Tajikistan Expedition: Pamir Highway & beyond
Experience Overview
The Pamir Highway: Central Asia’s greatest road adventure in Tajikistan. Travelling in 4x4s, we follow this rugged mountainous route through the remote Pamir range, discovering an area along the Afghan border, much of the time alongside the Panj River, that only the most adventurous ever explore. On the way, we visit the ruins of Zoroastrian castles and shrines and see a Buddhist stupa. We head off the main highway to go even deeper into the country, encountering lands where the language changes from one valley to the next. To make sure we see as much as possible, we’ve designed our tour to roughly follow a figure of eight, meaning we mostly avoid retracing our steps.
Profile
— Accommodation: 4 Classic nights (hotels), 12 Simple nights (7 homestays, 2 guesthouse, 2 hotel) — Single supplement available only in Dushanbe, Khorog and Kalai Khumb (Karon Hotel only) — An adventurous trip through a spectacular and little-visited region, with limited comfort — Most travel is by 4×4 along often-rough roads. Maximum three passengers per vehicle
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 4 Classic nights (hotels), 12 Simple nights (7 homestays, 2 guesthouse, 2 hotel) — Single supplement available only in Dushanbe, Khorog and Kalai Khumb (Karon Hotel only) — An adventurous trip through a spectacular and little-visited region, with limited comfort — Most travel is by 4×4 along often-rough roads. Maximum three passengers per vehicle
Trip For You
This trip has been rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.
We have rated this trip moderate due to the long journeys and the rugged nature of travel in this region. Good health is important. There is some walking on this trip, though generally only short walks. The exception is on Day 12 when we walk 8.5mi (14km).
Drives
There are long drives throughout this trip and the roads are often rough. If you suffer from travel sickness, this trip is not suitable for you. Please see the transport section for more detail.
Comfort
Tajikistan, especially the Pamirs, has very basic infrastructure and comfort levels are far lower than you would have at home. Seven nights of the trip are in homestays and two nights are in guesthouses. We accommodate guests in the best possible homestays and guesthouses, which are run by hospitable hosts. These usually have a shower and a Western-style toilet and you may sleep on the floor on traditional mats filled with cotton. Some homestays and guesthouses don’t have a dining table, so guests are expected to sit cross-legged on the floor during meals. When using the shower and hot water, please be mindful and use just what you need. On several nights, you must share a room with more than one person; we make every effort to ensure men and women who are not travelling together don’t have to share a room, but this cannot be guaranteed. On these nights, single supplements do not apply. You will be provided one set of bed linen at the start of the trip for the homestays. Please note, some places along the trip have squat toilets.
Standards of cleanliness vary. Please report any problems to your leader or your accommodation and be vigilant in your personal hygiene regime – use soap or hand sanitizer gel before and after toilet breaks, snacks and mealtimes. Generally, the more remote the location, the more basic the accommodation.
Clothes
When visiting mosques and other religious buildings, women should wear long skirts and have their shoulders covered. We also advise bringing a scarf and covering your head on such occasions. Knee-length skirts/dresses, shorts and sleeveless tops are fine in other circumstances.
Itinerary changes
This trip is expeditionary in style. We aim to follow the itinerary as shown, but due to the remote nature of this trip, unpredictable road conditions, weather and other local conditions changes are always possible.
Group Description
The group will generally be between four and 16 people.
Eating Drinking
When travelling in Tajikistan, be prepared for the meat-heavy cuisine of Central Asia. Over the centuries, it was influenced by various cultures, mainly Persian, Afghan and Russian. Beef and lamb are most commonly eaten. In the Pamirs, you might get to try yak meat in homestays. Different types of beans, grains, meat and vegetables are used. In general, the higher altitude and more remote the accommodation, the more basic the food. There is usually just one option at homestays and guesthouses. Food tends to be quite high in fat.
Non (a flatbread) is served first with meals. The centrepiece and national dish in Tajikistan and Central Asia is plov. The main ingredients are meat, oil, rice, shredded carrots, chickpeas, garlic and sometimes raisins.
The general meal during the trip is plov, qurutob (vegetarian), manti (steamed meat or pumpkin dumplings), different soups, sambusa (puff pastry with meat), laghman (noodle soup with meat), rice, french fries, shish kabab, fresh salads and fruits.
