Merzbacher trek
Tour with trek to a mysterious lake, (12-day trip). Good level fitness required.
HIKE TO THE MYSTERIOUS MERABACHER LAKE
12-day tour with a 6-day medium to difficult trek in the high mountains.
For the first few days you will get acquainted with the life of the nomads, visiting Son-Kul Lake at 3100m and Lake Issyk –Kul where you will spends the nights in yurts. The trek then goes to the Enylchek glacier and Merzbacher lake at 3300m that border Kazakhstan and China.
The lake is sometimes called the ‘disappearing lake’ because it empties completely every year when the ice melts.
About tour
During the first few days you will get to know the country and the nomadic life. You spend the night in a yurt in Son-Kul and then Sonun . You will take a walk in Konorchok , Skaska and Jeti Ogus , strangely eroded valleys with very special colored-rock formations. You will drive along the south side of Lake Issyk -Kul by Mercedes minibus to Karakol.
From Karakol, in a 4×4, you drive, in a jeep, for 4-5 hours to the starting point of the trek. We walk 4-6 hours every day, sometimes on difficult paths. We spend the night in tents a number of times, sometimes also in a semi-permanent camp. This trip can be booked from mid-June to the end of August.
Luggage is transported by porters during the trek, maximum 10 kg of luggage per person. You must be in good physical condition, have experience with hiking in the high mountains and not be afraid of heights.
This trip can be booked as a group trip or as an individual trip. A group consists of 4-8 people, a guide, porters and possibly an English-speaking interpreter. You must carry your own day backpack and bring a warm sleeping bag, insulated mat, warm clothing, waterproof clothing and very comfortable walking shoes.
Day By Day Programme
Here you will find a description of the tour with routes and locations. If desired, the programme can be expanded.
| Day 1 | Depart from your local airport. |
| Day 2 | Arrival at Manas Airport, where we will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in Bishkek. After lunch, sightseeing around Bishkek with a guide/interpreter. Bishkek is a fairly new city, largely built in Soviet style with wide boulevards, many parks and numerous terraces. Stay at hotel Umai. |
| Day 3 | After breakfast departure to Son-Kul, along the Chui River to the Boom Gorge where we take a walk of several hours in Konorchok , strangely eroded canyons . Continue to Kochkor and then across the Kalmak Ashuu pass to Son-Kul, the second largest mountain lake in Kyrgyzstan (alt 3100m). During the summer months, numerous shepherd families with their cattle stay here. We spent the night with a family in yurts. |
| Day 4 | We leave Son-Kul via a very special pass, the ’33 parrot pass’, a pass with many hairpin bends and with a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. On a reasonably good road we drive to the south side of Lake Issyk -Kul, to the yurt camp Sonun, located on the shore of the lake. Possibility to swim. Overnight stay in yurts. |
| Day 5 | Today we drive along the south side of Lake Issyk -Kul to Karakol. Along the way we stop in Skaska, (Russian for fairy tale) a small valley with rock formations that have been carved by wind and weather in such a way that they are reminiscent of fairy tale characters. Then on to Jeti Ogus , one of the most beautiful valleys in Kyrgyzstan. Here we take another walk and see the rock formations with names such as ‘Broken Heart’ and ‘Seven Oxen’. From here it is a short drive to Karakol. Overnight stay in a guesthouse. |
| Day 6 | From Karakol eastwards to the Engilchek valley over the Chon – Ashuu pass (3830 m). In total, the ascent and descent from the pass takes about 5-6 hours by car. Further on we will enter the Engilchek Valley along the Engilchek River, passing the abandoned Soviet mining town of Engilchek along the way . After passing the second checkpoint of the border area, we will head to the At- Jailoo River where we will pitch our tents. Dinner and overnight stay in tents. |
| Day 7 | A long walk today. The trail starts by crossing the At- Jailoo River. Depending on the amount of water, we may have to use horses to cross. On the other side we continue up the valley along the Engilchek River , having lunch at a mountain waterfall. After another 2-3 hours of hiking we arrive at the foot of the stunningly beautiful icy peak Nansen (5697 m) where we will set up camp at camping Iva (18km hiking). |
