Asia and am hoping to visit Tajikistan in the not too distant future (if you know of anyone who has skied here please let me know!)