Elisha
The Trans-Alay Range of the Pamir Mountains may just be one of the most beautiful regions of Kyrgyzstan. The long ridgeline of snowy peaks on the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border is wild, rugged, and remote, with some of the best scenery in Central Asia. For those looking for an accessible highlight without trekking for weeks, hiking up to Travellers Pass from Tulpar Lake provides the best bang for your buck.
Easily reached from the small but picturesque village of Sary Mogul south of Osh, Tulpar Lake or Tulpar Kol is a collection of alpine lakes puncturing the plains below the epic Lenin Peak, one of the tallest mountains in the region at over 7,000m.
While it’s a mighty effort to reach this corner of Kyrgyzstan, those with the time and patience will be rewarded with one of the most incredible landscapes in the country. After a day of hitchhiking from Osh and a night spent in Sary Mogul village, we made it to Tulpar Lake where we stayed in a yurt camp at the base of Lenin Peak and hiked to Travellers Pass.
The outrageously steep and tiring trail leading up to the mountain pass, provides one of the most outstanding panoramas I’ve ever seen. At over 4,000m, you’re surrounded by multiple tiered glaciers, mineral-rich gravel slopes painted in rainbow colours, and the imposing Lenin Peak; it’ll take your breath away (literally).
In this guide, I’m going to detail how to hike to Travellers Pass from Tulpar Lake, and what you need to know about getting to Sary Mogul and where to stay.
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What is Travellers Pass Hike?
Travellers Pass is a high altitude pass on the climbing route to Lenin Peak in the Alay Mountains. The pass is accessible on foot, with no mountaineering experience required, making it the best way to get a close-up view of the mammoth mountain.
Lenin Peak is a striking mountain standing tall at 7,134m in the Pamir Range along the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It’s known as one of the easiest 7,000+ metre peaks to climb in the world, and many expeditions leave from Lenin Peak Base Camp on the Kyrgyzstan side every summer.
However, you still need to have some climbing experience and a guide to climb the mountain. So, for the rest of us wanting to get as close as possible to this beautiful peak without venturing into the mountaineering world, hiking to Travellers Pass is the way to go. In my opinion, it’s one of the best hikes in Kyrgyzstan, along with Ala Kul near Karakol.
The day hike begins at Tulpar Lake, an impressive sight in its own right, just south of Sary Mogul village. This makes it an incredibly worthwhile side trip of a few days from Osh, taking in Sary Mogul village, Tulpar Lakes, and Travellers Pass.
When to Visit Sary Mogul and Tulpar Lake
As with most of the country, it’s recommended to visit the region in summer. From May until September, the conditions are at their best for hiking, and the trail should be clear of snow. Outside of these months, it can be potentially dangerous with snowy conditions, and most of the yurt camps will be closed.
When we visited in mid-September, the yurt camps were still open, but very quiet, and Lenin Peak Base Camp had just closed down for the season. The yurt camps remain open typically until early October, they told us. By then, it will be getting very cold overnight and snow is likely.
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How to Get to Sary Mogul
Sary Mogul is a tiny village in the Alay Mountains. It’s located south of Osh, not far from the Chinese-Kyrgyz and Tajik-Kyrgyz Borders. It takes quite a bit of time, patience and energy to reach Sary Mogul, which is why many travellers skip it on their trip to Kyrgyzstan. But if you have the time, it’s a really rewarding adventure.
You’ll first need to get to Osh. From there, you’ll be able to get to Sary Mogul, via a long but beautiful mountain road heading south to the border. Here’s how to plan your journey:
Bishkek to Osh: 700 km or 14 hour drive
Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, and very close to the Uzbekistan border (literally 7km away). It’s known as the gateway to the Pamir Highway, as well as, more remote regions of Kyrgyzstan like the Alay Mountains. You’ll need to go to Osh in order to get to Sary Mogul.
To reach Osh, many travellers come from Bishkek. However, this is no joke. The long journey from Bishkek to Osh is around 14 hours on average. You can find marshrutkas (local minivans) leaving from the new Western Bus Station early in the morning. I’d arrive at around 7am to ensure you get a set. It costs 1,000 KGS.
