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Exploring the Majestic Pakistan Karakoram Highway: Ultimate Guide

# Exploring the Majestic Pakistan Karakoram Highway: Ultimate Guide---

Introduction

Imagine traversing through one of the world's most breathtaking landscapes, surrounded by towering peaks, cascading glaciers, and ancient cultures. This journey is made possible by the legendary Pakistan Karakoram Highway, a route that is not just a road but a passage to awe-inspiring beauty and rich history. In this ultimate guide, we will delve deep into the wonders of the Pakistan Karakoram Highway, exploring its significance, highlighting its treasures, and equipping you with the knowledge to embark on your own adventure.

Main Content

The History and Importance of the Karakoram Highway The Pakistan Karakoram Highway is not merely a road but a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. Constructed in the 1960s, this marvel of engineering connects Pakistan and China, serving as a vital trade route and a gateway to cultural exchange. Here are some key aspects to consider: - The inception of the highway amidst challenging terrain and harsh weather conditions. - The strategic importance of the highway for trade and geopolitical relations. - The cultural significance of connecting diverse communities through this route.Planning Your Journey on the Karakoram Highway Before embarking on your adventure along the Pakistan Karakoram Highway, careful planning is essential to ensure a safe and memorable experience. Consider the following tips: - Acquire the necessary permits and documentation for border crossings. - Pack essential items such as warm clothing, first-aid kit, and sufficient provisions. - Plan your itinerary with flexibility to account for weather conditions and unexpected delays.Must-Visit Destinations Along the Karakoram Highway As you traverse through the rugged terrain of the Pakistan Karakoram Highway, several destinations beckon with their unique charm and allure. Here are some must-visit places along the route: - Hunza Valley: Known for its stunning vistas and hospitable locals. - Passu Cones: Majestic peaks that captivate with their beauty. - Khunjerab Pass: The highest paved border crossing in the world offering panoramic views.Experiencing the Rich Cultural Tapestry Along the Karakoram Highway The Pakistan Karakoram Highway is not just about the scenic landscapes but also a journey through diverse cultures and traditions. Here is a glimpse into the vibrant cultural tapestry you will encounter: - Wakhi and Burusho communities: Discover the unique customs and heritage of these indigenous peoples. - Silk Route Heritage Gallery: A treasure trove of artifacts showcasing the historical significance of the region.Adventurous Activities and Trekking Opportunities For adrenaline junkies and nature enthusiasts, the Pakistan Karakoram Highway offers ample opportunities for adventure and exploration. Whether you seek thrilling activities or serene treks, you will find something to suit your taste: - Rafting in Indus River: Challenge yourself with exhilarating rapids amidst stunning landscapes. - Trekking to Rakaposhi Base Camp: Embark on a trekking expedition to witness the grandeur of Rakaposhi peak up close.Wildlife and Conservation Efforts Along the Karakoram Highway The regions surrounding the Pakistan Karakoram Highway are not just geographically diverse but also rich in biodiversity. Take a closer look at the unique wildlife and conservation initiatives in the area: - Snow leopards: Discover the elusive yet majestic residents of the Karakoram range. - Conservation efforts: Learn about the conservation projects aimed at preserving the fragile ecosystem of the region.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Pakistan Karakoram Highway stands as a testament to nature's grandeur and human resilience, offering a once-in-a-lifetime journey through awe-inspiring landscapes and vibrant cultures. As you prepare to embark on this unforgettable adventure, remember that the experiences along the highway are not just about the destinations but the transformative journey itself. Embrace the challenges, savor the moments, and create memories that will last a lifetime.Explore the Pakistan Karakoram Highway with an open heart and mind, and you will be rewarded with experiences that are as diverse and magnificent as the land itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

