Finding a consistently reliable tour operator in the Pamirs has been a struggle for us. We have searched a long time to find a pearl like Khudik among the many fly-by-night cowboys. A real Pamiri, his humble nature does not allow him to advertise himself much. His company was established in 2012.
The ever-shifting landscape of loyalties among Pamir Highway drivers and mountain guides can be extremely confusing for an outsider. We are so happy that Khudik knows them all, many since childhood. He can judge who might not show up because he attended a wedding last night, who drives more sedate and who is more fun around young travelers.
Trained by our Kyrgyz partner Sergey, Khudik can customize every part of your journey: from bare-bones budget journeys to as-luxurious-as-it-gets in the Pamir (hint: it’s not Dubai). Like us, he understands everybody is a bit different, and he is happy to work with you on a tailor-made trip.
Contact him for a quote if you want to experience a jeep tour on the Pamir highway or a cultural trip or trekking expedition in Pamir or Fann mountains. Khudik can also arrange day trips to Afghanistan.
Thanks for you, we had a great time.Especially, we’re very lucky to have a perfect driver. Alisher was the best I’ve ever met.I’m so grateful for what you’ve done for us. can’t thank you enough :)
See Hyun K from Korea
Had a fantastic trip from Dushanbe to Qalai Khumb and back thanks to Khudoguy and his amazing team. They were super easy to work with, and I got a great vehicle for driving through some rough terrain. Khudoguy was also able to arrange a hotel room for me at a hotel that I couldn’t get booked into on my own. He and his team made sure I had a trouble-free trip, and I got to see some of the most incredible scenery in the world.
Would definitely recommend this company.
Christopher Matthews from Canada
I rented a car for a self driving tour of Tajikistan. I had an absolutely stellar experience with them: the car was in great working condition; the communication with the team was perfect and they provided me with the support and information I needed for the trip; pick up and drop off of the car was also simple and efficient. I would recommend using them for any trip in Central Asia and I am looking forward to coming back to the region and using the services again.
Ivan from Bulgaria
We had an unforgettable Pamir Highway adventure, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the exceptional service from this travel agency. Khudoguy, the owner, took care of every detail, from arranging a reliable car for the rugged roads to booking comfortable accommodations. Their responsiveness and support were remarkable. Thanks to their help, we were able to fully enjoy the stunning landscapes and local culture.
If you’re planning a trip to Tajikistan, I highly recommend this agency for an incredible experience.
Stasa from Poland
The whole experience was absolutely seamless. During the booking process, Khudoguy, the director of the agency, always responded quickly and answered all of our (many many) questions. The tour itself was absolutely amazing! Our driver (Kom) and our French speaking guide (Dushanbe) were simply the best, always making sure we had everything we needed, and both super funny and lovely guys.The prices offered by the agency are also a bit better than some other agencies for similar services, making it a very good choice. All in all, it was perfect and we can’t wait to come back one day!
Mathilde from France
Myself and two others took a 9-day tour to the Pamir Mountains / GBAO Region with Roof of the World Travel. We organised it through Khudoguy who was very helpful at all times, adjusting our proposed route where necessary due to the winter conditions. Khudoguy also arranged a GBAO permit for one of our group in advance of our arrival in Dushanbe.Our driver was Alisher (Ali) and he was absolutely superb. He was full of knowledge and stories for us about the region (he grew up in Khorog). Ali led the hikes up to Yamchun Fortress, Qaha Fortress, and onto the frozen Karakul Lake, as well as suggesting some nice places to take photos. He also had a good eye for spotting wildlife, such as eagles and Marco Polo sheep. Ali also helped register one of our group who arrived on the visa-free scheme at the local OVIR office (required for anyone who is staying in Tajikistan longer than 10 working days).We had a fantastic time and would recommend Roof of the World Travel to anyone planning a trip to the Pamirs.
Kai Kim from Korea
Dear Khudoguy,
Having returned to the Netherlands (after some long delays in both Tashkent and Istanbul) I would like to thank you and your staff for organising our trip to the Pamir Highway as well as the trip from Dushanbe to the Uzbek border. Both my nephew Casper and myself very much appreciated the services of your company in geheral and those of Jamal in particular. He proved to be a careful and knowledgeable driver.
Best regards,
Erik
I just rented a Landcruiser from Khudoguy for a 2 week solo road trip through the Pamir Highway. The car was well-equipped and handled the tough roads really well. Khudoguy was super responsive throughout the process: when exploring options before booking, when I had some questions about the car while on the road. He was flexible on payments in advance when I had trouble finding a working option from my base in the middle east. I was very appreciative.
All in all, a great experience with Khudoguy!
