Mountain Biking in Upper Rasht valley

Duration

7 days, 6 nights

Price per person​

On request

Destinations

Rasht Valley

Difficulty

Advanced

Overview

Experience an unforgettable MTB adventure in the Upper Rasht Valley of Tajikistan! Over the course of 7 days, you’ll journey through stunning mountain scenery, encounter semi-nomadic shepherds, and enjoy the warm hospitality of local homestays. This MTB tour is an exciting adventure suitable for beginners and everyone who loves mountain biking. The terrain is not overly challenging, making it safe for all riders, with plenty of opportunities to stop, take in the breathtaking views, and appreciate the beauty of the region.

  • Explore the vibrant city of Dushanbe and settle into your luxurious 5-star hotel, the Serena, located in the picturesque Ismoili Somoni avenue
  • Take a radial hike to the glaciers near Depshar village to acclimatize yourself to the altitude
  • Bike through beautiful mountains and river valleys, passing by shepherd settlements along the way
  • Spend a night in tents on a high alpine pasture near yurt settlements and herds
  • Bike along the Sazayel Shepherd’s Path, passing through green hills and meadows with impressive views of nearby glaciers
  • Camp on the shores of Maidakul Lake and enjoy swimming in the chilly water
  • Take a short hike towards a glacier and continue biking down to Kharikul, partially on a shepherd path and an abandoned old car road
  • Stay with Mirzoshoh’s family in Jafr village and learn about his work as an amateur botanist promoting biodiversity in the landscape

Itinerary

Upon your arrival mid-day, you'll be greeted at the airport by our representative and transferred to your luxurious 5 star hotel. Take a moment to settle in and get refreshed before stepping out to explore the vibrant city. Your hotel, the Serena, is located in the picturesque Ismoili Somoni avenue surrounded by lush green trees. Make sure to take a dip in the rooftop pool for a truly relaxing experience.

Later in the evening, join us for a welcome dinner with a music and dance performance that will give you a taste of the local culture. Get ready to be entertained and enjoy a delicious meal with new friends.

Accommodation: Atlas Hotel 

Day 2: Dushanbe - Gharm – Depshar (c. 330km)

Today we start in the direction of the Gharm valley. The route leads along the Gharm River through a wide valley with fertile fields and impressive mountain panoramas. A stopover is in Jafr, where we will enjoy a hearty local meal for lunch in an orchard with 32 different types of apple trees and possibly get to know the very ecologically minded, interesting owner of the orchards. Then we continue our journey - last on a somewhat bumpy road - to the village of Depshar, where we will overnight at guides house.

Driving time: approx. 8-9 hours (approx. 330 km) Overnight at guesthouse (approx. 2,100 m)

Today we will have a radial hike to the glaciers in one of the impressive gorges near by our village. This helps us to get acclimatized. We will have a picnic for the lunch and come back to the local guide’s house by the end of the day. (13 km, +/- 1100m,  approx. 2100m)

Accommodation: homestay 

In the morning we start biking which is going to be one of the main challenging day in our trip due to ascent. We continue to ascend and enjoy beautiful views of the mountains and the river valley. At noon we enjoy our picnic together and in the evening we will eat together in the camp on the Hochalm. Today we will spend the night in tents on a high alpine pasture ("Ailoq") near yurt settlements and herds. These first encounters with the semi-nomadic shepherds are certainly impressive. But we as visitors are also marveled at, because foreign guests don't come here all that often.

Bike: approx. 6–7 hours, 20km, +1280m, -420m

Overnight: tent (approx. 3,000 m) 

Today the stage is quite comfortable. We bike along the Sazayel Shepherd's Path. The path leads gently uphill over green hills. Again and again we pass shepherds' settlements, marveled at and usually greeted in a very friendly manner.

We bike along the Peter I mountain range, an impressive mountain range in the northwestern high mountains of Tajikistan called the Pamir. An idyllic day of biking: impressive views of the nearby glaciers, an easy path through the green hills and meadows. The day ends on the shores of Maidakul lake. We set up our camp on the shores of the high mountain lake at approx. 3,400 m. There is still enough time to go swimming - at around 14 degrees a real refreshment - to explore the area a little or simply to admire the mountain peaks reflected in the water.

Bike: approx. 4–5 hours, 13km, + 590m, -160m

Overnight in a tent (approx. 3,360 m)

Today we will start our day with short hiking towards glacier and continue biking to down to Maidakul and further towards Kharikul. It is going to be partially shepherd path and abandon old car road. We will meet more shepherd settlements on the way and expect to reach Kharikul at afternoon. We then set up our camp here with a beautiful mountain landscape behind us and an enchanting lake in front of us. We can use the rest of the day to swim in the lake, hike in the area - or just enjoy the tranquility of the landscape while reading a book. 

Bike: approx. 4-5 hours, 18 km, +330m, -570m

Overnight in a tent (approx. 3,130 m)

It is a last day of MTB, the first part of the route is going to be a gradual uphill till the pass. On the pass you will have an opportunity to see Ismoili Somoni and Karzheneskiy peaks. In addition you will have a great panorama view the most impressive mountain ranges in the region such as Petr 1, Zerafshan, Pamir Alaya and Tien-Shan mountain ranges. Afterwards, it is going to be mainly downhills on zig zag old car road. We can bike down to Jafr village over paved road or stop anywhere possible and continue by accompanying car. In Jafr we will be hosted again by Mirzoshoh’s family - an amateur botanist who is creating new varieties of fruit trees and promoting biodiversity in the landscape around the village of Jafr. Musician, historian, story-teller and all-round intellectual.

Bike: approx. 4-5 hours, 27 km, +280m, -1570m

Accommodation: guesthouse

It is going to be less adventures onwards. We drive back to Dushanbe passing by Rogun Dam and Obi Gharm hot springs. 

Driving time: approx. 5 hours

Accommodation: Atlas hotel 

Mountain Biking Map

Trip information

Included:Excluded:
  • Accommodation  including camping arrangements 
  • English speaking MTB guide
  • Transportation 4wd VANs
  • Food 
  • Cook service 
  • Entry fees at all attractions
  • Medical & travel insurance
  • Personal expenses 
  • Tips for staff
  • Bike rental. Specialized 27.5

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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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