A first summit at over 7000 meters
Highlights
- Climb of a first 7000er not very technical
- Good test for a first 8000er
- Experienced French mountain guide
- Local mountain guide and greater flexibility
- 4 to 6 days longer than standard programs
- H24 weather forecast services and medical hotline
- Preparation course, live coverage of the expedition
- A human adventure beyond the physical challenge
Lenin Peak or ou Abu Ali Ibn Sina is a beautiful mountain, whose summit is considered to be the most accessible 7000-meter peak in the world, sometimes flippantly and therefore wrongly. Our success rate, which is quite high, is around 70%. We allow 4 to 6 days more than most operators, which gives the expedition more peace of mind, more acclimatization time to enable as many people as possible to reach the summit and, of course, greater weather safety. We will be guided by an experienced French mountain guide, assisted by a local mountain guide during the Summit Push. We follow the normal route, which is physically demanding in the summit attempt. We reached the summit in 2018, 2021 and 2022.
Overview
See pictures of our ascent of Lenin Peak.
If Lenin Peak can be compared in terms of technical difficulties to a Mont Blanc (4810 m) or an Elbrus (5642 m), its very high altitude, more than 2000 meters higher, makes it a summit that is not "given". The classic route includes some fairly steep slopes and the experience of the ice axe and crampons is necessary.
The most favorable period for the summit attempt is in the first half of August. Earlier, the temperatures are colder, the snow deeper and sometimes you have to create the track. Later in the season, there is a high risk of strong winds.
Our advanced training courses in the high mountains as part of our Adventure School can be a serious asset, both to gain confidence and to gain autonomy. A preparation course is planned with your expedition leader in Chamonix in the months preceding the expedition, date to be specified with him and the group.
Interview with Bernard Muller, expedition leader in 2018
What can you tell us about this summit?
Lenin Peak, like Mustagh Ata in China for that matter, is considered to be the most accessible 7000-meter peak in the world, sometimes scornfully and therefore wrongly. Admittedly, both pose no technical problem for mountaineers with a little experience, but the very high altitude dries out many a climber just a few hundred meters from the summit. As a result, the success rate is far from 100%, in fact less than 50% in most groups on the mountain.
So what is Expeditions Unlimited's approach?
We don't feel that the "classic" duration proposed by most operators is appropriate. You always get the impression that you are running out of time. It puts too much stress on acclimatization, which is the only aspect that needs to be taken care of here. So, with Expeditions Unlimited, we decided to extend the duration of these expeditions from three to six extra days, and I think that this makes the difference. We also use a competent local guide on the summit push, which makes for greater flexibility and safety. Even the best mountaineers in the world need to be acclimatized; it is not a question of level but of physiology, of how the human body adapts.
All in all, in our artisan spirit, our expedition is a little longer, better accompanied, a little more expensive, but we're doubling our chances of reaching the summit. We've clearly chosen our camp. The mountains are to be respected and earned. You can't embark on ambitious expeditions and be too constrained by time, it's not very serious and it's not a pleasant experience for the participants.
Birth of the "Snow Leopard"
In the 1960s, the USSR was at the height of its glory. But the borders were hermetic and the mountaineers of the Soviet Union expressed their (immense) talent on the many summits that rose from one end of the former Empire of the Tsars to the other. The Himalayas are off-limits to them. But their playground was gigantic: the Caucasus, Pamir-Alay, Fansky (Fann) Mountains, Great Pamir, Tien Shan, Kamtchatka... On 12 October 1967, to encourage and reward the best in the race to the top, the Bureau of the Central Council of Sports Societies and Organisations of the USSR decided to award a prize to those who managed to climb the five highest Soviet summits:
- Khan Tengri Peak – 6995 meters on the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border
- Peak Korjenevskaya – 7105 meters in Tajikistan
- Lenin Peak – 7134 meters on the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border
- Victory Peak – 7439 meters in Kyrgyzstan
- Ismoil Somoni Peak – 7495 meters in Tajikistan
The reward: to become a "Snow Leopard", the almost mythical animal that haunts the mountains of Central Asia. Many will be lining up to win the prestigious Snow Leopard medal. But almost exclusively climbers from beyond the Iron Curtain, from the Soviet Union. It was not until 1985 that the first two Westerners shared this immense privilege. Two Americans, followed by a Japanese climber in 1989. Finally, in 1997, a French couple, Brigitte and Pierre Meloni, won the prestigious medal. They were the third couple to win a medal. In 2011, Serge Hardy will be the fifth and last Frenchman to win the title. Who will be next?