Rented a car with Khudoguy last 2 weeks with 3 other friends. Already planning this trip for 4 years, but there where several problems in Tajikistan (covid, riots Khorog etc). Every time contact was very reliable with Khudoguy. Last 2 weeks were fantastic, car is really fit for the Pamir highway. Thanks for everything Khudoguy
If you want to travel on your own account to the Roof of the world and be sure you have the best preparation and a good car ad your disposal, get in touch with Khudoguy! He made it possible for me to travel with my 2 kids in Tajikistan on the Pamir Highway and Wakhan Valley and have a really exceptional travel experience. He is a reliable, trustworthy and experienced entrepreneur and almost make the impossible possible.
Thank you so much again Khudoguy.
Frank Verbrugge from Netherlands
Hired a Land Cruiser for a 12 day self drive tour of the Pamirs. Car was in great condition with good tires. Air con. Comfortable. Khudoguy was available if needed and speaks excellent English. Buy a Bluetooth adapter to listen to music.
A professional company. Recommended.
Armitage from UK
Excellent company, reliable, with good communication with the client, friendly and on time in each response. Highly recommended.
I took a trip from Dushanbe to Khorog and back.
They programmed everything required for it.
Nicolás from Argentina
Dear Khudoguy, We just wanted to say thank you. We had such an amazing time in Tajikistan. Your country is stunning. Umeda, our English guide, was absolutely perfect, she is so knowledgeable, kind and always incredibly helpful. She was always available and ready to make us happy, we think she is a real national treasure. Kushruz is an amazing driver, we always felt safe even in the most difficult roads and always ready to help.We had a memorable time in Tajikistan, especially among the kind and welcoming people of the Pamir. Your country is beautiful and we hoe to be back. If we are we are definitely going to use you again.
Elisabetta and Dudley from UK
Khudoguy is a perfect travel agent, very confident and responsive. We’ve rented Toyota 4Runner for Pamir Highway trip, the car was in good condition, no issue. By the way look like it’s the only option for self-drive ride car rent for the whole country =)
Сергей Терещенко from Russia
Hello Khudoguy, On behalf of our group, we would like to thank you for your services and support during our holiday in Tadzhikistan. We have enjoyed it a lot. Special thanks to Komron who managed that we felt comfortable during our whole stay and who did for us also may things beyond his duties. He took care of our sick fellow, managed his hospital treatment and organized an alternative program for him. At last, but not least we would also like to thank you for the well-organized trip to Samarkand. We really appreciate your professional attitude and we will recommend your services to our friends. We would be glad if we could stay in touch with you.
Best regards,
Iva Košek Bartošová from Czeck republic
We were focused on the Pamirs, but arranged to be met at the Uzbek border down to Dushanbe as well. We’re short on time so needed a car and driver and itinerary.Everything was great from start to finish, very clear itinerary, what was included and where and when. The driver was fantastic, spoke a little English and Russian but communicated really well and took car of is the whole trip.The Pamirs, are fantastic. All along the Afghanistan border where the Tajik Pamir people live is breathtakingly beautiful and wonderfully friends and hospitable. The. The high Pamirs are stark but striking with Kyrgyz people I’m the majority and equally welcoming.The homestays are basic, but clean, welcoming and so hospitable. The roads are rough and some roadworks or landslides can cause delays, so be prepared. Download a translator as the internet coverage is patchy. Thoroughly recommend using Khudoguy for this amazing place and allow as much time as you possibly can. Be clear on your itinerary as there’s only so much you can fit in with the travel time. Don’t skip the Wakhan corridor, it’s the highlight.
Peter from China
Dear Khudik, I came back home a few days ago. I would like to thank you for organising a good trip for me. Everything was good, cars, drivers, and accommodations were good. Tajikistan has a very beautiful nature and rich culture, and I enjoyed the trip very much. Hope to have a chance to visit Tajikistan one more time. Thank you for everything.🙏
I rented a Land Cruiser. There are very few options self drive rental cars in Tajikistan. Khudoguy whom I dealt with was professional and quick to respond. I arranged my rental in advance (highly recommended). The vehicle was in great mechanical condition, clean and highly reliable. Khudoguy has a network of contacts throughout the country should you have any issues. The price for rental is fair, similar to what I would expect to pay in America. Perhaps there are lower cost options but you get what you pay for…Tajikistan roads are rough. Self driving through the country was an experience of a lifetime and they made it happen for me.
Brett from USA
We rented a car from Khudoguy for two weeks to travel through Tajikistan on the Pamir highway.
From the first contact onwards we had a really good feeling with him. Khudoguy is super responsive and helpful as he answered all our questions we had before booking. He also arranged the GBAO permit for us in advance to save us some hassle once in Tajikistan. We got a Toyota Land Cruiser 105 in good condition and the handover of the car went really smooth. The car was well equipped with the tools needed for changing tyres and we got two extra ones. Khudoguy also helped us with the registration for Tajikistan when we arrived in Dushanbe so we didn’t have to go to an immigration office. The trip itself was incredibly amazing and the Toyota is perfect for the sometimes rough road conditions. Even when we had some problems with the car batteries Khudoguy was super quick in replying and helping us to get new batteries and in no time we could continue our journey.
