Depart Auckland on our overnight Emirates flight to Dubai.
Arrive early morning and transfer to our transit hotel and access day rooms. Rest or explore on your own until evening when we transfer back to Dubai Airport for our overnight flight to Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan.
Arrive very early morning and meet our guide Davood, for the next 8 days. We transfer to our hotel to rest up before mid-morning we commence our city tour of the youngest capital city of Central Asia which has a peculiar name, ‘Dushanbe’. This means Monday in Tajik and named for the small weekly bazaar which was always held on a Monday. Now it is a pleasant small capital city, with broad tree-lined avenues and pleasing architecture surrounded by mountain scenery.
Dushanbe rose to prominence during the Soviet era, when it was made the capital of the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic and named Stalinabad. The ousted Emir of Bukhara, fleeing from the Bolsheviks, stayed in Dushanbe and cooperated with Enver Pasha’s Basmachi’s until he had to leave the region. From Dushanbe, he fled to Afghanistan in 1921, the year the town was freed from the Basmachis as well. City tour of Dushanbe: Gurminj Museum of Traditional Musical Instruments, Monument Somoni, Rudaki, Botanical Garden and the Tajikistan Antiquity Museum.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Dinner
Today we will head out towards a district named Darvaz, driving through beautiful scenery and interesting villages enroute. This area is a little more conservative, and we see many men with beards and wo¬men wearing traditio¬nal dresses.
On the road we will visit the ancient fortress Hulbuk 8th century AD recently restored under the decree of the president. The local gu¬ide will give us interesting stories about the life in the fortress, and show us base outlines of the rooms, halls and harems of the local governor’s palace.
We will cross the Shurabad Pass (2200m) and set off west towa¬rds the Pamir Highway and the beautiful town of Kalai Khumb. This town has a population of approximately 23,000 and historically was once a semi-independent statelet ruled by an Amir. Arrive in Kalai Khumb in the early evening.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
From Kalai Khumb we leave for Khorog, the capital city of Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), along the Pyanj River, and border of Afghanistan.
Khorog is a small town that at various times has been under the control of Russia, the Emirate of Bukhara, and Afghanistan. The Russians built a fo¬rt here in the Soviet era, with Khorog being a highly str¬ategic location on the border with Afgha¬nistan, but today it languishes and is one of the least deve¬loped parts of the country, with the Aga Khan Foundation con¬tributing to the bulk of the local econo¬my. It holds the dis¬tinction of being ho¬me to the second highest botanical garden in the world, at 3900m.
We will spend time exploring Khorog including the bazaar and the lovely Botanical Garden which is perched high above the town offering some great panoramic views.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
The drive towards Ishkashim today is fabulous for observing the villages which are located along the left side of the Panj River. About 50 km after leaving, we will stop at Garmchashma Hot Springs for an optional dip in the waters.
From there, we enter the Tajik half of the Wakhan Valley (shared with Afghanistan) and pass regional gem mines once mentioned by Marco Polo. The most famous mine is Koh-i-Lal ruby mine which is visible from the road. Ishkashim itself is the regional centre, but it is essentially still a large village, where we stay in a local guesthouse overnight.
Note: the local guesthouses, which are in all small settlements in the Pamirs, are family houses and the rooms consist of two beds or more.
Accommodation: Local Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today we will continue our trip towards the Wakhan Valley with a detour to the nearby village of Namadguti to visit the Khahkha Fortress.
Continue along the Wakhan Valley and visit the nearby village of Vrang, home to 4th century Buddhist stupas, and reminders of the ancient pilgrim caravans that passed through the region. Nearby, we also visit the Yamchun Fortress, perhaps the most impressive of the region. We will take a break at the Bibifitima Hot springs for an optional swim.
The Wakhan Valley (also pronounced Vakhan) is a majestic alpine valley in the Badakhshan Region of Afghanistan and Tajikistan (the “Wakhan Corridor” refers to the part of the valley in Afghanistan) and located in the Pamir Mountains. Its upper reaches consist of two wide, hilly plains surrounded by alpine peaks, commencing near the Chinese border in one of the most remote regions of the world.
Further down where the Pamir and Wakhan rivers join to form the Pyanj River, the valley narrows, finally becoming a severe canyon with roaring river rapids in Ishkashim. Its muddy rivers are fed by water from huge glaciers on some of the highest mountains on the planet, fantastic views of which are visible throughout the area.
Accommodation: Local Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast we continue our trip towards Murghab town, in the heart of Murghab Province, and get the chance to explore the amazing landscape of the area.
This small town bestrides Murghab Province at an altitude of 3500 m. We anticipate arriving in Murghab at dinnertime. Murghab (3670 m) itself has few attractions but it will serve as our base for one night as we explore the area a little. The impressive 7546m Chinese peak of Mustag Ata is visible to the Northeast of the town, 110 km away.
