Wakhan Adventure Tour

Today, the Wakhan in Afghanistan has become one of the most visited destinations for Europeans and other tourists from all over the world. Based on this, we have developed a tour for 16 days, of which you will spend 7 days in Afghanistan. You will have a great chance to see real Afghan life, get to know them and mingle with them, spend the night and eat with them in their homes.

                                    HIGHLIGHTS
                                      Pamir Highway 
   Night with local afghan-wakhi people 
   Night in the yurt 
   Pamir Mountains 

                                

Itinerary

Day 01: Dushanbe city tour

Our guide will meet you in the airport and accompany to the hotel. In the morning we will drive 35 km to visit Hisor fortress (VII- XVII centuries). This historical site has fortified areas and citadel. The fortress used to be the residence of the delegate of the Emir of Bukhara; it was located on a high hill and was well defended with 1 m thick walls and loopholes for guns and cannons. After back to Dushanbe first of all we will visit Rudake Park, National library, White House, National state seal, House of parliament and Jomi theatre. After it we will walk in National park to make photos of Ministry of Inner Affairs and the second biggest National Flag in the world – 165 m high pole, 30 m wide, 60 m long. After excursion in Central Museum you will have lunch. Then you will visit to Gurminj Museum of traditional musical instruments. To feel real life you should visit Asian bazar. It has colorful goods, fruits and vegetables. We will see today the main highlights of Dushanbe and you will find out many interesting facts about Tajik people. Dinner will be in a traditional restaurant where you try Tajik food. Night is in a hotel.

Day 02: Dushanbe – Norak – Kalai Khum (370 km, 8 hours)

Today we will drive to Kalai Khum village. You will see Norak water reservoir that is called Tajik Sea. The highest point of the day is Shurabad pass (2 267 m) and after drive along Afghanistan border starts. This part will amaze you by its unique mountains – it is already Territory of Pamir Mountains. Over the centuries, the Pamirs have inspired the world’s greatest explorers – Marco Polo, Hsuan Tsang, Mirza Muhammad Haidar. And now you also have a chance to travel here. You will drive along natural border – Pyanj River. Having visited the Pamirs, many travellers called this giant mountain system the ocean of white and blue mountains. This night you will spend in a home stay to see the way of local people’s life.

Day 03: Kalai Khum – Khorog (240 km, 7 hours)

In the morning we will drive to Khrorog. It is perhaps one of the tiniest cities on the map of the world. It is surrounded by Rocky Mountains from all four sides. The town was built on the confluence of the 3 rivers where Shokhdara River and Ghund River flow into Pyanj River. On the way to Khorog you will meet Pamir people. A number of anthropological features set the Pamir people apart from the Tajik people. Among the Pamiris, there is a high percentage of people with blonde hair, fair skin and blue eyes. Pamirs Mountains are the highest mountains in the world with human population after the Himalayas in Tibet. Life in the mountains made traditions of local people different from Tajik people. Dinner is in a restaurant.

Day 04: Khorog – Afghan border – Sultoni Iskashim (Afghanistan) (140km, 4-5 hours)

Today you will have a day trip to Afghanistan. We leave Khorog in the morning and seeing Afghanistan on the right side of the rout we will continue to the cross border point in Ishkashim. Then we cross to Afghanistan through the bridge on the Panj River in Ishkashim. Our afghan guide will meet you on the border and accompany to Sultoni Ishkashim. After arranging the Wakhan Permit you will have lunch. Our guide will show you the traditional houses of afghan local people. Today you will see their way of the life and how they are living in the mountain areas. Overnight is in home stay.

Day 05: Sultoni Ishkashim – Qalai Panja (135 km, 6-8 hours, 2800 m)

In the morning you will drive to Qalai Panja along the Wakhan Corridor. You will follow the footstep of marco Polo and Hsuan Tsang and find out many interesting facts about Wakhi people. On the way you will see many historical sights and shrines. Sometimes the road can be washed in some places and it will take our day longer to reach the place. You will see some ports of Panja including ancient fort. Dinner and overnight is in homestay.

Day 06: Qalai Panja – Kurot

In the morning you will continue your journey towards Wakhan Corridor. The route passes along the Vakhan corridor of Afghanistan, along the banks of the Pyanj River. The Vakhan corridor is the place of the so-called Great Game, played by Tsarist Russia and Great Britain in 1880 - 1885 for the sphere of influence in the east. As a result of the policy of the Great Game, the Pamir was divided into 4 parts: Tajik, Chinese, Pakistani and Afghan. Today you will spend a night with locals in Kurot village and you will see the way of their life. Overnight is in homestay.

Day 07: Kurot – Sarhad-e-Broghil

Our trip is today to the last village of Wakhan Corridor – Sarhad-e-Broghil where is the end of auto-road as well. Acquaintance with the Wakhans, people who consider themselves Aryans. Wakhans are very hospitable and they try to treat the guests with some meat dish or milk. The scenery however is truly magnificent and in addition the group will undoubtedly meet many of the local Tajik, Wakhi and Kyrgyz peopleof Afghanistan. The women are especially noticeable with their bright red scarves and beaded necklaces.Today you will walk around the village to acquaint with life, traditions and culture of Wakhi people. Dinner and overnight is in homestay.

