To the roof of Tajik Pamir

Meeting with your guide and driver at Dushanbe International Airport. Transfer to the hotel and check-in, then sightseeing in Dushanbe.  Welcome dinner in a traditional restaurant of the city.

Dushanbe is situated in the middle of the Hissor Valley at about 800 meters altitude. The city is not based on settlement or ancient city, it was built in 1929 as the capital of the new Soviet Tajik Republic under the name of Stalinabad.

Interesting museums are the National Museum of Tajikistan, the National museum of Antiquities, the small musical instrument museum Gurminj

Intersting squares are the Rudaki Park, the Opera-Ballet square, the Ayni square and Rudaki avenue, the Botanical garden, the city panorama of the Victory Memorial.

Start your day exploring the cultural heart of Dushanbe, with visits to its green city parks and the National Museum of Antiquities, home to remarkable artifacts including the famous Buddha of Ajina Teppa.

After lunch, head to the vibrant Mehrgon Market, the capital's newest and most modern bazaar, followed by a stroll through the peaceful Botanical Garden, showcasing Tajikistan’s diverse flora.

In the afternoon, drive west to the historic Hisor Fortress, once the stronghold of the Hisor Bek, governor under the Emirate of Bukhara in the 19th century. Surrounded by scenic hills, the fortress complex includes:

• The imposing arched gateway,
• A 17th–19th century madrassa (now a museum),
• Remnants of ancient bazaars, caravanserai, and gardens.

Nearby, visit the Mausoleum of Mahdumi Azam, a 16th–17th century shrine still used today, honoring a local Sufi teacher.

Climb the surrounding hills for a panoramic view of the site, where the original fortress walls once stood. Before returning to Dushanbe, enjoy tea or a traditional meal in the beautifully decorated national teahouse, just 50 meters from the gate.

This journey offers a perfect blend of history, culture, and local life, all within a day’s reach of the capital.

We leave Dushanbe to Qal'ai Khumb (Kalaikhumb / Darwoz) on a new paved road by Kulob, where we will stop to see the mausoleum of Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, an wellknown Iranian poet. The rest of the road leaves the Kulob plains to cross the Darwoz mountain range and thus join the Panj valley which marks the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. We go up this valley to Qal'ai Khumb to spend the night.

A long day driving into the Panj canyon. The road is difficult but the landscapes grandiose. All day long we walk along the Afghan border and we can see the harsh life of the Afghans. Arrived in Khorog, we will visit the botanical garden of Khorog before settling in our accommodation for the night.

We leave Khorog, to join Ishkashim, along the Panj river on the border of Afghanistan. After 35 km, we go up the Garmshashma valley for 6 km to relax in the warm waters. We then continue our journey with an incredible view of the Afghan peaks of the Hindu Kush. Arriving at Ishkashim, the valley widens. All along the road we can observe the typical houses of the Pamirs.

We drive along the Wakhan corridor, this neutral land between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Life for the villagers in this region is very harsh, especially in winter. This portion is historically very interesting. We will see first the fortress of Khaka, then that of Yamchun, near the village of Yamg, where you can also enjoy the hot water baths of the sacred spring of Bibi Fatima. Night at the inhabitant in the village of Langar.

A relax day after long hours driving on bad dirty roads. Langar offer few thousands petroglyphs, but it is also a typical pamiri village in the Wakhan corridor. 

We begin our ascent from the village of Langar, located at the confluence of the Pamir and Wakhan rivers, nestled deep in the southern Pamirs. After leaving the cultivated terraces and traditional stone homes of Langar behind, the road climbs gradually through a wild, remote landscape, hugging the Afghan border as it follows the course of the Pamir River.