So if you’re planning to travel through this amazing country with its incredibly friendly people and jaw dropping landscape by car, Khudoguy is your guy ;)
Khudoguy is super reliable and trustworthy. He helped us organise our Pamir permit without any complications. We just picked it up when we arrived in Dushanbe. Would highly recommend his service. He also gave us valuable tips for the Pamirs. Thank you!
We rented a car from Khudoguy to drive the Pamir highway. Not only was everything smooth with the rental, he was also very helpful in solving problems along the way and booking accommodation. Would definitely recommend.
Ben Lewis from US
Had a fantastic tour through Tajikistan and the Pamir highway thanks to Khudoguy and his team. They made sure that everything was looked after, and that I had a great vehicle for exploring some rough terrain. I did a self-drive option and they advised me on things to see and do and even helped me with a tricky hotel booking. Super impressed with their professionalism, their communication, and the overall package. I’d definitely recommend them!
Beautiful two week tour from the Yagnob valley to the Pamir. The organization of the trip was not easy but it was perfect. Great availability and seriousness from all the staff who followed us throughout the trip. Thanks and see you next time.
Alessandro from Italy
Besides being helped with the Gbao permit, we were lent a perfect car for the Tajiks (off) roads. Tks
Khudoguy was our first contact in Tajikistan and he was very helpful. Quick response, giving go tips and helping us manage our trip.
The car he managed was very reliable, no problems during our 2 weeks trip. Roads in the Pamirs are very tough and the car performed very well. It was perfect and very confortable.
Recommended!
I just got back from a 12 day tour in the Pamirs with Khudoguy’s company and it was fantastic. From the beginning everything was done professionally and correspondence worked well. It being the time of Covid we had plenty of logistics questions to ask about getting in and out of the country and Khudik was always responsive.In particular I can recommend our guide, Artasher, who was excellent, and our driver Kom. The tour was planned with plenty of things to do each day, but it wasn’t overwhelming. The car was comfortable and everything was arranged. We were three young(ish) travellers so Artasher stayed flexible in letting us have a bit of adventure and freedom when we wanted it as well.I would wholeheartedly recommend Khudik’s service to anyone wanting to go to the Pamirs.
We contacted Khudik to fast track our Visa approval for Tadjikistan. Khudik was very helpful and understanding. All happened as per what was agreed. Very satisfied. Would highly recommend.
The tour on the Pamir highway with a private driver was really well planned and we had a really good time. Our driver was competent and there were no problems on the way.
Highly recommended!
Stefano from Italy
From Khudik we hired a 4WD and an English-speaking guide/driver called Davlat to tour the areas around Dushanbe. Both were perfect for our needs. Davlat was knowledgeable, good company, extremely helpful and made our week’s stay an absolute pleasure. The process of hiring the vehicle was mostly straightforward (making the deposit payment was tricky) but Khurdoguy was extremely helpful and responsive throughout the process. I strongly recommend his services and would happily use him again.
Khudik and his team are amazing. We rented a 4×4 from him for a self drive trip of the Tajik Wakhan and the Pamir Highway. Communication was excellent, super flexible and fast, car in good condition despite the terrible Tajik roads. Khudik arranged for our visas to be processed quickly also. Highly recommend Khudik and his colleagues!
Dear Khudoguy,
Having returned to the Netherlands (after some long delays in both Tashkent and Istanbul) I would like to thank you and your staff for organising our trip to the Pamir Highway as well as the trip from Dushanbe to the Uzbek border. Both my nephew Casper and myself very much appreciated the services of your company in general and those of Jamal in particular. He proved to be a careful and knowledgeable driver.
Best regards,
Erik from Netherlands
Myself and two others took a 9-day tour to the Pamir Mountains / GBAO Region with Khudik, who was very helpful at all times, adjusting our proposed route where necessary due to the winter conditions. Khudik also arranged a GBAO permit for one of our group in advance of our arrival in Dushanbe.
Our driver was Alisher (Ali) and he was absolutely superb. He was full of knowledge and stories for us about the region (he grew up in Khorog). Ali led the hikes up to Yamchun Fortress, Qaha Fortress, and onto the frozen Karakul Lake, as well as suggesting some nice places to take photos. He also had a good eye for spotting wildlife, such as eagles and Marco Polo sheep. Ali also helped register one of our group who arrived on the visa-free scheme at the local OVIR office (required for anyone who is staying in Tajikistan longer than 10 working days).
We had a fantastic time and would recommend Khudik to anyone planning a trip to the Pamirs.
My family of 5 visited Central Asia in Aug 2022 from the US and we were very pleased with the service we got from his company. Khudoguy is a great source of information on the region and proved to be a trustworthy partner. He speaks and writes excellent English. He was always prompt and attentive, which are important when you travel to far away locations such as the Pamir highway. I would totally recommend this outfit without hesitation. They helped make our trip a success.