During picnic lunches, on the first days, apples, pears, watermelon, tomato and cucumber, cheese, sausages and salads will be served, followed by jam, honey, instant or espresso coffee, tea, dried fruits, candies, herbal tea, honey, cookies and bread. Dinners include a first and second course followed by various types of cooked salads, tea, dried fruits, biscuits, sweets, jam and honey.
Vegetarians and vegans can be catered for if we are aware before travel, though there will be limited choice. Other dietary requirements are likely to be difficult to accommodate on this trip. Please ask us.
Transportation
For the majority of the trip, we travel in fairly modern 4x4s (such as Toyota Land Cruisers) with three people plus a driver in each vehicle. This allows for a reasonable amount of space for each person. On most days, there are several hours of travel, often on very rough and bumpy roads. This trip is not recommended for people who suffer from travel sickness or back problems. In the interest of fairness, you should be prepared to alternate seating positions in the vehicle and not expect to always sit in the front. In and around Dushanbe, we may travel by minibus.
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Hotel Atlas, 32-24 Nisor Mukhammad Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734124
Phone: +992 44 625-18-18 or +992 44 625-28-28
Recommended arrival time at the start hotel: Early morning on the arrival day for a tour of Dushanbe starting at 10.30am
Airport: Dushanbe Airport (DYU)
Flights
Dushanbe is served by only a limited number of airlines and most do not operate daily. We recommend allowing several hours for connections/changing planes on your way to Tajikistan as a missed connection may delay your arrival by more than a day.
Getting to the start hotel
The start hotel is approximately 10 minutes’ drive from the airport. There’s a group arrival transfer from Dushanbe Airport (DYU) for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight from London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer at additional cost.
Catching your return flight
There’s a group departure transfer to Dushanbe Airport (DYU) for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer at additional cost.
All arrival and departure transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Weather Information
The climate of Tajikistan is continental, with hot summers and cold winters, but it fluctuates depending on the elevations of the regions and seasonality. Summers in the mountains can be warm, and winters very cold with heavy snowfalls. The lowest recorded temperature was -63C (-81F) in Bulunkul Lake in the Pamirs. The temperature in summer can get as high as 50C (122F) in the Khatlon region. Around 280 days of the year, the sky is clear, sunny and blue.
The climate in the Pamirs (where this trip spends most of the time) is extreme continental: very dry and harsh. The average daytime temperature from May to September is 20C-25C (68F-77F); at night, the temperature can drop to freezing point or below. After a long sunny day, you can have light snowfall. In Dushanbe at this time, the average temperature can be 25C-40C (77F-104F).
Spending Money
The amount of spending money required can vary depending on how much you spend on drinks and souvenirs; as an indication, we recommend you allow around US$100 for non-included meals and possible purchases of souvenirs. This doesn't include tipping. As a rough guideline, you should allow approximately US$15-US$20) per meal. A coffee in a cafe costs around $2-3, a local beer around $2, a bottle of wine $15+.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory but is much appreciated. Should you wish to tip, we suggest the following amounts:
Leader: 110-165 somoni (US$10-US$15) per day, per groupDrivers: 90-130 somoni (US$8-US$12) per day, per group
Highlights
— Drive along the spectacular Pamir Highway — Enjoy views to the Hindu Kush and Karakorum mountains — Peer across the Panj river into Afghanistan — Trace the lines of the Wakhan Corridor, a region associated with the Great Game — Visit archaeological sites and remnants of the Silk Road — Search for Marco Polo sheep and markhor goats — Take a day walk between remote villages in Bartang
Trip Details
Product Code: 4110
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: minibus.
