To the South of the Fergana depression and the Eastern part of the Kyzylkum desert there lies another high-altitude mountain region called Pamir-Alai.

It consists of three parts: the Northern part is called Gissar-Alai, or Kukhistan in Tadzik language. Its main ranges are the Alai, Gissar, Zeravshan, Turkestan and Karategin. There are hundreds of 5000-5500 meters summits here and many big glaciers, including the Zeravshan glacier, particularly in its central part called the Match Mountain knot. This mountain system is 700km long. It has been comparatively little explored by geographers and climbers, except of the Fansky mounts.

Fanskiye mounts

Karavshin

AkSu

Karavshin: peak 4810, peak 1000 of Russia babtized

The Pamir Alai range has turned out to be such an interesting playground for hard new rock climbs in 5-6 grade that one could call it a "Clondike" for mountaineers. The "gold rush" was confirmed when some of the ascents made here in the summer of 1993 were declared to be the best in CIS and Russian championships: for instance the first ascent of Pik Slesov (4240m) via the 800 m face, the East face of peak 4810m , the North face of Ak-Su and others.