11 Jun 2027
Twin share
Book by 16 Oct
Single from £4,532
Escorted tour
Tajikistan Expedition: The Pamir Highway & Wakhan – 16 Days
The Pamir Highway, the Wakhan Valley, Zorkul Lake, Karakul and the Bartang Valley, in a group of up to 12.
16 days
From £4,268
Tour overview
This 16-day expedition travels deep into the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, the Roof of the World, following the legendary Pamir Highway and the Afghan border through some of the most remote and spectacular landscapes in Asia. Groups have between 4 and 12 travellers aged 16 and over, with a tour leader throughout, travelling mostly by 4×4. You stay fifteen nights: four in hotels and eleven in simple homestays and guesthouses, including traditional Pamiri houses called chids. All breakfasts are included, with eleven lunches, mostly picnics, and eleven dinners, often home-cooked by your hosts.
Your journey begins in Dushanbe, the capital, with a tour of the National Museum of Antiquities and its reclining Buddha, the Mehrgon market, the Rudaki and Ismail Somoni monuments and a museum of Pamiri musical instruments, followed by a plov cooking class or pottery demonstration. Driving south past the Nurek Dam and Hulbuk Fortress, you spend a night with a family in Anjirob, then rise early to look for markhor, wild goats with spiralling horns, before following the Panj River, the border with Afghanistan, into the western Pamirs.
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From Khorog you head into the Wakhan Valley, an ancient Silk Road corridor with views across to the Hindu Kush, visiting the fortresses of Qah-Qaha, Yamchun and Abreshim Qala, the hot springs of Bibi Fatima, a Buddhist stupa and Bronze Age petroglyphs at Langar. Climbing onto the eastern Pamir plateau, you reach Zorkul Lake and the hot springs of Jarty Gumbez, at 4,110m the highest night of the trip, and set out with a ranger in search of Marco Polo sheep.
In Murghab you meet the Kyrgyz community, then cross the Akbaital Pass, at 4,655m the highest point of the Pamir Highway, to Karakul, a lake in a meteor crater. Leaving the highway, you travel slowly through the remote Bartang Valley, home to some of the most hospitable people in the Pamirs, staying with families and hiking in the Jizew valley among orchards and landslip lakes, before returning to Dushanbe over the Saghirdasht Pass.
The physical rating is medium, with high altitude, very rough roads and basic homestays. This expedition suits adventurous, flexible travellers who want a true journey into the unknown.
Trip highlights
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Markhor goats at dawn (Day 4)
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Along the Afghan border (Days 4–7)
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Fortresses of the Wakhan Valley (Days 6–7)
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Marco Polo sheep near Zorkul Lake (Days 8–9)
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The Akbaital Pass at 4,655m (Day 10)
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The remote Bartang Valley (Days 11–13)
Your route
18 stops from Dushanbe to Yemts
- Dushanbe Days 1–2 & 15–16
- Norak Dam Day 3
- Hulbuk Fortress Day 3
- Kulob Day 3
- Anjirob Day 3
- Kalai Khumb Days 4 & 14
- Khorog Day 5
- Ishkashim Day 6
- Namadgut Day 6
- Yamchun Fortress Day 7
- Langar Day 7
- Zorkul Lake Day 8
- Jarty Gumbez Day 8
- Murghab Day 9
- Karakul Day 10
- Ghudara Day 11
- Savnob Day 12
- Yemts Days 12–13
Why choose this tour
One of the world's great mountain roads, with homestays all the way. Most meals and all transport included.
Best suited to
- Adventurous travellers
- Travellers who want somewhere truly remote
- Mountain and photography lovers
- Solo travellers looking for a small group
Day-by-day itinerary
16 days from Dushanbe, Tajikistan to Dushanbe, Tajikistan
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Day 1 · Dushanbe Dushanbe
Arrive in the capital.
