Objects
Tour description

The Wakhan Valley (also named the Wakhan Corridor) is one of the most beautiful and remote places in Asia and the world. The Wakhan Valley is a mountainous region that belongs to the Pamir and Hindu Kush ranges, most of it being part of southeast Tajikistan and northeast Afghanistan.

For centuries, the Wakhan Valley was an important principate of the famous Kushan, a great empire that extended from southeast Tajikistan to the Ganges Valley itself in India.

For this reason, despite being a very mountainous area, in the valley you find several fortresses located on the top of very high hills, offering the most epic and impressive views ever.

Historically, the region served as a dividing line between west and east Asia, so the valley became an important Silk Road route as well. In the 20th century, it also marked a clear border between the Soviet Union and the British Empire.

With all this historical context, its incredible landscape, and awesome people, the Wakhan Valley is the ultimate adventure and a place you can’t miss in your journey through Tajikistan.

Ishkashim

Officially, Ishkashim is the first village in the Wakhan. Just across the border, the first Afghan village is also called Ishkashim as, many years ago, they were one single town. Ishkashim is the largest village in the valley.  There’s not much to do in Ishkashim besides wandering around the village and taking pictures of the rural life. Moreover, if you are lucky, once a week, an Afghan market takes places in neutral territory, on an island in the Panj River, just between the two borders. 

Namadgut

Coming from Ishkashim, just two kilometers before the tiny village of Namadgut, built on the top of a hill, you find the Kaakha fortress, the ruins of a fort with impressive views to the Panj river, from where you get an awesome perspective of both Afghanistan and Tajikistan. At the top, they have also installed a military base and, to access the fortress, you’ll have to go through it, walking among hanging clothes and tables where they eat.

Yamchun

Built on the top of a cliff, in this cute village you find Yamchun Fort, a fortress which is said to be 2,000 years old and which was used to protect the principate during the Kushan empire. Yamchun Fortress is the most impressive place in the entire Wakhan Valley as, from here, you get stunning views of the valley and the Afghan Hindu Kush, whose snow-capped peaks pop up from the fortress’s background. In Yamchun, there are also some famous hot springs called Bibi Fatima.

Vrang

The internationally famous Silk Road wasn’t only a set of routes aiming to trade and exchange products between civilizations and empires but, also, many different people from different religions left their religious and cultural footprint as well. That is the reason in Vrang, you can find a Buddhist stupa from the 4th century, whose origin and history, unfortunately, remain pretty unknown. The stupa is built at the highest point in the village, with breathtaking views of the valley.

Zong and Hisor

Zong is another small locality where Abrashim Qala is built, a fortress which once served to defend from the Chinese and Afghan invaders. Moreover, if you are into photography, Zong and Hisor, a village just two kilometers away, are where I found the best opportunities to take pictures of the local, rural life.

Langar

Langar is going to be your first or last destination, depending on whether you come from Khorog or the Pamir Highway. Probably, Langar is the most touristic spot in the Wakhan as, over the years, it has hosted hundreds of bikers and drivers in general, which originated the commercialization of many locals’ mentality. At the top of the village, there are the remains of some of the most important petroglyphs in Tajikistan.


Places: Hulbuk Fortress - Kulyab city: Museum of the 2700th anniversary of Kulyab, mausoleum and museum of Mir Sayid Alii Hamadoni - Kalai Khumb (Darvaz) - Khorog city - Ishkashim region: Garmchashma sanatorium, Namadgut, Yamchun, Vrang, Zong, Hisor, Langar.

yesAvailability: May - October 
cool Direction:  Dushanbe-Vose-Kulyab-Kal'ai Khumb-Khorug-Ishkashim 
enlightened Duration: 7 days / 8 nights
angel Type of tour: group (5 or more persons)





Program of the tour

  • ARRIVAL DAY
  • Dushanbe - Hulbuk - Kulyab - Kalai Khumb (Darvaz)

  • Reception / meet of tourists from the international airport of Dushanbe or hotel guests.
  • 09:00 - on the way to the city of Kulyab (from Dushanbe - 196 km drive)
  • On the way to Kulyab we will visit the Hulbuk Fortress (165 km from Dushanbe). From the 9th to the 11th centuries, the Hulbuk Fortress was located in the center of one of the four largest cities in Central Asia, it was the residence of Shah (King) Khatlon. The citadel was guarded by a giant salt hill, which at that time was of great importance as the source of one of the three precious resources (along with gold and horses) traded on the Silk Roads.
  • The next object is the Kulyab (31 km drive from Hulbuk). In the center of the city of Kulyab, in the park area, there is a memorial complex of Mir Said Ali Hamadoni - a poet, philosopher and thinker of the 14th century. His son Muhammad, relatives, as well as Sheikh Shokhi Tolikoni from the Afghan city of Tolukan, a former inspector of the mausoleum and mosque, are also buried there. The complex includes the local history museum of the 2700th anniversary of Kulyab, the museum of the literary heritage of the writer Mirsaid Ali Hamadoni and the house-museum of the national poet Saydali Valizod. Every year the museum is visited by more than two million visitors, both local and foreign guests.
  • 14:00 - after lunch, we will continue our journey to Kalai Khumb, Darvaz (from Kulyab - 169 km drive).
  • 20:00 - arrival in Kalai Khumb, Darvaz. Accommodation at the hotel and dinner.