- What is the best time to travel on the Pakistan Karakoram Highway? The best time to travel on the Pakistan Karakoram Highway is during the summer months from June to August when the weather is milder and most of the routes are accessible.- Are there any altitude-related concerns while traveling on the Karakoram Highway? Travelers should be mindful of the altitude changes along the Pakistan Karakoram Highway and take precautionary measures to avoid altitude sickness. It is recommended to acclimatize gradually and stay hydrated.- Can foreign tourists easily access the Pakistan Karakoram Highway? Foreign tourists can access the Pakistan Karakoram Highway by obtaining the necessary permits and adhering to the visa regulations of Pakistan. It is advisable to check the latest travel advisories before planning your journey.- What are the accommodation options available along the Karakoram Highway? Accommodation along the Pakistan Karakoram Highway ranges from basic guesthouses to upscale hotels, with options to suit every budget. It is recommended to book accommodation in advance during peak tourist seasons.- Is the Pakistan Karakoram Highway safe for solo travelers? While the Pakistan Karakoram Highway is generally considered safe for travelers, solo travelers are advised to exercise caution, especially in remote areas. It is advisable to travel with a guide or in a group for added security.

Tags

Pakistan Karakoram Highway, Hunza Valley, Silk Route, Adventure Travel, Cultural Exploration, Wildlife Conservation, Trekking, Travel Planning, Summer Travel, Altitude Sickness. Read the full article

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In today's update, we've added pages for Friulian, Moloko, Romanian and Yakkha resources, and have added resources to the Akan, Bengali, Blackfoot, Ewe, Shughni and Wakhi pages! Go here to start learning!

[cdelphiki]

I’m researching Nanda Parbat, the League of Assassin’s base, for a fanfic I’m writing and I’m quite fascinated. 

So Nanda Parbat is fictional, obviously, located in the not fictional mountain range of Hindu Kush. These mountains are located in Afghanistan, mainly, as well as Pakistan and Tajikistan.  

Now, the exact reason for why I’m researching this is because I wanted to know what language exactly would be most likely spoken among the people in Nanda Parbat.  In fandom, we tend to just say “Arabic” because Ra’s is Arab, right? And his name is in Arabic? 

It’s not quite that simple.  

Arabic isn't the official langue of any of these countries. In Afghanistan, the most commonly spoken language is known officially as “Dari.” Dari is also often called Farsi, and is a variety of Persian.  80% of the population in Afghanistan speaks Dari.  The second most commonly spoken language is Pashto, spoken by 47% of the population.  Only 1% of the population speaks Arabic.

In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.  This isn’t very helpful, though, because less than 10% of the population speaks Urdu as their first language, and English isn’t common enough as a first language to even make the chart I’m looking at.  Urdu is the most understood language, however, with about 75% of the population speaking it. According to wikipedia, English is spoken in government, mainly.  Pakistan is very much like India, where what language is spoken predominantly depends on where you are in the country.

So, looking at the map, we can figure that in the Hindu Kush mountains, the languages in the Pakistan are: Khowar, Burushaski, and Wakhi. Combined, these three languages have fewer than 600,000 speakers in the world.  Khowar and Wakhi both branch off the Eastern Iranian language family, but Burushaski hasn’t been connected to any branch.  

In Tajikistan, the official language is Tajik, which is a variety of Persian. (On a side note, Persian is also often called Farsi.). Russian is also a common language, due to Soviet occupation, but that would be a whole different post digging into politics and history.  It’s safe to claim Tajik as the primary language of Tajikistan.

So, With all that, what language would be most common among the recruits for the League? Well, your guess is as good as mine. 

It’s possible that Arabic is, indeed, the official language of the League.  Much in the same way Urdu is in Pakistan.  It is not a first language, but rather, a second, and is what all recruits learn and speak upon joining.

But as for the most common first language?  I’d wager it’s Farsi.

[topfygad]

A guide for traveling Tajikistan (Tips + 3-week itinerary)

The ex-Soviet Republic of Tajikistan is a truly wild country that you don’t want to miss in your Silk Road journey.

Home to the Pamir range, one of highest mountain ranges in the world, the mountains of Tajikistan attract the most adventurous travelers, especially those wanting to drive the M-41, or Pamir Highway, an impressive road and architectural masterpiece that goes through some of the remotest and most beautiful mountain scenery in Central Asia.

With tourism increasing year by year, the country is daily becoming more prepared to receive international travelers and, after spending 1 month in the country, I have this compiled this guide that contains all the tips needed for traveling to Tajikistan, plus a compelling 3-week itinerary.