- Hotel
- Atlas Hotel or similar
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Day 2 · National Museum of Antiquities, Mehrgon Market Dushanbe
A city tour and plov class.
- Hotel
- Atlas Hotel or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 3 · Nurek Dam, Kulob, Anjirob Anjirob
South to a family homestay.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 4 · Panj River, Kalai Khumb Kalai Khumb
Markhor goats and the Afghan border.
- Hotel
- Guesthouse
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 5 · Karon, Khorog Khorog
Along the Pamir Highway.
- Hotel
- Lal Inn or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 6 · Garm Chashma, Ishkashim, Yamg Wakhan Valley
Into the Wakhan and Pamiri dances.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 7 · Yamchun, Vrang, Langar Wakhan Valley
Fortresses, hot springs and a stupa.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 8 · Zorkul Lake, Jarty Gumbez Jarty Gumbez
Onto the Roof of the World.
- Hotel
- Guesthouse
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 9 · Ak-Bura Pass, Shorbuloq, Murghab Murghab
Marco Polo sheep and lunar landscapes.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 10 · Akbaital Pass, Karakul Lake Karakul
Over the highest pass.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 11 · Ghudara Bartang Valley
Into a remote valley.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 12 · Savnob, Yemts Bartang Valley
Castles and legends.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 13 · Jizew Jizew Valley
A hike to a hidden village.
- Hotel
- Homestay
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 14 · Kalai Khumb Kalai Khumb
Back to the Pamir Highway.
- Hotel
- Karon Hotel or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 15 · Saghirdasht Pass, Dushanbe Dushanbe
Over a pass to the capital.
- Hotel
- Atlas Hotel or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 16 · Dushanbe Trip ends
The trip ends after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Dushanbe (2 nights) Atlas Hotel or similar
- Anjirob (1 night) Homestay
- Kalai Khumb (1 night) Guesthouse
- Khorog (1 night) Lal Inn or similar
- Wakhan Valley (2 nights) Homestay
- Jarty Gumbez (1 night) Guesthouse
- Murghab (1 night) Homestay
- Karakul (1 night) Homestay
- Bartang Valley (3 nights) Homestay
- Kalai Khumb (1 night) Karon Hotel or similar
- Dushanbe (1 night) Atlas Hotel or similar
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 4 nights in hotels and 11 in homestays and guesthouses
- Meals 15 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 11 dinners
- 4x4 and minibus transport
- Group arrival and departure transfers
- Dushanbe city tour and cooking class or pottery
- Markhor and Marco Polo sheep watching with a ranger
- Wakhan fortresses, hot springs and a Bartang Valley hike
- Tour leader throughout
Not included
- Flights
- Tajikistan visa and GBAO permit
- Meals not included 3 lunches and 4 dinners
- Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You dislike basic accommodation
- You are uncomfortable at high altitude
- You dislike long, rough drives
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–16 · Lunch: Days 4–13 and 15 · Dinner: Days 2–4 and 6–13
FCDO advice
UK FCDO travel advice for Tajikistan
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £4,268 per person, twin share, tour only. 2 upcoming departures. Single travellers from £4,532 (single supplement from £264).
Offer Reduced prices on selected dates, shown with the regular price crossed out. Book by 16 Oct.
10 Sept 2027
Twin share
Book by 16 Oct
Single from £4,532
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
How high does the trip go?
The Akbaital Pass is 4,655m, and the highest night is at 4,110m.
What is the accommodation like?
Simple homestays and guesthouses for most nights, including traditional Pamiri houses, with four hotel nights.
Do I need a visa?
Yes, UK citizens need a visa plus a GBAO permit for the Pamirs, available online as an e-visa.
How rough are the roads?
Several days are long and very bumpy on poor roads and tracks. Flexibility is essential.
Will I see wildlife?
You look for markhor and Marco Polo sheep, usually through binoculars. Sightings aren't guaranteed.
How many people travel together?
Between 4 and 12 travellers, with a tour leader.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary