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Pamir Highway Adventure Tour

#Pamir Highway #Lakes #Mountains #Ethno-tours
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Meeting point
Dushanbe
End location
Dushanbe

Duration

13 days

Length

2100 km

Location

Khorugh

Recommended group composition

1-8 per

Difficulty level

Very easy - Suitable for individuals with minimal physical fitness or experience. Involves short, flat walks with little elevation gain or loss.

Easy - Requires basic physical fitness. Involves moderate walking on well-maintained trails with gentle inclines and declines.

Optimal - Suitable for individuals with average physical fitness. Involves moderate to challenging hiking, often with some elevation gain or loss.

Intense - Demands good physical fitness and endurance. Involves long hikes on rugged terrain with significant elevation changes.

Extreme - Suitable for experienced hikers and mountaineers. Involves technical climbing, glacier crossings, and exposure to high-altitude environments.

Super extreme - Reserved for highly skilled and experienced adventurers. Involves challenging mountaineering expeditions with significant risks and potential dangers.

Extreme

Recommended age

16+

The price is per person; prices vary for group trips.

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Tour in brief

Travel in the footsteps of history's greatest explorers and conquerers as you partake in this penultimate road trip along the “roof of the world.”  Your journey takes you along one of the most remote, but also most rewarding road routes in the world. Travel through isolated mountain villages, and experience the unique culture of the Pamirs. Anything else?! So, let’s wander!

Tour organizer and guide

Marco Polo

Marco Polo

Travel company "Marco Polo" Discover Tajikistan for yourself! Our company will introduce its tourism activities in the tourism sector since 2010 and during this long time we have served more than 10 thousand tourists from different countries of the world.

Tour program

Day 1. Dushanbe

Day 1. Dushanbe

Arrival in Dushanbe. Meet your driver and transfer to the hotel. Check in at noon( depending on your arrival). Free day.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Hotel

Day 2 Dushanbe - Hissar

Day 2 Dushanbe - Hissar

After breakfast drive to Hissar Fortress. This large and impressive site is said to date back to the days of Cyrus the Great (around 600BC) and to have been captured 21 times by invading forces – making one question how effective a fortress it is!. Much of this area has been restored over the years and there is a lovely museum offering a nice introduction to the country and history- a great chance to learn about the country's history and catch up with local people who also visit the site. After the visit  driving back to Dushanbe for accommodation. Overnight in hotel.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Hotel.

Day 3. Dushanbe

Day 3. Dushanbe

Dushanbe, as the capital of Tajikistan, is considered one of the safest cities in Asia. For its good security, Dushanbe was awarded the UNESCO City of Independence award in 2004. Thanks to the improved level of security in Dushanbe, this award was again presented to the city. Currently, Dushanbe is recognized as a cultural, historical and modern city with full-fledged attractions. It is also home to one of the tallest flag shocks in the world.
Overnight at the hotel.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Hotel.

Day 4. Dushanbe - Kalaikhum

Day 4. Dushanbe - Kalaikhum

Our first destination is the Norak water reservoir. The dam here is the tallest earth-fill embankment dam in the world and the second tallest man-made dam overall. We’ll stop so you can get out of the car, stretch your legs, and grab some stunning pictures. From here, we’ll head toward the Afghan border through the Shuraba pass (2,267m). It’s here on the edge of Tajikistan that we’ll officially enter the Pamirs. We’ll drive along the natural border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, formed by the Panj River. As we drive you’ll be able to see some of the Afghan villages that have settled themselves along the banks of the river. In the evening we’ll arrive in the Rushan region of Tajikistan. This evening you’ll be staying in a home stay in the village of Kalai-Khum. It’s here that we’ll get our first look into the unique culture of the residents of the Pamirs.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Guesthouse

Day 5. Kalaikhum

Day 5. Kalaikhum

From Rushan we begin the most difficult but rewarding portion of our journey through the Pamirs. The people of the Pamirs are famous in Central Asia for their ability to carve out a life in the harsh, mountainous environment and their amazing hospitality. Today we’ll hike through Jizew Valley, a stunning oasis in the middle of the stark sandy Pamirs. In the afternoon, we’ll return to our homestay in the main valley for dinner.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Guesthouse

Day 6. Khorog

Day 6. Khorog

Our journey today takes us to the remote city of Khorog. The city is located on the confluence of the Shokhdara, Ghund, and Panj rivers. Take advantage of your free afternoon to explore the sites of the city. Take a minibus to the botanical gardens on the outskirts of the city, or stick to the city center and explore Khorog Park and Bazaar. Reconvene with the group for dinner at a café and then retire to your guesthouse for the evening.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Guesthouse

