The day begins: Frühe Abfahrt aus Duschanbe. Early departure from Dushanbe. Instead of taking the standard southern route through Kulob, we take the more adventurous northern road through Vahdat – Obigarm – Tavildara – mountain passes – Kalaikhumb.

This route offers significantly more mountain driving and unpaved sections and is ideal for guests looking for a real 4×4 experience.

Lunch: pre-arranged hot lunch in Tavildara, including soup, main course, salad, bread, tea and coffee.
Dinner: restaurant at the hotel in Kalaikhumb.
Accommodation: Karon Palace Hotel – our preferred hotel in Kalaikhumb, offering private bathrooms, comfortable rooms, restaurant facilities, Wi-Fi and breakfast.

After breakfast, we continue east along the Panj River, with Afghanistan directly across the river for much of the day.

The road passes through dramatic gorges, small Pamiri villages, Vanj and Rushan before arriving in Khorog.

Lunch: pre-arranged hot lunch in Rushan.
Dinner: restaurant in Khorog.
Accommodation: Pamir Palace Hotel, Khorog – one of the most suitable higher-standard hotels for a group of 14 guests, with private bathrooms, restaurant, Wi-Fi, parking and breakfast.

After breakfast, we leave Khorog and drive south toward the entrance of the Wakhan Corridor.

On the way, we can visit Garm Chashma Hot Springs, one of the most famous natural hot springs in the Pamirs.

We then continue along the Panj River toward Ishkashim.

Lunch: hot lunch near Garm Chashma or in Ishkashim.
Dinner: at the guesthouse.
Accommodation: First choice: Ren Guesthouse. Alternative: Hanis Guesthouse. Both are among the better available accommodation options in Ishkashim, with hot water, meals and comfortable rooms.

This is one of the most culturally interesting days of the expedition. We drive through the legendary Wakhan Corridor, with the Hindu Kush mountains visible across Afghanistan.

Planned visits include:

• Kah-Kaha Fortress
• Yamchun Fortress
• Bibi Fatima Hot Springs
• Muborak Qadam Wakhi Museum and Solar Calendar in Yamg
• Buddhist Stupa in Vrang
• Traditional Wakhi villages
• Panoramic viewpoints over Afghanistan and the Hindu Kush

The road becomes progressively more adventurous, with long gravel and rocky sections.

Lunch: traditional Pamiri lunch with a local family in Yamg.
Dinner: Langar
Accommodation: Sash Guesthouse, one of the better guesthouses in the Langar area. For a group of 14 guests

This is the main off-road day of the expedition: From Langar, we climb toward Khargush and then leave the usual tourist route to enter the remote Zorkul Nature Reserve.

We continue through wild high-altitude scenery toward Lake Zorkul, located at more than 4,000 metres above sea level.

After visiting the lake, we continue along remote 4×4 tracks toward Jarty Gumbez.

There are virtually no normal roads, restaurants or shops in this region. This is a very remote location, so there are no luxury hotels. Accommodation is simple but authentic, and the natural hot spring is one of the highlights of the location.

Lunch: premium expedition picnic near Lake Zorkul, including tables and chairs, cold starters, hot tea and coffee, fruit, water and prepared lunch boxes or a hot meal where practical.
Dinner and accommodation: Jarty Gumbez Guesthouse & Hot Springs.

After breakfast, we leave Jarty Gumbez and continue across remote Eastern Pamir terrain toward Murghab.

After lunch in Murghab, we join the M41 Pamir Highway and drive north toward the famous Ak-Baital Pass – 4,655 metres, one of the highest road passes in Central Asia.

We then descend toward Karakul Lake.

Lunch: hot lunch in Murghab.
Dinner: Karakul.
Accommodation: Sadat Homestay or another of the best available guesthouses in Karakul. Because Karakul is a very small and remote village, there are no standard hotels. If needed, we can divide the group between two neighbouring high-quality homestays.

We drive south again through the spectacular desert landscapes of the Eastern Pamirs. The route takes us back across Ak-Baital Pass, through Murghab and then onward toward Alichur.

There will also be several scenic stops for photography across the Eastern Pamir plateau.

Lunch: hot lunch in Murghab.
Dinner: Alichur.
Accommodation: Pamir Experience Guest House , one of the best accommodation options in Alichur, with private rooms, meals and a traditional Russian-style sauna.

After breakfast, we leave the high Eastern Pamir and cross Koitezek Pass before descending into the beautiful Gunt Valley.

We stop at Jelondy Hot Springs along the way.

And: After several nights in remote mountain guesthouses, this night provides guests with a higher level of comfort, private bathrooms and good beds.

Lunch: hot lunch in Jelondy.
Dinner: good restaurant in Khorog.
Accommodation: Pamir Palace Hotel.

We return west along the Panj River toward Kalaikhumb.

The scenery remains spectacular, with Afghanistan visible across the river for much of the journey.

Lunch: hot lunch in Rushan.
Dinner: restaurant at the hotel.
Accommodation: Karon Palace Hotel, Kalaikhumb.

For the final day, we recommend returning to Dushanbe via Kulob rather than repeating the Tavildara road.

This makes the expedition a circular route and allows guests to experience a different landscape.

Continue to Dushanbe in the afternoon.
Upon arrival, the expedition ends.

For a premium package, we can also arrange a farewell dinner in Dushanbe.

Lunch: good restaurant in Kulob.
Best Available Accommodation