Republican Palace of Schoolchildren Inara

Khan Tengri Expedition (7010m)

28 days (Almaty)

Destinations visited: Kazakhstan, Almaty

Grading:

Advanced Mountaineering Expedition

Grading Definitions

Discovery & Cruising

These are our least demanding trips. These journeys of discovery and cruises involve little or no extended activity and are suitable for people with a basic level of fitness and good health. The itinerary may take place in remote areas (with basic facilities) and may involve long travel days on various types of transport. Sightseeing may be conducted on foot and all participants should be capable of carrying their own luggage from vehicle to hotel rooms. These adventures do not go above 2500m and rarely involve camping.
Suggested preparation: Once or twice a week, we recommend you walk on undulating terrain for an hour, for at least 2 -3 months prior to departure.

Adventure Touring

Suggested preparation: Two or three times a week, we recommend you walk on undulating terrain for an hour or more, for at least 3 months prior to departure.

Introductory

These trips involve trekking or walking, cycling, rafting or sea kayaking for up to five or six hours a day at a slow but steady pace and should never be misinterpreted to mean they are easy trips. These trips do not spend time at altitudes above 4000m and are usually a week in duration. You will need a reasonable level of fitness and good health.
Suggested preparation: 30 minutes of aerobic type exercise, (either cycling or jogging) three times a week for three months leading up to your trek. For trekking, hill walking with a daypack in variable weather conditions is also recommended. For a cycling adventure, road cycling twice a week for three months prior to departure is recommended.

Introductory to Moderate

These trips involve a combination of what is described in our INTRODUCTORY and MODERATE levels. The emphasis is on introductory activity with several moderate stages

Moderate

These adventures involve trekking, cycling, rafting or sea kayaking for up to 6 or 7 hours a day at a steady pace. These trips may spend successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 5,500m and are usually between 10 and 15 days in duration. You will need a good level of fitness and be in good health.
Suggested preparation: 45 minutes of aerobic type exercise, three to five times a week for the three months leading up to your trek. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions or road cycling is also recommended depending upon the activity you plan to undertake.

Moderate to Challenging

These adventures involve trekking, cycling, rafting or sea kayaking for up to 6 or 7 hours a day at a steady pace. These trips may spend successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 5,500m and are usually between 10 and 15 days in duration. You will need a good level of fitness and be in good health. Suggested preparation: 45 minutes of aerobic type exercise, three to five times a week for the three months leading up to your trek. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions or road cycling is also recommended depending upon the activity you plan to undertake.

Challenging

These adventures involve trekking, cycling or rafting in remote areas in variable weather conditions for up to 8 to 10 hours a day (possibly more subject to weather conditions and altitude). This may include spending successive days at altitudes not generally exceeding 6000m. These trips may often be over three weeks in duration. You will need an excellent level of fitness, be prepared to carry a daypack weighing up to 8kgs (and in some cases a full pack) and be completely comfortable in adverse weather conditions.
Suggested preparation: One hour of aerobic type exercise, four to five times a week for three to six months prior to departure. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions or on/off road cycling is also recommended.

Entry Mtn/Exploratory Treks

These adventures are classed as expeditions. They involve either extreme trekking and or basic mountaineering. Expect remote and poorly defined trails in variable weather conditions for up to 12 hours a day (possibly more subject to weather conditions and altitude). This may include a number of demanding high pass crossings and evacuation may be difficult from remote areas. Suitable for first time mountaineers wishing to take the step from trekking into the realm of mountaineering. Prior experience trekking at altitude is preferable but not essential and you should be comfortable in adverse weather conditions. Prior technical mountaineering experience is not necessary. Terrain will involve low angle snow slopes. Ropes may be used during treks for glacier travel and steeper sections of ice and snow. When mountaineering, basic mountaineering instruction is given by our mountaineering guides.
Suggested preparation: For grade 8-10 mountaineering expeditions you will need to be very fit and healthy. A minimum of 1 hour of aerobic exercise per session, four to five times a week is essential. Running and cycling in hilly areas is particularly beneficial as are multi day walks on the weekends. This is the ideal time to try out your boots and other gear to make sure you are prepared and ready for your expedition. If you are considering Intermediate or advanced level trips, you will need to discuss your preparation leading up to the trip with our expert staff.

