KaShi / 7 days Trekking around Karakul Lake and Muztagh Ata
| Beijing | from ¥9735 pp |
| Shanghai | Call us |
| Guangzhou | Call us |
Discover & enjoy the beauty of the sceneries around Kashgar while trekking.
This trek takes you to the base camp of Muztgata (4500m), snow-capped peak at 7546m. It is a high-altitude and adventurous trek which can be tailored to suit the abilities of the trekkers.
You will have 6 days to experience the local life and trekking!
Travel Itinerary
Day 1 - Beijing - Kashgar -
Take the flight in Beijing at 07:40, transfer in Urumqi and arrive in Kashgar at 15:05. Your guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.
Hotel: Overnight in a 4* hotel
Day 2 - Kashgar - Karakul Lake (200km) - (B,L)
Departure from Kashgar early in the morning. One hour from Kashgar you will see Upal which is a village with traditional activities like bread making and Uyghur food stalls.
30 minutes drive from the village you will arrive in Oytagh Red Mountain. The mountain valley is surrounded by a beautiful backdrop of multi-colored mountains topped by snowcapped peaks. Corner Lake Bulung Kul is a tranquil shallow where you can see inside reflections of the mountains.
Karakul Lake is 3600 meters above sea level, located between Mt. Muztagata (7546 meters) and Mt. Gonger (7719 meters).
You will trek around the lake for about 4 hours then visit the local Kyrgyz yurts and listen to their stories about traditional ways of nomadic mountain life.
Spend the evening with a local Kyrgyz family and stay in a traditional Kyrgyz yurt.
Hotel: Overnight in a Yurt.
Day 3 - Karakul Lake - Idare village (15km) - (B,L)
After your breakfast your luggage will be packed onto camels ready to begin your trek at 9:00am. Your guide and camel driver will lead you towards Idare village. Your trek will last 4 to 5 hours. The settlement comprises 25-30 stone houses occupied by Kyrgyz people. You will arrive at Idare in the afternoon and will have the opportunity to explore the village and meet with the local children.
You will enjoy a nomadic style dinner with the families.
Hotel: Overnight in a tent.
Day 4 - Idare - Bace Camp - Qaltumak (14km) - (B,L)
The destination for the third day of trekking is the very small summer village of Kyrghyz nomads, Qaltumak. During winter the people move to lower altitudes to avoid the freezing temperatures, but during summer the weather in Qaltumak is warm enough for them to stay for 4 months to feed their animals – yaks, camels and donkeys – up higher.
Muztagh Ata is known by locals as The Father of Ice Mountain and the towers of the city are 7546m high. You will be able to see the spectacular views of these great mountains while trying to count the hundreds of marmots who appear to be playing hide and seek on the slopes.
Hotel: Overnight in a tent.
Day 5 - Qaltumak - Idare (12km) - (B,L)
The car will be waiting for you as you journey from Qaltumak to the plains below, descending 900m to Idare. It will take 1.5 hours drive from Karakul lake to Tashkorgan. Tashkorgan is a small town located on the Pamir Plateau. This area was extremely isolated until the rebuilding of the Karakoram highway in 1987 and even today the local community still lives in a very traditional way with only a single road reaching here from Kashgar, so it has retained a certain uniqueness. This region is commonly known as the main road of the "old Silk Road" the main route leading from China to West Asia. The average elevation is 4000 meters.
Hotel: Overnight in a 4* hotel.
Day 6 - Tashkorgan - Kashgar (300Km) - (B,L)
After breakfast you will visit the Stone fort, located in downtown Tashkorgan. It has a history of more than 2000 years. It used to be the central palace of the Tajik Kingdom. Then you will hike around Tashkorgan grassland and enjoy the scenery of Mt. Mutztah Ata and Mt. Pamir. You will take the Karakorum Highway back to Kashgar and arrive in the late afternoon.
Hotel: Overnight in a 4* hotel
Day 7 - Kashgar - Beijing - (B)
After breakfast, departure from Kashgar, take the flight in the morning to Urumqi and then take the flight at 14:45 to Beijing.
Includes:
- Domestic flights (from Beijing with airport taxes, other cities, please contact us).
- English speaking guide.
- 2 nights hotel accommodation (based on Twin sharing) with breakfast in Kashgar.
- Transportation from Kashgar to Karakul lake and from trekking ending point to Kashgar (5 seated car for 2 people and 7 seated business class van for 4 people).
- Camels for trek (1 camel for 2 people and 2 camels for 4 people) and local Kyrgyz camel driver from Karakul lake.
- Sleeping bags & tents.
- Lunch and mineral water during the all trek (picnics, food and accommodation in local Kyrgyz houses).