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
Exodus Travel
Supplier Code: ATJ
Starts: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Finishes: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Duration: 16 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Average
Includes
— All accommodation — All transport and listed activities — 14 breakfasts, 11 dinners and 11 lunches (mostly box or picnic lunches)Accommodation
Homestays, guest houses and hotelsMost of the accommodation on this trip is in homestays (seven nights) and guesthouses (two nights). The remaining six nights are in hotels. The single supplement only applies to Dushanbe and Khorog. Homestays are basic (see Essential Information for more detail) but are the only option in many places and are the best way to gain an insight into life in this region and meet local people. Some homestays have the option of sleeping on a tapchan (a large platform/bed) outside. Some homestays are in traditional Pamiri houses called chids. These have philosophical and religious significance. The main room is divided into a few sections, such as a cooking and sleeping area, a place to study or keep clothes, and has only one window called a ravzana. The ceiling symbolises four elements of the universe: fire, earth, air and water. Dinner in a homestay usually consists of two courses: a bowl of soup and a main dish with sides, homemade bread and jam. Usually, it is noodles or rice soup with or without meat, stewed or fried potatoes, plov, and fried vegetables with beef. Expect jam, sweets, biscuits and jurgot, a local Greek yoghurt made from yak or cow milk. For breakfast, a traditional meal is shirchoy, a mixture of milk, butter and salt boiled with black tea leaves. Pieces of bread and a little pepper can be added. In Dushanbe, we stay in a four-star hotel (local rating). We pass through Kalai Khumb twice. On our outbound journey, we use a homestay, on the return journey we stay in a three-star (local rating) hotel, which will be welcome after several nights in homestays. In Khorog, we stay in a pleasant local-style hotel. In Murghab, we stay in a very modest hotel. Atlas Hotel Dushanbe: Karon Hotel, Kalai Khumb: Lal Inn, Khorog: Jarty Gumbez guesthouse: This guesthouse has its own hot springs, great for relaxing after a long drive.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $8,740 ($546 /day)
Itinerary
Arrive into Dushanbe today (or very early morning next day) and overnight. Accommodation: Atlas Hotel (or similar)
We leave the hotel around 10.30am and start exploring Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. We start with an overview of Tajik history at the National Museum of Antiquities, where we see a reclining Buddha statue. Next, we visit Mehrgon Market where we can try local fruits and learn Tajik bargaining skills. We have lunch (not included) in a cafe within a training centre run by the NGO Chatr, which means umbrella. The centre provides free courses to women who have suffered abuse. Later in the afternoon, we walk beside the fountains of Rudaki Avenue and visit the Rudaki Monument, dedicated to the founder of Tajik-Persian literature. We also see the Ismail Somoni monument to the first emir of the Tajik nation. Next stop is the Gurminj Musuem of Pamiri Musical Instruments. We end the day with the choice of a cooking class or pottery demonstration. The cooking class sees us learn about plov, the rice and meat-based national dish. Accommodation: Atlas Hotel (or similar)
We drive south from Dushanbe passing through hilly landscapes and pastures to reach Norak Dam. We continue to Hulbuk Fortress and museum in Vose to learn more about the regional history. Following a stop for lunch (not included) in the city of Kulob, we visit the mausoleum of Mir Said Ali Hamadani, a poet from Iran who preached Islam in Central Asia. Our drive continues over the Shurobod Pass to Anjirob, where we stay overnight with a local family. We cover around 150mi (240km) today on good roads, which takes about six hours with stops, with a maximum altitude of 2890 ft/880m. Daytime temperatures can be very high today. Accommodation: Homestay
Following a very early start, we drive to into the hills to view markhor goats, the largest member of the goat family, best known for their twisting horns. This animal-watching adventure can take about three hours including the driving. We do this very early while temperatures are cooler as chances of seeing the goats are better before the heat of the day sends them to shelter behind cool rocks. This can mean leaving our homestay at approximately 4 am (it is possible to remain at the homestay if you prefer). The goats are usually seen through binoculars or a telescope. As we continue our journey, the road squeezes through the gorge of the Panj River into the western Pamirs. The Panj forms the border with Afghanistan, which we follow for the next few days, allowing us to peer into Afghanistan along the way. On arrival in Kalai Khumb (altitude 1,270m), we walk in town or visit the Karon archaeological site, which is thought to be the last-surviving Zoroastrian water temple in Central Asia and has only been excavated relatively recently. There are fantastic mountain views from the site. There are about three hours of driving today (75mi/120km) mostly on good roads, with a maximum altitude of 1,270m. Accommodation: Guesthouse
