🏔️ Tien Shan: top 10 unique places in the mountain system
When the standard routes and numerous city anthills have already become boring, travelers begin to look for new places for their souls. Many people find peace in the mountains. Tien Shan is just such a place. This mountain range is located in the heart of Central Asia, and the name from Chinese (天山) translates as “heavenly”.
The mountain system spreads across the territory of several countries: China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. People come here to lose their minds at the incredible beauty, to enjoy the peace and quiet.
The entire mountain system is divided into Northern Tien Shan, Eastern Tien Shan, Southwestern Tien Shan, Inner Tien Shan and Central Tien Shan.
Pobeda Peak
The dream of many conquerors of the “heavenly mountains” is the highest point – the giant Pobeda Peak. It is located at an altitude of 7439 meters on the border of Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. Moreover, Pobeda Peak is not only the highest point of the Tien Shan, but also of Kyrgyzstan. This peak is famous for its harsh weather conditions and is not suitable for everyone who decides to conquer it.
It is best to start your ascent from the capital of Kyrgyzstan – Bishkek, or order a transfer from Kazakhstan. Next you need to get to the village of Karkara, which is already located on the territory of Kazakhstan. From there, travelers travel by helicopter to the South Inylchek camp at an altitude of 4000 meters.
It is worth considering that many tourists advise setting aside about 30-40 days for the climb. Of these, 20-25 will be spent on acclimation and 10-15 on the ascent itself. Despite the fact that Pobeda Peak is a seven-thousand-meter mountain, in terms of the difficulty of climbing it is often compared to eight-thousanders. After acclimatization at the base camp, you can climb to the next point – 4200 meters. The first camp is located there. The second one will be waiting for you at an altitude of 4600, the third – 5300, then 5800, 6400 and the last one – 6918.
Be sure to take with you a backpack with a volume of more than 80 liters, a sleeping bag designed for temperatures down to -30°C, a high-altitude tent and mountain boots with climbing crampons included. We must not forget about carabiners, ice axes and safety systems. Take at least 10 rock pitons, a couple of lanyards, at least 7 camping tanks and a helmet.
Khan Tengri Peak
The name “one of the most beautiful mountains among the seven-thousanders,” according to tourists, was given to the Khan Tengri peak, thanks to its peak in the shape of a marble pyramid. This eye candy is located at an altitude of 7010 meters. The ascent to Khan Tengri begins in the same way as to Pobeda Peak: from the base camp “Southern Inylchek”. Then the transition to the first camp and the transition to the second, which, by the way, begins at night.
You can spend the next night in the third camp at an altitude of 5800 or go down to the previous one. Next, tourists descend to the base camp and rest there for 2 days. If you start the assault on the peak from 5800, then it is better to go at midnight, and if from 6400, then at dawn. After climbing to the top, tourists return to the camp at an altitude of 5800, and then to the base camp.
Mount Patandazbashi
For beginners who are still eager to visit the Tien Shan, the ideal option would be to climb the peaks in Uzbekistan. And especially if you remember the heat of Tashkent, when the thermometer shows over 40 degrees, what could be better than spending a cool day at altitude?
You can do a one-day trek to Mount Patandazboshi. From the top there is a breathtaking view of the Charvak reservoir, the Chatkal, Saymazar and Paltau rivers, the Bolshoi Chimgan, Paltau, Kungyrbuka, Aukashka mountains and Okhotnichiy peak. What's not an ideal place for a picnic?
The peak is located at an altitude of 1823 meters above sea level, and you should start climbing from the Ugam-Chatkal National Park. On average, the ascent will take 4 hours.
Big Chimgan Peak
More prepared tourists should visit Mount Big Chimgan. It is located at an altitude of 3309 meters. You should immediately get to the Ugam-Chatkal National Park, and from there you should start climbing. By the way, almost immediately a sharp rise in altitude begins, which then changes to a flat one and immediately again to a steep one. Therefore, this climb is best suited for tourists in good physical shape.