Intermediate Mtn Expedition

Participants should be competent and self sufficient in the outdoors and have experience in multi day trekking at altitude. Prior experience on an entry level mountaineering expedition is highly recommended. The terrain will involve low to moderate angle snow slopes and traveling on crevassed glaciers. Experience using ice axe and crampons is preferred but not essential.
Suggested preparation: For grade 8-10 mountaineering expeditions you will need to be very fit and healthy. A minimum of 1 hour of aerobic exercise per session, four to five times a week is essential. Running and cycling in hilly areas is particularly beneficial as are multi day walks on the weekends. This is the ideal time to try out your boots and other gear to make sure you are prepared and ready for your expedition. If you are considering Intermediate or advanced level trips, you will need to discuss your preparation leading up to the trip with our expert staff.

Advanced Mtn Expedition

These are our most challenging expeditions. Clients must have prior mountaineering experience. Most are participatory expeditions & involve load carrying, setting up of camps, cooking and campcraft. Altitude is generally greater than 6500m. Some of these expeditions also involve “technical” climbing and are for experienced alpine climbers / mountaineers only. Technical expeditions involve steep climbing at high altitude (including rock climbing). Participation on one of these expeditions is subject to acceptance by one of our high altitude mountaineering guides.
Suggested preparation: For grade 8-10 mountaineering expeditions you will need to be very fit and healthy. A minimum of 1 hour of aerobic exercise per session, four to five times a week is essential. Running and cycling in hilly areas is particularly beneficial as are multi day walks on the weekends. This is the ideal time to try out your boots and other gear to make sure you are prepared and ready for your expedition. If you are considering Intermediate or advanced level trips, you will need to discuss your preparation leading up to the trip with our expert staff.

from
USD$6,290

Book now

A technical high altitude expedition in the Tian Shan mountain range

At 7010m the spectacular ice pyramid of Khan Tengri is the second highest mountain in the Tian Shan range and lies on the border between Kazakstan & Kyrgyzstan. In preparation for our climb on Khan Tengri we will acclimatise and fine-tune our skills on the nearby peak of Karly Tau (5450m) before flying to our base camp at 4000m on the North Inylchek Glacier. From base camp we will climb the protected but technical and steep north ridge leading to the snow covered dome of Chapayev Peak ( 6100m). Two camps will be placed on this ridge at 4800m and 5600m. A third camp will be established on the saddle between Chapayev Peak and Khan Tengri at 6000m and from here we will follow the west ridge/face to the summit. Technical and exposed sections of the climb will be fixed and all team members are required to carry loads and help with the preparation of meals etc while above BC. Previous mountaineering experience at altitude is essential to join this expedition.

Highlights

Opportunity to summit Khan Tengri via the northern side of the mountain
2 acclimatisation peaks - Bas Karkara Peak (4059m) & Peak Karly Tau (5450m)
Spectacular helicopter flight into the northern Inilcheck Glacier base camp
Fully supported expedition including all meals above base camp

Itinerary

Day 1 Join Almaty

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Normally international flights into Almaty arrive late in the evening. If you wish to arrive prior to day one please discuss with your World Expeditions reservations consultant.

Day 2 Transfer to Karkara Base Camp (2200m) Drive 6-7hrs

After an early breakfast transfer to Karkara BC. En-route we make a visit to the Berkutchi (eagle hunting) Museum. Golden Eagle hunting is one of the oldest methods of hunting for food. Central Asian ancestors in the Eurasian steppes mastered the art of eagle hunting several thousand years ago, in the Andronov age. Eagle hunting was mainly practiced in the northern and central regions of Kazakhstan, while in the south hunters preferred to use hawks and falcons. Each bird was intended to hunt a particular type of animal, golden eagles usually catch corsacs and hares. The stronger, well-trained eagles proved useful for hunting hoofed animals and even wolves. 200km east of Almaty lies the Charyn Canyon. In close proximity to the Chinese border it is part of the Charyn National Park, established in 2004. The canyon stretches 154kms along the Charyn River in the northern Tian Shan mountain range. A strikingly beautiful place, the canyon is known for it's unusual rock formations and bares semblance to some of the great canyons found in western USA. Finally we arrive in base camp and begin preparations for the coming acclimatisation days.

Day 3 Acclimatisation on Bas Karkara Peak (4059m)

An important day to commence acclimatisation process as we attempt an ascent of Bas Karkara Peak. The climb is a reasonably straight forward one and the higher we are able to get the better for acclimatisation purposes.

