Tulpar Lake-Traveller's Pass Hike - A peek at Lenin Peak

 


The edge of the Pamir range runs more or less along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, with most of the mountains belonging to Tajikistan. But you can get to the edge of the Pamir on the Kyrgyz side, and probably the most popular 1-day hike from Sary Mogul is to the Traveller's Pass. It is along the route that leads to the Lenin Peak, one of the highest points of the Pamir, accessible only for alpine mountaineers. (Lenin Peak is actually on the Tajik side.) Although for most of us such challenges are out of question, from Traveller's Pass you can get a close look at the massif and the peak, if weather conditions are good. 

The most convinient way to start the hike to the Traveller's Pass is to take a vehicle from Sary Mogul to Tulpar Lake. You could also walk there in a day, and there are several yurt camps at the lake. From Tulpar Lake the hike takes about 3 hours to the Traveller's Pass, and when the last stretch is snowy, it can get a bit risky on the steep slope. Your life is not at danger, but you could easily slide down a hundred metres. Horses, I learned, are able to walk the trail, so that's an option instead of hiking. The area around Tulpar Lake is also beautiful. 

On the day I hiked, the top of Lenin Peak was in a cloud all day, but the next morning you could see it and the whole range clearly from Sary Mogul.






























































































































































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