Itinerary

1. Day 1: Dushanbe - Kalai Khum

   • Depart Dushanbe and travel to Kalai Khum through spectacular mountain scenery. 
   • You will cross the Norak Water Reservoir, which is called the Tajik Sea, and visit the ancient fortress Hulbuk, dating from the VIII century. The highest point of the day is Shurobod Pass (2267m); from here, the Afghanistan border starts. 
   • You will be driving along the natural border of the River Panj. This part is lovely because of its unique mountains and is 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, which the Soviets built 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

   • First, a trip to the Mineral Hot Spring called “Garm Chashma.” Garm Chashma is about 45 km from Khorog on the way to Ishkashim. It 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 many travellers and tourists yearly. 
   • We will also cross the Ruby Mines of Kukh-i-lal mines, 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. You do not need 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, traveller, and poet who lived in this region until 1910. Some of his most marvellous 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, visit 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 the house where you stay overnight, leave the spectacular views of Afghanistan with the ice-capped summit of the Wakhan Range and the Pamir River, and cross Khargushi Pass at an altitude of 4344. 
   • You will arrive in Bulun Kul and Yashil Kul Lakes, staying in a small hamlet of Bulunkul. The people here are Pamiris, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz nomads living in a harsh but hospitable environment. 
   • Here, you will learn how people have adapted to life in a remote mountainous area. You will walk around the ruins of a caravanserai and solar calendar on the north side of Lake Yashil Kul. 

    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, where you can see the Muztag Ata and Kongur Peaks, 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 visit a handicraft shop in “Yak House”. The marvellous views of the mountains and glaciers along the way will be breathtaking as the road takes you to the Ak Baital Pass at 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 spectacular, especially dramatic views, with the sun setting over the nearby snow-capped mountains.  

   Accommodation: Homestay (1 night)

   Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

7. Day 7: Kara Kul - Osh

   • The following day, you will continue your trip to Osh, the second-largest city in Kyrgyzstan and the oldest city in the country. Your final Pamir Highway high pass is the Kyzyl Art Pass, at an altitude of 4282 m, which forms the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. 
   • After Sary Tash village, you depart the high mountains of the Pamir-Alay range, leaving behind you the Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China crossroads. 
   • You will cross the Taldyk Pass at an altitude of 3554 m and enjoy some beautiful views. 
   • You must travel about 185km from Sary Tash, and depending on the road conditions and travel times you expect to arrive in Osh, Kyrgyzstan early evening.

     Meals Included: Breakfast/Lunch