A white desert road to Pereval Ala-Bel

Ala-Bel Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.175m (10,416ft) above the sea level, located in the Talas Ala-Too mountain range of Kyrgyzstan.

The pass is an important road link between the two largest cities of Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek and Osh. During the period of flowerin the pass offers excellent views of the alpine meadows g. The river Chychkan flows parallel to the road. Short-term winter locks are possible. The climb is simply terrible, with a notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters.

The road to the summit is paved. It’s called M41 or Pamir Highway, part of the European route E010. The road crossing the pass isn’t too steep, with lots of winding roads weaving up the mountains. The ascent and the descent from the pass are quite gentle. The pass is surrounded by some mountains heavily covered with snow in winter, so at this time the landscape resembles the white desert.