| Day 8 | After breakfast we leave on a difficult path along the south side of the Engilchek Glacier. The beautiful route along a number of lakes of different colours. You will be surprised and delighted by the unspoilt nature of the area. Dinner and overnight stay in Glina camp. (10km hiking). |
| Day 9 | This will be one of the easiest days of our trek. We take the small path from the Podvodniy glacier to the Merzbach plain (3600 m). Lunch upon arrival at camp. On this stretch of the trail, the open field and the lake are all that separate you from the seven thousand meter peaks of Khan- Tengri (7010 m.) and Victory (7439 m.). The crossing from the campsite to the lake is extreme dangerous because of the many cracks and crevices. For this reason we cannot reach the lake shore. Nevertheless, the day is one of the most interesting. Dinner and overnight stay at the camp. (15km hiking). |
| Day 10 | Breakfast. We return to the Iva camp via the same path. Have lunch on the way. On sunny days it is also possible to swim in one of the small lakes on the glaciers. Dinner and overnight stay at the camp. (18 km, hiking). |
| Day 11 | After breakfast we start the way back to At-Jailoo and from there by jeep back to Karakol (8 km hiking ) Overnight stay in a guesthouse. |
| Day 12 | Return to Bishkek via the north side of Lake Issyk -Kul. This is a long drive (440 km) and we reach Bishkek at the end of the afternoon. Along the way we stop for lunch and to stretch our legs. Spend the night in hotel Umai. |
| Day 13 | Transfer to the airport and departure. |
Due to unforeseen circumstances it may be necessary to make minor changes to the programme.
We ask for your understanding.
Tour specifics
Our tours can be organized for individual travelers or groups of up to 10 people (and sometimes more) and for families with (young) children. For the majority of our tours you can specify the start date and length of the tour.
| Date | |
| The end of June | Until the end August |
| Group | |
| 4 and more persons | |
| For four and more persons | |
| Price with guide-interpreter | |
| Price without guide-interpreter | |
For bookings of 6, or more, persons we offer a 5% discount. In case there are less participants than required, if you pay an additional fee, the trip will go on as planned.
Terms of payment
Your booking will be confirmed upon receipt of a deposit of euros 250 per person. The outstanding balance must be paid either 8 weeks before departure or in cash upon arrival. We do not accept debit or credit cards.
• Transport by minibus, jeep
• Transfer to and from the airport
• All meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation in hotel, B&B, guesthouse, yurt and homestay
• Programme as described, including guide and camping equipment
• English/German (as required) speaking guide/interpreter
• Flight
• Insurances
• Personal expenses
• Entrance charges if applicable
• Gratuities
• Alcoholic and other bottled beverages
• Activities not mentioned in the programme
If you have to cancel a tour you already booked, we have to charge you cancellation fee.
If Ecotour cancels the tour, of course you will get back the full amount you paid.
If you cancel your trip, depending on the time your message reaches us, you owe Ecotour the following amount:
| till 42 days before departure | one pays the deposit |
| day 42- till day 28 | 35 % |
| day 28- till day 21 | 40 % |
| day 21- till day 14 | 50 % |
| day 14- till day 5 | 75 % |
| day 5 – till day 2 | 90 % |
| on the last day before and the day of departure | 100% |
A trip with Ecotour means an unusual and unforgettable holiday.
Our trips are suitable for those who do not crave luxury, love the mountains, appreciate the silence and do not want to travel in large groups.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
Kyrgyzstan is a land full of beautiful experiences and wonders unique…
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Mountain passes, bad tracks, off-road, and firm climbs over 3000 m characterize this route.
Not all slopes are steep, but some are very long and on dirt roads.
But it is worth the effort.