Classic Pamir Highway Overland Tour

Duration

10 days, 9 nights

Price

From $2180 per person

Destination

Pamirs

Comfort level

Mixed Comfort

Group size

2-8 people

Overview

The classic Pamir Highway tour is a once-in-a-lifetime journey through some of the world’s most stunning and remote landscapes. This unforgettable adventure takes you on a winding route through the rugged mountains and high-altitude plateaus of Tajikistan, where you’ll encounter welcoming locals, ancient Silk Road history, and breathtaking natural beauty at every turn. Whether you’re trekking through the high passes, soaking in natural hot springs, or camping under the stars, the Pamir Highway tour is an experience that will stay with you forever.

  • Take in the stunning Pamir Mountains’ landscapes and feel their majesty as you drive along the Pamir Highway.
  • Explore Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, and visit the Somoni Monument, Rudaki Park, Hissar Fort, and the Navruz Palace.
  • Visit the Karon archeology complex, known as the “Machu Picchu of Tajikistan,” on the way to Khorog.
  • Explore the ruins of the vast fortress known as Kakhkakha in Namadgut and Yamchun Fortress, which dates back to the Greeco-Bactrian and Kushan periods.
  • Visit the house museum of astronomer and scholar Sufi Muborak Wakhoni, a traditional Pamiri house with superb carved pillars and beams.
  • Connect with the Pamiri people and experience their warmth, hospitality, and rich cultural heritage by staying at local guesthouses and visiting traditional villages on the Pamir Highway.
  • Soak in Bibi Fatima and Garm Chashma hot springs, believed to have therapeutic properties that can help with various ailments.
  • Attend a Pamiri folklore concert in Ishkashim for a unique cultural experience featuring traditional music, dance, and costumes.

Itinerary

After your arrival at Dushanbe airport you will be taken to the Turkish restaurant to have a traditional breakfast. After breakfast, your guide will conduct a short welcoming briefing and take you on a fascinating city tour of Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital. Highlights of the city include the magnificent Somoni Monument, the world’s second-tallest flag pole, Rudaki Park, Hissar Fort, and the Navruz Palace where one can enjoy folk crafts of Central Asian people. In the vening you will have dinner at local restauran where you can enjoy live music and dance show.

Altitude: 800m 

Accommodation: 4* Atlas Hotel

Today you start your journey towards the Pamirs over the spectacular mountain pass, to Kalaikumb, the halfway point on the way to Khorog. This time we will take the northern road via Tavildara and Khaburabad pass 3255m (or via Kulyab region if weather does not allow). You may notice more conservative attitudes of local dressing style and beards, but the hospitality is just as welcoming. Lunch is at a roadside café or picnic on the route. 

Altitude: 1300m, 300km, 10 hours.

Accommodation: *4 Karon Palace

Another scenic drive to Khorog, the capital of (GBAO) Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast, along the Panj River which is a natural border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan makes our day unforgettable. After an earlier breakfast we will visit Karon archeology complex known as a Machu Picchu of Tajikistan. Karon is a one-of-a-kind, new archeological site in Tajikistan history of which is still being considered and reconsidered among the historians and archeologists of global community.

Late afternoon you will reach Khorog and check in to the luxury boutique hotel. For the rest of your time you can have a visit to botanical garden which is the second highest altitude garden in the world. 

Altitude: 2100m, 240km, 8 hours.

Accommodation: 3* Hotel Lal

Today after an earlier breakfast, we will drive toward Ishkashim. Ishkashim district is undoubtedly the most attractive destination in Gorno-Badakhshan for its wealth of archeological sites (castles, petroglyphs and more than 60 shrines and holly places and thermal springs) and spectacular scenery with views across the Wakhan Corridor to the snow-covered Hindi Kush in Pakistan. 

About 30 km from Khorog, there is a famous thermal, holly hot spring called Garmchashma described for the first time by a Danish explorer Ole Olufsen in 1897. The hot spring is believed to be a healing spring for many diseases. You can stop here for a quick bath. Afternoon we will reach Ishkashim where we overnight and have a folklore Pamiri concert arranged for us. 

Altitude: 2550m, 110km, 4 hours.

Accommodation: simple guesthouse with twin room option

After breakfast, you will continue the exploration further visiting village of Namadgut, there are ruins of a vast fortress known as Kakhkakha, the oldest parts of which back to the II century BC (Kushan Empire). On the other side of the road from the fortress is the shrine Ostoni-Shohi Mardon (one of the names attributed to Ali-Muhammed the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-low). The outer gate to the shrine is covered in calligraphy and the interior of the shrine is a good example of early wood carving. We take a visit to the house museum of an astronomer and scholar Sufi Muborak Wakhoni (1839-1930). The museum is a very fine example of a traditional Pamiri house with superb carved pillars and beams. Just outside the museum there is the solar calendar used by Sufi Muborak for determining the start of the Navruz festival. Probably the most spectacular site in Tajikistani Wakhan is the area above the village of Yamchun, with imposing Yamchun Fortress. Parts of this fortress date to the Greeco-Bactrian and Kushan periods (III-I centuries BCE). The nearby Bibi Fatima hot spring is believed to improve female and male fertility. Here we can have a quick bath. Our lunch will be served at the traditional guesthouse. 

After lunch we will move further to Vrang, to see Buda Stupa, and in Zong village you will stop for visiting Abrashim Qala fort. Your day finishes in Zong where you will overnight at guesthouse. 

