If you have already seen Lake Besh-Tash and think that the national park has revealed all its secrets to you, then you simply haven't yet ascended the Itagar Pass. This is the route after which photos remain in your phone's memory that you can't tear yourself away from, and a surprised thought settles in your mind for a long time: "I was there - almost on the roof of the world." Itagar is a trail chosen by not everyone. But those who walk it once remember it as the main adventure of their journey.

The Itagar Pass (3780 m above sea level) is located in the central part of the Talas Ridge - where the world becomes sharper, the air cleaner, and sounds seem quieter. It connects the wide valley of the upper reaches of the Besh-Tash gorge with the narrower and calmer Itagar gorge, hidden among the morainic hills and high-altitude pastures. The high-altitude terrain here is harsh but incredibly beautiful: gripping rocky ridges, crumbling scree, and patches of snowfields that are in no hurry to leave even in summer. Itagar is not classified as a technical alpine crossing - it is a "people's" pass, a trekking one. However, it requires confidence in your footing and the ability to read the mountain terrain. It is precisely for its honesty and unembellished nature that it is loved.

The ascent from the Besh-Tash side is a classic route. The trail starts from diverse meadows, where the scent of wormwood and the cold water of streams fills the air. Over time, the slopes become rockier, and the path confidently rises to where the wind begins to change its voice. Closer to the pass saddle, large screes appear - they require attention but provide the feeling of a true mountain road. Water accompanies almost the entire journey: streams are constant companions of the landscape.

The descent into the Itagar gorge is quieter, softer, and greener. From the Itagar side, the slope is noticeably gentler. In the narrow valley, there are many soft spots for camping, and the descending trail winds among small meadows. Tourists are a rare guest here: sometimes it seems that the gorge hears your steps for the first time.

From the pass saddle, a gigantic panorama of the Talas Ridge opens up - as if the geological history of these mountains unfolds before you. Everything is visible: jagged ridges, ice-rock walls, cirques, and moraines of the Tuyuktor glaciers, stretching into the distance of the Itagar and Chychkan gorges, rich with alpine meadows. An ancient burial mound at the pass and petroglyphs along the route. Glaciers and lakes: the main treasures of the route.

The Tuyuktor Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in the region: in summer, its tongue descends almost to 3300 m. You can get close enough to hear the water flowing and humming inside the melting ice, and see cracks glowing blue.

The glacial lakes of Itagar (3600-3700 m). Three small lakes hide under the pass, like jewels in a stone setting. Their color changes depending on the light: on a cloudy day - milky turquoise, on a sunny day - neon blue, so pure that you want to gaze endlessly. Several small glacial lakes are still unnamed. Local guides joke: it is waiting for its discoverer.

For those who want to take the classic route, the most popular trek is 2-4 days: Besh-Tash gorge - Itagar Pass (≈3780 m) - Itagar gorge - exit to Chychkan gorge, along the Bishkek-Osh route.

Itagar is not about "climbing up + taking a photo + descending." It is about a journey that clears the mind. About how first streams rush around, then stones, then the wind, and then comes that very silence of the highlands, in which your own thoughts can be heard. Here, you don't want to rush. Here, you want to live a little slower, breathe deeper, and watch how the light changes.

And don't forget about a little tradition. At the very saddle, there is a tour - a stone pyramid. Place your stone on it and make a wish. They say that wishes come true especially quickly here.