Otherwise, you can also find a shared taxi, but these only leave when full and are generally more expensive. It’s best if you can find other travellers to share the cost.
Coming from Kochkor Instead?
If you’ve explored Issyk Kul and done a horse trek to Song Kul from Kochkor, you may prefer to reach Osh from the east of the country to avoid having to go back to Bishkek. There is a new road that has been built that connects Kochkor with Jalal-Abad (and Osh) via Kazarman. However, there’s currently no public transport using this route.
We hitchhiked from Kochkor to Jalal-Abad on this new road in a day, but it was a long day and we were very lucky getting a truck that took us most of the way. Otherwise, this new road is still pretty quiet, but you can always try your luck.
If you have a rental car, this would be a much better option to reach Osh than heading all the way back to Bishkek and then down to Osh. But if you’re sticking to marshrutkas and public transport, then you’ll have to go back to Bishkek.
Where to Stay in Osh
Osh has a good range of accommodation options, from hostels to guesthouses and mid-range hotels. We stayed at Wood Hostel, which we really liked. The owner is a funny and lovely boss woman that really gives the place its character. Otherwise, here are some other recommendations too.
👟 If you’re in Osh for a day, try this Walking Tour of Osh to check out the major sights all with a local guide.
Osh to Sary Mogul: 220 km or 4 hour drive
From Osh, you can then find a daily marshrutka heading to Daroot-Korgon (close to the Tajikistan border) that passes Sary Tash and Sary Mogul. If you miss this, then you can also try for a shared taxi, but these only leave when full.
Otherwise, you can also hitchhike. We hitchhiked from Osh to Sary Mogul, taking four rides in a day. First, we took a Yandex taxi to the edge of the city. Then, we got a delivery van to take us to Gulcha, then we got a ride with a couple of guys to a random spot on the highway further south, and then we finally got a truck to pick us up and drop us in Sary Tash.
From there, we got our last ride of the day to Sary Mogul with a local. Trucks are always travelling from Osh to Sary Tash and onwards to the Chinese border, so they are your best option for hitchhiking.
This is a very scenic drive, but part of the road is still dirt and under construction from landslides. It can be slow with some delays depending on the road conditions (we were delayed by nearly an hour with road works).
Try these tours from Osh:
Where to Stay in Sary Mogul
Sary Mogul is a small village, but it does have several guesthouses. Don’t expect anything fancy, but the guesthouses are generally family-run and an extension of their homes, making it a really beautiful, authentic experience.
We stayed at CBT-1 Sary Mogul. The original guesthouse/hostel is still in the old house, but they have also built a new “hotel” of sorts which have private ensuite rooms. We enjoyed our stay there, although at the end of the main tourist season, the owners can be hard to track down.
I can also recommend Nice Hostel. I’ve had a couple of friends stay there and enjoy the experience. Both places can arrange transport to Tulpar Lake, plus other day trips in the Alay Mountains to Koshkol Lakes and Beshkol Lake.
However, the owners of CBT can provide more comprehensive information on the treks in the region. It’s a great resource for those planning on doing longer hikes like the week-long Best of Alay trek.
How to Reach Tulpar Lakes from Sary Mogul
Sary Mogul to Tulpar Lake: 23 km or 1 hour drive
From Sary Mogul, most people plan to visit Tulpar Lake and hike to Travellers Pass. To reach the cluster of yurt camps scattered around the lakes at the base of Peak Lenin, you can either walk, horse ride, or drive.
There is a dirt road the entire way from the village to the lake. You can certainly walk (we actually walked back), but expect it to take about 6 hours (at a decent pace) with a gentle incline to the lake.
You can also arrange a horseback ride from Sary Mogul to the lakes. Ask at CBT for the availability and the price.
We opted for a taxi to drop us at Tulpar Lake. This is the most convenient and common way of reaching the yurt camps. It costs 2000 KGS from CBT Guesthouse to the lake, and it can be split between travellers if you want to share the cost.