- Permit for trekking.
Excludes:
- Excess luggage fees.
- Tips for guide and driver.
- Personal expenses.
- The extra cost due to unforeseen events.
Remarks:
- Price based on the basis of 2 person sharing a room.
- Price does not apply during National Holiday.
- On day 2 you will not sleep with the local families.
- Good trekking shoes are required.
- Long sleeved T-shirts are required in case of sunburn in high altitude.
- Medicine for the symptoms of high altitude is advised. Headache is the most common side effect from altitude however there is risk of more severe altitude sickness. Our guides are trained to recognize symptoms and we aim to ascend slowly to minimize the effects of high altitude.
- Best period is from middle of April to middle of October
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Why choose us?
- Service focused
- No hidden fees
- Value for money
- Native English and French speaking
- China-wide departures
- Flexibility and Expertise



Sejour du 1er au 9 octobre 2010
Globalement le voyage s’est tres bien passe. Les gens sont accueillants, les paysages assez grandioses. : bref, a voir.
Apres, de facon toujours generale:
* les villes ne sont pas belles : difficile de trouver 1 endroit charmant. Certains endroits sont sympas (comme la vieille ville de Kashgar) mais les hotels ne s’y trouvent pas.
* ce n’est pas le paradis du service : hotels/ restaurants ne sont pour la plupart ni charmants, ni propres, et le service est en general plutot mediocre.
De facon plus precise quant a notre voyage :
* Sur l’itineraire :
o on a fait trop de kilometres
o 2 jours ½ a Kashgar : 1 peu longuet. Le marche aux bestiaux est sympa ; la vieille ville aussi MAIS ILS LA DETRUISENT A GRAND V. C’est lamentable et assez triste.
o Karakol et Tashgurkan : la partie pr nous la + belle du sejour. Recommandons de passer la nuit a Tashgurkan. La ville n’est pas belle mais les paysages pour y aller magnifique. Aurait été indique de rester 1 journee de plus dans un village sur la route chez l’habitant ou en campant….
o A/R depuis Kashgar - Yarkand : passer 1 journee de transport pr aller voir le desert était trop long ; mais l’annee prochaine, il devrait y avoir une nouvelle route… A coupler avec autre chose ou en profiter pr dormir dans le desert. Yarkand avait aussi 1 vieille ville qu’ils sont en train de tout casser.
o Turpan : a voir – 2 jours, c’est bien. Hotel tjs sans charme : la aussi, serait indique de pv y dormir chez l’habitant
* Les hotels :
Comme indique plus haut, plutôt desagreablement surpris… Vous avez tout compris en fait qd vous voyez que les femmes de menage n’utilisent pas d’aspirateur mais le balai pour nettoyer la moquette.
· Kashgar : tres sale/ bruyant si vous avez des chambres sur la rue/ petit dejeuner avec pas assez de nourriture, pas suffisamment de places. En revanche, les chambres sont grandes/ et l’hotel est bien situe. Le restau en dessous est tres bon.
Le pb, c’est qu’il n’y a pas forcement d’hotels bq mieux en ville d’apres nos infos
· Tashgurkan : c’est l’exception du voyage. Tres propre/ bon service mais la aussi pas charmant
· Yarkand : ca va a peu pres ; mais la aussi pas tres propre et pas charmant
· Turpan : tout neuf avec une deco moderne sympa/ chambres petites/ bientôt ce sera sale / PDJ : le cauchemar de l’occidental/ pas charmant : situe au dessus d’1 gare routiere
En fait, le truc vraiment sympa dans cette contree serait de pouvoir loger chez l’habitant dans les villages: a voir avec les guides si c’est possible et je suis sur que ca l’est. C’est vraiment a conseiller pour cette region car villes et hotels ne sont vraiment pas charmants. Nous avons dejeune 2 fois chez l’habitant (pres de Turpan - a Tuyuk Valley et pres du Musee sur les Karetzs) et c’est vraiment ce qui nous a le plus plu.
· Voitures : Des minibus plutôt anciens et sales a l’interieur mais avec de la place.
· Guides :
o On en a eu 3 en fait :
§ Le 1er de Kashgar, Abdul : tres sympa, tres bon anglais
§ Le 2nd de Kashgar, Ata : tres sympa, anglais moins bon
§ Maira d’Urumqi : un peu tristoune, tres bon anglais & culture generale
Chauffeurs : la aussi, plutôt sympa, notamment celui de Kashgar…
Sans etre accuse de poussee anti chinoise, c’est plus sympa, je pense, d’avoir des Uighurs que des Hans, tout comme chauffeurs que comme guides.
Henri