Tour description

Tajikistan is the second mountain country in the world (after Bhutan) with a high percentage of mountainous terrain, boasting mountain ranges of the Pamir, Gissar Alay, and Tien Shan systems that cover 93% of the country's territory. These ranges are interspersed with the rich and fertile lands of the Fergana, Zerafshan, Vakhsh, and Gissar valleys. Tajikistan is an ideal destination for lovers of mountains, nature, clean air, fresh water, and ecological fruits and food.

The M41, known informally and more commonly as the Pamir Highway, is a road traversing the Pamir Mountains through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan with a length of over 1,200 km. It is the only continuous route through the difficult terrain of the mountains and is the main supply route to Tajikistan's GBAO region. The route has been in use for millennia, as there are a limited number of viable routes through the high Pamir Mountains. The road formed one link of the ancient Silk Road trade route. M41 is the Soviet road number.

 ITINERARIES: Osh (Kyrgyzstan) border, Kyzyl-Art checkpoint – Karakul – Murgab - Bukunkul – Khorog – Pamir Botanical Garden – Qal’ai Khumb  –Qal’ai (Castle) Karon – Kulob – Mir Saeed Alii Hamadoni Complex – Hulbuk Fortress – Dushanbe

NOTICE: this tour package offers two distinct itineraries: (1) from Murgab (Kyzyl-Art border/checkpoint) to Dushanbe and (2) from Dushanbe to Murgab (Kyzyl-Art border/checkpoint). Both options are priced equally, ensuring cost-effectiveness for travelers.


PHOTO ALBUM of the tourism objects (itineraries) is available here!






Program of the tour

ARRIVAL DAY, KYZYL-ART - KARAKUL LAKE  MURGAB (distance 135 km, about 4h)


Until 11:00

- pick up from the Osh (Kyrgyzstan), Kyzyl-Art border/checkpoint and departure to Murgab direction

- pick up from the Dushanbe and departure to Qal’ai Khumb direction … (for this option the 1st day is generated for the 4th day)

14:00 – Arrival at Karakul Lake (distance 50 km from border)

KARAKUL

Karakul Lake (Tajik name Siyohob) is a 25-kilometer-diameter lake within a 52-kilometer-diameter impact crater. Located in Tajik National Park at an elevation of 3,960 meters above sea level, the lake is situated within a circular depression that has been interpreted as an impact crater. The lake is divided into two basins by a peninsula projecting from the south shore and an island off the north shore, with a smaller (19 m) and a larger (230 m) deep basin, respectively.

16:00 – Departure to Murgab

19:00 – Arrival at Murgab, dinner accommodation to hostel

MURGAB

Murgab is a district in the Mountains of Badakhshan, with a population of just under 7,500. It is the highest town in Tajikistan, situated at an elevation of 3,650 meters above sea level. The Pamir Highway traverses the Bartang River at this location. The Pamir Highway extends northward to Sary-Tash and continues onward to Osh in Kyrgyzstan. Another road goes east over the Kulma Pass to the Karakoram Highway in China, connecting to Tashkurgan to the south and Kashgar to the north.

MURGAB – BULUNKUL - KHOROG (distance 310 km, 6h)


08:00 – Breakfast at hostel and departure to Bulunkul

12:00 – Arrival at Bulunkul Lake, rest and sightseeing over the lake

BULUNKUL

Bulunkul is considered as the coldest place in Tajikistan. In winter, the cold temperature reaches there from 57 to 60 degrees cold. Bulunkul is an alpine lake located at an elevation of 3,734 meters above sea level. The lake's water is fresh, and the surrounding environment is home to diverse flora and fauna. The presence of a diverse avian community, including ducks, geese, and sea gulls, is a common sight along the lake's shoreline. Bulunkul lake is significant as the first basin in the Pamirs where fishing was introduced to the local community. From May through October, fishermen set their nets near the river mouths that flow into the lake, catching osman and marinka.

13:00 – Lunch, picnic

15:00 – Departure to Khorog

19:00 – Arrival at Khorug, dinner accommodation to hotel

KHOROG – QALAI KHUMB (distance 240 km, 6h)


08:00 – Breakfast at hotel and Khorog sightseeing

KHOROG

Khorog serves as the administrative hub of the GBAO region in the Pamir Mountains. Strategically positioned at an elevation of 2,600 meters above sea level, Khorog is a prominent regional hub for commerce, transportation, and educational opportunities. The city also serves as a prominent tourist destination and serves as a starting point for visitors wishing to explore the region's main attractions.

