6 Days – Pamir Highway Group Tour

Pamir Highway Group Tour – 6 Days

Many people know more about the surface of the moon more than about Tajikistan, a small jewel of a country perched between Afghanistan and China. Foreigners rarely visited it, except with the official invitation and under strict supervision. Even after the fall of the USSR in 1991, few outsiders visited beyond aid workers and journalists because of the civil war that made parts of the country insecure into the late 90s. Now Tajikistan is an independent country where peace has found it place among the nation. There are many chances for travelers to visit and discover the country that, even now, is not known to millions of people. Let’s Discover and explore with us.

Day 1  – Dushanbe – Kalaikhumb 360km 7/8hours altitude 1245 mh  

Meeting at your hotel and start the tour to Pamir!

We set off east towards the Pamirs and Kalaikhumb, driving through beautiful scenery and interesting village’s en route. This area is a little more conservative, and we see many men with beards, and women wearing traditional dress. We will cross the Shurabad Pass (2200m high) On the road we will visit to the ancient fortress Hulbuk dated by VIII century recently restored under the decree of the president. The local guide will talk interesting stories about the life in the fortress, shows outlines of the bases of rooms, halls and harems of the local governor’s palace. Arrive to Kalaikhumb in the early evening.

Overnight in Guest Hous     Meals included: (1 Lunch,1 Dinner)

Day 2 – Kalaikhumb to Khorog    260 km, 7/8hours 

From Kalaikhumb we leave to Khorog along river Pianj. We have reached the capital of Gorno-Badakshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO).

Khorog town The capital of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, Khorog is a small town that at various times has been under the control of the Russia, the Emirate of Bukhara and Afghanistan. The Russians built a fort here in the Soviet era, with Khorog being in a highly strategic location on the border with Afghanistan, but today it languishes and is one of the least developed parts of the country, with the Aga Khan Foundation contributing to the bulk of the local economy. It holds the distinction of being home the second highest botanical garden in the world, at 3900m.

Overnight in Guest House     Meals: (1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner)

Day 3 – Khorog – Ishkashim Langar – Wakhan valley (280 km 4/5 hours)

On this tour an route we will stop at Garmchasma hot springs for an (optional) dip in the waters. Visit detour to the nearby village of Namadguti to visit the Khahkha Fortress. From here, we enter the Tajik half of the Wakhan Valley (shared with Afghanistan) Driving along the Wakhan valley and visit detour to the nearby village of Namadguti to visit the Khahkha Fortress. This impressive structure rises from a naturally formed platform of rock and dates back to the Kushan era of the 3rd Century. There are a number of these ancient fortresses in the area, and we also visit Yamchun fort, perhaps the most impressive of them. We take a break at the Bibi Fatima hot springs, named for the Prophet Mohammed’s daughter and where local women believe they can increase their fertility. Continuing on we then stop at the 4th Century Buddhist stupas at Vrang, reminders of the ancient pilgrim caravans that passed through the region.
This day you will have an opportunity to hike up to Petrogliph in Langar for 2 hours up and back to HomeStay

Overnight in Home Stay     Meals included: 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Day 4 – Langar Bulunkul Yashil Kul and drive to Maljuran Nomad village pasture (248 km 7/8 hours, altitude 3165mh)

 We drive up to Bulunkul and Yashilkul to explore and hike around this lakes. We drive via the Khargush Pass (4344 meters). On this journey we leave behind the last valley of the Wakhan Valley and enter a landscape that is rocky, mostly barren but nevertheless dramatic. We will reach to famous Pamir Highway and turn west side to drive up Bulunkul and YashilKul lakes, this lakes and around the scenery is beautiful and attractive for all visitors, you will have time to walk around and little hike for photoshoot, after having the picnic lunch near the lake we drive to Alichur for Nomad summer pasture, The Eastern Pamirs have been populated by nomadic ethnic Kyrgyz since the 17th century. The traditional architecture is beautifully represented by yurts, mobile habitations made of felt on an ingenious wooden frame, with the interior decoration bearing witness to the wealth and skills of the owners. Felt and wool serve as the basis for handicrafts. Precise stones, including rubies and emeralds, are also found in the area, and these are sometimes used in local handicrafts. If you will be visit from late May till end of September, you will have time to explore semi nomadic pastoral life, talk with herders’ family and taste local foods and stay in Yurt Camp. Before May – Guest House available

Overnight in Guest House or Yurt Stay     Meals included: 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

Day 5 Alichur Maljuran to Murghab – KaraKul lake. (258 km 7/8 hours, altitude 3915mh)

In the morning we will continue our trip via Pamir Highway to Karakul lake. This drive will see us enjoying some of the most dramatic scenery of the trip, with the lunar-like landscapes and bright blue lakes providing plenty of opportunities to take our breath away. We will cross a high-altitude pass Ak-Baital Pass (4655 meters) which is the highest section of road in the former Soviet Union. We descend to Karakul Lake, the highest lake in Central Asia, and at 3915 meters, too high to support any aquatic life. Exploring the lake walking around and have dinner in local Guest House and stay for overnight.  

Overnight in Home stay     Meals included: 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

 Day 6  KaraKul lake to Osh KYRGYZSTAN.  (298 km 5/6 hours, altitude 3915mh)

Continue exploring this area and enjoy our adventures, we pass final Pamir Highway high pass Kyzyl Art Pass (4282 metres), which essentially forms the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Border formalities take place shortly after crossing the pass, with 20kms of ‘no man’s land’ to cross. Having crossed to Kyrgyzstan, we will keep our driver – although we are in a different country, the ethnic lines in this region are greatly blurred, and Russian, Tajik, Kyrygz and Uzbek are all spoken with interchangeable ease. We continue our trip driving through Pamir Alay Mountain range, we can stop on route to see Lenin Peak (7134m). En route we will cross the Taldyk Pass (3554m) and enjoy some beautiful views. We must travel about 185km from Sary Tash, and depending on road conditions and travel times we expect to arrive in Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s oldest city early evening.

Overnight on your own arrangements.

 End of service.

Level of difficulty: This tour is suitable for both children and adults.

Conditions: If you have some specific sicknesses you need to bring own first aid kit with necessary medicaments

Inclusions:

• All accommodation on single basis (Guest House 3, Home Stay 1, Yurt Stay 1)
• Meals as listed: 5 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 5 Dinners.
• Transport Jeep – All transfers according the program (price includes driver’s per diem, road and parking fees, all necessary permissions fuel and taxes
• Experienced and basic English speaking drivers, type of car: (A/C Toyota Land Cruiser or Nissan Patrol, Toyota 4Runner)
• Mineral water (1/2L per day per person)

Excluded:

• International flights
• Entrance fees for sites listed as part of the itinerary
• GBAO permit USD 30
• Ticket for Tajik National park and Zor Kul USD 25
• English speaking local guide for whole tour USD 410
• Travel Insurance
• Alcohol Drinks
• Tips and gratuities
• Any personal expenses
• Any services not included in the above itinerary

_ PS

• Important – early arrival is not included.
• Some sightseeing places and excavations might be closed / not possible to visit due to local changes, reconstruction, roads condition, and security reasons. We do not guarantee all advised places will be covered, but we will try to do our best to cover them.
• Pricing is confidential & non commissionable