About this tour
Tour start: Khujand
You can arrive in Khujand from various cities depending on your flight destination. The tour can be joined from Tashkent, Kokand, or Osh.
Route: Khujand — Iskanderkul — Dushanbe — Hissar — Kalaikhumb — Khorog — Ishkashim — Langar — Bulunkul — Murghab — Karakul — Osh
Duration: 11 days / 10 nights
Accommodation: Guesthouses and hotels
Total distance: 2100–2240 km
Max altitude: 4650 m (gradual ascent for proper acclimatization)
Grand journey across Tajikistan — from ancient Sogdiana to the heights of the Pamirs
An expedition through millennia and mountains: from Silk Road cities and the turquoise lakes of the Fann Mountains to the dramatic Pamir Highway, the Wakhan Valley, and high-altitude plateaus along the Afghan border. You will encounter ancient fortresses and petroglyphs, hot springs and nomadic yurts, alpine lakes and passes above 4600 m.
This rare journey unites the cultural heritage and wild nature of Tajikistan in one epic route — from the cradle of Sogdian civilization to the “Roof of the World,” the Pamirs.
This trip is designed for travelers seeking adventure, striking photography, captivating stories, and exploration of remote, little-known places.
Despite long drives, the phenomenal landscapes and spectacular natural landmarks will keep you constantly inspired. This route is filled with impressions and эмоtions.
Program
Meeting at the border or airport. Transfer to Khujand, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia and the only one spread across both banks of the Syr Darya River.
Accommodation at Sugdien Hotel on the riverbank. Evening city walk, including Kamoli Khujandi Park.
Khujand is not only a Silk Road city but also a center of crafts and the cultural and culinary capital of Tajikistan.
City tour: Panjshanbe Bazaar, Sheikh Muslihiddin Mausoleum, Arbob Palace, Khujand Fortress.
Plov cooking masterclass at the Plov Center.
Dinner meeting with a local expert who will share insider perspectives on Tajikistan.
Drive toward the Zerafshan Valley via Istaravshan (ancient Cyropolis), a renowned craft town and UNESCO heritage site.
Continue through Shahristan Pass and the “Golden Valley.”
Arrival at Iskanderkul Lake — the jewel of the Fann Mountains. Visit the “Fann Niagara” waterfall and Saritag village.
Overnight in a guesthouse.
After breakfast, transfer to the capital along dramatic mountain roads with thrilling switchbacks and panoramic views of the Turkestan, Zerafshan, and Hissar ranges.
In Dushanbe: hotel check-in and sightseeing — National Museum, Rudaki Park, Istiklol Monument viewpoint. Evening walk.
Dinner in an authentic national restaurant.
Morning trip to Hissar Fortress.
City tour: Museum of Antiquities, Kohi Navruz Palace, Ethnographic Museum.
Lunch with culinary masterclass.
Visit to a mosaic workshop to discover Florentine mosaic — the unique art of creating images from natural stones (lapis lazuli, jasper, marble), developed in Tajikistan. Works by masters such as Jamshid Juraev and Nasim Negmatov are often called “stone paintings.”
Mosaic masterclass participation.
Free time and preparation for departure to the Pamirs.
Departure to the Pamirs via Kulob. Much of the route follows the Panj River, with views across to Afghanistan.
Lunch in a scenic location.
Arrival in Kalaikhumb, guesthouse accommodation, village walk.
Dinner in guesthouse.
Drive along the Tajik-Afghan border to Khorog, the capital of the Pamirs.
The Pamiri people are Tajiks speaking Eastern Iranian languages; over 100 languages and dialects are heard across the Pamirs.
Lunch en route with scenic views.
In Khorog: guesthouse stay and city walk. Visit the Botanical Garden — the highest-altitude botanical garden in the former USSR.
After breakfast, drive to Ishkashim via the famous Garm Chashma thermal sulfur springs (“Hot Spring”), once a renowned Soviet-era health resort.
Bathing in the healing hot springs is included.
Dinner in guesthouse.
Drive into the high Pamirs toward Bulunkul via Bibi Fatima hot springs.
Visits: Yamchun Fortress and Muborak-Kadom Museum.
Cross Khargush Pass (4200 m).
Bulunkul Lake area — the coldest place in Tajikistan, where winter temperatures drop below −50 °C.
Guesthouse stay and dinner. Experience the resilient mountain lifestyle of the Pamiri people adapted to extreme conditions.
Drive to Murghab, administrative center of the region. Visit the authentic local bazaar and ancient petroglyphs.
Hotel accommodation and dinner.
After breakfast, drive to Karakul Lake — the highest-altitude lake in Central Asia. Its stark beauty embodies the Pamirs, the “Roof of the World.”
Cross the Markansu high-altitude desert and ascend Ak-Baital Pass (4650 m), the highest point of the journey.
Descent to Sary-Tash and transfer to Osh, the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Price
1/2 DBL price
Price on request
Included / Excluded
- 4×4 off-road transportation
- Expert local guide
- Full board (3 meals per day)
- Accommodation in hotels and guesthouses
- Masterclasses and cultural activities
- National park entrance fees
- GBAO permit
- Border zone permits
- International flights
- Museum entrance fees
- Tips and gratuities
- Beverages / bar expenses
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees
- Photo/video fees at sites
