2024 Kyrgyzstan Kayaking

Kyrgyzstan is a country infrequently visited by kayakers, and there is little information available about whitewater kayaking in the region. The group of seven Imperial students and two additional members (one an alumnus) saw this expedition as their opportunity to explore some relatively unknown paddling in the country, and to relay their findings to the British and European paddling communities in the form of river reports and video guides. 

Landlocked Kyrgyzstan is dominated by the Tien Shan and Pamir Mountain ranges, and the average elevation for the country is 2,750m, resulting in nights that tend to be freezing. From mid-August to mid-September the group planned to complete seven rivers, the Kekemeren, the Chu, the Chon-Kemin, Karakol, Sarydzhaz, the Naryn and the Eki-Naryn, which all form a clockwise loop around Issyk Kul, the endorheic saline lake that dominates the Northeast of the country. 

Arriving in Bishkek, the capital, the team met their two drivers and their vehicles, who would transport them during their stay in the country. The group managed to safely kayak all their intended objectives, and learned much from their experiences on the rivers, and from some of the difficulties they encountered. Their varied experiences developed their kayaking skills with the experienced members of the team passing on their knowledge of assessing routes through challenging parts of the rivers.

In addition to funding provided by the Exploration Board this expedition was supported by the Lord Mayor's 800th Anniversary Awards Trust, the Young Explorer's Trust, the Old Centralians' Trust and the Royal College of Science Association Trust.