 

  • Kalai Khumb - the ancient city of Karon - Khorog

  • 08:00 - breakfast at the hotel
  • 09:00 - visit the ancient city Karon
  • Tajik and Russian archaeologists in 2012 found the ancient city of Karon on the territory of the Darvaz region of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. Temples, fragments of a five-domed church, a temple of fire, water, two temples of the wind, a windmill, a fragment of the sacred book of the Zoroastrians "Avesta", the remains of a large polo ground, halls, administrative and residential premises were found. building. The ruins were found in the ancient city, which is supposedly one of the largest mountain "residences" of local kings.
  • 11:00 - continuation of the journey, heading to Khorog (from Kalai Khumb - 243 km), lunch at the same time.
  • 20:00 – arrival in Khorog, hotel accommodation and dinner

 

  • Khorog - Ishkashim

  • 08:00 - breakfast at the hotel
  • 09:00 - departure to Ishkashim region (from Khorog - 108 km), accommodation in hotels or sanatorium Garmchashma.
  • Visiting the healing spring "Garmchashma". The mineral spring Garmchashma is located at an altitude of 2325 meters above sea level. The spring is filled with hot turquoise water, which contains iron, aluminum, magnesium, strontium, fluorine, etc. At the same time, lunch.
  • 17:00 - end of the day, return to the hotel, dinner

 

  • Ishkashim - Wakhan Valley - Namadgut - Yamchun - Vrang

  • 08:00 - breakfast at the hotel
  • 09:00 – hike through the villages and mountain gorges of the Wakhan Valley
  • Wakhan Valley - located between the south-west of Tajikistan in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and the north-east of Afghanistan.
  • Namadgut. Arriving from Ishkashim, just two kilometers from the tiny hilltop village of Namadgut, you will find the Qahqaha Fortress, a ruined fort with spectacular views of the Pyanj River, offering sweeping views of both Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
  • Yamchun. In this pretty village built on top of a cliff, you will find the Yamchun Fort, which is 2000 years old and was used to protect the townspeople during the Kushan Empire. The Yamchun fortress is the most impressive place in the entire Wakhan valley, as it offers stunning views of the valley and the Afghan Hindu Kush, whose snow-capped peaks jut out against the backdrop of the fortress. Yamchun also has several famous hot springs called Bibi Fatima.
  • Vrang - the world-famous Silk Road was not only a set of routes aimed at trade and the exchange of goods between civilizations and empires, but also the fact that many different people from different religions left their religious and cultural mark. It is for this reason that in Vrang you can find a Buddhist stupa from the 4th century, the origin and history of which, unfortunately, remain rather unknown. The stupa is built on the highest point of the village, offering breathtaking views of the valley.
  • Lunch during the trip.
  • 18:00 - accommodation in the hostel and dinner
  • Distance - 9 km, climb - 450 m

 

  • Wrang-Zong and Hisor-Langar

  • 08:00 - breakfast at the hostel
  • 09:00 - continuation of the hike through the Wakhan valley to the ancient fortresses and mountain gorges. Visits to Zong and Hisor, Langar. Lunch at the same time.
  • Zong is another small settlement where Abreshim-Kal'a was built, a fortress that served to protect against Chinese and Afghan invaders.
  • Langar will be your first or last destination, depending on whether you come from Khorog or the Pamir Highway. Langar is the most touristy place in Wakhan as it has hosted hundreds of bikers and drivers in general over the years. At the top of the village are the remains of some of the most important petroglyphs in Tajikistan.
  • 18:00 - return to the hostel, dinner
  • Distance - 7 km, climb - 700 m

 

  • Wakhan Valley - Qalai Khumb

  • 08:00 - breakfast at the hostel
  • 09:00 - return trip in the direction of Dushanbe; lunch on the way.
  • 19:00 - overnight in Qalai Khumb (Darvoz) (341 km from the Wakhan valley).

 

  • Kalai Khumb - Dushanbe

  • 07:00 - breakfast at the hotel
  • 08:00 – departure to Dushanbe; lunch at the same time
  • 18:00 - arrival in Dushanbe, end of the tour, seeing off tourists (362 km drive from Kalai Khumb)



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