Best season - August to October.
In terms of white water the region of CENTRAL ASIA can be divided into
three major areas:
- Pamirs
- Kyrgyzstan and Almaty area
- Uzbekistan
PAMIRS
Pamir mountains are the highest in former Soviet Union. This region
is located in Southern Tadjikistan, and called Gorny Badakhshan. East of
Pamir plateau is a high desert elevated to 4000m, the West is a dense mountain
crowd - jagged, dry and arid. The highest peaks are surrounded by enormous
masses of ice and snow (peaks Kommunism, Lenin - over 7,000m).
Although the Pamirs is a very attractive region for white water, it
has unstable political situation, so it is better to hold on. Afgan border
in the West is the most uneasy part. However the whole region is so isolated
and distant that no one can say anything about traveling there; I know
only that alpine climbers, Russian, as well as Western, visited Pamirs
frequently during last 2-3 years.
Rivers flow Westwards, are difficult, and most of them have unrunnable
stretches now and then.
Access - by the main road Pamirsky Trakt, which links Dushanbe and
Osh. Some rivers require treks or hiring local transport like a donkey, or horse.
Rivers:
Murgab - Bartang
Murgab crosses the Pamirs from East to West, and changes its name to
Bartang after big lake Sarez formed by a gigantic natural dam. This is
the most convenient itinerary. Access - easy. The river is WW class 4 -
big and bouncy, and very remote.
Tanymas, Kudara
Difficult and remote, access is by road to Kudara only. Tanymas is
a big tributary to Kudara. Somebody was there, but I have no information.
Gunt
WW class 4-5, the volume is big. There are a couple of waterfalls.
Access easy, the river is followed by a road, in a fairly populated valley.
Shakhdara
Good kayaking WW class 4-5. Access easy. The lower part is very difficult
with waterfalls and heavy rapids.
Jazgulem
Very remote and extremely difficult. Has been run in early 90 by two
groups from Moscow, one of them having a kayaker.
Vanch
Big and difficult. Not much I can tell.
Balankiik and Muksu
Classic extreme itinerary for crazies. There was several expeditions
including one with kayakers from New Zeeland. It starts from a very high
closed valley and drops out of it through terrible canyons. In high water
it is a nightmare, and low water means cold. However it used to have a
label of THE MOST RIVER for those who new, like Bashkaus in Altay.
Obihingoo
Not exactly in the Pamirs - first valley to the North. Access - easy,
but the region is very politically unstable: the center of Tadjik opposition.
It is a very sad fact, since the river is worth going. It is enormously
big and very difficult, especially in its lower canyon. We were on this
river in the spring 1993 before Tadjik war, it had too much water; after
we were robbed in Tavildara (war epicenter one year later) we quit the
river. After that we kayaked Varzob near Dushanbe - much nicer river and
did a trek in the vicinity. Everything was very interesting and exotic.
Other Tadjik rivers:
Varzob
Nice kayaking river close to Dushanbe. Used to be a training river
for Soviet WW Slalom Championships.
Iskanderdarya
Located in a very beautiful Fanskye mountains North to Dushanbe - a
gorgeous place to make treks around. Lake Iskanderkul - is one of the most
beautiful in the CENTRAL ASIA.
KYRGYZSTAN AND ALMATY AREA - TIAN-SHAN MOUNTAINS
Important statement: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, unlike Tadjikistan, are safe regions for tourists.
Tian-Shan mountains are not as arid as in the Pamirs except for the region of peak Pobedy, which is pretty hostile. Most rivers have easy access and take off (Sary-Jaz is the exception).
Chong-Kemin
One of the best itineraries. Access from Almaty by car to the middle
part or by car and feet over a pass to upper river. Excellent WW class
4-5 for the whole length; beautiful scenery with pine tree forests.
Chilik
Almost the same as above, but going in opposite direction.
Naryn
Very good option. Access by road from Bishkek. Two rivers: Small and
Big Naryns which form Naryn, are both very good kayaking/rafting itineraries
having nice gorges with class 4-5 rapids. Naryn itself is a huge volume
river with one distinctive canyon in lower part with powerful big water
rapids. I have been to Small Naryn in late October - it was a lot of fun.
Keke-Meren
Class 4-5 tributary to Naryn. People say it is good.
Sary-Jaz
Could be a very interesting expedition, but it flows to China, so either
you will have border problems, or you will have to leave the river by feet
from a deep valley with carrying all your stuff over a high pass. Someone
who I know here in Moscow organized already 3 expeditions on catarafts,
running every time more and more rapids in deep canyons of lower Sary-Jaz.
The river is very big and dangerous, and still appeals for a first run.
UZBEKISTAN
The WW trip can be combined with visit to antic cities Samarkand and Bukhara - ancient Silk Route towns - with lots of exotic architectural monuments and true Asian atmosphere.
Matcha-Zeravshan
Long WW 4-5 river. I know it is worth to go. Access is very easy by
car from Tashkent.
Chatkal
A classic WW class 4 river. Access by car from Djambul (Taraz) (Kazakhstan)
over a pass. Three days of flat water through magnificent rocky canyons,
and 3 days of continuous big rapids. Chatkal has one tributary - Sandalash,
which is an option for WW extremists, but the access is a kind of propblem.
Pskem
Neighboring valley to Chatkal. Access by car from Tashkent, or by car
and feet to upper stretches. Generally has more difficult rapids than Chatkal
but also a very attractive kayaking/rafting trip. Upper Pskem is called
Oygaing. Access by feet over a pass. Oygaing is very difficult to unfeasible.
For more information on this river see National Geographic of November
1997 article "Wilderness Rafting Siberian Style".