Day 08: Sarhade Broghil – Ghozkhan

In the morning you will drive back to Ghazkhon through the same road you did before. Drive along the Wakhan River, enjoying beautiful scenery, village walks, diverse cultural exchanges, and visits to intriguing roadside tombs, shrines and petroglyphs. Dinner and overnight is homestay.

Day 09: Ghozkhan – Khandud

You will visit in the morning the ancient shrine of Khandud called (Rusmuluk) and drive along the Panj river to Khandud. The Wakhan River is source of Oxus River which flow into the Aral see. The Wakhan Corridor is a small strip of land belonging to Afghanistan that connects it with China separating Pakistan and Tajikistan. Today you will spend the last night local afghans people. Dinner and night is in homestay.

Day 10: Khandud – Afghan border – Ishkashim (Tajikistan)

Today you will drive back to Ishkashim and there will be time to rest and say goodbye to your afghan guide. Situated in in the heart of Asia, the Pamirs are a corner of sky-scraping, snow-capped, majestic mountains, transparent clear blue waters of lakes and rivers, wide valleys and bone-dry deserts. For hundreds of years, people have called these highest mountains of the world as “the Roof of the World”. Today you will understand why. The land of Pamirs is located at elevations from 3 500 to 4 200 meters above sea level. Pamirs is perhaps one the few areas in Central Asia where ancient ethnic and cultural peculiarities of the Pamir people exist. Over the years, communities were isolated from each other by impassable mountain ranges, and developed into separate enclaves with different dialects and sometimes distinct or different languages. Dinner and night is in a guesthouse.

Day 11: Ishkashim – Yamg - Hissor (140 km, 5 hours, 2800m)

Drive towards the Wakhan corridor. On the road we will visit Kah-Kaa and Yamchun fortresses, further up the hillside are the hot spring at Bibi Fatima: dense and very salty minerals, the water at Bibi Fatima is crystal clear. There are several places of interest to stop. Above the village of Vrang , on a cliff-side pitted with caves, stands a Buddhist complex dating from 4th- 7th centuries. At Yamg , we visit the reconstructed home of Sufi mystic Muabara Kadam , who died in 1910. Near this house there is stone pillar with a hole in it which he used to calculate a solar calendar. In the cool of the morning we climb up above Langar village to see petroglyphs. Overnight in homestay.

Day 12: Hissor – Bulunkul & Yashilkul Lakes - Alichur (180 km, 5-6 hours, 3700 m)

In the cool of the morning we climb up above Langar village to see petroglyphs. On the way to the lake you will drive over Khargush pass (4 344 m). The most beautiful lakes of the Pamirs are Yashil Kul and Bulunkul (Blue lakes), stretched on the altitude of 3 700 meters above sea level, are situated in the Murghab district. Color of water in Bulunkul is a subtle inter-play of violet and dark-blue in the sunlight. Species of fish like are found in abundance in the lake. There is the opportunity to see yaks, a unique species of domestic animals, sharing features of cow and sheep, traditionally used as a beast of burden apart from giving milk and meat products. After that we will drive to Alichur. Dinner and night is in a yurt stay.

Day 13: Alichur – Khorog (200 km, 5 hours, 2320 m)

In the morning we will drive to Khorog along Pamir Highway, known as M41 Pamir Tract. It is considered the second highest mountain road after highway of Tibet. The road lies over mountains and passes on the elevations of more than 4 000 meters above sea level. On the way you will drive over Koitezak pass (4 271 m). The almost inaccessible landscape and the rocky mountains of this corner of the world have given safe haven to a unique diversity of wildlife. Amongst the most common species of wild mammals are Turkestan rat, tiger-cat, grizzly bear, badger, stoat, fox, grey and red wolves. Pamirs provides a large and thriving population of Marco Polo sheep, the largest sheep in the world, with all year round and a strong population of the highly endangered snow leopard. Dinner is in a restaurant. Night is in a guesthouse.

Day 14: Khorog – Kalai Khum (240 km, 6-7 hours, 1200 m)

This area consists of high rocky mountains over 6 000 meters and only 1 road was possible to be built. Passing though the Pamirs, the tourists have the rare opportunity to not only marvel the beauty of virgin environment, but also know more about the ethnography, history and everyday life of mountain dwellers and with this imagine how the history of humanity evolved as in the story of creation. On the way we will stop in small villages to communicate with local people and to see their life. Human settlements are located on both sides of the river in narrow mountain valleys. On the other side of the river you will see Afgan stony villages and gardens. Night is in a home stay.

Day 15: Kalai Khum – Khoburubot – Dushanbe (290 km, 7-8 hours)

In the morning we will drive to Dushanbe via mountain road. You will drive over high Khoburubot Pass (3 252) known as Western Pamir Tract. The road goes through the most picturesque river valley and amazing gorges in the terrain, where one can stop for rest and shoot photos of the mountain and rivers. On the way you will see small villages and meet local people. Tajiks are by nature hard working, hospitable, and kind-hearted. This nation greatly respects its traditions and folklore. This trip is attractive for the lovers of exotics, those curious about the ethnic and cultural diversity and captivated by the beauty of wild nature. Dinner will be in a restaurant. Night is in a hotel.

Day 16: Flight home

In the morning is transfer to airport.

Inclusions

Transport

4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser or Toyota 4runner

Meals

15 breakfasts, 15 lunches, 15 dinners

Accommodation

Hotels (4 nights), Guesthouses ( 3 nights), Homestays (7 nights), Yurtstay (1 night)

Included Activities

Dushanbe - city tour
Dushanbe - Hissor Fort
Ishkashim - Garmchashma hotspring
Sultoni Ishkashim - Local Bazaar
Namadgut - Kah Kaha Fortress
Yamchun - Yamchun fort and Bibi Fotima hotspring
Vrang - Budha Stuppa
Langar - Petroglyphs
Alichur - night in the yurt

Date and price

You can choose to join a small group on a guaranteed departure or book a private tour on the date of your choice

PRIVATE TOUR

Flexibla departures / Customizable itinerary

PRICE UPON
REQUEST

SMALL GROUP TOUR

Fixed and garanteed departures

Trip Starting Price

1520

Dollars

16

Days

Single supplement available for $150

Deposit: $300

Price per pax:

02 pax – 2600$
04 pax – 2082$
06 pax – 1892$
08 pax – 1730$
10 pax – 1520$

Departures

No departures have been added for this tour yet. Coming soon...

Price includes

Transport and all transfers
Full board
Accommodation
English local speaking guides
Entrances to all museums
Mineral water during the tour
Wakhan permit

Price does not include

Single rooms
Early check-in
Travel insurance
Visa
GBAO permit

Important notes

                                                 You can make Tajik visa and GBAO permit on-line: https://www.evisa.tj/index.evisa.html
  Single supplement is available only for nights in hotel and tent – no single room available in homestays/ guesthouses
  Visa for Afghanistan – 200$ per person (price for the visa can change anytime)

                                            

Information

Money & costs

Safety

Entry & exit

Best Time to Go

Health

MONEY & COSTS:

The Tajik currency is called the Somoni (TJS). In the capital Dushanbe there are a few ATMs that you’ll find in shopping centres, supermarkets or on the main streets, but most of them accept only Visa cards. Outside of Dushanbe we don’t recommend relying on ATMs as there are only a few of them and they may run out of money.
We recommend bringing cash in new USD bank notes of denominations of at least 20 USD. There are many exchange offices, some working 24/7. Small and old-looking bank notes are harder to exchange. Paying directly with credit card is still not possible at most places, except for few high-end restaurants and hotels. An emergency fund of around 500 USD in cash is always good to have during guided trips to Central Asia.

SAFETY:

The political situation in the country has been calm in recent years and there are no indications of upcoming tensions. The border area with Afghanistan is safe as well, but we do not recommend crossing the border for a trip into Afghanistan. Guests and locals are treated with respect and Tajikistan can be regarded as safe destination for travelers. That being said, you are advised to wear a money belt, watch your belongings, avoid dark streets at night and only take official taxi rides. Your safety is our first priority at Kalpak Travel; we know and regularly assess all our Tajik partners and we closely monitor political events.

ENTRY & EXIT:

Citizens of almost every country can obtain an e-Visa online for stays of up to 45 days in Tajikistan. All you need to do is enter the requested information then pay a fee of 50 USD by credit card and you will receive almost immediately the eVisa by email. You can print it out and use it just like an ordinary visa to enter the country. Please note, if you are planning to visit Pamir region, you need a GBAO permit, which you can purchase online, together with the eVisa, for an additional fee of USD 20.
As soon as we receive the deposit payment for your tour, we will confirm your booking and send you an email with important pre-departure information. Please read it carefully as it contains important information on customs regulations for Tajikistan.

BEST TIME TO GO:

The climate of Tajikistan is continental and dry across most of the country, including the largest cities. In regions situated at relatively low altitude, such as the capital Dushanbe, the south of Tajikistan around Kulob and the Khujand region, summers are very hot with day temperatures between 30° and 40° Celsius. However, most of the country is situated at high altitudes, where temperatures are in the mid 20s or less during the summer. If you visit the Fann or Pamir Mountains, make sure to bring some warm clothes, as it can get very cold at night at elevations of more than 3000 metres. The best season to visit is during summer.

HEALTH:

Do not drink water, unless it is bottled, filtered or boiled. Do not use tap water for brushing teeth or making ice either. Do not eat ice cream. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. If you follow these basic rules, you are likely to avoid any health issues like traveler’s diarrhea. Diphtheria, Hepatitis A and Tetanus are recommended vaccinations for Tajikistan. Ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including repatriation. Medical services in Tajikistan are basic at best. Please note: there is a small risk of malaria in the south of Tajikistan by the borders with Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. None of our tours visit this region.

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HIGHLIGHTS