The wall of snow
A white mass above pasture.
Jaan Künnap — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jaan Künnap — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jaan Künnap — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jaan Künnap — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nihongarden — CC BY-SA 3.0
Lenin Peak Base Camp stands on the Achik-Tash plateau in southern Kyrgyzstan, at about 3,500 to 3,600 m, facing one of the highest mountains in Central Asia. The peak rises to 7,134 m in the Trans-Alay Range on the border with Tajikistan. You need no climbing experience to reach the camp and enjoy the view. The mountain was once called Mount Kaufman. It became Lenin Peak in 1928, which remains its official name in Kyrgyzstan, while Tajikistan has called it Ibn Sina Peak since 2006. Scientific expeditions reached the area from the 1870s, when the traveller Alexei Fedchenko discovered the range. It was the third-highest peak in the former Soviet Union. The mountain appears as a broad mass of snow above green pasture, and on a clear evening it turns pink at sunset. In summer the camp has yurts for climbing expeditions and visitors. Short walks lead into the surrounding hills and to Tulpar-Kul lake, about 4 km away in a straight line. The camp is about 117 km in a straight line from Osh and about 22 km from Sary-Mogol village. Operators quote 6 to 8 hours by car, so allow two or three days. This is a border area that needs a permit, usually handled by tour companies. The season runs from late June to August. Altitude can affect you, so take the climb slowly and carry warm clothes.
A white mass above pasture.
Pink light on the summit.
Hills and lakes around camp.
Achik-Tash plateau, south of Sary-Mogol, Osh Region
It is not advisable, as the drive takes 6 to 8 hours each way. Tours usually run for two or three days.
Not to reach the camp. A summit expedition takes around 12 days and demands experience and high fitness.