Five legendary peaks, all in the former USSR
The five peaks of the Snow Leopard Challenge, in ascending order of difficulty:
- Ibn Sina Peak (formerly Lenin Peak) – 7134 meters on the Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border
- Ozodi Peak (formerly Korjenevskaya) – 7105 meters in Tajikistan
- Ismoil Somoni Peak (former Communism Peak) – 7495 meters in Tajikistan
- Khan Tengri Peak – 7010 meters on the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border (the geological altitude is 6995 m, but due to its thick shell of ice at the summit, the official altitude is 7010 m)
- Jengish Chokosu Peak (formerly Victory Peak, formerly Pobeda Peak) – 7439 meters in Kyrgyzstan
So it is Korjenevskaya (Korzhenevskoï) that we will be climbing on this expedition. The route is divided into four distinct sections. A long ascent in moraine terrain and steep dirt slopes to reach Camp 1 at 5100 meters. Then a progression on easy snow slopes leads to Camp 2 at 5300 meters. A steeper section of snow and ice leads to a pass at 6100 meters. Finally, a long snow ridge leads first to Camp 3 at 6300 meters, and then to the summit.
For acclimatization, we make the easy ascent of Vorobia Peak (5691 meters) with a high camp at around 5300 meters. The total duration of the expedition includes several rest days and reserve days to will be able to cope with the frequent climatic hazards in this part of the world.
Expeditions Unlimited takes on the Snow Leopard Challenge with Serge Bazin
Well-known to French-speaking mountaineers, Serge Bazin is a mountain guide (see his biography below). He has been guiding participants on high-altitude summits for many years. We have built up a strong relationship with him. He was our advisor on our first expedition to Manaslu (8163 m), and guided our 2024 expedition to Makalu (8485 m).
He regularly and successfully guided our participants to Lenin Peak at 7134 meters and guided them to the top of the Ozodi Peak (formerly Korzhenevskoï ) in 2023 .
We are currently forming a close-knit group on these five climbs, the next three of which are massive. Either technically difficult, with the Khan Tengri via the north ridge, chosen because it is less exposed to objective dangers, or in terms of commitment at very high altitude, with the Ismoil Somoni Peak and its colossal plateau at 7000 meters and finally, in terms of objective risks, with the famous Victory Peak or Pobeda.
Click here to see the animated itinerary for the ascent of Lenin Peak to 7134 meters.
Itinerary
Days 1 & 2: Europe — Bishkek — Osh
Day 1
We land at Bishkek airport where we are met by our partners. Depending on the time of arrival of our plane, and after consular formalities, we are either accompanied to our hotel in Bishkek, or we take another flight directly to Osh where we are again welcomed and accompanied to our hotel, this time in Osh.
Day 3: Osh — Base Camp / Achik Tash
Day 3
Early in the morning, we either catch our flight to Osh, or we are already there and we head straight for the base camp on Lenin Peak at 3600 meters altitude, called "Achik Tash", in a magnificent meadow. We reach the base camp by vehicle and settle into our tents.
Days 4 to 24: Acclimatization and ascent of Lenin Peak (7134 m)
Day 4 to 24
In total, 21 useful days with 4 possible contingency days for acclimatizing the climbers, in case of bad weather, etc.
On days 4 & 5, we rest and define our ascent program and approach tactics with our expedition leader. If we wish, for those of us who are fitter, we can climb the neighbouring Petrovsky peak at an altitude of 4700 meters or stop at the beginning of its ridge. But this is not our objective! Our only objective is to climb Lenin Peak, whose ascent program might look something like this, purely illustrative:
DAY 6: FROM BASE CAMP (3600 m) TO CAMP 1 / ADVANCED BASE CAMP (4400 m)
Progress towards Camp 1, which will be our advanced base camp at 4400 meters. We will not be returning to the Achik Tash base camp until the end of our expedition. The progress is not particularly difficult. We have 12 kilometers to cover, and horses accompany us to carry our gear and equipment. An adventurous ford crossing in 40 centimeters of water is recommended in the morning, as the water can rise in the afternoon. For those who do not want to get their feet wet, donkey drivers sometimes offer their services for a few coins! Arrival at Camp 1.
