Hiking Kazakhstan
Trekking in the Tien Shan
By Rick Hudson
Here comes your second challenge (your first was getting the hotel plumbing to work): Where do you go when there's almost half a million square miles of peaks and valleys to choose from? Do what nearly everyone else does and sign up with one of the trekking companies. The one we chose was AsiaTour, which happens to be the largest and operates a fleet of vehicles, helicopters, and base camps at strategic locations. Owned and operated by Rinat Khaibullin, an internationally known alpinist with major ascents in the Himalayas, Pamirs, and Tien Shan, the company understands the needs of Western trekkers and climbers.
The Upper Tekes River
In the extreme southeastern corner of the Kazakhstan, AsiaTour operates three base camps, linked by big helicopters. We opted to do an acclimatization trek for eight days through the"foothills" (8,000–12,000 feet), before flying to one of the high camps on a glacier.
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The Ultimate Mountain Race
In a crazed race up Khan Tengri, competitors in Kazakhstan's First International Mountain Festival battled for the title of"King of the Mountain."
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Uncertain of the terrain, our party (of two) arranged for a guide and a cook, and since we'd planned to spend time enjoying this beautiful and empty place, we signed up two pack horses, which came with their own packer. In the corner where Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China meet, our group of five set out one bracing day in August following the Tekes River upstream.
Initially, the tall spruce forests and open meadows were occupied by local chaban — Kazakh cowboys and their families — living in yurts (circular tents made of thick felt). But as the spruce gave way to scattered clumps of dwarf juniper, all signs of human habitation vanished. That evening, we camped on a bed of edelweiss and asters overlooking a sparkling stream. The air was cool, but a large mug of tea quickly warmed us. This was followed by alphabet soup, in which we noted all 33 letters of the Cyrillic alphabet!
One of the more challenging aspects of visiting a country like Kazakhstan is that you find yourself reduced to the status of a child . . . you can neither understand what is said nor read what is written. This can be frustrating at times, and there is a tendency to try sign language or shouting. The trekking company provided us with both a guide and cook who spoke English. This made things a lot easier. Russian is the main language of commerce, and I would encourage anyone visiting any of the 'stans (Commonwealth of Independent States) to find a short word-list on the Internet and memorize a few expressions. Knowing how to say "Hello," "Good-bye," and "Bring me vodka" will get you through 50 percent of Central Asia's challenges. The rest you can improvise.
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