Fred from CT, USA
Highly reliable, trustworthy, and truly caring – these are the words with which I would characterize the whole team. My partner and me took a two-week trip to Pamir in July of 2022. We had an absolutely wonderful knowledgeable and resourceful driver, Kamrun. Our experience was amazing on every level.Moreover, since I’m bilingual, I had a chance to witness and translate when other clients – both those who rented cars and who, like us, were traveling with a driver needed help from Khodoguy’s team on issues that weren’t even necessarily within the team’s responsibilities. Regardless, the team’s response was always immediate and to the point. Any and all issues were solved with great care and effectiveness.In other words, I could not recommend The Roof of the World more highly.
Lenny from USA
Khudik is a trustworthy, good soul—and most importantly, his vehicles can go the distance.
Our ten day tour of the Pamir through Khudik was well thought out and completely amazing. Khudoguy provides outstanding tours that make it clear he thoroughly understands the this unique, special region. Memories will remain with us forever. Thank you!
Tajikistan is not an easy country to visit with confusing rules and the situation on the ground constantly being upended. One must be prepared for the unexpected and willing to go with the flow. But Khudoguy took much of the craziness out of visiting and touring his country and made it much smoother than it otherwise would have been. My advice is to do the research, adjust for unexpected when it inevitably occurs, and choose Khudoguy to help make it less bumpy. The Pamir is amazing.
professional car . everithing perfect. we rent a big jeep. a must for the pamir area. nice rental staff and helpfull. i recomand. david from france.
We were planning a trip in 2021 with a Landcruiser from Khudik. Did all the payment and everything was set. Rules according Covid changed rapidly, so we canceled the trip.
After 5 days we got all the money back. Very good, very good communication, and planning for the next trip (of course the same) with Khudik. Very reliable.
Looking forward to our next trip!
Really thank you Khudogouy and the rest of the staff of his company for securing an unforgettable stay and trip along the Pamirs! Your vast experience, professionalism and great sense of humor and flexibility really turned the travel into an incredible memory that will stay with us forever!
Renting a car in Tadjikistan may be the best idea to visit the country. You can take your time, stop whenever you want and it’s easy to have interactions with local people. The Toyota Land Cruiser we rent from Khudik was very strong and resists perfectly to the roughness of the Pamiri roads. Very reliable car and renting company ! We rented the car for 10 days, which was a bit short in my opinion. The best would be for at least 14 days. Go for it and you won’t regret
Off to Tajikistan in October 2021.
Khudik has been excellent and very efficient. My highest recommendation.
Greetings Alex
We really liked Badachshan with all the nice people and the mountains and the Kishlaks. And of course with our driver, who was always nice and helping. Best wishes to all people and many thanks for your exzellent trip. It was a great pleasure, to be here. Thank you and Orzu very much.
We’ve visited Tajikistan in mid july 2021, Khudik arranged for us a 4×4 car with a very nice driver Fez for an amazing day trip to Iskanderkul. Thank you for your help and great service!
Hi it has been a super good experience the car was in a perfect condition and we can really recommend to hire a car from Khudik
I would absolutely recommend Khudik for anyone interested in coming to Tajikistan, Khudoguy is a very professional and efficient operator and was able to resolve on ongoing issue I had in such an efficient and quick way
Nous avons louer une voiture via khudik. Tout s’est passé parfaitement. Pleins de conseils dès que nous avions besoin, la voiture était super, en bon état. Et heureusement car le pamir c’est wild !
Khudik a été aussi très efficace et réactif pour les visas, notamment en cette période de covid, où tout est plus compliqué !
Bref merci khudik et merci caravanistan pour cette rencontre.
Je recontacterai khudik pour mes prochains voyages au Tadjikistan !
Khudik helped me out. Communication was good and professional. He responded very quickly and everything was arranged within one day. I would certainly recommend.
Top-notch service from “Top of the World” travel! Thank you Khudik for your assistance. Your fast, professional service was very appreciated!
We found Khudik through caravanistan. Ever since we got in touch, he has been prompt and clear in communication. Our car, guide and drivers were all great. The choice of homestay and food was amazing. 10/10 would recommend!
I found Khudik here when I visited Dushanbe. I’m glad that Khudik was super responsive and quickly arranged a car rental for my Pamir trip. I had a great time on M41 for three days with his Toyota 4Runner. He checked the car carefully and gave me tons of information about driving in winter M41 (quite challenging) that kept me safe. We also chatted a lot about the tourism in Pamir and Tajikistan while returning the car. I would definitely ask Khudik again next time for the whole Pamir trip, and highly recommend to everyone interested in self-driving in Tajikistan.
Recently (September, 2019) completed a 10 day Pamir Highway scheduled group tour with Khudik. An incredible experience. Landcruiser was in great shape. The drivers were safe & professional. There were 5 of us in the vehicle, full complement, comfortable & close, but great people (random) with whom to travel. Advantages were, the experience of the drivers and company and the scheduled departure dates.