Number of trek hours: 6 to 7 hours
Elevation: + 800 m
Max. altitude: 4400 m
Final altitude: 4400 m
DAY 7: REST AT CAMP 1 (4400 m)
DAY 8: ACCLIMATIZATION AT YUKHIN PEAK (5100 m)
To acclimatize to the altitude, we climb above Camp 1 and, depending on the participants' level of fitness, climb to the nearby Yukhin Peak at 5100 meters, before returning to Camp 1 for the night.
Number of trek hours: 5 to 6 hours
Elevation: +700 m / -700 m
Max. altitude: 5100 m
Final altitude: 4400 m
DAY 9: REST AT CAMP 1 (4400 m)
DAY 10: CARRYING TO CAMP 2 AND OVERNIGHT AT CAMP 2 (5300 m)
Today we will be carrying our food, gas and "extreme cold" sleeping bag to Camp 2 at 5300 meters. It will probably take 8 hours for this first rotation, bearing in mind that, thanks to our acclimatization, we will probably need 2 to 3 hours less afterwards. On leaving Camp 1, we pass a few crevasses and our route is equipped with a few fixed ropes. We spend our first night at Camp 2 at 5300 meters.
Number of trek hours: 7 to 8 hours
Elevation: + 900 m
Max. altitude: 5300 m
Final altitude: 5300 m
DAY 11: ACCLIMATIZATION AND RETURN TO CAMP 1 (4400 m)
We will attempt a few hundred meters above camp 2 for acclimatization if everyone is feeling up to it, then descend to camp 1 to regain our health.
Number of trek hours: 5 hours
Elevation: + 200 m / - 1100 m
Max. altitude: 5500 m
Final altitude: 4400 m
DAYS 12 & 13: REST AT CAMP 1 (4400 m)
DAY 14: CLIMBING TO CAMP 2 (5300 m)
We climb to Camp 2 and spend the night there.
Number of trek hours: 5 to 6 hours
Elevation: + 900 m
Max. altitude: 5300 m
Final altitude: 5300 m
DAY 15: CARRYING TO CAMP 3 (6100 m) AND BACK TO CAMP 2 (5300 m)
To acclimatize, we climb to Camp 3 at 6100 meters and use the opportunity to do some very light carrying (change of clothes, food, gas refill). We then return to Camp 2 for the night. It takes probably 6 hours round trip, which allows us to return to our tents early in the afternoon.
Number of trek hours: 6 hours
Elevation: + 800 m / - 800 m
Max. altitude: 6100 m
Final altitude: 5300 m
DAY 16: ACCESS TO CAMP 3 (6100 m)
We climb to Camp 3 in the late morning and prepare to spend the night there. A number of crevasses surround Camp 3 and we have to be careful not to walk just anywhere.
Number of trek hours: 3 to 4 hours
Elevation: + 800 m
Max. altitude: 6100 m
Final altitude: 6100 m
DAY 17: ACCLIMATIZATION ABOVE CAMP 3 (6100 m)
Today is a day of reduced activity for acclimatization. We wake up early and begin our ascent along a winding ridge on a 20-degree slope to the plateau at 6400 meters. We then descend at the end of the morning for a good afternoon's rest in preparation for our summit attempt next night.
Number of trek hours: 4 to 5 hours
Elevation: + 300 m / - 300 m
Max. altitude: 6100 m
Final altitude: 6400 m
DAY 18: ASCENT OF LENIN PEAK (7134 m)
We wake up early this morning and begin our ascent to the summit from Camp 3 at 6100 meters. We are back on our previous day's route, following the winding ridge with a 20-degree gradient up to 6400 meters. We then reach a plateau about 1.5 kilometer long, up to a jut known as "the razor". This ledge is equipped with fixed ropes and has a 45-degree gradient, mostly in snow. The "razor" is the starting point at around 6600 / 6650 meters for a fairly wide ridge at 15/20 degrees, which takes us to the vast summit plateau at 7000 meters, which we then have to cross to reach the real summit at 7134 meters. All in all, it is a long climb and the cold can be intense, combined with winds that can be violent. It takes around 10 to 12 hours from Camp 3. Once we have reached the summit, we descend to Camp 3 and it takes another 4 to 5 hours, for a total of 15 to 16 hours.