Staying at Tulpar Lake: Yurt Camps and Wild Camping
Tulpar Lake is a stunning sight. There are several yurt camps set up in the summer months to accommodate hikers and tourists around the lake. This is not Peak Lenin Base Camp (that is further away), but just yurts that are specifically catering for tourists rather than mountaineers.
You can book ahead or turn up and speak with the owners on arrival. Expect to pay anywhere from 2000-4000 KGS for x3 meals and a bed per day. In high season, you may have to share a yurt, but when we were there in mid-September, it was quiet enough to pick a yurt for ourselves.
We stayed at Buaisha Yurt Camp, which is the furthest from Tulpar Lake, but closest to Lenin Peak. Many people stay at the CBT Yurt Camp, which is closer to the lake, a bit more sophisticated and a bit pricier too.
The yurts typically have beds with several blankets and a small wood-fired oven which are used when the night temperatures cool off. Each yurt camp offer shared toilets and a dining tent for meals.
There’s also the possibility of wild camping, as this is permitted and free across Kyrgyzstan. If you are self-sufficient, you can camp anywhere or find suggested spots on Maps.me. You can also purchase a meal from one of the yurt camps, if you’d prefer not to cook yourself. If you do camp, remember to LEAVE NO TRACE.
At sunset and sunrise time, I highly recommend exploring around the yurt camps and climbing the small hills around the lakes, where you can get incredible views of the sunlight hitting the valley.
There is surprisingly phone reception at Tulpar Lake. It works best on an elevated hill, but it can also work in the yurts too depending on your provider.
Note: There is also the option of staying in a yurt at Lenin Peak Base Camp during the climbing season. However, I’d prefer Tulpar Lake as you get to enjoy the view of the lakes too.
Hiking to Travellers Pass from Tulpar Lakes
- Distance: 16 km return
- Time: 5-8 hours (depends on your acclimatisation and fitness level)
- Ascent: 650 m
- Highest point: Travellers Pass 4,150m (or the small peak above it at 4,200m)
The main attraction of visiting Tulpar Lake is the view of Lenin Peak. While the view from the yurt camps and lake is beautiful, it doesn’t compare to what you can see from Travellers Pass.
If you’re keen on hiking and are acclimatised enough, you can head off on this day hike from Tulpar Lake. The trail first climbs steeply down to cross the river on a bridge, before climbing back up the other side.
From there, it’s a gentle trail leading to Lenin Peak Base Camp. You have to pass through the camp and all the buzzing activity going on there, to continue heading towards Lenin Peak. During the climbing season, you’ll see many people here preparing and resting for their ascent.
The trail continues to be relatively gentle, although it’s still slowly climbing closer and closer to the mountains. The trail swings around to the right and you’ll reach a memorial dedicated to alpinists. From here, things get serious.
The trail zig zags up a rocky wall, from where you can see a waterfall gushing through the valley. The view from there is impressive, looking back down to where you’ve come so far.
From there, the trail turns into a gravel path that hugs the side of the valley. It starts to get steeper here, until it approaches the final climb to the pass. This is a series of extremely steep switchbacks that seems almost impossible at first sight. There are several routes, but we stuck to the one that headed further to the right, which had longer but more “gentle” switchbacks than other routes.
Your legs and lungs will likely be screaming at you, but once you crest the ridge and make it to the pass, the view will reveal itself. I highly recommend turning to the left and climbing the last little section that scrambles up to the small peak. The panoramic view from here is one of the best you’ll ever see.
The mineral-rich gravel slopes appear like rainbows with streaks of different colours. The glaciers stretching down from Lenin Peak continue to the valley floor, and the monstrous peak of Lenin itself is incredibly impressive. Plus, you can see all the way back to Tulpar Lakes.
Of course, you must then turn around and head back the same way down. This is where you need to concentrate, as the gravel can be slippery underfoot. Once you make it back down to the memorial, it’s a much easier gentle descent all the way back to Base Camp and Tulpar Lake.
