Itinerary

1. Day 1: Dushanbe - Kalai Khum

   • Depart from Dushanbe and travel to Kalai Khum through spectacular mountain scenery. 
   • You will cross the Norak Water Reservoir, also known as the Tajik Sea, and visit the ancient fortress of Hulbuk, dating back to the 8th century. 

   The highest point of the day is Shurobod Pass (1955m), from which the Afghan border begins. You will be driving along the natural border of the River Panj. This part is wonderful because of its unique mountains, which are already the territory of the Pamir Mountains. 

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Lunch/Dinner

2. Day 2: Kalai Khum - Khorоg

   • Today is mostly a travel day. Set off to Khorog Town, the capital city of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) located on high narrow terraces, at 2200-2300 meters above sea level in the Pamir Mountains at the confluence of the Gunt and Panj rivers. 
   • The road will follow near the Panj River, the Soviets built it in the 1930s, and it is in a state of disrepair in many places. You can see the civilization of the two countries and their differences. 
   • When you pass from Kalaikhum to Khorog the scenery and the people change. The people here are Pamiris and have unique traditions and languages. 

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

3. Day 3: Khorog - Ishkashim

   • Start a trip to the Mineral Hot Spring called “Garm Chashma”. Garm Chashma is about 45 km from Khorog on the way to Ishkashim. 

   Garm Chashma is about 45 km from Khorog on the way to Ishkashim. Garm Chashma was built in the late 1950s on the site of a mineral spring. The healing waters of this place are known throughout the region and are visited by a large number of travelers and tourists yearly.

   • Along with that, we will also cross the Ruby Mines of Khuhi Lal, where Badakhshan’s rubies were mined already in the 14th century. Ishkashim is a small town at the mouth of the Wakhan corridor, where the 19th century Great Game ended. 
   • As you travel north, you will encounter breathtaking views of the Pamirs to the left and the Hindu Kush to the right. If you get lucky and arrive at Ishkashim on Saturday, you can visit the cross-border Tajik-Afghan market on the Afghan side. There is no need to obtain an Afghan visa for this visit. 

   Accommodation: Guesthouse (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

4. Day 4: Ishkashim - Langar

   • As you travel farther, you will visit the Kah-Kaha in Namadgut. It is one of the oldest fortresses on the Silk Road, thought to have been constructed around the 4th century A.D., and is said to be named after the epic kind of dark-skinned fire-worshippers.
   • After that, you will visit the sacred hot springs of Bibi Fatima Zahra, and the ruins of Yamchun fortress (IV-III B.C.) that once guarded the Pamir branch of the Great Silk Road. 
   • In the Yamg village, you will visit the Museum of Sufi Muborak-Kadami Vakhani where visitors can explore the life of a local Sufi scholar, theologian, traveler, and poet who lived in this region until 1910. Some of his most marvelous achievements can be seen here. There is a stone pillar with a hole carved in it near his house, which he used to calculate a solar calendar. His home is decorated with inscriptions and decorations made by the scholar. 

   Near Vrang village, on a hill, there is a Buddhist temple dating back to the 4th – 7th Centuries pitted with caves. 

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

5. Day 5: Langar - Bulunkul

   • You will have breakfast at your accommodation before enjoying the stunning views of Afghanistan, including the ice-capped Wakhan Range and the Pamir River. After crossing the 4,344-meter Khargushi Pass, you'll arrive at Bulunkul Lake in a small hamlet. Bulunkul is one of Tajikistan's high-mountain lakes, located at 3,734 meters above sea level, and is known for being one of the coldest inhabited places in the former Soviet Union, with a record low temperature of -63 degrees Celsius. The residents include Pamiris, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz nomads who thrive in this harsh environment. After reaching Bulunkul, you can take a short drive or hike (approximately 15 km) to Yashikul Lake, where you can explore the shoreline and hike to viewpoints offering stunning vistas.

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

6. Day 6: Bulunkul - Karakul

   • As the journey continues, and if the weather is clear enough, you will head up to the Shorbulak Observatory, from where you can see the Muztag Ata and Kongur Peaks, which are part of the Khun Lun Range (located in China). Murgob is a quiet town with only a bazaar (market) in the High Pamir region where Kyrgyz and Tajik people live.
   • You will pay a visit to a handicraft shop in “Yak House”. 
   • The marvelous views of the mountains and glaciers along the way will be simply breathtaking, as the road takes you to the Ak Baital Pass at an altitude of 4655m. This is the highest pass in the former USSR and was called “The Roof of the World”. 

   The hidden site in this expanse of an arid landscape is the stunning Karakul Lake, created millions of years ago by a meteorite and noted as one of the most geologically fascinating places on earth. You will have an opportunity to take a short walk along the lake. The surrounding area offers some spectacular views, which are especially dramatic with the sun setting over the nearby snow-capped mountains. 

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

7. Day 7: Karakul – Bartang Valley – Savnob

   • Today your route is laid to the Bartang Valley on the road. The journey will take place along the Tanima River towards Upper Bartang. 

   Hospitality is one of the main qualities of the inhabitants of Bartang. Everyone who enters the village is welcome here. The Bartang people are unusually benevolent and simple because such is the philosophy of the mountains. Due to the out-of-the-way place of the region, many traditions and customs of the highlanders are better preserved here.

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

8. Day 8: Savnob – Rushan

   • Today is another colorful day that will take the traveler's breath away. Journey through the picturesque Bartang Valley. You will drive along the Bartang River admiring the natural purity. 
   • You will head from the upper to the lower part of the Bartang Valley. There will be many stops along the way to take pictures of the beautiful scenery and sightseeing. 
   • Arriving in Rushon, you will walk through beautiful places and see an amazing view of the villages of Afghanistan, located on the left bank of the Panj River.  

   The administrative center of Rushon is the town of Vamar. 

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

9. Day 9: Rushan – Karon Old Town – Kalai Khum

   • You will go on the road from Rushon to Kalai-Khumb along the road that you passed earlier. The unusual name of this settlement is translated from Persian as “Fortress on Khumb”. 

   Near the Kalai Khum, there are several almost destroyed fortifications and settlements, but the fortress in Kalai-Khumb itself has not survived to this day. The old city of Karon is located in the eastern part of the village of Kalai-Khumb at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level. The area of the city is 100 hectares. An ancient city that existed for about 4 thousand years. 

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night) 

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

10. Day 10: Kalai Khum – Khaburabot – Dushanbe

    • In the morning, you will travel to Dushanbe. You will cross the high Khaburabot Pass (3252 m), known as the Western Pamir Highway. The road passes through a colorful river valley and breathtaking mountain valleys where you can stop to rest and take pictures. 

    Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch