A photo essay of hiking in the Alay mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
Alia and I at Traveler's Pass (4,150m / 13,615ft elevation) near the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
In June 2025, Alia and I had the opportunity to return to Kyrgyzstan. In 2022, we did a horse trek in the Tian Shan mountains in the northern part of the country. This time we visited the south of the country and the city of Osh (Ош). We hiked in the Alay mountains and stayed in Yurt camps. We spent two days in Tilek Yurt Camp, at the base of Lenin's Peak, to hike up Traveler's Pass. From camp to pass and back was little over 10.5 miles and 2,100 feet of elevation. We were lucky enough to have wonderful weather and gorgeous sunsets.
Yurt camps are pretty amazing places. Families will spend the summer season in the mountains raising livestock and avoid the harsh mountain winters by staying in villages at lower altitudes. Some open themselves to hikers and tourists. Sorta like a bed and breakfast, but in yurts. The families are wonderful hosts. It reminded me of growing up on the farm—as soon as you can walk and carry something, you help out.
Alia and our guide were moving faster than I was on the first day.This cow and I were having a moment.After bringing me a towel, the little dude turned into the cutest card hustler you've ever seen!Woke up to beautifully clear skies and a still visible moon.Tilek Yurt Camp at the base Lenin's Peak (7,134 m / 23,406 ft), which borders Tajikistan.Horse grazing at sunset.Wild flowers around the lake at sunset.Tilek Yurt Camp, the morning we hiked to Traveler's Pass.A flag monument with different Buddhist teachings on it.These marmots were everywhere on the hike. You could hear them warning the rest of the colony of approaching danger as we hiked through their territory. Don't be fooled by their adorable looks. These large rats carry the original strain of the bubonic plague!Marmot at the edge of the world.Alia and I eating lunch at Traveler's Pass while enjoying the views of Lenin's Peak. Big thanks to András, a fellow hiker, for the wonderful photo! The hike down was much less treacherous than the hike up.We were happy to get on flat-ish ground again!Just some cool mountain flowers.Couldn't help but act like a dog out of the window as we drove away from the mountains.
You can imagine that a post-Soviet developing nation doesn't have a big commercial merchandise culture. We enjoyed our time at Tilek Yurt Camp and hiking so much that I designed a shirt to commemorate it. It is available for purchase through my Etsy shop. Kyrgyzstan needs more merch!
The design is based on the mountains visible from the camp. It incorporates traditional Kyrgyz symbolism of the ram, the universe, and a prosperous home, as well as the red and yellow of the flag.
