Hiking in the Fann Mountains
Dates of the expedition: May 18 – 29, 2026
For today, August 15, 2025, 8 places from 8 are available on this tour.
The Fann Mountains are rightly considered to be among the most beautiful mountains in the world. Crystal clear lakes with icy water framed by snow-white peaks and blue skies create unreal, simply fantastic pictures and remain in the memory for a lifetime. In Soviet times, there was a real pilgrimage of tourists and climbers from all over our vast country, the mountains remained in poems and songs that are still sung. People still go to these mountains and will continue to do so for a long time, because why else live in this world if not for this beauty?!
Despite the apparent remoteness of these mountains from our homes (wherever you live), they are close and no less accessible than the Caucasus! Having bought a plane ticket at a very reasonable price, put your passport in your pocket (and you don’t need anything else), you can have breakfast at home, lunch in Samarkand, and dinner among the snowy peaks of the Fann Mountains, which is what we suggest you do!
There are many routes here - from the simplest, suitable for permanent residents of sofas and beer halls, to the most difficult, accessible only to professional athletes and extreme sports enthusiasts. We chose the classic - a hiking route, for which, of course, physical fitness and morale are needed, but anyone who has gone hiking, climbed Elbrus, or even just regularly runs or does fitness can go through it. However, experience in mountain hiking will be a big plus if you decide to go with us...
We have chosen a very leisurely pace, focusing more on enjoying the hike through incredibly beautiful places than on its sports component. We will walk slowly, swim to our heart's content in mountain lakes, visit very hospitable and welcoming locals and ENJOY the beauty of nature from morning to evening. If you understand what we mean, then we are on the same path! No such experience? Then you need to get it and finally understand the meaning of life )))
Tour organizer and guide on the route:
EVGENY ANDROSOV
Professional traveler, climber, mountain guide and tour instructor with 35 years of experience. Has been to all continents, 82 countries of the world and 70 regions of Russia. Organizer of hundreds of author's tours, expeditions, hikes, ascents, creator of many new, non-standard tourist routes... More
Itinerary day by day:
Samarkand - Artuch - Lake Chukurak
In the morning (no later than 10 o'clock) we meet at the airport of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. We do not have a cultural program here, so if you want to see the city, arrive early. It is also worth arriving early if you cannot arrive on one of the morning flights.
We immediately load into the cars and head to the border with Tajikistan, cross it and drive through Tajikistan to the Artuch tourist base. The base was built in the late 70s of the last century and the spirit of the old Soviet school of mountaineering still hovers here, the songs of Vizbor, who once left his heart in the Fann Mountains, are heard in the corridors...
However, we are not going to stay here for long: we have lunch, pack and repack our backpacks and set off on the route. Today our plan is to reach the picturesque Lake Chukurak. It is only a little more than a kilometer to walk, but uphill and... this is enough for the first, eventful day of the trip. We will have dinner in a picturesque place with the promised view of the snow caps of the Fann Mountains!
By car on this day - 135 km. On foot - a little more than a kilometer.
Lake Chukurak - Kulikalon Lakes - Lake Kulisiyokh
Today, our route leads first to the Chukurak Pass (3150, 1A), and from there to the Kulikalon Lakes and the final point - Lake Kulisiyokh. This is perhaps the most picturesque part of the entire hike!
First, we go to the pass - not the highest, but it cannot be called easy to overcome. However, this is a great opportunity to carry out proper, smooth acclimatization and warm up before more difficult passes and hiking tests.
When descending from the pass, we admire the cascade of Kulikalon Lakes, and then we approach them and ... swim in the icy water - it is very refreshing and invigorating after overcoming the pass! Swimming at an altitude of 3000 meters? We can do it, we practice! However, swimming is an option, no one will force you to climb into the icy water of the lakes (you will climb yourself 🤣).
We set up camp on the shore of Lake Kulisiyokh with a view of the Kulikalon wall and the Adamtash peak (4579 m.)
The hike on this day is about 7 km.
Alaudin Pass - Alaudin Lakes
We wake up early so as not to miss the fantastic sunrise over the snowy peaks that surround our camp. The Kulikalon Wall, towering right above our tents, is especially impressive.
After breakfast, we pack up camp and slowly head out to the Alaudin Pass. Slowly because this pass is already quite high - 3,780 meters and there is no need to rush here. Moreover, the pass offers views of the five-thousanders of this region: Chapdara, Bodkhona, Zamok, and this is always a sight that should be admired slowly in order to feel the full power and beauty of the Fann Mountains.
Interesting fact: there are eight five-thousanders in the Fann Mountains - the same number as in the Caucasus. And the highest peak is Mount Chimtarga, only 150 meters lower than Elbrus.
From the pass, we descend to the Alaudin Lakes. There are almost always a lot of people here - just one and a half kilometers away is the "Vertical-Alaudin" alpine camp, which is approached by a road. Therefore, there may be problems with places for a camp here, perhaps we will set it up on Lake Chapdara (Big Alaudin Lake), or perhaps we will go to the distant lake Shirparfom.
Hiking on this day - 8.5 - 9 km.
Alaudin Lakes - Lake Piala - Muddy Lakes
In the morning, swimming in the lake, breakfast, and only after that – a hike 😀
The goal for today is to simply go up, gradually gaining altitude and acclimatizing. The trail passes by a very nice lake Piala with crystal clear blue water, but our goal today is the Muddy Lakes.
And they are really muddy, unlike most lakes in the Fann Mountains! Therefore, the water for dinner and subsequent breakfast will either have to be filtered, or eaten and drunk with a slight taste of dirt. But the reward for this small inconvenience will be the five-thousanders surrounding us, striking in their beauty and power.