Number of trek hours: 15 to 16 hours
Elevation: + 1034 m / - 1034 m
Max. altitude: 7134 m
Final altitude: 6100 m
DAYS 19 & 20: BACK TO CAMP 1 (4400 m) THEN TO BASE CAMP (3600 m)
We descend from Camp 3 (6100 m) to Camp 1. Allow 2 hours between Camp 3 and Camp 2, then 3/4 hours between Camp 2 and Camp 1. We spend one night at Camp 1 (4400 m), then descend the next day to Achik Tash base camp (3600 m). Allow 3/4 hours.
Number of trek hours: 5/6 hours from C3 to C1 then 3/4 hours from C1 to base camp.
Elevation: - 2500 m
Max. altitude: 6100 m
Final altitude: 3600 m
DAYS 21 TO 24: FOUR CONTINGENCY DAYS
These four extra days can be split between acclimatization, contingency days for weather windows, and so on. In our experience, they are key to maximizing your chances of success, on the one hand to calm the pace of the expedition and, on the other hand, to mitigate against likely bad weather. The days spent waiting for the weather are spent at Camp 1 at 4400 meters, so as not to put too much of a strain on our bodies.
Day 25: Base camp — Osh
Day 25
Today, at the latest, we return to our vehicle and are transferred to Osh, which we reach in the early afternoon.
Days 26 & 27: Back to Bishkek and flight to Europe
Day 26
We fly to Bishkek and then on to Europe where, depending on the connection, we spend a night in a hotel before departing on day 27. Landing on day 27.
END OF EXPEDITION
For reasons that cannot be foreseen at this stage, such as unpredictable weather, the physical fitness or lack of fitness of participants or other circumstancess (customs formalities, road conditions, traffic, landslides, force majeure, etc.), your expedition leader may have to adapt the program, if necessary, to ensure the smooth running of your trip. He remains the sole judge and the one who guarantees your safety. Activity times are given as an indication and may vary from one participant to another.
The itinerary for all our expedition programs, or the ascent program for our high-mountain expeditions, are given here as a guide only. They are flexible enough to adapt to weather conditions with a few contingency days. In any case, you should follow the recommendations of your guide, who may suggest that you cancel your expedition due to weather, safety or physical conditions.
It is important to remember that this is a truly unsupported expedition, and that anything can happen. Expeditions Unlimited, your expedition leader, your guide or our local teams can in no way be held responsible.
Any costs incurred as a result of a change in the expedition schedule (extra nights' accommodation, extra flights) will be borne by the participants and not by the organizers. "Contingency days" refer to the expedition in the strict sense of the term (base camp/base camp in the mountains, departure point/exit point on a traverse, etc.).
Any early return of the expedition or of certain members only (early success, abandonment, etc.), generating costs for accommodation, meals, changes to air tickets or other activities not provided for in this program, will be charged in full to the participants.
Trip notes
Guiding
The expedition leader will be an experienced English-speaking French mountain guide who will be appointed in the coming months.
He will represent Expeditions Unlimited in dealings with the group, our partners and the local authorities. He will oversee the smooth running of the expedition. He takes the decisions necessary to ensure that the expedition runs smoothly. His authority is decisive and inescapable. You must respect his decisions and those taken collectively.
In addition, we have a local mountain guide for the summit push, often Russian, for greater group flexibility, and local staff for meals and logistics at base camp and Camp 1.
And throughout the program, we will be relying on other local skills as required. Finally, we will have access to experienced weather forecast services and a doctor specialising in high altitude, based in Europe.
For unpredictable reasons at this stage, like adverse weather conditions, insufficient physical condition of participants, insufficient competencies of participants related to the intended activities, your guide may decide to adjust the intended program and/or activities. At all times, his decision will be final on all matters likely to affect the safety and well-being of the trip.
Technical difficulty
Mountaineering level: F like... Easy (Facile in French!)
In this program, the use of mountaineering equipment (crampons, harness, ice ax, ropes, etc.) is necessary but the route covered does not involve any technical difficulty. It is therefore aimed at beginners or even participants who have never practiced. Clearly, a little prior experience in the activity can be interesting, knowing how to equip yourself, knowing how to tie a few essential knots. The mountaineering courses at our Adventure School from three days are for you. And this technical rating applies of course to normal weather conditions: the difficulty can increase in the event of bad weather conditions, fresh snow on rocks, insufficient or lack of quality of the ice, etc. Likewise, the situation changes radically, for the same technical level, with the altitude, the weight of the bag, the lack of equipment on the route, the fatigue associated with the approach if it is long, the environment if particularly hostile, etc.
