The epic Pamir Highway, connecting Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, with Osh in Kyrgyzstan, passes very close to one of the most famous mountain peaks in the world—Lenin Peak in Pamir. It is a favorite peak not only for climbers but also for travelers who want to approach it as close as possible, considering this peak one of the Pamir Highway stops. In this article, you will read about how to reach Lenin Peak Base Camp and even further to the peak itself.
Table of Contents
About Lenin Peak
A large and majestic mountain range dominates the northern boundaries of Pamir. It is called the Trans-Alay Range, a 250 km long ridge stretching from west to east. The highest point of this range is Mt Ibn Sina (Avicenna), best known as Lenin Peak (7134 m). The Trans-Alay Range is divided into three parts, separated by Kyzyl-Art Pass and Ters-Agar Pass. Lenin Peak is located in the middle part, between these two passes.
Lenin Peak dominates an impressive snow-covered massif containing several other peaks: Dzerzhinskogo (6717 m) and Razdelnaya (6148 m), located west of Lenin Peak, and Spartak (6183 m), Edinstva (6690 m), Estonia (6202 m), Latvia (6218 m), and Kyzylagyn (6683 m). Some climbers perform a full traverse on the summit, passing through most of these peaks, including Lenin Peak, while others aim only at Lenin Peak.
The border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan passes on the range’s summit, including the top of Lenin Peak. The peak itself was climbed for the first time in 1928 by a Soviet-German scientific expedition (at that time it was named Kaufman Peak)- the highest recorded point on the Earth’s surface where a human has been at that time.
After the expedition, the peak was renamed Lenin Peak. Today, it is the most climbed 7000-er in the world due to its relatively easy technical demands. Many climbers reach the summit every year, and many more regular (non-climbing) travelers visit its main Base Camp and even go further beyond to different points.
Lenin Peak from Pamir Highway
Not far from Lenin Peak is Kyzyl Art Pass. It is a famous point because the epic Pamir Highway crosses through the pass between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Then, this road descends to the village of Sary-Tash and proceeds to its endpoint in Osh.
Sary-Tash is the closest settlement to Lenin Peak on the Pamir Highway. Probably, it would be relatively unnoticed by travelers, because there is really nothing so special in the village itself (besides just for spending a night) if Lenin Peak wasn’t so near to Sary-Tash.
So, for those who travel on this route, why don’t they make a short detour and approach Lenin Peak, turning it into one of the highlights of Pamir Highway? As a result, Sary-Tash has become the most popular starting point for visiting the area around the highest point of the Trans-Alay Range.
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How to reach Lenin Peak (from the Kyrgyzstan side)
There is a classical (and the only one) route from Kyrgyzstan’s side to reach Lenin Peak. It starts from the village of Sary-Moghol, passes through the area around Lake Tulpar, and reaches the Lenin Peak’s Base Camp. From there, the main trail ascends further southward through Traveler’s Pass, proceeds by Camps 1, 2, and 3 (and some “sub-camps” between them), and finally reaches the summit.
But for those who travel on the Pamir Highway, the route to Lenin Peak starts from a farther point, on the Pamir Highway itself- the village of Sary-Tash.
Alay Valley
This is a long valley, separating the Trans-Alay Range (in the south) and the Alay Range (in the north). This is the valley of Kyzyl-Suu River, called also Alay Valley. The Pamir Highway crosses the valley from south to north (or vice versa, if you come from Osh), and the village of Sary-Tash is the main Pamir Highway stop in this valley.
Sary-Tash
It is a small village, with about 2300 inhabitants, at 3150 m altitude. There is nothing special in the village itself- just local houses, a few guesthouses, a few shops, and a petrol station. But it is located at an important junction with four roads, leading in four directions:
First, to the south, it is the Pamir Highway leading to Tajikistan through Kyzyl Art Pass
To the east, it is the road to Irkeshtam, leading to China.
To the north, it is the Pamir Highway leading to Osh.
And to the east, it is the road leading straight to Dushanbe in Tajikistan, following the valley of the Kyzyl-Suu River.
The first village on this road is Sary-Moghol, the starting point of the route to Lenin Peak.
Sary-Moghol
Sary-Moghol (Sary-Mogol, or Sary-Moghul) is a larger village, located 35 km west of Sary-Tash. Its population is about 5300 people, at 2980 m altitude. In general, it looks the same as Sary-Tash- local houses, a few guesthouses, and a few shops. The only special thing here is the new small Ethnographic Museum, managed by one of Lake Tulpar’s yurt camps. It presents some artifacts from the local life and culture.