Altitude: 2800m, 150km, 8 hours.

Accommodation: Guesthouse

Another adventurous day for you begins after the breakfast. We will head to Murgab town. Murgab district comprises more than half of the land area of Gorno-Badakhshan. The majority of the population is ethnic Kyrgyz. The drive is scenic with a u number of stops; both photo and learning discovery ones depending on the circumstances and availability of the nomadic yurts on the way. On the way to Mughab we will visit Alichur village and have lunch at a roadside café “Golden Fish”.

Altitude 3600m, 230km, 7 hours.

Accommodation:  2* Hotel Pamir.

Today is going to be a big day. After an early breakfast we will drive back to Khorog, the capital of (GBAO) Gorno-Badakhshan Oblast, we will stop in Bulunkul for lunch and visit Bulunkul and Yashikul lakes. The scenery around the Bulunkul and Yashilkul lakes is spectacular. There will be several photo stops. On the way we will also stop to see old wooden bridges over the Ghund river.

Altitude: 2100m, 320km, 8 hours.

Accommodation: 3* Hotel Lal

Today we will continue our journey back to Kalai Khumb along the Panj river aka Oxus and Afghan border. Looking at the beautiful landscapes from counter perspective is an interesting experience. A walking tour around Darvaz town is included.

Dinner is at the guesthouse at the shore of the river.

Altitude: 1300m, 240km, 7 hours.

Accommodation: 4* Karon Place

A long journey to Dushanbe. This time we take the southern road via Kulyab. On the way to Dushanbe there will be more stops including a short stop at Hulbuk Fort form the IX-XI centuries at Vose settlement and Nurek reservoir. Lunch is at a local restaurant in Kulyab. We will reach Dushanbe late afternoon, will have some time to rest before we have a farewell dinner with guide, driver and other travelers. 

Altitude: 800m, 280km, 7-8 hours.

Accommodation: 4* Atlas hotel.

You will be transferred to the airport. Have a safe flight!

Trip Map

Trip information

Included:Excluded:
  • 4×4 Jeep/Minivan
  • Guide service
  • Accommodation 
  • Full board 
  • All park permits and taxes
  • Entry fees in all attractions
  • GBAO permit
  • International air fares 
  • Hotel charges for additional services 
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses (e.g. souvenirs etc)
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Tips for guide and drivers

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Reviews

  • star ratingI visited the Fann Mountains with Paramount Journey in early October for a four-day trek (starting and finishing in Dushanbe). It was my first visit to Tajikistan. Paramount Journey were... read more

    Go546085
    16.11.2022

    star ratingIskanderkul Weekend - My wife and I and two friends of ours enjoyed an excellent autumn weekend Iskanderkul, one of the top tourist spots in Tajikistan. It was a very smooth and... read more

    cplattv
    14.10.2022

    star ratingTravel to Tajikistan - We took a 7 day tour to Tajikistan taking in Dushanbe and trekking in the Fann Mountains. The mountain scenery was breathtaking and the tour was very professionally arranged.... read more

    grahamhV636OW
    09.09.2022
  • star ratingFanntastic trip to the FANN mountains - We had a fantastic time on our trip to Tajikistan with Paramount. From the beginning, we worked closely with Alovaddin to plan a custom trip. He offered lots of great... read more

    dedtomato
    09.09.2022

    star ratingCouple Travels through Tajikistan & Uzbekistan - If you would like to travel through Tajikistan & Uzbekistan we can highly recommend Paramount Journey. The proposed itinerary was excellent, we were able to incorporate all our wishes and... read more

    nicolasmV530OS
    15.08.2022

    star ratingIncredible 7 Day Tour from Dushanbe through the Fann Mountains to Khujand - We partook in a 7 - day tour of Tajikistan from Dushanbe to Khujand and back, stopping in several villages in the Fann Mountains. From the very beginning, it was... read more

    ethan1795
    08.12.2021
  • star ratingWe made a 3 weeks 2 persons Jeep Tour individually designed for our requiremenst through the Pamirs and the Zerafshan including exploring cities on the old Silk-Road. ... read more

    242andreasu
    06.10.2021

    star ratingFantastic 7 day Jeep tour in the Zerafshan and Yagnob Valleys and Fan mountains. - Date of tour: September 2019.

    Booking process: Booking the tour was very easy. Alovaddin answered all my questions quickly, suggested an itinerary and adjusted it to... read more

    SteveP832
    23.02.2020

    star ratingAn amazing experience - I did the Fann Montaign trekk with a friend and we enjoyed every step of it: be it the breathtaking landscapes of montaigns, glacier, incredible blues lakes and camps (add... read more

    Sabine P
    24.09.2019
  • star ratingFann Mountains Trek - We had a fantastic, well organised 3 night trek through the Fann Mountains.
    Yun and the team were fantastic! I cannot fault them. They really cared about us, and... read more

    hepatomegaly
    13.09.2019

    star ratingPamir & beyond - I had a wonderful experience visiting Tajikistan with Paramount Journey. Alovaddin and his staff organized a trip tailor-made to my wishes and needs. Truly a journey to remember. Highly recommended.... read more

    g_f3d3
    10.09.2019

    star ratingPristine Trek - Incredible Untouched Beauty - This must be one of the few pristine trek left in the world. It is very rough but the sights were amazing. The water in the lakes are crystal clear,... read more

    Blowfishpore
    05.09.2019

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