Vertikal Alaudin base camp Q&A

[Julia]

Hi all

I'm going to do trekking in Fann mountains. Thinking of starting from Vertikal-Alauding base camp.

How to get there?
Due to limited budget this time can't rent a jeep from Dushanbe or other big city.
I found that can go to Sarvoda village by shared taxi. But will be able to find some transport from there further to the mountains? Anyone has any experience?
If there are taxis that can get you from Sarvoda to the mountains than how much would it cost?

If someone has another ideas how to get to the mountains, for instance, maybe it's easier to get to Artuch base camp and start from there, please share))

Thanks in advance

[Julia]

Just an update.
Maybe will be useful for someone who wants to try the same route.
I took shared taxi from Dushanbe to Sarvoda. It's easy. Regular cars every day.
And then hitch hiked from Sarvoda to Vertikal Alauding base camp. Gave some cash to a driver. They accepted.
Was pretty easy.
But traffic on the last leg Pasrud - Vertikal Alauding is extremely low.
So can't guarantee that others may get a car quickly too.
People in Pasrud told me that there are cars to the base camp very early morning around 4-5 am. But I couldn't wake up that early))

[Halilee]

I'm contemplating doing a hike from Vertical Alovaddin to Alauddin lake, spend the night there, and hike back the same way the next day near the end of September. Are there homestays at the Alauddin lake? Thanks!

[Christian77]

The hike between Vertikal Alauddin and Alauddin Lake takes about 20 minutes.

Vertikal Alauddin closes for business very early, like maybe even after the first week of September (check the Russian part of their website).

There are no homestays at Alauddin Lake, only places for tents.

There is a homestay much further down the road away from Alauddin that can be booked through ZTDA. But it's far away enough to be in a not very attractive location.

Perhaps you meant the Artuch alplager/turbaza instead of Vertikal? That would make much more sense for a day hike.

[Halilee]

Thank you Christian. Which day hike from Artuch Aplager do you refer to? I know you can go to Kulikalon lakes from there but don't know of any other.

So would it be possible then to combine a visit to Alauddin lake with a jeep ride to the 7 lakes and hike from 6 to 7th lake for overnight?

I'm hoping to do something like Dushanbe to Iskaderkul. Then drive to Noumetkan and hike to Pskan through Yagrob gorge and overnight. Then go to Marghib village. Another day do the 7 lakes with hike from from 6-7th lake and overnight in noffin. And visit Alauddin lake. End in Penjakent as heading to Uzbekistan from there. I'm just not sure how to allot the itinerary as I'm having trouble finding roads or the villages on a map. Maybe I'll do another post for the itinerary.

[Julia]

Hi.
If you start from Artuch base camp it'll take 2 days to hike to Allaudin lakes. First day you hike to Kulikalon lakes (choose Kulikalon, Chukurak, Dushaha) and sleep near one of the lakes. And second day hike to Allaudin lake.
At the end of September it'll be cold at nights.
I'm not sure if summer constructions (tea houses) will be working at Kulikalon lakes at the end of September. Sorry, don't know the right name for those constructions around Kulikalon lakes.
Will you have your own sleeping bag and a tent?

[Christian77]

The day hike I refer to is from Artuch alplager to Kulikalon, and then through Alauddin pass to Alauddin lake (with an overnight there). I met Russians with bags full of climbing gear who passed me the same day and were going even further. For reference, one time I started in Dushanbe at 9am (switching on and off local transport) and got to the last lake past Kulikalon (Dyushakha) in time to cook dinner. If you want to do a single day return hike, then I suggest Artuch alpalger to Dyushakha and back the same day.

Aside from this, you have named/zigzagged almost every destination in the Fann Mountains. It's getting complicated. I think you should get a copy of this: https://caravanistan.com/books/tajikist ... guidebook/ and narrow it down. As it is now you will be paying quite a bit to have a personal driver to get to all of these locations (and to wait for you).

[Halilee]

Hi Julie! We won't have sleeping bags or tents and renting seems to be an issue so now I'm trying to find hikes where we can sleep in homestays along the way.

Christian, you are right, it does seem complicated. Maybe I'll remove the option of Alauddin lakes this time, but I have sent out a request already so I'll see what they come back with. Maybe stick with 7 lakes and the Yaghnob valley. Will see.

Thank you so much for all the help!