We had the trail and pass almost to ourselves. We passed a few people on the way, but not many compared to the busier trails around Karakol.
Other Hikes to Do Near Lenin Peak
It’s possible to continue from Travellers Pass to Advanced Base Camp or Camp 1. This is an additional 5 km and takes an additional 2 hours one way, climbing up to 4,400m. I’d only recommend doing this if you have plenty of daylight hours, and good weather. You should also only attempt this during the climbing season, so you know the camps will be set up on the route to Peak Lenin and people will be around.
There is also a panorama point accessible from Tulpar Lake yurt camps. Instead of going down to cross the river to Lenin Peak Base Camp for Travellers Pass, the trail stays on the same side of the valley as the yurt camps and continues up to a viewpoint. The view is not as good as Travellers Pass, so I’d recommend only doing this if you’re staying an extra day at Tulpar Lake.
Tips for Hiking to Travellers Pass
- I highly recommend setting off in the morning and giving yourself most of the day to complete the hike to Travellers Pass and return
- The altitude in this region is no joke. Sary Mogul sits at 3,000m, with Tulpar Lake at 3,500m and Travellers Pass is 4,150m (you may experience a headache and shortness of breath)
- If you’re short on time, you can certainly skip staying at Tulpar Lake for a night. A taxi can drive you from Sary Mogul to Tulpar Lake in the morning, from where you can complete the day hike to Travellers Pass and then drive back to Sary Mogul in the afternoon
- You don’t need a guide to complete the day hike to Travellers Pass, but I recommend having Maps.Me downloaded for offline use. The trail is accurately marked on it
- Pack several warm layers, as the temperature at Travellers Pass can be very cold and windy and the overnight temperatures at Tulpar Lake can be freezing (the water froze overnight in September when we were there!)
- Trekking poles are very useful for this hike. We did not have them, but if you happen to bring your own, I recommend using them. It’s an incredibly steep trail with loose gravel, and poles would help a lot
Do You Need a Permit for Travellers Pass?
Technically, a special area permit is required to go beyond Lenin Peak Base Camp. You can get this permit from the CBT in Sary Mogul. It’s best to arrange ahead of time by sending them an email or Whatsapp message, because it can take a week to process. It costs around US$40.
However, the permit is designed for climbers summiting Lenin Peak. We chose not to get the permit, and we were never asked for it. During the summer season, there may be more of a chance to be asked for it at Lenin Peak Base Camp, but I’ve never heard of anyone needing it for Travellers Pass.
Is It Worth Visiting Sary Mogul and Hiking to Travellers Pass?
The trip down to Sary Mogul from Osh was a long tiring day of hitchhiking. Yet, we don’t regret it for a second. The scenery in the Alay Mountains is absolutely beautiful and is a much less explored part of the country compared to Issyk Kul and Karakol.
Not only are the snowy peaks around Lenin Peak awe-inducing, but we actually found that the village of Sary Mogul itself was a real, authentic experience with lovely locals. From wandering the streets of the village, to camping under the stars in a yurt at Tulpar Lake, and hiking up to over 4,000m to a mind-boggling view, I can safely say that it is definitely a worthwhile trip to make in Kyrgyzstan. Just accept the long road trip to get there as part of the adventure!
Exploring More of Kyrgyzstan?
- Bishkek: 10 Best Things to Do in Bishkek
- Issyk Kul: How to Get From Bishkek to Karakol and Exploring Issyk Kul
- Karakol: 15 Best Things to Do in Karakol
- Train Travel: How to Take the Train From Bishkek to Issyk Kul
- Ala Kul Trek: Complete Guide to the Ala Kul Trek
- Jyrgalan: Essential Guide to Visiting Jyrgalan Valley
- Horse Trekking: Guide to Horse Trekking to Song Kul Lake
- Kol Ukok: An Essential Guide to Kol Ukok Lake Near Kochkor
- eSIM: Which SIM Card Should You Buy for Kyrgyzstan?
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