I went on the fixed group tour for 10 days from Dushanbe to Osh leaving on August 2nd 2019. I was fortunate that two other people also signed up for the trip. The good companionship was much appreciated, and of course it also made the trip more affordable.
Khudoguy was in regular contact in the months leading up to the trip to update us and check that we were all ok with visas. Deposit payment was complicated – the simplest system is probably to pay via Western Union.
There were some aspects of the trip that we asked to change during the journey. Khudoguy was very flexible and did all he could to accommodate us.
We had two drivers. Our main driver, who was with us for eight days, was Kumran. He was friendly, cheerful, helpful and professional. Unfortunately, none of that can be said for our second driver from Murghab to Osh. The consolation was that he was only with us for two days.
Most homestays were comfortable. However, Jizew and Bulunkal only had communal village toilets – impossible to reach in time if you are not well!
The food in the homestays is much better than you will find on the road. In many roadside restaurants food is prepared and left for the flies to ravage. All of us were ill at some stage, including the two local drivers. It really is worth stocking up with sealed foods before you go.
AMS can be problematic as you will be sleeping at 3800 m in Bulunkal (and similar altitudes at Murghab and Karakol) having only been at 2900 m the night before in Langar. Well over the 300 m maximum increase usually recommended above 3000m.
You will be amazed by the breathtaking scenery and the kindly hospitality of the Pamiri people. This is a little explored corner of the World which is well worth the effort to visit, but come prepared.
Best trip ever!
Osh- Dushanbe was trip Of Our life.
Nice accomodation, tour was complete.
Very professional staff.
Hope that see U again soon
Khudoguy and his really excellent driver/guide, Jamol showed us a great adventure travelling Osh – Dushanbe starting 12 May. Snow and cold initially then more warm, lush and green as we hit the valleys towards Khorog etc. We recommend to take the Afghanistan ‘detour’ and it is not necessary to always commence at Dushanbe as many seem to do.
Thanks very much.
Robert and David
Our experience with Khudik was FANTASTIC! He was incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and flexible. Our trip was scheduled for the week after the cyclists were killed in Tajikistan and so we were a bit concerned just before flying off etc. Khudik kept us up to date and provided us with the information we needed to go on with the trip with peace of mind. Could not recommend him enough. The only bummer was that after months of corresponding with him that we didn’t get to meet him (he sent his brother to meet us and pick up the $$). Fantastic trip!
We, a group of four solo travellers, organized a nine day trip from Osh to Khorog with Khudik, and overall it was a very good experience. I was initially very nervous about sending the down payment by Western Union, but Khudik communicated well about this and made it a low stress experience. We were originally a group of two, but we added two more travelers one day before leaving Osh, and Khudik was able to accommodate this. He added an extra fee for this, which was a bit frustrating, but it was still by far the lowest price for a nine day, custom tour that we could find. Our driver, Jenish, did not speak much English, but he was the funniest and friendliest man. He took us to several locations far off the beaten path (even for the Pamirs), and all of the home stays he arranged were fantastic. A highlight was staying with his family for two days in Murghab, where he made us traditional Pamiri food and suggested an amazing two day trek in the Murghab valley.
Anyways, thank you for everything you do with Caravanistan! The website was amazing, and I definitely could not have planned my trip without it.
Khudik organised my 10 day Pamir Highway trip, which commenced in Dushanbe on September 19, 2018 and concluded in Osh on September 28, 2018. In all matters prior to the trip, I found Khudik to be very prompt in his replies and very amenable to any requested changes to the itinerary.
I had 3 drivers and 3 cars for my trip. On the first day, it was Khudik’s brother, but that was only a fill in for part of day one. I had expected to be travelling on the southern route to Kalai Khum, but was told as the northern route was more spectacular, we would be using that route. I later discovered that the real reason was to meet a group of 4 Belgians who had requested using that route for their return leg to Dushanbe. At some point about 5-6 hours from Dushanbe, I changed car and drivers with the Belgian group. They went back to Dushanbe with Khudik’s brother and I went on to Kalai Khum with Ali as my driver.
Ali was my driver for 3 and a bit days and then in Khorog, I was informed at short notice that I was going in another car, supposedly better equipped for handling snow which had fallen around the Tajikistan/Kyrgzstan border. My new driver was Sali and he took me to Osh.
Sali was an excellent driver, very careful, respectful and I always felt safe with him. Importantly, he drove with both hands on the wheel and rarely used his mobile phone whilst driving, and never for texting (very common in Central Asia). He had only started learning English in 2017, but I found if I spoke slowly, he understood everything I asked. He gave me the feeling that he was looking after me and that he felt responsible for my welfare and my enjoyment of the trip.
All the accommodation (with one exception, all homestays) was fine. This had been arrangedin advance by Khudik, or at least that was what I was told. The homestays were all of a good standard and the food was pretty decent too.
