Visite de l'autoroute du Pamir 2024

Today we have a long drive (380 km, 8-10 hours), but the condition of the road is good. We start earlier in order to have enough time for photo stops. The road lies through the city of Kulob and along Afghanistan border. Lunch in Kulob. Drive along the river Panj to Kalai-Khumb. Overnight in a guesthouse.

Today you drive along the Panj river, shorter distance (220 km, 6 hours), but the road condition is bumpy. You will see Afghanistan from the right side across the river. After reaching Rushan, we will turn left and drive towards Bartang valley. We cross a bridge and do trekking towards the Jizeu village - a remote untouched village with 12 households, where no electricity, no mobile connection with the world. The trekking takes 2.5-3 hours. Overnight in a guesthouse.  

We hike down to the bridge where our car will pick up us and drive towards the head to a famous mineral hot spring - Garm-Chashma. Depart to Ishkashim, a small town at the mouth of the Wakhan corridor, where the 19th century Great Game ended. Continue up the north side of the river with amazing views of the Pamir on your left and the Hindu Kush on the ride sides; a number of peaks in view are above 6,000 m. Overnight at the guesthouse. Road conditions: the first half from Khorog to Ishkashim is a poor dirt road, the second part is paved. 6km ramp to Garm-Chashma has a bad ground.

Drive from Ishkashim to Langar. On the way, visit Kah-Kaha, one of the old fortresses on the Silk Road. Then, continue to the ruins of Yamchun Fortress (4-3rd centuries B.C.), sacred hot springs of Bibi Fatima Zahra, the Museum of Sufi Muborak-Kadami Vakhani, a local Sufi scholar, theologian, poet and traveller, who died in 1910. There is a stone pillar with a hole near his house that he used to calculate a solar calendar and a building with inscriptions and decorations. We will also visit Buddhist Stupa. Homestay overnight. Road conditions: All day you will drive on the paved and smooth road, only descent and ascent to the Yamchun fortress lies across a bad dirt road.

After breakfast, drive towards Khargush, source of Amu Darya River, via Khargush Pass (4344 m) and Nazay-Tash Pass (4137 m). After having lunch in Murghab, we visit the Murghab market, which is made of the truck containers. Drive towards Karakul lake. Homestay overnight*. *It might be difficult to fall asleep on the height of 3600meters due to the lack of oxygen and dry air. Road conditions: the first half of the way will be a dirt road, the second half, on the turn towards Khorog, there will be a bad sinuous paving.

Conduite vers le lac Karakul. Sur le chemin de Karakul, conduisez jusqu'au lac Rangkul pour voir et prendre en photo l'oie indienne. Retour sur la route du Pamir et route vers le lac Karakul. La route vers le lac Karakul passe par le col Ak-Baital (White Horse), le plus haut col (4655 m) de l'ex-URSS. Les gens l'appellent "Le Toit du Monde". Après le déjeuner dans un homeyay, rendez-vous au bord du lac du lac Karakul pour prendre des photos, le plus grand lac du Tadjikistan (3800 m). Nuit chez l'habitant dans le village de Karakul.

Conduisez jusqu'à la source thermale de Jelondy dans la vallée de Ghund : une belle source thermale à l'intérieur d'un hôtel, où vous pouvez nager et passer la nuit.

Dans la matinée, départ de la source thermale de Jelondy vers Qalai Khumb (366 km). Sur leur chemin, vous verrez un beau village de la vallée de Ghund le long de la route du Pamir et de la rivière Ghund. Le déjeuner sera à Rushan ou Qalot, en fonction de l'heure. Nuit chez l'habitant au dessus de la rivière à Qalai Khumb.

Retour à Douchanbé. Déjeuner à Kulob. Dépose à votre hôtel. Relaxer. Le soir, dernier dîner d'adieu dans un beau restaurant.