Full Ak-Suu Traverse from Jyrgalan - 9 Days

Two passes in one day make this one of the hardest stages. Straight after breakfast you climb Terim-Tor Bulak Pass, gaining 480 m in just 1.4 km. It is steep but short.

From the valley floor the second climb, to Boz-Uchuk Pass at 3,363 m, is gentle, with only about 200 m of gain. Then the Boz-Uchuk lakes come into view below.

These glacial pools sit at 3,400 m and shift from deep green to turquoise as the sky changes. We camp beside the upper lake, where dusk is very still.

A short climb over a ridge and down into the valley starts the day. Then the trail rises again to a pass at 3,524 m with a view of Tashtanbek Tor Bashi peak.

The main stage is short, so the afternoon is free. From camp we walk to a waterfall tucked into the upper gorge. Few people expect it, and it is well worth the walk.

The night is in a yurt camp in Jergez Gorge.

From camp we climb to the first Ailanysh lake at 3,445 m and stop for a short break. The trail then steepens up to Ailanysh Pass at 3,676 m.

The two lakes under the pass are some of the quietest places on the route. Few people outside the traverse ever see them.

On the way down you face a 3,855 m peak and the icy Ak-Suu Wall. The trail drops steadily to the Almaluu valley and a camp by the river. After Day 2, this is the hardest day of the trek.

By traverse standards this is an easier day. It opens with a short, steep climb of 800 m to Ortok Pass at 3,650 m.

The long way down changes everything around you. Rock turns to grass, grass to pine forest, and it gets warmer with every kilometre.

You follow the river into Altyn-Arashan in the afternoon. Tonight means a guesthouse, a hot shower and a real bed.

No trail today. You rest in the valley and soak in the natural hot springs, outdoor mineral pools among the pines.

After five days of camps and passes, sleeping in and eating well is the whole plan. If you cannot sit still, a short morning walk up the valley is an option.

Make the most of it. Tomorrow brings the biggest climb of the traverse.

This is the toughest climbing day of all nine. You walk about 8 km up from 2,500 m to Ala-Kul Pass at 3,906 m, a gain of 1,400 m. The last 200 m are steep and rocky.

From the top the Terskey Ala-Too range opens in every direction. It is one of the widest views on the route.

A short descent leads to Ala-Kul at 3,550 m, turquoise and glacier-fed under peaks over 4,000 m. We camp by the lake.

Get up early if the sky is clear. The peaks light up before the water does, and it is the best photo of the whole trek.

After breakfast we walk north from the lake into Telety Valley. It is a gentler day, and the lower height helps the body recover.

There are plenty of places to camp. Our pick is a long flat spot about halfway up, where the river widens, with views of Telety to the southwest and back to the Ala-Kul passes.

The last morning on the trail. Over Telety Pass it is under two easy hours down to the river valley on the far side.

Then the path drops toward Jeti-Oguz, and the red sandstone cliffs of the Seven Bulls appear. After nine days of grey granite and ice, the colour is a fine way to finish.

A short drive takes you from Jeti-Oguz back to Karakol.