In summary, I had a great trip. The chopping and changing of drivers and the lack of communication about this had me slightly concerned when in Khorog, but, Sali drove me from Khorog for the last 6 days and it was a pleasure to travel with him at the wheel.
This is a report of the 9-day Pamir Highway (+ Wakhan Corridor) tour from Osh to Dushanbe that a group of 5 independent travellers took this last September and which Khudik organized.
When we submitted our request and itinerary through the Caravanistan website in mid July, he was one of the first ones to make us an offer, which we ended up accepting after exchanging several emails with him and clarifying all our doubts. It is true that Khudik was always very quick in answering, although sometimes it was necessary to ask again the same questions in a new email when he “forgot” to answer them. Nonetheless, we agreed on the route, the dates, the visits and activities, the price, what the price included and what it didn’t, and the payment schedule. We proceeded then with the booking deposit in August and just waited to arrive in Kyrgyzstan to complete the payment in cash on Sept. 17th., the first day of our journey.
The plan was that our driver would pick us up at 8:00AM on this day at our hotel, but, unfortunately, he was 2 hours late. We were told, there had been a car accident and that it had been necessary to arrange a last-minute change of cars. It was then 10:00AM when our driver arrived and started loading our backpacks on the 4WD roof, so we ended up leaving the hotel at 10:30AM. We went then to an exchange office to turn our Dollars, Euros and remaining Kyrgyz Som into Tadjik Somoni but then, instead of leaving the city, the driver spent more time driving around Osh and picking up only-God-knows-what in several places (and he also took us to a supermarket to buy water, because this had not been done in advance). So in the end, we left Osh at around 12:10PM, i.e., four hours later than agreed, a delay that prevented us from enjoying the landscapes and scenery between the Tadjik border and Karakul, given that it got dark at that point of the route.
In addition to that, we also realized that nobody was expecting our arrival in the homestay in Karakul, a feeling that we experienced everyday and everywhere. In other words, our accommodation had not been booked in advance at any of the different locations. On the contrary, this was just arranged everyday on arrival by our driver or, in the case of Dushanbe, by cellphone just one hour before reaching the capital (we wonder if this is because we only completed the payment in cash instead of transferring it before the beginning of the tour). And another “surprise” we were never informed about, was that we would change cars and drivers along the route. We actually used up to 3 cars and had 3 different drivers.
All cars were in good condition and worked well. However, the rear seat in all of them was very uncomfortable for 2 people, so we decided that only 1 person would sit on the back, 1 beside the driver, and 3 in the middle, a solution which, on the other hand, always left 1 person without seating beside the window.
In regards to the drivers, they were experienced and were familiar with the roads, the villages and the establishments. They were Jenish, Sali and Ali, who spoke, respectively, no-English, a little English, and an intermediate English. Jenish and Sali were also careful drivers and were attentive to our comfort and safety, something we cannot say about Ali. Actually, we were very dissatisfied with him. First of all, he is a hot-tempered person with whom it is difficult to come to agreement on open issues, given that he doesn’t listen to customers and interrupts them all the time. Likewise, his way of driving puts customers safety at risk, because he not only holds the steering wheel with just one hand, but he also takes the task as a race against other vehicles. We actually asked him to drive more slowly, but all he answered was that a lower speed would damage the car, a response which didn’t show any sign of interest for our safety, comfort and satisfaction. Therefore, we have the impression that every new day, he just wanted to finish his daily duties as soon as possible in order to get rid of us and be able to focus on his real interests (whatever they are).
Ali -but also Jenish and Sali- didn’t know almost anything about our program, a fault that we attribute to Khudik’s organization, which also means that not everything we had agreed on before the trip was respected (for example, there were some confusions with the few alleged dinners at restaurants, which we finally clarified by talking to Khudik on the phone, who kindly accepted our claims).
That said, we confirm that there were no major issues and fortunately everything went well among the breathtaking landscapes of the Pamir and the nice local people, of whom we keep very good memories, while at the same time we coped with all “surprises” with humor and tolerance, and had a great time together. However, as a former travel agent, I regret to say that I would never put my customers in Khudik’s hands unless I had the guarantee that all mentioned disappointments would be fixed. We knew it would be challenging to drive the Pamir Highway because of all those bad roads, the poverty of the area and the lack of comfort in the accommodations, but to be honest, we expected a better and more professional organization considering the price we paid.
I hope this review helps other travellers and also helps Khudik, because I do really think he has the necessary knowledge, experience, resources, contacts and potential to improve his tours, offer a better service, and make sure that drivers are good, careful, quiet, calm and refrain from showing themselves superior to other drivers.
Thank you for your review, Sergi. We have had major issues this year on the Pamir Highway. Previously, tourism was not very popular in Pamir and it was easy for Khudik to satisfy demand with high-quality drivers. This year, more tourists came than there were reliable drivers, and he had to resort to second-rate drivers like Ali. The success of Pamir tours took us by surprise, and we have since instigated new quality guidelines. Whereas before we tried to help everyone, we now only help people when we can guarantee the high quality travelers expect.