We pass through stark mountain valleys and approach the Khargush Pass (4,344 meters), one of the highest and most rugged points on this journey. On the way, we encounter a series of small, shimmering salt lakes—Karadara, Khargush, and Chukurkul—whose colors shift with the light and the wind. Beyond the pass, the terrain opens up onto the wide Alichur Plateau, where the wind is ever-present and the air thin and crisp. Here we see more salt lakes, including the expansive Sasyk-Kel, and may encounter herds of yaks or nomadic camps in summer.

We make a short stop in the windswept village of Alichur, one of the highest and coldest permanently inhabited places in Central Asia. From here, we rejoin the asphalt road and continue northeast toward Murghab, traversing a landscape of empty plains and distant peaks. En route, we pause at the sacred Ak-Balyk Lake, a clear spring-fed pool believed to bring blessings. By late afternoon, we arrive in Murghab, the heart of the Eastern Pamirs, and settle into a local guesthouse for the night.

Note: The road between Langar and Alichur is closed by snow and avalanche risk during winter—travel is not recommended from January to April.

We will start early in the morning our day trip to Shorkul, Rangkul and Karakul lakes (40-50 km from Murgab). In the morning, we drive to the Chinese border to discover the Shorkul and Rangkul lakes at 3782 meters altitude, the both lakes are endorheic salty lakes connected by the Iziuk Darya (river). The Rangkul lakes flows inside Shorkul lake and it is less salty than Shorkul. Both lakes freeze in winter and contain no fish, but support numerous invertebrates. The site was classified as an IBA (Important Bird Area) because it supports significant numbers of the populations of various bird species, either as residents, or as breeding or passage migrants; it has been designated as a protected Ramsar site since 2001.

Then we drive up to the Ak-Baïtal pass at 4655 meters altitude which open the bassin of the great Karakul lake, we stop at Karaat village situated at 3920 meters altitude on the shore of the lake.

This long day can be tailor-made to your wishes and you can choose the thema like botanical, cultural, historical, nomadical but we can also arrange a day hiking or the site of your choice.

We begin the day in Murghab, setting out westward on the M41, also known as the Pamir Highway. Shortly after departure, we make a stop at the clear and peaceful waters of Ak-Balyk Lake, a sacred spring where locals often gather to pray or rest during long journeys. From there, we continue across one of the coldest and most desolate high plateaus of the former Soviet Union, where life is sparse and the wind constant.

Midday, we reach the strikingly beautiful Yashilkul Lake, a large alpine lake set against barren hills—an ideal place for a picnic lunch. After taking in the scenery, we begin our climb toward the Koj Tezek Pass, reaching an altitude of 4,271 meters. The pass marks the transition point between the high plateau and the descent into the Gunt Valley, where the landscape begins to shift dramatically.

As we descend, the dry, rocky terrain slowly gives way to alpine meadows and river-cut valleys, framed by the towering peaks of Patkhor (6,083 m) and Skalisty (5,707 m). We follow the Gunt River down to Jelondy, a small village known for its hot spring sanatorium, where a relaxing soak is a welcome option after hours on the road.

From Jelondy, the valley narrows and the vegetation grows greener with each turn, a refreshing contrast to the arid highlands of the morning. By late afternoon, we arrive in Khorog, the regional capital of Gorno-Badakhshan. Depending on the time, we visit the Botanical Garden, perched above the town with sweeping views and an impressive collection of high-altitude plants from around the world.

In the morning, drive to Qualai-Khumb village, on the bank of the Panj river. The dirty road follow the river in front of Afghanistan. Landscapes are again incredible surrounded of majestic mountains. We take time to have a picnic on the shore of the Panj river. Arrival in Qualai-Khumb, installation in the hotel or homestay.  

Road through the Kaburabot pass 3252m. alt. and Obikhingou valley. The road continue across mountains till the wide valley of Kyzyl Suu. Arrival in Dushanbe in the evening. 

We will recommend to cut this day in two, with a overnight in Tavildara or Obigarm.

In the morning, visit of the green market "Merghon" and continue visit depending on a flight time. Transfert to International Dushanbe Airport.