Pamir Highway Jeep Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: Dushanbe – Norak – Kalai Khum (370 km, 7-8 h)
In the morning we will begin our journey to the Pamir Mountains. Today we will drive to Kalai Khum via Kulob city. The road to Kalai Khum offers travelers a scenic journey through beautiful landscapes. On the way you will see the Norak reservoir, formed by the Norak dam on the Vakhsh River. The reservoir is surrounded by stunning mountain views and provides insight into Tajikistan’s hydropower infrastructure. The highest point of the day is Shurobod pass (2267 m). Continuing on from Shurobod, as you head towards Kalai Khum, you’ll follow the Panj River, which forms the natural border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The river valley offers breathtaking views of the rugged Pamir Mountains and the terraced fields cultivated by local farmers. For centuries, the Pamirs have inspired the world’s greatest explorers – Marco Polo, Xuan Zang and Mirza Muhammad Haidar. Having visited the Pamirs, many travelers called this giant mountain system the ocean of blue and white mountains.

Day 2: Kalai Khum – Rushan – Jizev (driving: 210 km, 4-5 h, hiking: 2-3 h)
The route from Kalai Khum to Rushan takes travelers through some of the most stunning and remote regions of Tajikistan, offering breathtaking natural beauty and unique cultural experiences. The Panj River valley is characterized by rugged cliffs, terraced fields, and traditional villages, providing a glimpse into the daily lives of the local communities. This route is part of the iconic Pamir Highway, a high-altitude road that traverses the Pamir Mountains.
Once you reach Rushan, you will take a side trip to the Bartang Valley – one of the wildest and most evocative valleys in the Western Pamirs. Even the Pamiri themselves consider the Bartang valley as the maybe most prototypical region of their homeland. You will drive to the junction with Jizev side valley and hike up for about 2-3 hours to Jizev village. Today you will spend the night in a real Pamir traditional house and get acquainted with the mountain life of the locals.

Day 3: Jizev – Khorog (driving: 100 km, 3-4 h, hiking: 1-2 h)
In the morning you will hike down and continue your journey to Khorog, enjoying the views of Afghanistan. Khorog is perhaps one of the tiniest cities on the world map. It is surrounded by rocky mountains on all four sides. The city was built at the confluence of 3 rivers, where the Shokhdara River and the Gund River flow into the Panj River. Among the Pamiris, there is a high percentage of people with blond hair, fair skin and blue eyes. The Pamir Mountains are the highest inhabited mountains in the world after the Himalayas in Tibet. Life in the mountains has changed the traditions of the locals. In the afternoon you will have free time to explore the tiny city of Khorog on your own.

Day 4: Khorog – Ishkashim – Langar (260 km, 7-8 h)
We continue our adventure towards the Wakhan valley. Wakhan, known as it, served as a buffer zone between the Russian and British empires in the 19th century. Located in the heart of Asia, Pamir is a corner of skyscrapers, snow-capped majestic mountains, clear blue waters of lakes and rivers, wide valleys and dry deserts. For hundreds of years, people have referred to these highest mountains in the world as the “Roof of the World”. Today you will understand why. On the way, we will stop at the Kah-Kakha fortress dating back to the 3rd century. Here you will have a stunning view of the Afghan side of the Wakhan. Continuing towards Wakhan, we will have a
detour uphill to visit the Yamchun fortresses and further down the hillside is the Bibi Fatima hot spring. In Yamg village, we will visit the reconstructed house of the Sufi mystic Mubarak Kadam, who died in 1910. Near this house is a stone pillar with a hole, which he used to calculate the solar calendar. Another stop will be in the village of Vrang. Here is a Buddhist complex dating from the 4th-7th centuries.

Day 5: Langar – Bulunkul (150 km, 4-5 h)
In the morning we will continue driving along the Khargush valley. On the way, you will pass through the Khargush pass (4344 m). The most beautiful lakes of the Pamirs – Yashilkul and Bulunkul, spread at an altitude of 3,700 meters above sea level, are located in the Murghab region. The colour of the water in Bulunkul is a subtle weave of purple and blue in the sunlight. Such species of fish are found in abundance in the lake. It is possible to see yaks, a unique species of domestic animals that share features with cows and sheep, which were traditionally used as beasts of burden, in addition to milk and meat products. In the afternoon you will get to know local life and take a walk around the lakes on your own.

Day 6: Bulunkul – Murgab (170 km, 4-5 h)
In the morning you will have 2-3 hours hike around the lakes and then you drive to Murgab. They say in the Pamir: “to arrive here and do not see Murgab is like not visiting the Pamirs at all”. After all, by the Roof of the World, we mean Murgab. In the morning we will drive to this town. On the way you will drive over Naizatash pass (4 137 m). At the flat landscape of desolate Murgab there are dozens of peaks with absolute altitude over 6 000 meters above sea level. Often the landscape of Murghab is compared to the surface of the Moon by visitors, viewing the scene with outsiders’ eyes. Indeed, this comparison speaks to the unrepeatable experience of being in Murghab and the uniqueness of the place. The desolate and high-altitude climate of Murghab is
almost Arctic.

Day 7: Murgab – Karakul Lake (160 km, 4-5 h)
Right on the highway of the Pamir Tract is situated the light-blue lake of Karakul (3, 815 m), the name of which can be translated as “The Black Lake”. On the way to the lake you will drive over the highest Ak Baital pass (4 655 m). Karakul is the highest large mountain lake of the world, excluding those in Tibet and Titicaca. The lake is situated in a meteorite crater and surrounded by swampy and wet meadows and bogs with a rich flora and fauna and several endemic species.
Flooding, melting permafrost and buried ice sheets shape the landscape with small hillocks and a large variety of small creeks and water courses between 3 500 and 4 000 m. The rich plant cover is grazed by wild and domestic ungulates. In the afternoon you will go for a short hike around the lake.

Day 8: Karakul Lake – Osh (290 km, 6-7 h)
Today we will drive to Kyrgyz border and then you will be transferred to Osh city. The road will go along amazing mountains and high passes. On the way you will drive over a high mountain pass – Taldik. It is 3 615 meters high! You will never forget the amazing views of the road and mountains around it. With 93% of mountains in Kyrgyzstan, nomadic life in remote places – our country is a real paradise for people that are in love with mountains and unusual cultures. The route takes you along roads that wind along incredible gorges. During the day, be prepared for amazing views of the impressive mountains and gorges. End of journey!

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