The Fann Mountains in north western Tajikistan are
becoming a popular place for trekkers who are looking for something a bit different
to the usual travel destinations. This mountainous, landlocked country in
Central Asia shares borders with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Afghanistan and
offers high peaks and stunning lakes as part of its breathtaking vistas.
Our ‘Tajikistan Fann Mountains and Lakes Trek’ in September
2019 involves trekking over high passes, past spectacular lakes and nights
under canvas with the magnificent Fann Mountains as a backdrop.
Although it is increasing in popularity as a travel destination
some people may not know much about Tajikistan, so we have compiled some
interesting facts about this lesser known country and what is involved in our ‘FANNtastic’
trek.
We start our journey in Dushanbe, the capital and largest
city of Tajikistan. Dushanbe means ‘Monday’ in Tajik (the official language of
Tajikistan) which became the capital’s name as it grew from a small village that
used to have a popular market on Mondays. Here you can visit museums, see the Palace
of Nations, experience the culture and enjoy the tranquillity of Rudaki Park
with its beautiful tree canopy, flower gardens, lakes and fountains. It is also
home to the second highest flagpole in the world, standing at 163m, and the Rudaki
Statue in honour of the nation’s most revered poet.
Tajikistan is certainly a mountainous country, with 93
percent of its surface area covered by mountains and more than half of the
country is over 3000m above sea level. These mountains contain a number of
glaciers, the largest being the Fedchenko Glacier in the Pamir Mountains which,
covering over 700 square kilometres, is the largest glacier in the world
outside the polar regions.
Our trek begins in the Fann Mountains, part of the western
Pamir-Alay mountain system that is located in the northwest of the country.
The
area has become one of the largest tourist attractions in Tajikistan and it’s
no surprise why. With lofty peaks, high passes and a number of alluring lakes,
the views are breath-taking with many opportunities for trekking and climbing.
The largest mountain in this range is Chimtarga peak standing at 5,489 m. The
highest mountain in the country can be found further east in the Pamir
Mountains. Standing at 7,494m (24,590ft) it was initially named Stalin Peak in
1933 (after Joseph Stalin) before being renamed in 1962 as Communism Peak.
Today it is known as ‘Ismoil Somoni Peak’ to commemorate a former ruler of the Samanid dynasty.
The Fann Mountains features about 100 mountains many of
which we will see as we trek over high passes before dropping back down to the
valleys passing lakes of shimmering emerald green, turquoise and blue. With
about 2% of the country’s area covered by lakes they feature widely in this
area and throughout our trek we will experience some of the most beautiful ones,
each with its own charm. After a long day travelling from Dushanbe we reach Pendjikent
Margozur Lake where we will have time to relax by the lake and take in the
views before sleeping under canvas in preparation to start the trek the next
day.
Over the next 10 days the trek will involve a west to eastern
traverse of the Fann Mountains, taking us over high passes such as Guitan Pass (2,650m),
Govhona Pass (3,200m) and Alouddin Pass (3,860m). Each pass will provide magnificent
views of the surrounding area including the high peaks. As we descend to the
valleys below we will walk along rivers and to some of the most stunning lakes such
as Kulikalon on the northern slope of Chimtarga peak, Alauddin with its clear
and cool waters and Mutnoe Lake, surrounded by the highest peaks of the Fann
mountains, including Chimtarga (5489m) and Energia (5120m). As we trek we will
be keeping our eyes peeled for local flora and fauna such as mountains goats,
marmot, eagles, wolves and foxes. If we are really lucky we may even spot the elusive
snow leopard on the high peaks!
The days will be spent trekking throughout a stunning landscape,
meeting friendly locals along the way and experiencing the food and culture of
the people of the Fanns. Both their language and culture has been preserved
ever since their ancestors lived here thousands of years ago when villages were
placed near rivers.
Nights will be spent relaxing by the lakes, taking in the
views and enjoying the local food before heading to our tents for a peaceful
night’s sleep surrounded by nature.
As our trekking days come to an end we will be transported
back to Dushanbe where we will enjoy the luxury of staying in a hotel after 11
nights camping! Here we will enjoy a celebratory meal and share stories and
experiences of the trek before we head home the next day.
This is a fabulous trek to a spectacular location in a
lesser known destination. If you are looking for a trek that offers something a
bit different from the norm whilst being surrounded by nature and mountains
with a great group of people this is ideal for you! One not to be missed, that’s for sure!
Your adventure awaits...to find out more about the itinerary and to book click here.
Should you have and further questions about this trek please
feel free to get in touch with our Expedition Wise Team by emailing info@expeditionwise.com. We will be
more than happy to help.