Programme sans aérien
Flights to Bishkek from Paris and Lyon on regular Turkish Airlines services with a connection in Istanbul.
All costs, in particular air fares related to a change in the timetable of the expedition, arising from a change in the participants' timetable or independently of their will, will be borne by the participants and under no circumstances by the organisers.
As participants in this expedition often come from different countries, we have not included the international flights in our price. However, we can reserve these flights for you. Do not hesitate to contact us. If you book your flights, we will give you all directions for your flight plan so that all participants land around the same time. You will need tickets that can be modified.
Accommodations
Hotels or guesthouses/hostels in Osh and Bishkek, 3-star local standard, in double rooms with breakfast. Single rooms are available at extra cost.
At the base camp and at Camp 1 (advanced base camp), you are in a two-person tent, with wooden supports to isolate you from the ground and a mattress. Electricity is provided at base camp, as are hot showers. At Camp 1, a generator recharges your electronic equipment between 6 and 10 p.m. Finally, wifi is available in both camps for an hourly fee (US$3 at base camp, US$5 at camp 1).
The first two camps have a kitchen tent, a mess tent for meals and toilet tents.
From Camp 2 onwards, you will be staying in two-person expedition tents, or three on the last camp. These tents are pre-installed in the camps, even if they need to be flattened and reassembled when you arrive. In any case, they are there and you do not have to carry them.
All camps have a storage tent where you can leave any equipment or belongings you are not taking with you.
Meals
In both Bishkek and Osh, only breakfast is included. Depending on the flight plan, you should therefore plan to pay for your meals on the spot, which gives you a little freedom to choose your food.
At both base camp and Camp 1, meals are prepared by our local team using local produce and served in the mess tent.
For the higher camps, you will be able to compose your own menus in the form of freeze-dried rations. These rations contain coffee and tea, cereals, mashed potatoes, soup, broths, Chinese noodles, freeze-dried dishes, snacks, etc.
At altitude, you often have to force yourself to eat. Freeze-dried food is almost unavoidable. But such dishes, appetising in the valley, quickly become nauseating in the high altitude camps. You can bring some of your favourite freeze-dried dishes, if you have them, or small snacks that you enjoy (cold meats, cheese, etc.), or energy bars, as the ones on offer locally are sufficient but basic, etc. Be careful with the weight - we are talking about a kilo in all!
Each tent has a stove to melt the snow (MSR Reactor type) and to make water for your freeze-dried food and hot drinks. The necessary gas cartridges are supplied.
HYDRATION
Take along tablets (such as Hydroclonazone, Micropur or others) to disinfect the water you put in your water bottle, depending on the source and on the advice of your guide. It is sometimes possible to buy purified water and fill your bottle without having to buy bottled water. You can also buy "mineral" water in the towns (not included in the price), but as you know, it has a poor environmental performance. So we do not recommend it.
Besides, glacier meltwater contains no mineral salts, which is partly compensated for by the soups and other meals you' will be eating. But if you only drink tea or coffee made from glacier meltwater, or just water in your water bottles, over a long expedition, you will hydrate less well, risk gastric problems and, ultimately, deficiencies that will tire the body. To counter this problem, it is a good idea to pack mineral tablets in your luggage at some point, to supplement your water bottle. Two or three tubes of ten tablets are all you need.
Transfers / Transport
Transfers to and from the airport and to and from the start of the expedition are by 4x4 vehicle or minibus.
There is a local flight between Bishkek and Osh, which can only be undertaken by a local Kyrgyz airline. We buy extra weight to allow you to carry up to 28 kilos, of which 20 kilos in the checked luggage compartment and 8 kilos in the cabin. Any extra weight will be subject to a supplement to be paid by you to the airline.
We have arranged for horses to carry the load between base camp and Camp 1, for a maximum weight of 28 kilos.