If we didn't visit Karon yesterday, we do so this morning. We continue our drive along the Panj River, tracing the border, stopping for a box lunch along the way. Early afternoon, we reach Khorog, the capital of the mountainous Badakhshan region. At an altitude of around 6,800ft (2,100m), it sits in a narrow valley where the Shakhdara and Ghund rivers flow into the Panj. While small, the town is an important cultural centre with two universities and a theatre. We explore Khorog, walking through Chorbogh park. We drive for around seven hours (160mi/260km) today including stops, mostly on a poor road which is undergoing construction work in places which can sometimes delay our journey. Maximum altitude of 6,840ft (2,085m). Accommodation: Lal Inn (or similar)
This morning, we visit Khorog bazaar. Here, we can purchase traditional goods, including juraby (woollen socks) and toki (colourful embroidered skullcaps). We also visit Khorog botanical gardens, high above the city. From Khorog, the Pamir Highway heads east. However, we'll head south, continuing along the Panj River and the Afghan border. We stop at Garm Chashma, a small town home to sacred, sulphurous hot springs. Impressive white-yellow deposits are formed where the water flows out of the earth and cools. We continue to Ishkashim, where the valley widens and the waters of the Panj calm. This is the start of the Wakhan Valley, a legendary area in the Silk Road age. Always remaining in Tajikistan, we follow a route along the edge of the Wakhan Corridor, which once acted as a buffer between the Russian and British empires during the Great Game. This sliver of Afghanistan separates Tajikistan from Pakistan to the south. To the east lies the Xinjiang province of China. The Wakhan is home to mountain fortresses and numerous other intriguing sites. To the north are the Pamirs, to the south are the mountains of the Hindu Kush and Karakoram. We have a picnic lunch in Namadgut and visit Qah-Qaha fortress and Shohi Mardon shrine. We have views to Karl Marx Peak (22,057ft/6,723m) and Engels Peak (21,348ft/6,507m). In the evening, we reach Yamg and spend the night in a chid, a traditional Pamiri home. Following dinner, we have a demonstration of local Pamiri dances. We drive for around six hours today (155mi/250km) including stops, with a maximum altitude of 2,750m. The condition of the road today is generally reasonable. Accommodation: Homestay
We start the day with a visit to the lovingly decorated Muborakkadam Wakhoni musuem. Wakhoni was a Sufi educator, astronomer and musician. We see a stone solar calendar in Yamg. Next, we drive back to Yamchun to visit an impressive mountain fortress giving us views across the Wakhan and its fertile gardens, fields and villages. We visit the thermal baths of Bibi Fatima and marvel at a Buddhist stupa in Vrang, plus observe numerous cliff caves once inhabited by Buddhist monks. In Zong, we can climb the imposing ruins of Abreshim Qala fortress and gain views of the Pamir and Wakhan rivers merging to form the Panj, which we've followed over much of the previous days. We spend the night in Langar. We drive for around four hours today with stops, covering around 40mi (70km) with a maximum altitude of 2,880m. Road conditions today are generally reasonable. Accommodation: Homestay
We visit Langar parish hall and an old shrine decorated with ibex and Marco Polo sheep antlers. A walk across flat granite slabs above the village takes us to an area of nearly 6,000 petroglyphs dating from the Bronze Age to the present. A detour takes us to the ruins of Ratm Castle. Heading along the Pamir River, we see a caravanserai on the other side and may see Bactrian camels. We pause at a military checkpoint then head towards Zorkul Lake (once known to the British as Lake Victoria), the landscape changes and the eastern Pamir plateau comes into view in front of us. The plateau has an average altitude of 13,000ft (4,000m) and the inhabitants call it Bam-i Dunya, the roof of the world. Leaving the (relatively speaking) main road behind us, we head to Jarty Gumbez, known for being home to hot springs, a sun calendar and the tombs of Scythian and Kyrgyz nomads. We may come across herds of Marco Polo sheep, which are giant, wild sheep with horns up to 5ft (160 cm) long. We have time to refresh in the hot springs. We travel for about six hours today, covering 80mi (130km), reaching our highest sleeping altitude of the trip at 4,110m. We travel off main roads today along rough and bumpy tracks which can be muddy. Accommodation: Guesthouse
We have an early start and head off with a ranger in search of Marco Polo sheep herds. It may take us a few hours to find them. The sheep are usually seen through binoculars or a telescope. If we're lucky, we might see ibex too. After returning to the guesthouse, we visit Scythian burial grounds. We now head north, crossing the Ak-Bura Pass at 13,780ft (4,200m). We enter the lunar landscape of Shorbuloq, which has colourful rock formations and a cave with Bronze Age rock paintings at Shakhti. We pass Shorbuloq observatory, once an important Soviet observatory, located here due to the regular dry, cool and stable climate. In clear weather, we can see mountains in China: Muztag-Ata (24,757ft/7,546m) and Kongur (25,325ft/7,719m). In the late afternoon, we meet the Pamir Highway once again and head to Murghab, the administrative centre of the eastern Pamirs. Murghab was an important military station in the 19th century under the Tsars and later for Soviet Russia. Now the inhabitants are mostly Kyrgyz. There is a small bazaar, mosques and a cemetery, which are worth seeing. We have about four hours of travel today (80mi/130km), excluding looking for Marco Polo sheep. Our maximum altitude today is 11,875ft (3,620m). The first part of the day is on rough tracks. As we approach Murghab, we rejoin the Pamir Highway and the road conditions improve. Accommodation: Homestay