Accommodation: Local Hotel or Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today we will have a wonderful drive towards one of the most fabulous places in Tajikistan known as Karakul.
We will again cross a high-altitude Ak-Baital Pass (4655m) which is the highest section of road in the former Soviet Union. This drive will showcase some of the most dramatic scenery of the trip, with the lunar-like landscapes and bright blue lakes providing plenty of opportunities to literally take our breath away!
We descend to Karakul Lake, the highest lake in Central Asia at 3915 meters, too high to support any aquatic life.
Accommodation: Local Hotel or Guesthouse
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today we say goodbye to our Tajik hosts and cross the border into Kyrgyzstan where we will meet Evgeniy, our guide and his drivers.
Our journey today takes us to the base camp for climbers at Lenin Peak, where we will spend the night at an altitude of 3800 meters. Here we will walk to the famous ‘Onion Field’ from where all climbers start their ascent to the peak. We will enjoy the glacial lakes and surrounding mountains, some of which are over 6,000 meters, and observe the life of the shepherds in the summer pastures as well as herds of horses and yaks.
Accommodation: Yurt Camp
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast we set off for our scenic 6-hour drive to the ancient city of Osh, established over 3000 years ago. There will be plenty of photo stops enroute. On our arrival in Osh, we will visit Sulaiman Too sacred mountain which is under UNESCO protection.
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Chavo
Meals: Breakfast
Today we set off for Kazarman through one of the most beautiful mountain-passes in Kyrgyzstan, which is only open 3 months a year. This route offers some of the most unforgettable scenery and photography in Kyrgyzstan.
On the way we stop at Uzgen and visit the 11th century Uzgen Minaret. The Uzgen Museum Complex consists of four historical and archaeological monuments however the minaret takes a special place among them. In Kazarman our accommodation and dinner are in a local family’s house.
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today we board our 4×4 jeeps and drive through the beautiful mountain passes to the alpine lake of Son Kul, located in a basin in the heart of Inner Tien Shan. The basin is 57km long and 30km wide at an altitude of 3000 m above sea level. Son Kul Lake is in the heart of the Inner Tien Shan, 90 km north-west of Naryn.
We will enjoy a picnic on the way and breathe in the fresh mountain air, appreciating the natural beauty. We will spend the night in a Yurt camp and experience the life of the nomads.
Accommodation: Yurt Camp
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast we travel to one of the largest alpine lakes in the world, Issyk Kul Lake, the pearl of the Tien Shan. We take a very picturesque road that runs through mountain passes and then along the beautiful southern lake shore.
On the way we visit the famous Skazka Canyon and then we will see gorgeous red rocks at the Dzhety Oguz (7 bulls) Gorge. Skazka Canyon, commonly known as Fairy Tale Canyon. The word ‘Skazka’ directly translates to ‘fairy tale’ from Russian.
Formed by thousands of years of ice, water and wind erosion, this magnificent desert-like landscape has transformed into an array of sculptures and formations. Upon arrival in Karakul, we visit an old Russian Orthodox church plus a Chinese mosque of the 18th century.
Accommodation: Green Yard Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
This morning, we set off to Bishkek via the northern shore of Issyk Kul Lake.
On the way we stop at Cholpon Ata, an open-air museum of petroglyphs. Set over 42 hectares, the museum is dotted with stone circles, tombs, balbals, and a variety of petroglyphs. which date between the 2nd millennium BC and the 4th century AD. We continue to Bishkek and on the way visit the Burana Tower which is a part of an archaeological and architectural museum complex and is listed as a cultural heritage site.
Arrive in Bishkek in the late afternoon.
Accommodation: My Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast we drive 35kms to the Ala Archa National Park offering stunning mountains and gorgeous nature. Ala-Archa State Natural Park is located on the northern slope of the Kyrgyz ridge (Kyrgyz Ala-Too) at an altitude of 1600–4860 m. It covers an area of 2280 ha. It starts from the high centre of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too and extends north to the Ala-Archa gorge River.
We then return to Bishkek and enjoy a city tour including an afternoon visit to the famous Osh Bazaar. Osh Bazaar is one of Kyrgyzstan’s largest and busiest bazaars and offers an incredible feast for your senses. An endless maze of shops with vendors selling every product imaginable, the bazaar is the perfect opportunity to see an authentic shopping area that’s at the heart of the local culture.
Tonight, we enjoy a farewell dinner and reminisce over our wonderful Tajik-Kyrgyz adventure.
Accommodation: My Hotel
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
At midnight we transfer to Bishkek International airport for our Emirates flight to Dubai and onwards connection to Auckland.
Estimated Tour Price including International Flights
The above itinerary is subject to change due to airline reschedules, adverse weather and road conditions, unexpected political situations, or the decision by the host ground operator based on what is best for the group at time of arrival. Every effort will be made to deliver the itinerary and tour price exactly as stated