DISCLAIMER ON FLIGHTS WITHIN KYRGYZSTAN: we offer participants in our tours of Kyrgyzstan the option of making their local transfers by plane. However, it is our duty to inform them that this transfer is only possible with a local Kyrgyz airline. And it is a fact that all the local Kyrgyz airlines are on the blacklist of airlines banned from flying in the European Union, i.e. deemed "insufficiently safe" by the European Union. We most often use the following three companies: Air Manas and Avia Traffic. And it is acknowledged that the transfer by road between Bishkek and Osh is far more accident-prone than flying.
We ask you to sign the "information attestation form" that you will find at the end of this form with the registration form.
Group size
The group is composed of 5 to 10 participants maximum. The number of participants is deliberately limited to allow for greater immersion, to avoid embarrassing our hosts, and to develop freedom and flexibility. However, the maximum number may be exceeded if the last person to register wishes to travel with one or more other people. The services will not be modified, and the conditions of the trip will remain the same.
Equipment
Personal equipment is not provided. A full list is given later in this document. It will be refined with the expedition leader during the preparation days and up to the moment of departure, depending on your questions.
All logistical equipment is provided, including high altitude tents and all collective and individual cooking equipment. Your guide will have a satellite telephone to keep in touch with the outside world, as well as communication and safety equipment, a geolocation beacon, etc. The expedition has a hyperbaric chamber, and a collective pharmacy is available, although it does not replace the compulsory individual pharmacy, a list of which will be provided by Ifremmont.
COMMUNICATIONS
The Iridium satellite phone is used for logistical, weather and safety purposes only. Under certain conditions, participants will be able to use this telephone. For these private uses, please contact us.
At the time of writing, all participants are free to bring any systems they may have. We will just need to be able to declare them to our contacts, so please let us know in advance.
Please note: in order to preserve the serenity of this expedition and the privacy of the participants, we ask you not to communicate with the general public during the expedition. You are, however, free to send information about yourself to your private sphere. By registering for this program, you accept this essential clause to protect the privacy of other participants in a project of this scale, where important issues of image, physical risk and financial considerations (sponsors, etc.) are at stake.
Our commitments to sustainable development
Our commitment to a better planet has been a reality since the beginning of our story but we always need to do more and better. Please find out more about our charter and our commitments in terms of sustainable development. We have drafted our charter and take action through six themes on which we act as concretely as possible, most often with you: social equity and cultural respect, preservation of water, waste management in expedition, protection of biodiversity, raise public awareness on these subjects and finally, the optimization and recovery of CO2 emissions.
Regarding carbon emissions, most of which are due to air travel, we calculated and communicated in 2018 on the carbon footprint of each of our programs, expressed in tonnes of CO2.
These calculations made us aware of the importance of the total carbon emissions generated by our activity. Also, we have committed in 2022 to a carbon reduction that we believe is unprecedented in the tourism industry, aiming to reduce the total emissions of our activity by 5% per year, taking 2019 as the reference year (3,430 tonnes of CO2). This commitment is in line with the trajectory of the Paris climate agreements of 2015, the current benchmark. Thus, in 2030, we will not entitle ourselves to exceed 2,160 tonnes of C02 and until then, each year, as soon as the carbon footprint budget is reached, we will stop taking any reservations for the current year. Thus, our maximum “carbon” budget for 2024 is 2,950 tonnes and for 2025, this budget will be reduced to 2,800 tonnes. And so on until 2030. To find out more about all of our calculations and our commitments in terms of reducing our carbon emissions.
In addition, since 2019, we have been encouraging you when you book for your journey to contribute with a donation to an independent NGO, among the two we have selected that share the commitments made in our charter. We matched the amount of this donation to this program's carbon footprint. Thus, the journey you are considering generates 2,77 tons of CO2, which corresponds to a 100% donation of €83 for an estimated value today of €30 per tonne of CO2. This donation remains of course optional and you can decide to give between nothing and 100% of this amount. Since 2019, including covid years of 2020 and 2021, we have been able to collect thanks to you nearly €7,000 for these associations.
Please do not hesitate to come back to us with any questions you might have regarding this carbon footprint mechanism, our other sustainable développement commitments or even to share with us your experience through a chat or a mail at contact@secret-planet.com.
Expedition leader
We rely on the most experienced high altitude expedition leaders. They are part of our close community and co-opt each other. They know each other well and respect each other.
For this expedition, the expedition leader has not yet been formally appointed, but should be shortly.
In addition to their exceptional expeditions experience, our expedition leaders have the know-how to optimize the expedition's chances of success, both in terms of group management and in terms of the pace at which the group builds up its strength and progresses in altitude, key elements in this type of expedition.
