Karavshin Gorge permit Q&A

[tomnz]

Hi,

I'm trying to plan a hiking trip to Karavshin in the Batken Area of Kyrgyzstan and finding conflicting/spread info about how to do this.
I will be coming from Panjakent, Tajikistan.

I see there are two direct border crossings in the area: Kulundu & Isfara.
In one post someone thought all Kyr-Taj crossings were closed but Kyr-Uzb were open..but others have reported success at Isfara. Hard to reconcile the times.

I suppose I could go via Uzbekistan either at Panjakent/Samarkand or Khujand/Kokand(Konibodom) and get into Osh Kyrgyzstan at Doystk and then backtrack via bus to Batken...but makes the process a lot longer..

Any recent info helpful

Thanks

[willemspie]

The border between Kyrgyzstan and Tadjikistan is closed, you have to go through Uzbekistan.
I'm not sure at all that you can go to the Batken area, as it is the place where they were fighting.

[Pamirski]

The borders between TJ and KG are closed but no problem to go to Batken area. We were crossing the Turkestan range the last three weeks between Uzgurush and Aidarken and also in Karavshin. You just ought to have a border permit for some areas, but we needed our permit only once. When hiking near Tajikistan (enclaves) the kyrgyz military was just very sensitive and supposed one crossed directly from Tajikistan.
Great hiking area!
Greetings from Osh

[tomnz]

I've contacted companies about border permits and the batken area permit is not currently available.
Did you get your permit in advance @pamirski?
Also since land borders are closed with Tajikistan/Kyrgystan you need to go via Uzbekistan and cross at Andijon/Osh

[Pamirski]

Our permit was issued on 27th of june in Bishkek, we went via Tien Shan Travel. They informed us, that in case of new tensions the military could deny access even with permit.
I think there are two ways getting a border permit, either via Bishkek, where you can get a general permit for all border regions at once, or via the local commands for each concerned oblast (I think there are 5)

[David Wieder]

Any thoughts? Hoping to do a trek in the Karavshin Valley in August.

[willemspie]

Very unlikely, I'd think.

[Christian77]

Last I checked, border area permits were not being issued for Batken. You need one for Karavshin.

[Marcellc67]

Just had a look at the Karavshin Valley info here https://central-asia.guide/kyrgyzstan/d ... in-valley/

They mention near the bottom of the page that 23 September 2022 it's strictly prohibited to visit the region due to the Kyrgyz-Tajik conflict.

Not sure if this has changed since that date.

[David Wieder]

I’ve been emailing trekking tour companies…. So far, two companies have said they can do it/it will be open. And two have said it is still closed due to the conflict. One of the companies also says they can get us from Tajikistan into Kyrgyzstan over a land border but travel in the other direction is impossible. Not sure how this is going to play out…