It is from the shores of the muddy lakes that the mountaineering routes to these peaks begin, but we have a hike, we will only admire the peaks from below and tomorrow we will go further along the route ...
Hiking distance on this day - 5.5 km.
Muddy lakes - approach to the Chimtarga pass
Today and tomorrow, unlike the previous "light" days of the hike, are difficult. We have to cross the Chimtarga pass (4760, 1B), where at first there will be fords, and then an icy wind, snow, and maybe ice.
Having crossed the fords at the upper part of the lakes, we go up to the pass (for now only to the pass - not to the pass!). Here, unrealistically beautiful views open up - some of the most, if not the most beautiful, then certainly the most large-scale for our entire hike!
We set up camp at an altitude of 4500 meters at the edge of the East Energy glacier - it is cold here, very windy, most likely there will be (and maybe even snow), but higher up it will be even colder. We warm ourselves with a hearty hot dinner and, if your religion allows, 50 grams of alcohol.
Chimtarga Pass - Pravy Zindon River
We climb up to the Chimtarga Pass on the snow crust in crampons (and this is a good option, if there is no snow, we will face nasty small scree, walking on which is still a "pleasure"). If the weather is good, there are excellent views of the mountain peaks and the picturesque valleys surrounding them, but the weather is not always good here ...
The hardest day and you need to be physically prepared for it. Are you going on this hike? Do not forget about regular endurance training for at least two to three months in advance!
The descent from the pass is no less, and maybe even more difficult than the ascent. The best option is loose snow. Your feet will definitely be wet, but this is much better than the dangerous icy crust or summer scree, which you have to descend, dragging hundreds of kilograms of crushed stone. And all this in a narrow gorge, where there are rock falls above your head and living boulders everywhere.
After descending from the pass, we come out into the valley of the small river Pravy Zindon. The views here are simply breathtaking - a wide stone river with a small water channel in the middle, and along the banks rocky walls that go into the blue sky (if the weather is good).
We set up camp on an island of green grass, which are quite common here. After the icy wind, snow, ice and frost, spending the night here, in the greenery, will seem almost like paradise...
The hike on this day is no more than 5 km.
Lake Bolshoe Allo - Zindon River
We have breakfast, pack up camp and hit the road. We walk along the river bed for about 5.5 km until we reach Lake Bolshoe Allo. Despite what was already written in the program of the previous days, "this is perhaps the most picturesque part of the entire hike!" and "unbelievably beautiful views open up here - some of the most, if not beautiful, then certainly large-scale for our entire hike!" the views of Lake Bolshoe Allo deserve the same epithets - they are unrealistically beautiful and spectacular! Especially if the weather is favorable. Let's hope that it will be favorable to us!
We rest near the lake, take hundreds of stunning photos, those who wish can swim. And then we continue the descent along a rather steep and unpleasant slope for walking. In fact, this is not even a slope, but rather a washed-out path, almost a canyon, and also flooded from edge to edge with water, a significant part of which you will have to wade. However, the conditions for passing this section can be different, even deep snow, in any case, the section is not easy - do not forget that we are still in the mountains, and not in the paradise bushes.
Having descended lower to an altitude of 2200 - 2300 m. we find a suitable place and set up camp. Despite all the hardships of today. We are already in the forest zone, which means it is warm here, little wind and so pleasant after high altitudes.
Hiking on this day - 12-13 km.
Zindon River - Archamaidan River - Artuch tourist base
We continue our descent along the Zindon River. The paths here are either barely visible or completely absent, so the first section of the route will not be easy. But when we reach the confluence of the Zindon and Archamaidan, we will find ourselves almost on the "autobahn" - a comfortable dirt path, which will now be much easier and faster to follow.
Here we can already see the huts of local shepherds and farmers who have transport. Therefore, we will try to negotiate a ride to the Artuch base - the final point of our circular route, where civilization and our cars await us. If we fail to find transport (this is unlikely, but possible), then we will have to walk 27 kilometers that day, which, of course, is tiring, but possible. Especially considering the fact that this is the last day of our hike and then we will have a well-deserved rest!
The walking distance on this day is from 7 to 27 km.
Spare
Spare day in case of bad weather in the mountains and delays on the way. If there are no delays, we will decide together where to spend it - at Lake Iskanderkul, where we will stop the next day after the end of the hike, or in Dushanbe.
Artuch tourist base - Iskanderkul lake
After sleeping on the soft beds of the Artuch tourist base, resting and drying our gear, we get into the cars and drive to one of the most beautiful places in Tajikistan - to Iskanderkul lake. It is not for nothing that the dacha of the President of Tajikistan is located on the shore of this lake!
It takes about 3 hours to get from the Artuch base to the lake, so given the late morning wake-up and lunch at a teahouse along the way, we will arrive at the lake well after lunch. To prolong the enjoyment of the beauty, we will stay here in a guest house and spend the rest of the day, as well as the evening, in leisurely walks along the lake shore.
In the evening we cook shashlik, drink wine - the difficult hike is over, you can afford to relax!
By car on this day - 140 km.
Dushanbe
In the morning we get into the cars and go to Dushanbe. In two hours we will already be in the capital of Tajikistan. A colorful market of this southern city, filled with fruits and smiles, a comfortable hotel and a joint dinner in the best teahouse of the entire post-Soviet space await us.
By car on this day - 130 km.
To home
Transfer to the airport and flight home.
From the center of Dushanbe to the international airport - 5 km. (about 7 minutes by car)