From Sary-Tash to Sary-Moghol
In general, there is almost no public transport, except for a public minibus (called “marshrutka”) traveling once a day, in the late afternoon. It travels from Osh, stops in Sary-Tash, and proceeds to Sary-Moghol as its terminal point. So, if you come from Osh, you can directly use it to Sary-Moghol. Or, if you come from Tajikistan, you can use it too, if you arrive in Sary-Tash earlier the same day. Then, you can stay for one night in Sary-Moghol and start your Lenin Peak adventure the next day.
Otherwise, the only options are shared taxis, organized tours, or just hitchhiking. You can find a shared taxi in Sary-Tash and if you want to reduce the price, better wait for more travelers. For organized tours (that are not part of your general Pamir Highway tour), you can ask the local guesthouse where you stay in Sary-Tash. These tours lead straight to Lake Tulpar or even to the Base Camp. However, they are more expensive (usually 30 to 60 USD depending on the vehicle and the number of travelers).
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Finally, you can go hitchhiking. Usually, you can very easily find a car that would stop and take you to Sary-Moghol. I personally waited no more than 20 min in the morning, at the exit of Sary-Tash.
Lake Tulpar
This is the next point of interest on the route to Lenin Peak. Lake Tulpar (called also Tulpar-Kol or Tulpar-Kul) actually is a system of one large lake and many small lakes and ponds, formed between the hills in a hilly area at the north foot of the Trans-Alay Range. The altitude of the main lake and its small satellites is between 3480 and 3500 m above sea level.
Lake Tulpar is an incredibly beautiful jewel, surrounded by hilly grassland, with the majestic snowy giants of Lenin Peak massif in the background. Today, there are several yurt camps established mainly at the southern shores of the lake, providing accommodation for travelers: Tulpar Kul Yurt Camp, Tulpar CBT Yurt Camp, Sunrise Yurt Camp, Tilek Yurt Camp, Munar Yurt Camp, and Buaisha Yurt Camp.
The route from Sary-Moghol to Lake Tulpar
A dirt road starts from the main road crossing the village of Sary-Moghol, descends to the southern end of the village, crosses the Kyzyl-Suu River, and starts slowly ascending in a southward direction, branching into several more roads. Some of them lead to other points, and some merge again, crossing the Alay Valley and gradually entering the hilly area around Lake Tulpar.
The whole length of the road is about 22 km. If you don’t have your own proper vehicle (SUV, motorcycle, or bicycle), and if you don’t join an organized tour to Lake Tulpar, you have to hike for about 4-5 hours (or more, including some rest stops) to the lake, ascending from 2930 to 3500 m altitude, and when you back, you have to do the same.
Yes, sometimes you can meet passing SUVs, and some of them belong to the yurt camp personnel (they travel every day, sometimes to supply food and goods, and sometimes even for “hunting” for walking travelers). They usually would be happy to take you to the lake (usually) for free because you are a valuable customer for them. And if you stay in their yurt camp, they would take you back to Sary-Moghol (usually again for free).
But better you still plan about 5-6 hours hike because finding a passing transportation is not guaranteed.
Lenin Peak Base Camp
This is a whole complex of camps, located on a long hilly meadow between Achiktash River and Razvedyvatelnyi Stream. It contains yurt camps, other types of tent camps, and even glamping camps. One of them is considered the main Lenin Peak Base Camp- you can easily recognize it by its iconic sign “I Love Lenin Peak”.
Today, Lenin Peak BC and the other camps are not just for climbing-mountaineering expeditions to the summit of Lenin Peak but traveler’s resorts, providing accommodation, food, and even entertainment.
The route from Lake Tulpar to Lenin Peak Base Camp
It is a short and very spectacular hike, about 3,5 km long (it can be a less than an hour hike). The trail (in the beginning, just a dirt road) starts from the yurt camps beside Lake Tulpar and reaches the edge of the furious Achiktash River’s ravine. From here it becomes a narrow and steep path trail. It descends to the river, crosses it on a newly built bridge, and ascends on the other side. Then, it follows small streams between hills and meadows and quickly arrives in an opened grassland area, where you can see the tents of the multiple yurt camps.
There is another dirt road that reaches the Base Camp but it starts from the village of Kashka-Suu. A shortcut in the middle connects it to the road from Sary-Moghol to Lake Tulpar- these roads are passable only by SUVs, trucks, motorcycles, and mountain bikes. They are used by organized tours that lead straight to the base camp (skipping Lake Tulpar). But between Lake Tulpar and Lenin Peak Base Camp, you can only walk- no vehicle can pass it (unless you carry a bicycle- for most of the time).
