About Us

Two passionate guides, 33 years of mountain stories, and the Tien-Shan calling.

Meet Your Guide

Viola Gainutdinova

I'm Viola — an experienced English & Italian speaking mountain guide based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. For 33 years, I've been leading multi-day overnight trekking trips in the breathtaking mountains of Uzbekistan, primarily in the Tien-Shan range.

Over my career, I've organized and led over 1,800 multi-day backpacking expeditions, including 450 winter trips with 3-4 nights camping in the snow. Every year we discover new places and routes — the mountains never cease to amaze me.

Within 24 years I've guided over 2,800 people from all over the world. Whether you speak English, Italian, or Russian — we'll find a common language. My husband Andrey joins me on many expeditions, and together we ensure every trek is safe, memorable, and inspiring.

I'm also the founder of the Club of Spoken English (CSE) — a community I started to bring people together through mountain hikes and English conversation. No classrooms, no textbooks — just real conversations on the trail, around the campfire, under the stars. The club has grown into a vibrant community and inspired the CSE Mountain Club for those seeking more technical climbs.

Graduate of National University of Uzbekistan · Founder of CSE

Viola mountain guide Uzbekistan
Andrey Akayomov mountain photographer Uzbekistan
Meet Your Guide

Andrey Akayomov

I'm Andrey — mountain guide, photographer, programmer, and Viola's husband. Together we've been leading people into Uzbekistan's Tien-Shan mountains for over 20 years.

Beyond guiding, I'm a professional photographer — my work has been featured in Info.com magazine ("What is a Good Camera", Aug 2010; "Subjective Factors in Photography", June 2010) and I run my own photography gallery. I've developed unique software for depth-of-field image processing — a custom filter that blurs based on real distance to objects in the frame, something no standard photo editor can do. I also create hand-made 3D topographic maps of our trekking routes and have built software for plagiarism detection and 3D photo processing.

Together with Viola, I co-authored the essay "Are 'Mattress Hikers' So Harmless in Mountain Tourism?" — a polemical look at what it truly means to be a mountain tourist. It's a subject close to our hearts: mountain tourism isn't a pastime, it's a way of life.

Guests have described me as "the best instructor in the world" and "never seen someone so free in the mountains." I'm the son of a meteorologist, which gave me a deep understanding of mountain weather from an early age. When I'm not in the mountains, I'm behind a camera or building something new.

Photographer · Programmer · Cartographer · Published Author · Guide since 2001

Our Journey

33 Years in the Mountains

From our first trek to guiding travelers from every continent — here's our story.

1993
Our first multi-day mountain trek. The beginning of a lifelong passion for Uzbekistan's Tien-Shan range.
2000
Began guiding international travelers. Discovered that sharing the mountains with people from around the world was our calling.
2001
Andrey began his guiding career in the Tien-Shan. Son of a meteorologist, he grew up reading mountain weather — the safest hands on any trail.
2012
Viola travel joined forces. Two guides, one vision — offering guests the combined experience, local knowledge, and language skills of both.
2010
Reached 500 guided expeditions. Started exploring winter trekking routes — eventually leading 450+ winter trips.
2018
Over 1,500 multi-day trips completed. Launched our YouTube channel to share the beauty of Uzbekistan's mountains.
2026
33 years. 1,800+ expeditions. 2,800+ travelers. And still discovering new routes every year. Your adventure awaits.
Community & Science

The CSE Clubs: From English Hikes to Mountain Ascents

It all started with Viola's original Club of Spoken English — mountain hikes where the only rule was speaking English. What began as a small group of friends grew into a community, and later inspired Andrey's CSE Mountain Club for technical climbing expeditions.

🎙️ Club of Spoken English (CSE)

Founded by Viola in the early 2000s. The rule was simple: "We speak only, only, only English!" Members hiked, swam in mountain lakes, built saunas by the river, and practiced English around the campfire. Dozens of members from all walks of life — students, teachers, programmers, artists — plus international guests from Texas, New York, France, Belgium, and beyond.

🏔️ CSE Mountain Club

Co-founded by Andrey for those ready to go further — multi-day mountaineering expeditions to remote Tien-Shan peaks. Members learn rope techniques, high-altitude camping, navigation, and mountain safety. Current members include Oleg Shevchenko, Tatyana Volkova, Dmitriy Sorokin, Alexey Morozov, Sergey Kolesnikov, Igor Zaitsev, Elena Kuznetsova, Victor Sokolov, Mikhail Fedorov, and Anna Belova.

⛺ Mountain Huts & Trails

The club builds and maintains mountain huts in the Tien-Shan, making remote areas accessible for overnight stays. Members have also cleared and marked trails, built campsites, and created detailed 3D maps of the region. New members and guest climbers are always welcome — whether you speak English, Russian, or just want to learn.

Why Choose Us

What Sets Us Apart

🗣️ Multilingual Guides

Fluent in English, Italian, and Russian. No language barriers — just pure mountain connection.

❄️ Year-Round Expertise

450+ winter expeditions. We know how to make cold-weather camping safe, comfortable, and magical.

🏔️ Custom Itineraries

Every trek is tailored to your group size, fitness level, and personal interests. Your adventure, your way.

📍 Local Knowledge

Born and raised in Uzbekistan. We know the best routes, hidden valleys, and safest paths through the Tien-Shan.

📰 Published Authors

Andrey's photography and articles have appeared in Info.com magazine (3 features) and tourism publications. Together, Viola and Andrey co-authored the essay "Are 'Mattress Hikers' So Harmless in Mountain Tourism?" — a reflection on the true spirit of mountain travel.

📷 Info.com — "What is a Good Camera" (Aug 2010)
📷 Info.com — "Subjective Factors in Photography" (June 2010)
⛰️ Mountain Tourism — "Are 'Mattress Hikers' So Harmless?" (Jan 2012)
Let's Trek Together

Ready to Experience the Tien-Shan?

Whether you dream of summer meadows or winter wonderlands — we're here to guide you.

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