Tajikistan Guide

Use this Region Guide to easily find and compare Crags.

Table of contents

1. Tajikistan 259 routes in Region

2 4 1 3

1 Dushanbe 2 Fann Mountains 3 Loose Sugar 4 Moskvina Basecamp / Поляна Москвина

Summary:

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Seasonality

Mostly Trad climbing

Lat / Long: 38.372420, 70.925049

1.1. Dushanbe 0 routes in Crag

1.2. Fann Mountains 250 routes in Region

3 4 7 5 6

3 Kulikalon valley 4 Chapdara valley 5 Kaznok valley 6 Arčimajdan valley 7 Zindon valley

Summary:

Mostly Trad climbing

Lat / Long: 39.259798, 68.140413

description

Fann moutains are the most western part of Pamir mountains with several peak exceeding 5000m and with glaciers above 4500m). The highest peak is Chimtarga (5389m) in the central part of the mountains. Fann mountains are prevalent limestone mountains.

Due to their location as a projection to the deserts of Uzbekistan, Fann mountains have unique meteorological conditions with long periods of stable warm and sunny weather.

Due to the conditions, Fann mountains have become a traditional mountaineering destination for Russian mountaineers and in recent years from visitors from around the globe.

The access points are Pendjikent or Dushanbe in Tajikistan, or Tashkent and Samarkand in Uzbekistan. When in the mountains, low in the valleys there are managed camps or campsites, higher in the mountains there are many unmanaged campsites located at lakes or creeks.

1.2.1. Sport Sector 5 routes in Crag

Summary:

All Sport climbing

1.2.2. Trad Sector 1 route in Crag

Summary:

All Trad climbing

1.2.3. Kulikalon valley 89 routes in Crag

Summary:

Mostly Trad climbing

Lat / Long: 39.284466, 68.145313

summary

Large approach valley with its center around Kulikalon lakes (39.2572250, 68.1751167)

description

Trails start from Artuch village (1900m) and go up along the Artuch river to the Alaudin pass (3780m39.2492106, 68.2276731). Valley is surrounded with peaks reaching from 3500m to 4200m. The rock is a kind of limestone, rather shattered.

approach

From Artuch village in direction to Alaudin pass.

where to stay

Artuch Alpine Camp (39.2731494, 68.1368656)

Kulikalon lakes (39.2572250, 68.1751167)

Dushokha lake (39.2413878, 68.2019686)

history

Most of routes shown here are historical routes in RU grading system that is closed (max 6B), the real difficulty may differ significantly to what one expects. I give here information I collected during our trip, the information is fairly incomplete, but may give an idea.

1.2.4. Chapdara valley 78 routes in Crag

Summary:

All Trad climbing

Lat / Long: 39.231745, 68.361424

summary

Chapdara valley is a major valley that runs from the Chimtarga peak to the East and North.

where to stay

Vertical Aludin camp (39.2489494, 68.2649678)

Aludin lakes camp (39.2362072, 68.2540131)

Camp at Mutnye lake (39.1961364, 68.2379444)

1.2.5. Kaznok valley 30 routes in Crag

Summary:

All Trad climbing

Lat / Long: 39.119103, 68.250058

summary

Kaznok valley runs down from Kaznok, Zindon and Energia peaks in east and later south direction. The river Kaznok joins other creeks into Arch river that mouths to Iskanderkul lake later on.

where to stay

Sarytag village at the end of the valley (by Iskanderkul lake) and numerous unmanaged campsites upstream Arch and Kaznok river.

1.2.6. Arčimajdan valley 5 routes in Crag

Summary:

All Trad climbing

Lat / Long: 39.097528, 68.133135

summary

Arčimajdan is a small valley at south west of the central Fann mountains

where to stay

Wild campsites down in the bottom of the valley.

1.2.7. Zindon valley 42 routes in Crag

Summary:

All Trad climbing

Lat / Long: 39.186648, 68.119982

summary

Zindon valley is a large valley that runs westwards from Chimtarga and west-nord from Zindon peak. In the center of the valley there is the Big Allo lake

where to stay

Unmanaged campsite by Big Allo lake and several wild campsites along the valley.

1.3. Loose Sugar 1 route in Crag

Summary:

All Bouldering

Lat / Long: 38.001950, 71.660660

summary

Offwidths and cracks on the most solid section of rock in the Bartang Valley

description

Much of all the rock in the region is full of choss and rather rubbish. This is a small crag that shows great potential for development with more solid granite pieces and features. There's significant offwidths, cracks and chimneys to add to the mix here.

access issues

There is a small village nearby and the road in front of the crag can be busy during the summer. Be polite to the locals, it's their rock.

approach

The crag is 10m from the Bartang Highway 'road'. A taxi from Rushon is easy to arrange but many people just hitchhike.

where to stay

The town of Rushon is within a 30 minute drive/hitch from the crag

history

First discovered and climbed by Kristan Fischer and Sandro Arnold in September 2019 enroute from a mountaineering expedition in Bartang. At the time of writing only one route has been established but there is significant potential for more.

1.4. Moskvina Basecamp / Поляна Москвина 8 routes in Field

Summary:

All Bouldering

Lat / Long: 39.015505, 71.985517

summary

4300m Basecamp, helicopter access.

Лагерь на высоте 4300 м, доступ с вертолета.

description

Reddish-black granite boulders, weathered and slippery, make for fun bouldering on rest days.

Красновато-черные гранитные камни, выветренные и достаточно скользкие, хороший боулдеринг для дней отдыха

access issues

Helicopter from Dushanbe or Dzirgatal. See https://www.tajikpeaks.com/en.html and also https://www.summitpost.org/pik-kommunizma/150290

Вертолет из Душанбе или Джиргаталя. Смотрим тут: https://www.tajikpeaks.com/en.html and also https://www.summitpost.org/pik-kommunizma/150290

approach

Boulders are by the stream, below the old Soviet Basecamp infrastructure.

Камни находятся у ручья, ниже старой советской инфраструктуры базового лагеря.

1.4.1. Boulder One / Камень Один 5 routes in Boulder

Summary:

description

The largest block, aside from the memorial boulder.

Самый большой блок, если не считать мемориального камня

1.4.2. Boulder Two / Камень Два 3 routes in Boulder

Summary: