Tajikistan Tour: Pamir Highway Tour & Fann Mountains Trek

Days 1-13: Pamir Highway from Osh to Dushanbe

• Day 1: Arrival in Osh & guided city tour, overnight in hotel.
• Day 2: Osh – Izumrudnoe Lake Hike (8km) – Sary Mogul Village, overnight in guesthouse.
• Day 3: Sary Mogul Village – hike to Zhnyryk Yurt Camp (10km), overnight in yurt camp.
• Day 4: Tulpar Kul – hike to Lenin Peak Base Camp and Traveler’s Pass (20km), overnight in yurt camp.
• Day 5: Tajikistan border crossing – Karakul Lake, overnight in guesthouse.
• Day 6: Ortoboz Pass hike (11km) – Murghab, overnight in guesthouse.
• Day 7: Murghab -Tuzkol Lake – Maljura (hot springs), overnight in yurt camp.
• Day 8: Maljura -Langar (Wakhan Valley), overnight in homestay.
• Day 9: Day hike to Engel’s Peak Hike (18,5 km) in Wakhan Valley, overnight in homestay.
• Day 10: Wakhan Valley – Ishkashim – Khorog, overnight in hotel.
• Day 11: Khorog – hike into Jizeu Valley (7km), overnight in homestay.
• Day 12: Hike back from Jizeu Valley (7km) – Kalaikhum, overnight in guesthouse.
• Day 13: Kalaikhum – Dushanbe, overnight in hotel.

Days 14-17: Fann Mountains Lakes & Mountain Trekking

• Day 14: Dushanbe – Iskanderkul Lake – village near Artuch (Fann Mountains), overnight in homestay.
• Day 15: Trek Artuch – Kulikalon Lakes – Bibijannat Lake (10km), overnight in tent.
• Day 16: Trek Bibijannat Lake – Alaudin Pass – Alaudin Lake (8km), overnight in tent.
• Day 17: Trek Alaudin Lake to Vertical Base (3km) – Return to Dushanbe, overnight in hotel.
• (Day 18: Departure from Dushanbe)

Note: Distances, hiking times and elevation figures are approximate. Weather, river levels, trail conditions, the condition of the group and local circumstances may require the guides to adjust the route.

Day 1: ARRIVAL IN OSH & guided city tour

Welcome to Osh, Kyrgyzstan! Our driver will meet you upon your arrival at the International Airport in Osh and transfer you to the hotel (check-in available from 1pm).

The Highlights of Tajikistan Tour officially begins at 2 pm. A local guide will welcome you and the group at the hotel to take you on a guided tour around Osh during which you’ll visit the market and the Sulaiman Mountain.

After the city tour, your tour guide will meet you and the group in the early evening for a briefing and dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals included: none
Accommodation: Shared twin room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower

Day 2: OSH – Izumrudnoe Lake (hike) – SARY Mogul Village

Driving time: 5 hours Hiking distance: 8km Hiking time: 4 hours

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we pack our belongings in the 4×4 jeeps and start our adventure! We leave Osh and soon find ourselves travelling along the Pamir Highway towards Sary Mogul. Enjoy the ride as the drive is already very scenic!

Halfway through the drive, we stop for a hike to the beautiful Izumrudnoe Lake. We’ll have a picnic at the lake and hike back to the car and continue the drive to Sary Mogul.

We arrive at Sary Mogul Village (3000m) in the early evening and enjoy the incredible views of the +7000-meter high snow-capped Pamir Mountains in the distance. We settle into the family-run guesthouse and enjoy a homemade dinner.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower.

Day 3: SARY-MOGUL VILLAGE – Hike to Zhnyryk Yurt Camp

Hiking distance: 10km Hiking time: 4 hours Ascent: +300m

Today, we go on an easy 4-hour hike from Sary-Mogul Village to the Zhnyryk Valley to get acclimatized to the altitude. While we walk along the river shores, we enjoy the expansive view over the Alay Valley and the snowcapped Pamir-Alay mountain ranges in the distance.

Along the way, we see many yurt camp settlements of nomadic shepherds and their herds of cows, horses, sheep and yaks. Some might even invite us over for a chat and a cup of tea!

We arrive at Zhnyryk Yurt Camp (3300m) in the afternoon where we settle into our yurts and take the time to enjoy the peace and quiet and observe-or perhaps even join in- the daily activities of the Kyrgyz semi-nomadic families.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared space in yurt.
Facilities: Outdoor toilets.

Day 4: Zhnyryk Yurt Camp – TULPAR-KUL – day Hike to PEAK LENIN BASECAMP and TRAVELLER’S PASS

Driving time: 2 hours Hiking distance: 20km Hiking time: 6 hours Ascent: +760m Descent: -760m

After breakfast at the yurt camp, we go on a 2-hour drive to Tulpar-Kul lake (3500m). After our arrival at a local yurt camp, we start hiking towards Lenin Peak Basecamp (3600m).

Once we pass the tents of big mountaineering companies at the base camp, we take the trail leading to Traveller’s Pass (4,150 meters). The path goes slowly up except for the last 20 minutes where it becomes a steep zigzag trail that ends up on the mountain pass.

We have a picnic at Traveller’s Pass where we enjoy the magnificent views of glaciers tumbling off the massive Lenin Peak (7,134 meters), which is the highest peak of the Pamir-Alay Mountains.

After lunch, we return to Tulpar Kul by walking the same trail back. We have dinner at the yurt camp and spend our last night in the Alay Mountains there.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared space in yurt.
Facilities: Outdoor toilets.

Day 5: TULPAR KOL LAKE – BORDER CROSSING into Tajikistan – KARAKUL LAKE

Driving time: 3-4 hours (excluding border crossing time)

After breakfast at the yurt camp, we get in the jeeps and say goodbye to Kyrgyzstan. We drive for about 2 hours to the land border with Tajikistan. Border controls and passport checks may take some time, but once we pass the checkpoint, we officially enter Tajikistan.

We drive for another hour and marvel at the phenomenal landscapes until we arrive at a small village near the shores of Karakul Lake (3960m). Karakul has a diameter of 25 km and was formed by the impact of a large meteorite.

After checking in at a local guesthouse, we have the rest of the afternoon free to go on a walk around the lake and visit the small town to get a feel of the living conditions in this area. We return to the guesthouse in the evening for a home-cooked meal.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Electricity, no wi-fi, no hot shower

day 6: KARAKUL LAKE – Hike to ORTOBOZ PASS – MURGhAB

Driving time: 3 hours Hiking distance: 11 km  Hiking time: 5 hours  Ascent: +900m  Descent: -900m

After having breakfast at the guesthouse, we pack our stuff and get in the car to make the 10-minute drive from Karakul Lake to the starting point of the hike (4150m) to Ortoboz Pass, located at 5041 meters!

We walk the first half of the hike through grassy meadows and the second half on rocky ground. After reaching the 5,041-metre pass, we celebrate our accomplishment and take in the panoramic views of the surrounding Pamir Mountains.

We make the descent back to the jeeps and continue our road trip along the Pamir Highway. We finish the day in Murghab, the highest town in Tajikistan at 3650m above sea level, where we spend the night at a guesthouse.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Electricity, wi-fi, hot shower

Day 7: Murghab – Tuzkol Lake – Yurt Camp MaljuraN (with hot springs)

Driving time: 4 hours

Today you’ll have some free time to catch up on some rest or explore Murghab village and stock up on any last-minute things you may need. 

During the 4-hour drive, you’ll see sweeping mountainous vistas of the Murghab district. Keep your eyes peeled for snow leopards and Marco Polo sheep! These rare and protected animals roam wildly in these mountains. 

As we venture into arid and rocky terrain, we’ll delve further into a really remote part of Tajikistan which has lots of geothermal activity! We’ll stop at Tuzkol Salt Lake and take in its azure-tinted waters. 

Yurt Camp Maljuran is nestled in a valley beside the Alichur River. The site rests near some beautiful hot springs. You can take a soothing bath in the camp’s home-built pool heated by the geothermal activity before dinner!

Your form of entertainment tonight is the stars. On a clear night, the sky is spectacular! It’s recommended to sleep on the yurt camp floor here because it’s so cozy and warm from the natural heat.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared space in yurt.
Facilities: Hot springs, outdoor toilet.

Day 8: Yurt Camp Maljuran – LANGAR

Driving time: 6 hours

After an early breakfast at the yurt camp, we drive up to the Kargush Pass (4344m) and then descend to Langar, where you’ll see a myriad of Martian-like landscapes and striking views of Pakistan’s Hindu Kush Mountains.

We’ll next enter a green oasis, and this is where the Pamir and Wakhan rivers come together to form the Panj River, dividing Afghanistan and Tajikistan. We spend the evening and have dinner at a homestay in Langar village (1436m).

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in homestay.
Facilities: Electricity, no wi-fi, hot shower

day 9: day hike to Engels Peak

Hiking distance: 18,5 km  Hiking time: 9 hours  Ascent: +783m  Descent: -783m

We leave Langar early today to drive to the start of one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the entire Wakhan Valley: the 9-hour return hike to the 4000m-high meadows at the base of Engels Peak, nestled in the Pamir Mountains!

The trail goes slowly up and although it can be a challenging hike at times, the views of the Wakhan Valley, the snow-covered Hindu Kush Mountains and the villages along the Panj River are exceptional and make it all worth it!

We hike all the way to the Engels Peak basecamp (5 hours) and enjoy lunch at the edge of a lake in the meadows.

We return by the same route (4 hours). In the evening, we stay at the same homestay in Langar.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in homestay.
Facilities: Electricity, no wi-fi, hot shower

Day 10: LANGAR – YAMCHUN FORTRESS – ISHKASHIM VILLAGE – KHOROG

Driving time: 6 hours

Today is a driving day so you can relax after the long hike from yesterday. After having breakfast in our homestay, we pack up our belongings and continue our road adventure on the Pamir Highway. We make a little side trip to visit the 12th-century old Yamchun Fortress and have one last amazing view over the Wakhan Valley from the edge of the fortress.

We return to the main road and spend the rest of the day driving along the Pamir Highway. We stop at the Khakha Fortress near the village of Ishkashim to stretch our legs and optionally visit the ruins

We arrive in the city of Khorog (2200m), famous for being a gateway into Afghanistan, in the afternoon. After we check into our hotel, we spend the rest of the day visiting the interesting Regional Museum and the Central Park. We go for an evening walk in the Khorog Botanical Garden and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Electricity, wi-fi, hot shower

Day 11: Khorog – Jizeu Valley – hike to Jizeu Village

Driving time: 3 hours Hiking distance: 7 km  Hiking time: 2 hours 

Today we drive for about 3 hours towards the Bartang Valley. Our jeeps drop us off at the trailhead to the Jizeu Valley from where we go on a 2-hour hike to the remote Jizeu Village (2700m). As there are no roads in the village, the jeeps can’t come along so we need to pack a daypack with gear for one night. The rest of our belongings stay safely in the jeeps with the drivers.

We’ll walk along the river while enjoying the views along the way. The Jizeu Valley is a very isolated area and barely gets visited by tourists. We arrive in the village for lunch and settle into several small homestays. As each homestay has limited space, the group may be divided between different families for the night.

After we’re settled in our homestay, we go for a walk around the lake near the village and get a feel of the local culture in this wild and remote community.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in homestay.
Facilities: Limited to no electricity, no wi-fi, no hot shower.

Day 12: Jizeu Village – Kalaikhum

Driving time: 6 hours Hiking distance: 7 km  Hiking time: 2 hours 

After having breakfast at the homestay, we return on foot to the place where the jeeps dropped us off yesterday.

We get in the jeeps and drive the rest of the day on the Pamir Highway. The road follows partly the Panj River where we get gorgeous vistas of the Vanj Valley until the road widens up and continues along the Afghan border until we reach Kalaikhum (1268m) where we spend the night at a hotel and have dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals included: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Shared room in guesthouse.
Facilities: Electricity, wi-fi, hot shower.

Day 13: Kalaikhum – Dushanbe

Driving time: 6 hours

Today is the last day of our epic road trip along the Pamir Highway! We drive the last 350 km to Dushanbe, following the Panj River and passing numerous small villages along the way. We enjoy the spectacular views of deep rocky valleys while driving up the Shurobod Pass (2126m).

We have a lunch break at a chaikana, local café, in the village of Kulab. We continue the drive and stretch our legs while visiting the 11th-century Hulbuk Palace before we arrive in Dushanbe (800m), the capital of Tajikistan, in the early evening. Welcome back to civilization! We check-in our hotel, enjoy a proper hot shower, connect to the Wi-Fi to let our loved ones know we’re still alive, and have dinner in the city.

Note: This is the final day for travellers who only want to join the 13-day tour. They can depart from Dushanbe on Day 14. A driver will transfer you to the international airport in Dushanbe. Many international flights leave shortly after midnight or early in the morning, so departing during the night between Day 13 and Day 14 is also possible. Otherwise, you can enjoy breakfast at the hotel before your airport transfer.

Travellers who are joining the full tour continue together on the morning of Day 14 to the Fann Mountains (see below).

Meals included: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower.

Day 14: Onwards to the Fann Mountains: Dushanbe – Iskanderkul Lake – Artuch

Driving time: 4 hours Hiking distance: 3.5 km  Hiking time: 1-2 hours  Ascent: +300m  Descent: -300m

After spending the night in Dushanbe, we trade the city for the mountains again. This time we’re heading towards the stunning Fann Mountains. On the way, we take a side trip to visit Iskanderkul Lake (2195m). This alpine lake is surrounded by beautifully-shaped rocky peaks and on a sunny day, the crystal-clear turquoise water contrasts with the red rocks of the mountain slopes.

We have lunch and go for a walk around the lake before continuing our drive toward a village near Artuch located at 1848m at the foot of the Fann Mountains. We arrive in the afternoon at the family-run homestay in the village. You have the rest of the afternoon free to enjoy a walk around the village to get a feel of the daily life of the local residents before we have dinner at our homestay.

Meals included: Breakfast, dinner.
Accommodation: Shared room in homestay.
Facilities: electricity, limited Wi-Fi, hot shower

Day 15: Trekking day 1: Artuch – KULIKALON LAKEs – BIBIJANNAT LAKE

Hiking distance: 10 km  Hiking time: 5-6 hours  Ascent: +1123m  Descent: -372m

After our breakfast at the guesthouse, we get ready to start the 3-day trek in the Fann Mountains. We start the trek from Artuch and follow the trail upwards along the river.

We turn right into the gorge at the junction of three valleys and follow the trail gradually to the top of the Chukurak Pass (3106m). On the pass, we get treated to a magnificent view of Kulikalon Lakes at the foot of Chimtarga Peak, which at 5,489 metres is the highest mountain in the Fann Mountains.

After our break at Chukurak Pass, we hike south-east towards the foot of the Alaudin Pass where we set up camp on the shores of Bibijannat Lake (3000m). We enjoy our camp dinner while marveling at the spectacular lanscapes surrounding the turquoise lake.

Important: The exact hiking route might be adjusted by the guide, with safety, group and weather conditions as the main priorities.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Tent.
Facilities: None

Day 16: Trekking day 2: Bibijannat lake – alaudin Pass – Alaudin Lake

Hiking distance: 8 km  Hiking time: 6-7 hours  Ascent: +900m  Descent: -1000m

We pack up our camp in the morning and continue our trek through the Fann Mountains. We follow the trail climbing east between craggy mountain walls to the summit of Alaudin Pass at 3770 meters. While hiking up, we enjoy the views of stunning snow-capped peaks and alpine lakes reflecting the mountains.

We reach the summit after 4 hours of hiking and enjoy the stunning scenery of the Chapdara Peak and the surrounding mountains. After our picnic, we descend steeply towards Alaudin Lake (2800m). We set up camp on the shore of the lake where we enjoy our dinner and another night underneath the starry sky.

Important: The exact hiking route might be adjusted by the guide, with safety, group and weather conditions as the main priorities.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Accommodation: Tent.
Facilities: None

Day 17: Alaudin Lake – Base Camp – Dushanbe

Hiking distance: 3 km  Hiking time: 2 hours Driving time: 5 hours

After an early breakfast, we get ready to make our last hike in the Fann Mountains. We hike the final kilometres to Vertical Base Camp, where our drivers are waiting to take us back to Dushanbe.

We arrive in the early evening in Dushanbe where we take a much-needed hot shower at the hotel. We have one last dinner in the city to say goodbye to our amazing group of friends.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.
Accommodation: Shared room in hotel.
Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, hot shower.

(Day 18: Departure from Dushanbe)

Our driver will transfer you to the international airport in Dushanbe. Many international flights leave shortly after midnight or early in the morning, so departing during the night between Day 17 and Day 18 is also possible. Otherwise, you can enjoy breakfast at the hotel before your airport transfer.