Day 7. Ishkashim

Day 7. Ishkashim

Today we continue to drive along the Tajik – Afghan border on the way to the village Ishkashim. The village straddles the border and is home to a unique bazaar. If it’s Saturday use your opportunity to visit the border market, located on a river island in no-mans-land between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. This is a great place to pick up some interesting souvenirs for yourself or your loved ones back home. In the late afternoon, take the opportunity to relax in the hot springs and Garmchashma Spa. This area of Tajikistan has long been a popular destination for people who believe the waters possess healing properties. In the evening we’ll head to our homestay for dinner.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Guesthouse

Day 8. Bulunkul

Day 8. Bulunkul

Today we’ll travel through the Wakhan Valley. Historically, the Wakhan Valley has served as the divide between eastern and western Asia, as well as later becoming the natural divide between the Russian and British Empires. With such a rich history, there’s a plethora of interesting sites for us to stop at on our way to Langar Village. Our first stop for the day is the ancient fortresses of Kahkaha and Yamchun which date to between 100 and 300 BCE. These ruins once served not only as defensive posts against foreign armies and raiders, but also as ancient temples and customs points controlling the flow of people and goods through Wahkan Valley. Our next stop is the Vrang Stupa. The small complex located at the top of the stupa has unknown origins, but local historians believe it shows signs of being used as both a Zoroastrian and a Buddhist temple during its use. Even its construction period is unknown, with potential dates anywhere from the early 4th to the late 7th centuries. Next we’ll head to the reconstructed home of the Sufi Mystic, Muabara Kadam. The reconstruction of his home has been converted into a museum dedicated to the life of this famous mystic, musician, and astronomer. Highlights include an abundance of his hand bound manuscripts, musical instruments, and the stone pillar he used to calculate a solar calendar. Our final destination of the day is Langar village. We’ll spend the evening at a homestay.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Homestay.

Day 9 Bulunkul

Day 9 Bulunkul

We’ll start the morning by visiting the petroglyphs above Langar Village. The field contains almost 6000 petroglyphs, the oldest of which date back to the Bronze Age. After our hike, we’ll hop in the car and make our way through the Khargush Pass (4344m) to the lakes region of the Pamirs. Yashil Kul and Bulunkul, located at an altitude of 3700m above sea level, are the most beautiful lakes of the region. They’re famous for their stunning blue color and serve as a destination where mountain shepherds graze and water their flocks. If we’re lucky, perhaps we’ll spot a herd of yaks, the domestic animal of choice for this harsh region. Overnight in a homestay by the banks of Lake Bulunkul.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Homestay.

Day 10 Murgab

Day 10 Murgab

Today we’ll go to the mountain village of Murgab, or the “Roof of the World.” To get to the village we’ll take the Naziatash Pass (4137m). The village of Murgab was established in 1893 as a Russian military post. The remote city sits above 3500 meters making it the highest city in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Because of its isolation, the people living in Murgab often have to go without but they have still managed to carve out a comfortable living. Murgab is the last city before the Kyrgyz-Tajik border. We’ll stop here and take some time to relax after our long journey on the rough roads of the Pamirs. If the day is clear you will be able to catch a peek of Muztagh Ata Mountain in the distance.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Guesthouse

Day 11. Karakul Lake - Tulparkul

Day 11. Karakul Lake - Tulparkul

A few hours past Murgab is the second highest mountain lake in the world, Karakul (3815m). To get to the lake we’ll take Ak-Baital pass (4655m). Lake Karakul, Black Lake in English, formed in a meteoric crater and is fed by glacial melt. The area is well known for the various bird species that roost there and is thus an ornithology Mecca.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Guesthouse

Day 12 Final place of the itinerary

Day 12 Final place of the itinerary

This day you have enoug time to head a bit deeper in the Pamir beauties. Returning back to Khorog. Overnight in homestay.
Excursions and leisure Walk , Photo Where we live Homestay.

Day 13. Khorog- Dushanbe

Day 13. Khorog- Dushanbe

Today is the final day of the trip . Going to airport for departure.
End of tour.
Where we live Without accommodation

Map

Information

What's included:

  • All transfers and transport;
  • All accommodations
  • All meals (B.L.D.)
  • All entrance and sightseeing fees;
  • 1L bottled water per day for each
  • Guide/interpreter service;
  • VAT Tax and Profit of organization;
  • Eco Tax;

What's not included:

  • Visa, international flight;
  • Photo and video charges;
  • All personal expenses (extra luggage fee, room service, medical expenses/insurance, etc.)
  • Fees for extra service (folklore performance, meetings);
  • Tips to the guides, drivers and donkey men;
  • Single accommodation
  • Alcoholic beverages

The price is per person; prices vary for group trips.

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