Tours to The Tian Shan

Bears and wolves still prowl the spruce forests lapping the lower reaches of the Tian Shan mountain range, whose ice peaks track Kyrgyzstan’s southern border with China. Much of this vast, rugged frontier is inaccessible to all but expert mountaineers, although it’s possible to jump on an army chopper to experience the majestic scenery surrounding the base camps of the country’s two highest mountains, Pobeda and Khan Tengri, both over 7,000m (24,000ft). Among the highlights for those following the old Silk Route itself is the Torugart Pass (3,752m), one of the few points at which motor vehicles may cross the Tian Shan watershed.