Example Itinerary
Price is based on double or twin hotel room occupancy and includes accommodation, transfers, car/driver, English-speaking guide, activities and entrance fees, breakfasts and some casual lunches while touring. Flights and optional special activities will be quoted separately. Most personal expenses, including dinners, alcoholic beverages, spa treatments and gratuities can be paid on the spot while traveling. Prices may vary depending on season, choice of accommodation and other factors.
From the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, embark on a truly memorable journey through the rugged and beautiful Pamir Mountains. Discover the true landscape of Tajikistan as you cruise alongside the Panj river, with views across the border to Afghanistan. Visit towns with museums packed with history and surrounded by natural beauty and wonder. Dip in hot springs and marvel at ancient rock carvings. Stay in hotels and guesthouses and enjoy real Tajik hospitality and food. Enjoy uninterrupted views of the night sky, from the peaks of one of central Asia’s most romantic mountain ranges.
This itinerary takes you along the Pamir Highway which starts in Tajikistan and crosses into Kyrgyzstan, ending in Bishkek.
This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.
Arrive in Tajikistan’s capital city and check into your hotel. Spend some time acclimatizing to your new surroundings and experiencing Tajik culture. Enjoy dinner in a local restaurant and the comforts of your hotel before the adventure truly begins.
Preferred Hotel
Today you’ll explore some of the best sites Dushanbe has to offer, including the Gurminj Museum of traditional musical instruments, the Museum of Antiquities - full of ancient Buddhist art from the lost cities of the Kushan Empire, and the Greco-Bactrian school of art. Dine tonight at a local restaurant in town, before heading back to your hotel for a good night’s sleep ahead of tomorrow’s departure to the Pamir Highway.
Hit the road and embark on a journey down the M41 highway. The seven-hour journey winds first through the Kulyab region where guests are welcomed with warm hospitality. Later, the highway leads to Qal'ai Khumb, home to the Badakhshanis, on the Panj river. Bed down in a local hotel.
Bid goodbye to Qal'ai Khumb and its friendly inhabitants and strike out on the road for the 160-mile drive to Khorog. The journey runs alongside the Panj river and across it lies Afghanistan. The beautiful and important city of Khorog lies nestled in the mountains at the meeting point of the Panj and Ghunt rivers. In these beautiful surroundings, spend the night in a private guesthouse.
Less than 30 miles from Khorog are the famous mineral hot springs, the site historically mined for Badakhshani rubies. After another four-hour drive, at the mouth of the Wakhan Corridor, lies the pretty town of Ishkashi, home to the cross-border Saturday market between Tajik and Afghan traders. With stunning views of the Pamir peaks all around, Ishkashim is a pleasant spot to spend the night and we recommend the Dekhli Darbor hotel.
Along the way on your six-hour drive today, visit an ancient silk road fortress, the Kah Kaha in Namadgut, where you will also find a fascinating museum about a famous Sufi scholar who created a solar calendar. Stop off to explore a Buddhist stupa and experience the healing powers of the natural hot springs of Bibi Fatima Zahra. Once at Langar, check into a cozy local guesthouse and rest for the night.
After an early breakfast, take advantage of the cool of the morning to climb the rocks above Langar to see the ancient carvings of goats, horse riders and caravans. Back on the road, the highway climbs up to Murgab, where the views of the night skies often include the twinkle of the Milky Way. Here, the guesthouse for the night is eco-friendly and locals sell their handicrafts.
Today you will travel nearly 140 miles through the Pamirs. The Akbaital Pass leads to the beautiful Karakul lake, a turquoise jewel set in mountainous scenery. Round off the adventure with dinner on the shores of Lake Progulka before reaching your guest house at Kizylart.
Drive approximately three hours from Kyzylart to Osh. After you arrive in this colorful town, check out the local market with Uzbek and Kyrgyz shops, and perhaps pick up a few goodies to bring home. Explore the city sights, including Solomon’s throne, a pilgrimage site located on the top of a hill dominating the city where Solomon stopped to pray. Visit Central Asia’s largest and most crowded outdoor market - the Great Silk Road Bazaar. Rest and stay in Osh overnight.
Drive onward and spend the entire day exploring around Jalal-Abad. Jalal-Abad is famous for its mineral springs, so visitors should take advantage! There are plenty of excellent “Kurorts” (spas) in town where guests can spend their day relaxing in natural mineral spring baths. Beside one of the main Kurorts is a cafe located more than 3,000 feet above the town. Enjoy the view as well as the nearby craft hall, where visitors can pick up some locally-bottled water and little trinkets.The main street of Jalal-Abad is called Lenin Street, just like many others former Soviet towns. This central area of town features fountains and statues of Vladimir Illych, a historical and cultural museum, and shops where visitors can purchase local goods.
Today, get back on the road and continue on to Arslanbob Valley. The lush walnut grove for which Arslanbob is famous dominates the surrounding landscape. An oasis of vibrant leafy green in an otherwise dry corner of Kyrgyzstan, and the perfect place for an afternoon stroll between the trees. Stretch your legs in the picturesque environs before settling into your guest house.
This morning, you will drive north to Chichkan Gorge and Toktogul Dam. Enjoy the beautiful highland scenery of virgin coniferous forests and flowing mountain river. The Chichkan Gorge is home to the ibex, roe deer, argali, wild boar, and junipers, spruce and wild berries. The Chychkan River flows through the gorge and empties into the Toktogul Resevoir. Also within the area are two alpine lakes and a 60-meter waterfall. Overnight at a homestay in the area.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.
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