questions regarding trekking in the Fan-mountains

[Provodnik]

Hello,

I'd like to do a small trekking trip in the Fan-mountains in september.

It seems as the route over the 3800m high Mura-Pass crossing the mountain ridge south of the Iskender-Kul would suit my wishes (relatively easy, doable in 3 days or so). I think about starting the hike from Sarytag (village west of the Iskender kul lake), cross the pass and then walk down the Karatag valley and go back to Dushanbe.
Has anyone here done this or a similar tour, which can be recommended for 3 days or so?

What are the weather condition in mid/end-september? Is snow already likely at 3800m then?

And can anyone recommend a reliable company/driver for the transport from Dushanbe to Iskender Kul/Sarytag and back from the Karatog valley (from Khakimi village)? Or is it possible to find vehicles+drivers on the spot in the Karatog valley?


Thanks in advance!

Provodnik

[steven]

Specific questions. Sent you a mail.

[steven]

Here are some things I found out in the meantime.

You will have to walk quite far down the Karatag valley before you find anyone standing around looking for car passengers. I would have someone waiting, unless everyone is in a great mood and wants to walk down the road for 15km. Also, have passports ready. There is a border guards station where the road ends/starts and they might want to record your passports (they did for me).

You can contact Zerafshon Tourism Board, Zafar Norov. This person also was recommended: https://www.facebook.com/akademia.turisma

I am in the process of combing through tour operators in this area but have not found anyone I can recommend yet. If you contact me closer to your arrival date I might have someone (might not).

[bwv812]

Here are some things I found out in the meantime.

You will have to walk quite far down the Karatag valley before you find anyone standing around looking for car passengers. I would have someone waiting, unless everyone is in a great mood and wants to walk down the road for 15km. Also, have passports ready. There is a border guards station where the road ends/starts and they might want to record your passports (they did for me).

You can contact Zerafshon Tourism Board, Zafar Norov. This person also was recommended: https://www.facebook.com/akademia.turisma

I am in the process of combing through tour operators in this area but have not found anyone I can recommend yet. If you contact me closer to your arrival date I might have someone (might not).

I think that Elena Tours have been operating in the area for a long time, as there are reports from as far back as 2005 that they helped arrange logistical support in this exact area. The guy named then, Boris Karpov, still seems to be in charge.

http://ai.stanford.edu/~latombe/mountai ... ann-06.htm
http://www.elenatour.uz/contact/index.html

Zafar Norov was super helpful when I was in Penjikent. The guy running the Elina guest house/tour agency in Penjikent also seemed very knowledgable and could likely arrange something.

I actually think you might not have much problem hiring a vehicle in the valley if you were willing to offer anything close to the price you would pay through a tourist agency. People are poor and work is scarce, so I doubt they would pass up the chance to make some hard money (though finding the local guy with the car might be difficult, and trying to arrange the night before with a local still might not result in the car being on time).