FANN MOUNTAINS
Fan Mountains is a popular tourist area, located in the north-western Tajikistan. The area is very convenient for the organization of mountain-hiking tours. Passing from gorge to gorge, from one beautiful lake to another, beautiful number of vertical rock bastions with small patches of hanging glaciers the world is perceived as something fantastic! Among the most beautiful and the most interesting peaks for climbing is Chapdara (5050 m), Bodkhona (5138 m), Zamok (5070 m), Mary (4970 m), Mirali (5120 m), Zindon (4800 m). The highest mountains peak in Fan is the Chimtarga peak (5489 m), it can be climbed both by simple routes and extra class routes, which run along the southern and western walls of the peak. Fan Mountains are characterized not only by high peaks and narrow gorges with noisy streams of water, but also by numerous lakes – clean and colorful (about 30). To the south from the main range is the Lake Iskanderkul (mirror area of the lake is 307 hectares and a maximum depth is 72 m, altitude above sea level is 2196 m). This lake exists apparently more than one millennium; it was formed by a landslide. The water in the lake is bluish-green, slightly turbid, very cold, only trained people can swim in it.
KULIKALON “BIG LAKE”
Kulikalon, means “The Big Lake”, located at the altitude of 2800m, the second largest (after Iskanderkul) lake in the region. The lake is dual: Large Kulikalon and Small Kulikalon, they are connected by channels. The northern shore of the lake is cut by large and small bays, by capes and by isthmuses. The lake shores are forested /vegetated. The water from Small Kulikalon goes underground and reappears after 600 meters in the form of the river Urej. The water in the southern end of the Large Kulikalon is much colder than in the north where it is possible to swim. Along the shores the lake changes colors. The lake is inhabited by Marinka fish. There is a good path towards the western shore but the eastern shore is hard to pass because of the abruptly descending bare rock scree. Above the Large lake there are abandoned fluorite mine workings in the dumps of which one can find beautiful gem stones.
ALLAUDDIN LAKES
Allauddin lakes – a group of bodies of water in the upper reaches of the river Pasrud. All lakes are located on the steps of the ancient moraines. Clean and clear water overflows from stage to stage, and the water level of lakes does change. There is no fish in the lakes. To be in the water for a long time can only the most trained brave souls, as it is very cold.
Base camp in the area can be set not far from the amazing blue color Allauddin lake. Across the shore there are green forests, and splendor of reddish two-kilometer wall of Chapdara with giant scree below. If you go above the Alauddin on the eponymous pass, the lake will appear in all shades of blue like on sea maps from cold-blue near the coast and to dark blue in the middle, with sharp boundaries between colors.
Along the river Chapdara you can see a beautiful gorge with the majestic rock bastions on both sides. The Gallery is opened by the North-West a half kilometer long wall of Chapdara, coloring at sunset with amazing golden color.
Opposite it, on the other side of the gorge there is the Adamtash array (“Stone Man”, 4940 m) with vertical bastions in the northwest wall. From the alpinist camps along the mountain climbing route you can go northern crest, straight to the top. If you go up along the lakes through peculiar corridor gorge, then two hours later you can go to the beautiful Mutniy Lakes (3490 m), located in the circus between the slopes of arrays – the Western and the Eastern Castle – Chimtarga.
From the pass of Kaznok (4000 m) you can see a good review of grand southern and western walls of Chimtarga peak with a formidable pre apical bastion on which there run parallel complex rock routes. A good bivouac before the storm of these walls is the Muddy Lake. In the region of the lakes nothing grows. Around the perimeter of the lake are only the lumps of collapsed rocks. By the way, from the lake it is possible to see the Chimtarga (5489 m), the highest point of the Fan Mountains!