BOTANICAL GARDEN

The Pamir Botanical Garden, located in Khorog, boasts the distinction of housing the highest mountain in the CIS and the second highest mountain above sea level in the world, surpassed only by the Botanical Garden of Nepal. The garden was founded in 1940. The garden's collection boasts over 4,000 species of plants from all regions of the world, making it a valuable resource for research and education. During the period of independence of Tajikistan, the garden has continued to function successfully, with ongoing scientific research.

11:00 – Departure to Qal’ai Khumb, lunch on the way

Notice: in case of reconstruction of the road perhaps we will cross the road from Rushan to Kalai Khumb at evening time

19:00 (or 20:00) - Arrival Qal’ai Khumb, dinner accommodation to hotel

QAL’AI KHUMB  KULYAB  DUSHANBE (distance 360 km, 6h)


07:00 – Breakfast at hotel and sightseeing ancient Karon

QAL’AI KHUMB

Qal'ai Khumb, also known as Kalai Khumb, is a small village situated along the Panj River. It is one of the earliest settlements along the route to the Pamir Highway, located after Dushanbe. This border town is situated in the Darvaz district of Tajikistan, adjacent to the border with Afghanistan. The village's origins date back to the 15th century, when the first fortress was constructed. It was initially established as a frontier outpost on the edge of the Pamirs, safeguarding the eastern borders of the Timurid Empire.

QAL’AI (CASTLE) KARON

The ancient town of Karon is located in the village of Ruzvai, at an altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level on the mountain Zogik. Karon is a naturally inaccessible and protected area. Its grandeur and size have led scholars to hypothesize that it was once a royal city and a place of nobility, where the king, his relatives, troops, and servants resided. Historical sources mention the existence of the town of Karon city in medieval times. However, this site was not recognized as a historical and cultural heritage site or a tourist attraction until recently. In 2012, Tajik and Russian archaeologists unearthed fragments of a five-story fire temple, water and wind temples, a windmill, and a fragment of a book (presumably a Zoroastrian sacred book of Avesta) at the site.

11:00 – Departure to Kulyab

13:00 – Arrival at Kulayb, lunch

KULYAB

The name of the city is believed to originate from the Tajik "kuloba" signifying", lake water". The city of Kulyab was established 2,700 years ago and was situated along a significant trade route, the Great Silk Road. This strategic location fostered robust trade, economic, and cultural ties with numerous countries in the East and West.During the Middle Ages, Kulyab served as the seat of the Kulyab khanate, a subdivision of the Bukhara Khanate. It was an important political, economic, and cultural center.In the 17th and 19th centuries, 40 poets lived and worked in Kulyab, including the renowned Hastily (Abdurakhman Khoja), Haji Husaina Kangurti, Bismil, and Shokhin.

MIR SAEED ALI HAMADONI COMPLEX

The mausoleum of Mir Saeed Ali Hamadoni is located in the administrative center of Kulyab. This historical monument dates back to the XI-XY centuries of our era. Historical sources indicate that two major Silk Road trade routes passed through the ancient city of Kulyab. The mausoleum's strategic location on one of the major trade routes of the Silk Road underscores its historical and cultural significance. Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani (1312–1385 CE) was a prominent Sufi Muslim saint of the Kubrawiya order, who played a significant role in spreading Islam in the Kashmir Valley of northern India. Throughout his life, Hamadani was addressed honorifically as the Shāh-e-Hamadān ("King of Hamadan"), Amīr-i Kabīr ("the Great Commander"), and Ali Sani ("second Ali").

16:00 – Visit to Hulbuk Fortress

HULBUK CASTLE

From the 9th to 11th centuries, the Hulbuk Castle was strategically located in the heart of one of Central Asia's most significant cities. It served as the official residence of Shah (King) Khutalon and was fortified by a substantial salt hill, a notable landmark due to its importance as a source for one of the three prized commodities traded along the Silk Road, along with gold and horses. During the rule of the Bajurids, who were vassals of the Samanids, Hulbuk flourished as a central hub for trade and travel in Khutalan. The city's strategic location saw it as a pivotal point for trade, connecting Bukhara to Badakhshan and India via major trade routes.

17:00 – Departure to Dushanbe

19:30 - Arrival at Dushanbe


We've reached the end of the tour!

Welcome once again to our wonderful land!




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