We have a short tour around Murghab, seeing the market and yak house where we can purchase yak-wool handicrafts. Yurts were common in pre-Soviet times, but following construction of permanent houses they are less common. On our way to Karakul Lake, we reach the highest point of the Pamir Highway and our adventure: Akbaital Pass at 15,272ft (4,655m). We spend the night in Karakul (meaning Black Lake) at 12,800ft (3,900m) above sea level. The lake itself is 15mi (25km) wide and sits within a crater formed by a meteor impact millions of years ago. This is a cold, remote and hard place to live. We cover around 85mi (135km) today, taking about three hours, reaching the second highest altitude point in this trip of 13,000ft/3,950m. The road is reasonably good today. Accommodation: Homestay
We leave Karakul and the Pamir Highway and head southwest into the Bartang Valley. The road is particular rough and travel is very slow but we're rewarded with a route few tourists take and spectacular mountain scenery. The name Bartang translates approximately as ‘narrow passage’ which is very apt. We stop at Shurali geoglyph and have a picnic lunch along the way. We stay the night in Ghudara village, partway along the valley. We drive for about five or six hours today with stops on the way, covering around 77mi (125km). Today's maximum altitude is 3,010m. The road is rough. Accommodation: Homestay
We continue slowly making our way through the Bartang Valley, enjoying the landscapes along the way. We stop at Savnob village to see a 19th-century castle and hear its legends. Inhabitants of the Bartang are among the most hospitable people in the Pamirs. We stay the next two nights in a chid in the village of Yemts with a carved-wood ceiling and square roof window. The interior of chids have symbols linked to the Ismaili faith. We travel for about six hours today (85mi/135km), with a maximum altitude of 2,060m. The road is rough. Accommodation: Homestay
We hike in one of the side valleys of Bartang today. You may remain in Yemts on your own if you don't wish to do the hike. We start by crossing a long bridge over a river and can see tiny terraces, small orchards and fields. Barberry and buckthorn bushes line the narrow path that villagers from Jizew use to reach Bartang. The river is dammed by landslips in places forming small lakes. We have a picnic lunch along the way. Ascent: 1,640ft (500m); descent: 1,640ft (500m); walking distance: 8.5mi (14km); walking time: approximately six hours, with a maximum altitude of 2,060m. The road is rough. Accommodation: Homestay
We visit an old mazar this morning, a shrine where Zoroastrianism and Ismailism mix. Shortly after leaving Yemts, we exit the Bartang and are back on the Pamir Highway and return to Kalai Khumb. Along the way, we pass white-sand dunes by the river. On the Afghan side, we see the network of tiny paths across steep rock walls, which used to be the only connections between villages. We stop for lunch (not included) and may have the chance to try local honey. On arrival in Kalai Khumb, we have a welcome night in a hotel for the first time in several days. We cover around 150mi (240km) today over about eight hours (including stops), with a maximum altitude of 1,270m. The road is poor today. Accommodation: Karon hotel (or similar)
This morning, we return to Dushanbe over the Saghir Dasht Pass (10,670ft/3,252m), a different route to the one we took on our outward journey. As we leave the high mountains of the Pamirs behind, the view changes completely. We have a break in Tavildara, where we can see the colourful rocks of Navruz Mountain. We pass orchards and villages and the landscape is increasingly green as we travel through the wide valleys of Vakhsh and Obikhingou. There are about eight hours of travel today, covering 210mi (340km). Accommodation: Atlas Hotel (or similar)
The trip ends today in Dushanbe. We begin our return journey home. Alternatively, if you’d like to explore a little more, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
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It’s all about adventure That is what Exodus was founded upon 50 years ago, and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on. At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved. This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday. Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments. See our history page for more details about how we began and how we have grown over the past 50 years. Never travelled with Exodus before? Visit our New to Exodus page for some useful, first-timer information.
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