Traveler’s Pass
From Lenin Peak Base Camps starts the main route to the summit of Lenin Peak. First, it begins as a dirt road with two branches that join together, and slowly ascends on the spacious meadow. At the southern end of the meadow, the trail reaches a steep ridge (3810 m altitude). This point is called Onion Meadow (Lukovaya Polyana) because the place is covered by wild onion- you can even smell its fragrance (in the proper season- June to August).
Only about 50 m behind the meadow, you can see a memorial complex. It is made in memory of the victims of an avalanche under Lenin Peak triggered by an earthquake in 1990. 43 climbers died, and you can see their names on the rocks beside the trail.
From this point, the trail (narrow path) proceeds to ascend above the Razvedyvatelnyi Stream (a short detour here leads you to a beautiful waterfall on the stream). It passes through narrow meadows. The meadows gradually end and the trail proceeds on a steep stonefall area (here you have to be cautious). Finally, with several serpentines on the steep slope, the trail reaches Traveler’s Pass (4130 m), known as Pereval Puteshestvenikov.
Here you can see a breathtaking view of Lenin Peak massif- the icy summit and the glaciers below it. But for an even better view, you have to descend a bit from the pass (about 150 m only) to a small meadow that reveals even wider views!
Camp 1 and above
After a short descent, the trail starts ascending again. It is narrow, crosses some stonefall areas again, or just rugged places, and finally reaches Camp 1 (the trail is well-signed, even with a sign showing good places for photos). Actually, it is another small complex of camps, at 4400 m altitude. There are no meadows with soft grass here, the surface is stony and if you bring your own tent, you need a good sleeping pad.
From this point, the route gets harder. There is one Classical route and several alternative routes that lead to the summit or the other peaks of the massif. A version of this route reaches the Peak Yukhina (5130 m), and this is the last point that hikers without mountaineering equipment can go.
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The next camp (Camp 2) on the Classical route is at 5410 m altitude. The trail enters the zone of eternal snow and glaciers.
At 5820 m is Camp 2,5 (not a constant camp, sometimes used by mountaineers). Here, Then, the route reaches the main summit of the Trans-Alay Range and the border with Tajikistan at 6120 m altitude. Here is Camp 3. From this point, the route descends a bit to Razdelnyi Pass (6050 m), then ascends to Pass Lenina (6470 m), and with different types of steepness, finally reaches the summit of Lenin Peak (7134 m).
On the top
The top of Lenin Peak is actually a double top – two tops with the same altitude (7134 m). The border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan passes through North Lenin, and South Lenin is about 400 m south of it, entirely within Tajikistan.
There is a stone plate, an Orthodox Christian cross, and the head of Vladimir Lenin, made of stone, as well as some other signs left by mountaineers. Besides that, of course in good weather, you can enjoy fantastic views in every direction. But at the same time, don’t forget that this is a 7000-er, full of dangers!
Useful tips
Reaching the top of Lenin Peak is not an ordinary hiking route. You can’t just go solo hiking and reach the summit. Although it is a technically easy mountain to climb, it still requires a mountaineering expedition and very good preparation. Dangers are still everywhere: high altitude sickness, unpredictable weather, slipping on the ice and snow, falling, avalanches, freezing to death, and more.
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Zones and permit
Currently, the approach to Lenin Peak can be divided into three zones. The first zone is to Lake Tulpar. It is completely free for travelers.
The second zone is between Lake Tulpar and Peak Yuknina. It includes the Base Camp and Traveler’s Pass. This area already requires a Lenin Peak border permit, because you go too close to the border. It is 40 USD and you have to wait at least 10 to 20 days to obtain (You can obtain it from here).
But since most travelers go to the Base Camp and the hiking route beyond it for no more than 2-3 days, nobody obtains it. And nobody will check you for it. Actually, the camp managers are very well aware of it and don’t disturb the passing travelers since they know that ordinary hikers (without mountaineering equipment) can’t reach the summit. So, technically you are illegal if you go without a permit, but nobody applies this regulation to ordinary travelers here. Obviously, for now, this remains an unclear question.
And the third zone is beyond Peak Yuknina. Here is the kingdom of eternal ice and snow. Only well-equipped mountaineers enter this zone. For here, the permits are not only required but most probably you will be checked while you are still in the Base Camp, when they see you joining a mountaineering expedition, prepared to attack the peak. After all, here you reach the border itself, and may even enter Tajikistan for 100-200 m.
