Silk Road Ski Discovery - Uzbekistan

Overview

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This year's 'Expect the Unexpected' trip

Introduction

Everyone we know who has skied in the ‘Stans’ has visited Kyrgyzstan. We know of no-one who has skied in Uzbekistan so for that reason and for the attraction of visiting the ancient cities of Bukhara and Samarkand, Uzbekistan is this year’s ‘expect the unexpected’ trip.

We have six day’s exploratory ski touring in the Chatkal Mountains, which are the western part of the Tien Shan. We will day tour from our valley base so packs should be relatively light. Guide, Jim Blyth, has looked at the options for combining the cultural aspects of a visit to Uzbekistan with ski touring and cannot find a better way than in the programme below. Skiers need to be aware that half of the trip will be spent visiting Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand by rail.

The highest mountain in Uzbekistan is Khazret Sultan (4,643m). In Soviet times it was known as the 'Peak of the 22nd Congress of the Communist Party'! Khazret Sultan lies on the border with Tadjikistan, which is a sensitive area and difficult to access. What’s more the mountains are high and mainly unsuited to ski touring. The Chatkal Mountains are more suitable and have the added benefit of being close to the capital, Tashkent. The highest peak in this chain is 3,309m Greater Chimgan, which was a very popular beginner's climbing objective for budding Soviet mountaineers. The mountains around Greater Chimgan offer numerous ski touring possibilities and two ski ‘resorts’, Chimgan and Beldersay. We are skiing in January and February to make the most of the snows of the short winter season.

Start point: Tashkent
Grade: 10D

Share this on Facebook We can organise this expedition on a ‘tailor-made’ private basis for groups of friends, families, clubs, charities or any other group. Depending on your skiing experience, you may want a Jagged Globe leader or go ‘self-led’ with the assistance of local guides. The cost of going private can be surprisingly reasonable, particularly if you take the self-led option. Please contact us to discuss the itinerary and your preferred dates. We will then send you a quote, with no obligation.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the expedition or your suitability for it, please phone +44 (0)114 276 3322 or contact us.

Know Before You Go

Jagged Globe supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign. We recommend that you read the FCO Travel Advice for Uzbekistan on the FCO Website.

What the price includes

• International flights to Tashkent from the UK (unless joining on a 'Land Only' basis)
• Fees and expenses for IFMGA Guides, Jim Blyth and Tim Blakemore and the local ski guide(s)
• Full board accommodation on a twin-sharing basis. Whilst visiting Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand we may split up during the day and if so everyone should pay for their own lunch.
• All transport in Uzbekistan
• Entrance fees when sightseeing as a group

What the price does not include

• Visa Fees
• UK and Foreign Airport taxes
• Excess baggage charges
• Travel Insurance
• Bar bills and laundry
• Tips

Large fluctuations may occur in currency markets over the coming months. The price of this trip may increase or decrease in line with these fluctuations. The final price will be confirmed two months before the start of the trip.

Insurance

You will need a travel insurance policy that caters for the activities you will undertake on your trip with Jagged Globe. It is a requirement of our booking conditions that you have such a policy. For a list of insurers who specialise in mountaineering, trekking and skiing, please see our Travel Insurance page »

Itinerary

Here is an outline itinerary for this trip.

Outline Itinerary

Day 1:	Fly to Uzbekistan.
Day 2:	Arrival in Tashkent.
Day 3 - 4:	Visit Bukhara.
Day 5 - 6:	Samarkand.
Day 7:	Train to Tashkent.
Day 8 - 13:	Ski touring in the Chatkal Mountains.
Day 14:	Fly home.

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