Under the new guidelines, we would simply refuse your request. Pamir has been nothing but a headache for us, as it is very difficult to provide a good service there. We made a mistake trying to help everyone travel in Pamir. The demand for good drivers now far outstrips the supply, so we fully intend to have less tours there to avoid the disaster from 2017, and leave the bad reviews for another tour operator.
Thank you for your candid review,
Steven
Hi! We traveled with hitmak and his cousine orzo. It was awesome! Very good drivers both of them, friendly and they spoke good english. A small adventure. Great drive. Good cars. Good food. Really enjoyed the sauna at 4200 m fueled by jak feces.. and the small villages and lakes, enjoyed the hotsprings and homestays. Highly recommended!
We had a wonderful time in Tajikistan.
But we have mixed feelings about the service provided by Khudik.
The driver was on time at the appointment location and we could indeed stop regularly to, for example, take a picture.
Yet there are a number of things that are on the site of Caravanistan, and did not correspond with reality.
The price was higher than the 70 cents per km + 15 dollars per day. We requested a ride from Langar to Murgab, and we understood that we had to pay the kilometers from Khorug to Murgab. But even then the price was higher, we also had to pay (part of) the ride back.
We were first promised that the driver could pick up part of our luggage in Khorug (since we paid the car from Khorug this did not seem unreasonable to us). But at the last minute it turned out to be impossible.
The driver did not speak a word of English either.
Considering everything, it was perhaps much easier to arrange local transport in Langar to Murgab. But just before Khorug, we both got very sick (my partner was in bed for 4 days and was then considerably weakened). We did not feel ‘strong enough’ to leave without a backup plan …
Finally, we’d like to congratulate you and thank you very much for the excellent website. We were able to arrange many practical matters along the way thanks to your up-to-date information.
Hi Benjamin,
Thank you for taking time and writing review. We`ve had many tours with Khudik this year. I think he couldn`t handle so much work and made mistakes. As it happened in situation with bringing your luggage from Khorog to Murghab.
The price should have been 70$ per kilometre + driver`s cost. This is still what we guarantee on the website. Sorry, I should have read and persuaded him to lower the cost earlier. I didn`t read your conversation since we travelled ourselves and I trusted Khudik to give appropriate prices. Starting from this year we have 2 more companies offering drivers on Pamir highway. We are hoping that it will add an element of competition and lower prices.
At least we were able to compensate not very well organized tour with useful information on our website. thank you for your kind word.
All the best,
Saule
Thank you for your question. Everything was OK. Nice trip.
We did an 8 day tour of the Pamir highways (budget option) leaving from Dushanbe August 9, arriving in Osh August 17. 5 people. All went well – communication with Khudik and his team was easy and the tour guide was very friendly. We did not hire an interpreter but we were able to get by without one. Thank you Khudik for giving us a custom tour on a date that worked for everyone! We would highly recommend booking with Khudik.
Khudik arranged a perfect round trip from Irkeshtam via Karakul, Bulunkul, Langar, Yamg, Khorog, Bartang valley, Khorog, Murgab, Sary Tash and back to Irkeshtam for us. We went during high season in August with Adam and his 4 WD. As the roads need a lot of concentration we were very happy for having a driver. Thus we could relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Khudik had also booked the homestays and the hotel in Khorog for us. Prebooking was necessary as we noticed especially in the Wakhan Corridor, where many tourists pass by in August. We were very impressed by the hospitality of our hosts at the homestays. Khudik speaks English and replays fast to emails and with Adam we used the googletranslator with the downloaded Russian vocabulary and had much fun while travelling. As we knew what we wanted to see or hike on the trip we didn’t need a guide. The Pamirs are beautiful and we can recommend Khudik’s arrangements very much! Next time we will come as participants of the mongol rallye!
Our Pamir trip is finished and was great !
It was not always easy to have perfect understanding with Khudoguy by email, but our car was good ans pour driver Nurbek fantastic. Everything we had agreed on before the trip was respected.
We had a great time traveling Tajikistan!
The stories we heard about the scenery weren’t a lie, it is just plain gorgeous!
We were very happy about our driver, Omurbek. He is a very skilled driver, who was very careful on the sometimes dangerous roads.
The accommodation was very nice as well, we really got an insight into everyday life along the Pamir.
The only strange thing that happened was that in the middle of the tour, we had to switch drivers. The second driver (I can’t remember his name) was good, but not as good as Omurbek.
Would we recommend this to friends? 100 percent.
Kind regards
Arthur, Francis, Hanne and Siebe
It would be an absolute pleasure to write a review as it was the best holiday I’ve had.
I was first attracted to this tour as it offered the chance to visit Afghanistan, something I have always wanted to do. I was very excited about the itinerary and as I was the only person wishing to travel on theses dates I decided I was going alone.