Accommodation
The places on the whole route (from Sary-Tash to the summit of Lenin Peak) are the two villages (Sary-Tash and Sary-Moghol), and the multiple camps north of the peak. Concerning accommodation in these places, don’t expect special luxury. This is an off-the-beaten and adventurous place. But again, you can enjoy warm comfort and hospitality everywhere.
In Sary-Tash and Sary-Moghol you can find several guesthouses. The best of them include:
Sary-Tash:
- Guesthouse Eliza. A nice guesthouse, right beside the central junction with the shops.
- Guesthouse Akun. A popular guesthouse with a good kitchen.
- Trans Alay Guesthouse. A relatively new and clean guesthouse.
- Hostel Muras. A great hostel in a good location with spectacular views of Alay Valley and the Trans-Alay Range beyond it.
- Pamir Extreme Guesthouse. A great guesthouse at the beginning of the grassland with an adventurous vibe.
Check for guesthouses in Sary-Tash on Booking!
Sary-Moghol:
- Abdumalik Homestay. A good guesthouse with a traditional atmosphere in the north of the village.
- Genghis Guesthouse. A nice and clean guesthouse at the entrance of the village.
- Zhanysh Baiysh Guesthouse. Another good guesthouse in the center of the village.
- Tilek Guesthouse. Another good guesthouse. The host is the owner of the Ethnographic Museum and Tilek Yurt Camp at Lake Tulpar.
- Nice Hostel. It is really nice. A bit expensive because they try to achieve a higher-than-average quality.
Check for guesthouses in Sary-Moghol on Booking!
Check for guesthouses in Sary-Moghol on Agoda!
Then, on the northern slope of Lenin Peak massif, you can find only yurt camps. Most of them are very comfortable, providing nice conditions in their yurts. They are not connected to the electric grid but use their own solar panels or generators. The yurt camps around Lake Tulpar are designed just as traveler’s accommodation, while the yurt camps around the Base Camp are actually several Base Camps, designed firstly for expeditions of mountaineers to Lenin Peak summit and then to travelers.
The best yurt camps around Lake Tulpar:
- Tulpar CBT Yurt Camp
- Tulpar Kul Yurt Camp
- Sunrise Yurt Camp
- Tilek Yurt Camp
- Munar Yurt Camp
And the best yurt camps around the Base Camp include:
- Base Camp for Lenin Peak (the main Base Camp)
- IMC “Pamir” (Asia Outdoor Club BC)
- Tien Shan Travel BC
- Achik Tash Glamping
- Base Camp for Lenin Peak Expedition.
For the camps on the route to the summit, you have to make a reservation in advance, and in this case, you would be most probably asked for the border permit and whether you are a part of a tour, an expedition, or a solo traveler. The camps are managed by various mountaineering clubs and associations so you have to contact them for reservation.
Another alternative option is to bring your own tent- it is allowed in the area around the Base Camp and on the route. But again, it is possible only below the eternal ice and snow. For further high, you can only join a mountaineering expedition- they will provide what you need.
Seasons
The best season for visiting the area of Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan and to reach the summit of the peak by mountaineering expedition is in July and August. Weather is nicely cool in the lower altitudes, and not too cold in the higher altitudes. Rains and snows are rarer.
June is very beautiful, especially at the end of June when everything is fresh green and full of flowers, but it is too wet. Rains can occur almost every day (and snow above 5000 m). The spectacular massif of Lenin Peak is often hidden in clouds, and the expeditions are often postponed due to the harsh weather in the high altitudes.
The rest of the year is mostly sunny, sometimes snowy, but very cold. Everything is either covered by snow or just yellow (no fresh grass, no flowers). And it can be severely freezing, especially in winter (from November to March). Sometimes, the temperature can drop even to -40°C in the Alay Valley (low altitude), needless to mention the high altitudes.
This is Lenin Peak, at least from the Kyrgyz side. A place where majestic nature with breathtaking views are combined with local culture, and adventures surround you everywhere. So, if you travel on the Pamir Highway, don’t skip this epic detour. Or, if you come to visit Kyrgyzstan, include this destination as one of the most emblematic places in this Central Asian country.
Take a look at the videos about the route from Sary-Tash to Traveler’s Pass below:Â
Check some travel books about Kyrgyzstan:
 
 
 
 
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Hi, we are Krasen and Ying Ying. Krasen is from Bulgaria, and Ying Ying is from China. We are passionate about geography and history, and we believe that the best way to experience it is by exploring the Earth in reality, not in a school, and not virtually.
So, we created this blog Journey Beyond the Horizon, where we share geographical knowledge, travel guides and tips how to experience it when you explore our planet, and a lot of inspiration.
And we wish you a happy journey, not just virtually, but most of all- in reality.
Enjoy!