They say that such a difficult climb will be rightfully rewarded: here you can see soaring eagles, herds of sheep and local wildlife. All this helps you forget about fatigue. But if you decide to rest, many travelers take a break before the final push in the Grotto. Usually such an ascent takes about 6-7 hours.
Mount Babaytag
Climbing Mount Babaytag, which is a mountain range with several false peaks at an altitude of 3555 meters, is certainly not for the faint of heart. Nearby there is a peak with the local name Shakhtar at an altitude of 3100 meters. The difficulty is that there is no trail as such. It appears and disappears, and the angle of rise sometimes reaches 60 degrees.
The ascent begins from the village of Yangiabad, includes climbing a mountain ridge and crossing the ridge crest in the area of Mount Shakhtar. Such a difficult journey will be rewarded with a panorama of the Akhangaran River valley with a reservoir, the Kuraminsky mountain range, Mount Kyzylnur, Mount Big Chimgan and Okhotnichiy Peak, as well as a gorgeous view of the Dzhekindeka gorge.
In addition, in the Uzbek part of the Tien Shan you can visit no less amazing sights. For example, the Gulkam Gorge, the Aksarsai waterfall, Lake Urungach, the Kok-Su River.
Pulakhtan Plateau
The ascent to the mystical Pulatkhan plateau will certainly give you an incredible amount of impressions. Shrouded in myths and secrets, it awaits daredevils to reward them with fantastic landscapes for their efforts.
The plateau is located 11 kilometers southeast of the peak of Big Chimgan. This mystery is associated with the inaccessibility of finding the plateau. It will take about 3 days to climb to such a place of power.
On the plateau itself and on the way to it you can see eagles, vultures, mountain goats, the endemic Menzbir marmots, which have dug everything with their burrows, medicinal herbs and depressions in karst caves.
The mystery of the plateau also lies in the legend of countless treasures in the depths of the Pulat Khanom cave. So far, only one entrance to the cave has been found, going through vertical wells to a depth of 500 meters. An ordinary person cannot enter there. But it’s definitely worth visiting the plateau. It has prepared many other amazing things.
The trek starts from the village of Gidzhal, then goes upstream of the Aksakaty River through the confluence with the Nurekata River, then goes up the Aksakaty River gorge to the confluence with the Tekeli River.
Then go up the gorge of the Aksakata River, then along its right tributary – the Karangur River – to the Aksakata Pass and then under the Karangur peak to the source of the Karaarcha River. And, in the end, a radial exit through the Karangur peak to the Pulatkhan plateau.
Lake Issyk-Kul
And, of course, what tourist doesn’t know about the “pearl” of the Tien Shan – Lake Issyk-Kul. This is the largest lake in Kyrgyzstan, which is translated as “hot lake”. Why is it hotter? But because the water temperature does not drop to sub-zero even in winter.
This “eye” of the mountain system is located at an altitude of 1608 meters above sea level and even ranks seventh in the list of the deepest lakes in the world! Of course, legends cannot help but circulate about such a magical place. And there are only two of them.
The first says that due to a strong earthquake, one city completely sank underground, and the depression filled with water. The girls, who were collecting brushwood during the disaster, returned to find that their city no longer existed. They came to the lake every day and cried for their departed loved ones. There were so many tears that the lake became bitterly salty.
The second legend is related to romantic relationships. One ruler fell in love with a beautiful girl and brought her by force to the palace. She did not reciprocate and could not forget her true love – the shepherd. Out of grief, she threw herself out of the window, and then streams of water came down from the mountains, flooded the palace, and a lake formed there. There are various attractions in Issyk-Kul, but the main one, of course, is swimming in the lake itself. The water can be either warm or quite cool. Therefore, the comfortable tourist season for swimming is from June to August.
The Tien Shan Mountains are amazing and unique , rest assured, they will fully live up to their name!