Jiptik Pass

A 4,185-metre pass in the Alai range crossed on foot or horseback during the Heights of Alay trek — sweeping views over the Pamir.

Jiptik Pass is one of the most challenging crossings of the Heights of Alay trekking route — a 4,185-metre col on the western Alai range traversed on foot or horseback between the villages of Kojo-Kelen and Sary-Mogol. The trek to the pass climbs through stark moraine slopes and wide pastures where shepherds graze yaks; the summit gives a sweeping panorama south to the snow-covered Pamir, with Lenin Peak and the white wall of the Trans-Alay range filling most of the horizon. The descent into the Sary-Mogol valley follows a narrow gorge with several stream crossings before opening into wider pastureland. The pass is technically straightforward (no climbing skills needed) but physically demanding — total elevation gain from the previous camp is over 1,000 metres and altitude effects are significant. EcoNomad’s Heights of Alay trek crosses Jiptik Pass on day 5 or 6 of an 11-day itinerary.