Day 4 Helicopter charter to northern Inilchek Glacier Base Camp (4000m)

Today an exhilarating helicopter ride takes us breathtakingly close to the mountains as we make our transfer to our BC for the remainder of the expedition.

Days 5-8 Climb Karly Tau Peak (5450m)

We allow 3 days plus 1 contingency day for our ascent. First we ascend to 4800m where we camp in readiness for the summit push. All going well we will descend all the way to BC for dinner after our summit. Karly Tau Peak is a straight forward climb and suitable for first time climbers to the Tian Shan mountains. We hike up a flat glacier to camp 1 at approx. 4250m, and then a gentle snow slope takes us up to camp 2 (4800m). From camp 2 our summit climb takes us across a flat snow plateau to the pass and up a final crest and 35 degree slope to the summit.

Day 9 Rest day

A well earned rest day in base camp. Last minute preparations and gear checks will be carried out today with your leader, weather checks and a briefing of the days to come.

Days 10-11 Camp 1 (4700m) & camp 2 (5500m)

Commence acclimatisation on Khan Tengri. We take 2 days to reach camp 2, stopping and sleeping in camp 1 overnight.

Continue reading ...

Day 12 Chapayev Peak (6100m), and return camp 2

Climb to Chapayev Peak shoulder & return to camp 2 for overnight.

Days 13-15 Descend to base camp, rest days in base camp

With our acclimatisation process now complete we retrace our steps back to base camp. 2 days are set aside for rest and final preparations before commencing our summit attempt on Khan Tengri.

Days 16-17 Khan Tengri - camp 1 / camp 2

After a good 2 days rest in base camp we are finally ready to make our attempt on Khan Tengri. If the group are moving well we will go all the way to camp 2 today, allowing us more contingency time for the summit attempt. Weather will be a major factor in our decision making from this point, and your leader will keep you informed and fully briefed on the days ahead.

Day 18 Khan Tengri - Camp 3 (6000m)

From camp 2 we climb through the shoulder which is our previous high point, and descend to 6000m to our camp. Camp 3 is usually set in a snow cave which accommodates approx. 10 people. Using snow caves reduces the amount of gear we need to carry and is a common strategy on Khan Tengri.

Days 19-25 Summit Khan Tengri and descend

We are now in position to make our attempt on the summit of Khan Tengri. If the weather agrees we can make our summit bid straight away, if however, we encounter adverse weather conditions we have allowed an extra 2-3 days in our itinerary to be flexible and sit out the weather if necessary. On the descent we will most likely plan to return to camp 3 from the summit, and then camp 2 the following day. Final day will see us descend from camp 2 to base camp and a well earned shower and hot meal!

Days 26-27 Helicopter to Karkara, contingency day

All going well we leave Khan Tengri BC by charter helicopter today. The spectacular flight over the mountains is another unforgettable experience on a most memorable and rewarding expedition in Central Asia.

Day 28 Trip concludes in Almaty

After breakfast transfer to the airport for onward arrangements.

Additional Information

Inclusions

complete expedition service including guides, cooks,two person tents, group camping equipment & mess tent
Return charter helicopter flights to base camp
27 breakfasts, all lunches and dinners en-route, in base camp & on the mountain
2 star accommodation in Almaty on a twin share basis
airport transfers
World Expeditions high altitude guide
Shower and sauna in base camp
Electric generator in BC for mess tent lighting and battery charging
Staff insurance
expedition medical kit
portable high altitude chamber & satelite phone
all climbing and boundary zone permits

Summary

28 day trip
22 days mountaineering
25 nights camping
2 nights hotel

Group Size Min

Group Size Max

Accommodation Summary

Equipment Required

Specialist climbing gear required (a comprehensive gear list is provided in the pre-departure information provided on booking).

What You Carry

In your pack you will need to carry extra warm clothing (depending on the altitude, location and weather), your outer shell clothing - jacket and overpants, down jacket, climbing gear such as crampons and ice axe, water bottles, camera gear, personal items such as sunscreen, lip-eze etc. This expedition includes full pack carrying, and so whilst on the mountain you will be required to load carry to establish camps, or carry extra gear in case of inclement weather. Your pack needs to be a minimum of 65litre capacity and suitable for alpine climbing.

Check dates and prices
Book this trip with World Expeditions on their site