Сross-border tour
Dushanbe to Osh

Depart Dushanbe and travel to Kalai Khum through spectacular mountain scenery. You will cross the Norak Water Reservoir which is called the Tajik Sea and visit the ancient fortress Hulbuk dated from the VIII century. The highest point of the day is Shuraba Pass (2267m), from here Afghanistan border starts. You will be driving along the natural border of the River Panj. This part is wonderful because of its unique mountains and is already the territory of the Pamir Mountains.

Accommodation

• Homestay (1 night)

Meals Included

• Lunch

• Dinner

Today is mostly a travel day. Set off to Khorog Town, the capital city of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO). Located on high narrow terraces, at 2200-2300 meters above sea level in the Pamir Mountains at the confluence of the Gunt and Panj rivers. The road will follow near the Panj River, it was built by the Soviets in the 1930s and is in a state of disrepair in many places. You can see the civilization of the two countries and their differences. When you pass from Kalaikhum to Khorog the scenery and the people change. The people here are Pamiris and have their traditions and languages that are unique.

Accommodation

• Homestay (1 night)

Meals Included

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

First, a trip to the Mineral Hot Spring called “Garm Chashma”. Garm Chashma is about 42 km from Khorog on the way to Ishkashim. Garm Chashma was built in the late 1950s on the site of a mineral spring. The healing waters of this place are known throughout the region and are visited by a large number of travelers and tourists yearly. Along with that, you will also see the Ruby Mines of Khuhi Lal, where Badakhshan’s rubies were mined as early as the 14th century. Ishkashim is a small town at the mouth of the Wakhan corridor, where the 19th century Great Game ended. As you travel north, you will encounter breathtaking views of the Pamirs to the left and the Hindu Kush to the right. If you get lucky and arrive at Ishkashim on Saturday, you can visit the Cross border Tajik-Afghan market on the Afghan side. There is no need to obtain an Afghan visa for this visit.

Accommodation

• Guesthouse (1 night)

Meals Included

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

As you travel farther, you will visit the Kah-Kaha in Namadgut. It is one of the oldest fortresses on the Silk Road, thought to have been constructed around the 4th century A.D., and is said to be named after the epic kind of dark-skinned fire-worshippers. You will also visit the Museum of Sufi Muborak-Kadami Vakhani where visitors can explore the life of a local Sufi scholar, theologian, traveler, and poet who lived in this region until 1910. Some of his most marvelous achievements can be seen here. There is a stone pillar with a hole carved in it near his house, which he used to calculate a solar calendar. His house is decorated with inscriptions and decorations made by the scholar. On the way, you will visit Buddhist Stupa in Vrang, the sacred hot springs of Bibi Fatima Zahra, and the ruins of Yamchun fortress (IV-III B.C.) that once guarded the Pamir branch of the Great Silk Road.

Accommodation

• Homestay (1 night)

Meals Included

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

You will have breakfast at the house where you stay overnight, leave the spectacular views of Afghanistan with the ice-capped summit of the Wakhan Range, and the Pamir River, and cross Khargushi Pass at an altitude of 4344. You will arrive in Bulun Kul and Yashil Kul Lakes, staying in a small hamlet of Bulunkul. The people here are Pamiris, Tajiks, and Kyrgyz nomads living in a harsh but hospitable environment. Here you will learn very deeply about how people have adapted to life in such a remote mountainous area. You will walk around the ruins of a caravanserai and solar calendar on the north side of Lake Yashil Kul.

Accommodation

• Homestay (1 night)

Meals Included

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

As the journey continues, and if the weather is clear enough, you will head up to the Shorbulak Observatory, from where you can see the Muztag Ata and Kongur Peaks, which are part of the Khun Lun Range (located in China). Murgob is a quiet town with only a bazaar (market) in the High Pamir region where Kyrgyz and Tajik people live. You will pay a visit to a handicraft shop in “Yak House”. The marvelous views of the mountains and glaciers along the way will be simply breathtaking, as the road takes you to the Ak Baital Pass at an altitude of 4655m. This is the highest pass in the former USSR and was called “The Roof of the World”. The hidden site in this expanse of an arid landscape is the stunning Karakul Lake, created millions of years ago by a meteorite and noted as one of the most geologically fascinating places on earth. You will have an opportunity to take a short walk along the lake. The surrounding area offers some spectacular views, which are especially dramatic with the sun setting over the nearby snow-capped mountains.

Accommodation

• Homestay (1 night)

Meals Included

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinner

The next morning, you will continue your trip to Osh. Osh is the second-largest city in Kyrgyzstan. It is the oldest city in the country. Your final Pamir Highway high pass is the Kyzyl Art Pass at an altitude of 4282 m, which essentially forms the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. After Sary Tash village you depart the high mountains of the Pamir-Alay range, leaving behind you the crossroads of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. You will cross the Taldyk Pass at an altitude of 3554 m and enjoy some beautiful views. You must travel about 185km from Sary Tash, and depending on the road conditions and travel times we expect to arrive in Osh, Kyrgyzstan early evening.

Meals Included

• Breakfast

• Lunch