I was slightly apprehensive, but this was unnecessary as the tour was perfect from start to finish. The scenery was amazing and the hours on the road just flew by. The driver was good and together with an excellent guide they made my trip the best holiday ever. It totally eclipsed the Trans Mongolian trip I had done the previous two weeks.
All the accommodation was good and comfortable despite varying in the facilities available. The brief trip into Afghanistan was a great experience, especially sharing some lunch with the Afghan Borders guards as I crossed.
I loved Tajikistan and met some of the kindest and most hospitable people. I’d recommend this trip without hesitation and hope to return again sometime.
Best wishes,
Caroline
Arranging and re-arranging (on short notice) a tour in the Pamirs went smoothly, answers were quick. Car from Osh to Murgab and back was in good condition, drivers were experienced and reliable. Homestays were well chosen. I can recommend Khudik’s company.
My partner and I booked with Khudik an absolutely amazing seven day one way excursion from Dushanbe via Khorough and the Wakhan Corridor to Osh in Kyrgyzstan. Everything was very well organized, starting with the answers on my very many emails were we fixed the tour itinerary, to the reservation of the accommodation along the road.
On our departure day both the Russian speaking driver (whose name I’m not sure remember, similar to Maschina) as well as the English speaking guide Ardarschey were on time at our hotel to pick us up. The Toyota 4WD was in very good condition, and we had a very safe driver and very informative guide – both super friendly.
The accommodation was always good for the location – of course a homestay in the Wakhan cannot be compared with a luxury hotel in Dushanbe, but this was compensated by the friendliness of the people that were running the homestays.
The program was very varied, and beside the many photo stops enroute in an absolutely stunning landscape we also enjoyed short hikes to old fortresses or the optional hot spring visit.
We can only highly recommend Khudik and his team, everything was professionally organized and we didn’t have any problems. Thank you very much, Khudik!!!
Dennys
Our communication with Khudoguy was quick and easy up towards our travels. Planning and rearranging the tour price and itinerary went by smoothly.
Our driver was friendly and helpful, but didn’t understand a word English (which is not un-ordinary in this area). Still, he was eager to communicate with us and ended up learning us some helpful phrases in the local Pamiri language, as well as Russian.
We also had the pleasure of being invited to attend Khudoguy’s wedding. There we set on the table next to the married couple, danced all night and was fed with loads of food. In the end of the evening, I also ended up doing a speach for the married couple in front of the whole village(!!). An experience I will never forget.
The only minus I can think of is the lack of detail level in the Itinerary. We never knew what was happening the next day (other then where we were heading to). How ever, this lead to amazing unforeseen activities and arrangements (but also the opposite). Also, it was a bit confusing to know where accommodation and food was included in the prepaid price, and where it wasn’t.
I give Khudoguy my warmest recommendations.
Thank you Martin, for your comments! I passed it on to Khudik; he said he will make extra effort to add more detail in future itineraries.
We traveled with Khudik to the Pamir & Wakhan Corridor for Christmas 2017. The challenge was important since the trip involved harsh weather conditions, with temperatures ranging -7 to -28ºC, lots of snow, ice and so on.
But Khudik’s drivers managed always in a secure, kind & very professional way. Home stays were prepared far in advance to our arrival so that the rooms were already warm and the dinner ready. This trip was one of the most inspiring and enjoyable of the last years.
We are looking forward to visit the Wakhan Corridor Afghan side with Khudik very soon.
Thank you for this superb work.
Jehu
I really advice everyone to go with Khudik agency!
The tour was perfect, we had a confortable 4W car with a good driver (who spoke english!), we slept in nice homestays and eat good food. Khudik was very professional and we didn’t have any problem at all!
Within a day of contacting Khudoguy he replied with several itineraries to travel to and around Pamir and on to Osh. He also rearranged our trip several times whenever we changed our minds or wanted to add places or another night to our itinerary, on very short notice! It was never a problem.
We had lovely drivers, Shodavlat and Ali, who took such great care of us and endured our numerous requests for toilet and photo stops with absolute patience!! They made us feel welcome and well looked after and it felt more like travelling with old friends. Thanks to Ali I am now hooked on Russian Hip Hop :-) Miyagi forever!
The drive from Dushanbe to Karakul was one of the most beautiful ones I have been on. Especially driving along the Afghan border, through rugged mountain terrain and then joining the Pamir Highway, feeling like on the roof of the world. The people we’ve met along the way, the beautiful landscape, the hospitality at our homestays and the people have made this an amazing and memorable experience for me. I was sad to leave and I hope to return to Pamir one day. Thank you for making it all happen!
The trip went very well, and we thoroughly enjoyed it! Khudik was very nice and accommodating, and we’ve had no issue whatsoever. It’d have been to speak some Russian so we could’ve spoken to Komron better, but it’ll be a learning for the future.
Thanks for your website and help!