Reviews
Pierre L.
Thank you Pierre, and congratulations on this Lenin Peak, which is well deserved!
Stephane A.
Thank Stephane and congratulations !
Damien L.
Thank you Damien and see you soon !
John S.
Thanks John and congratulations to the whole team !
Departures and pricing
Please find below all dates and prices for this expedition. Prices are quoted "from" and may be adjusted notably according to the number of participants (see trip notes for details). Please note that dates and prices for years beyond 2024, when given, are for guidance only and are subject to change and readjustment to take account of current economic realities.
No date works for me!
I initiate a new datePrice includes
- Overnight accommodation in a 3-star hotel (local standards) in a double room in Bishkek and Osh, including breakfast for two nights
- Airport/hotel transfers and transfers to Lenin Peak base camp in private vehicle
- Domestic return flights Bishkek/Osh
- Baggage allowance of 20 kilos in checked baggage and 8 kilos in the cabin for each participant on the domestic flight Bishkek/Osh
- Full-board accommodation at base camp and Camp 1
- Carrying allowance of 28 kilos/participant between base camp and Camp 1 (count US$3/additional kilo to be paid locally)
- Equipment required for life at base camp and Camp 1: fully-equipped kitchen tent, mess tent for meals with heating, toilet tent, table and chairs
- A cook and his assistant at base camp and Camp 1
- At base camp and Camp 1: one tent per person with mattresses
- Kitchen and mess tents at base camp and Camp 1
- High altitude tents, high altitude food, stoves and fuel
- Experienced French UIAGM mountain guide
- Experienced local mountain guide exclusively for the summit push, to allow flexibility in managing the group during the summit push
- Collective equipment required for the ascent (fixed ropes, moorings)
- Walkie-talkies for communication between camps
- Satellite telephone (for weather and safety purposes only)
- Electricity at base camp, generator at Camp 1
- Taxes and climbing permits, all government environmental taxes
- Personalized experienced weather forecast services
- Practical preparation course with the expedition leader
- Medical follow-up by Ifremmont during the expedition (see above)
- Live coverage of the expedition for your community (supply of InReach beacon, IridiumGo and subscriptions, LivExplorer service configuration)
Price does not include
- International return flights to Bishkek
- Consular fees (visa)
- Any customs duties on arrival in Kyrgyzstan
- Any taxes for professional communication equipment and commercial filming
- Any additional hotel nights in Bishkek and Osh (more than 2 nights)
- Porters between high altitude camps (8 US$ / kilo between Camp 1 and Camp 2 and 10 US$ / kilo between Camp 2 and Camp 3, to be booked and paid for on site)
- Additional baggage allowance of 20 kilos / participant in checked baggage and 8 kilos in the cabin on domestic flights Bishkek/Osh (count US$1.2 / additional kilo to be paid locally)
- Expenses related to a change in the expedition timetable (additional nights' accommodation, additional flights)
- Costs associated with the early return of the expedition or of certain members only (early success, abandonment, etc.), generating costs for accommodation, meals, changes to air tickets or other activities not included in this program
- Meals in Bishkek other than breakfasts
- Any personal communications by satellite telephone (to be paid locally)
- Pre-acclimatization protocol developed with Ifremmont and Sport Altitude ( personalization, advice, follow-up, equipment) as described above
- Personal equipment, including high mountain gear
- Drinks and all personal expenses (personal visits, taxis, souvenirs, dry cleaning, etc.)
- Wifi at base camp and Camp 1 (US$3 at base camp, US$5 at Camp 1)
- Travel and expedition insurance (assistance, evacuation and repatriation)
- Tips to the accompanying team
Your custom expedition
We put our expertise, our knowledge of the terrain, our creativity, our experience, the quality of our guides and the reliability of our partners at your service to build your custom expedition. We can also personalize an expedition to your wishes as soon as you form a "closed" group, whatever the number of participants.
This means that, unless you authorize us to do otherwise, no outside participants join you, and we can personalize your expedition by adapting it to your own pace, with the program extensions you desire, a higher level of comfort, certain activities, other encounters, etc.
Every expedition of this type is subject to a specific quotation. To get in touch with us now, please fill in the short questionnaire below. One of our experts will get back to you to refine your request and make you a proposal.
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