Read: Ultimate guide to the Pamir Highway

    Visa Travel Insurance Best time to visit The country, the people and its culture Getting in Safety Scams and corruption Money Food and alcohol Transportation Useful books Internet and SIM Card Accommodation Itinerary More information

Total transparency! – If you like my website and found this post useful, remember that, if you buy any service through of my links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. These earnings help me maintain and keep Against the Compass going! Thanks

Do you know what a VPN is? A Virtual Private Network allows you to access blocked sites when you travel, as well as it lets you access content only available in your home country (like Netflix), plus it prevents hackers from stealing your personal data. Learn here why you should always use a VPN when you travel

  How to get a visa for visiting Tajikistan

Most likely, you can get an e-visa – Most nationalities can apply for an e-visa through the official portal, valid for any port of entry.

The visa costs 50USD, is valid for 45 days, single entry and takes 1 or 2 working days.

Double entry visa – If you want one, you will have to get it through the embassy. Most people who want a double entry visa do so because they want to travel the Afghan Corridor, accessible from Ishkashim.

If this is your case, these are the requirements:

1 Passport valid for at least 6 months of validity and with two empty pages

Passport copy and visa copy from the country you are applying from

2 Passport photos

US Dollars

I applied for one in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and got it on the same day.

My double entry visa for visiting Tajikistan

GBAO Permit – The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) is the region located in the east of Tajikistan, where the Pamir Highway and Wakhan Valley are. 

If you want to visit it, you must tick the GBAO checkbox in the application form. If you are applying at the embassy, make sure to tell them, so you get the extra stamp.

By the way, the GBAO permit costs an additional 20USD.

Read: 30 Tips for traveling to Kazakhstan

Trekking in GBAO – Things to do in Tajikistan

  Travel Insurance for Tajikistan

Eastern Tajikistan, where the Pamir Highway is, is a high altitude area, averaging around 4,000 meters above sea level.

You should know that, if you read the fine print, most insurance companies won’t cover you from 2500-3,000m and above, so you better check before you travel to Tajikistan. 

World Nomads, however, does provide cover, including their most basic policy, which already covers for trekking at 4,000m.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE QUOTE FROM WORLD NOMADS

If you want to know more options, read how to find the best backpacking insurance

  Best time to visit Tajikistan

If you plan to do some trekking in eastern Tajikistan, you should come in summer.

I remember being in Alichur, a small village in the Pamir Highway and one of the coldest places in Central Asia, and, in the morning, during August, it was -5ºC and there was a freezing, strong wind, so it felt even colder. 

Imagine the weather there during the rest of the year.

Me, at the top of Gumbezkul Pass. It was the month of August and it was absolutely freezing – Best things to do in Tajikistan

Nevertheless, the Pamir Highway is open all year long so, if you are self-driving, you can drive it at any time. Actually, my friend Joao Leitao from Nomad Revelations drove it in winter.

On the other hand, the Fann Mountains in west Tajikistan are at lower altitude, hence warmer, so they can be visited during spring and fall. 

I did the 7 lakes trek in September and it was particularly hot!

The Fann Mountains – Is travel to Tajikistan safe

  The country, the people and its culture

After the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991, Tajikistan went through a dark period of Civil War that lasted pretty much until 1997 and it was not only in 1999, that they formed an actual, stable government, even though Emomali Rahmon, who is still today President of Tajikistan today, had already been ruling from 1994.

It was one of the countries most affected by the Soviet Union’s breakdown, as all their economy and development depended on the Russians so, after getting their independence, the country went to ruin.

Murghab and all the Pamir highway is really poor – Should I travel to Tajikistan

That crisis can still be seen today, as this is clearly the least developed of all the Stans (not counting Turkmenistan), a country with high rates of unemployment, and the fact that most of their infrastructure is still from the Soviet Union times.

It is also the least Westernized country, also due to the fact they are far from Russia so, unlike Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, their cultural influence is not that visible, hence they have less international exposure.

Actually, after having some conversations with quite a few highly educated Tajiks in Dushanbe, I felt that they don’t really know anything about what is going on in the outside world.

A Soviet truck

They were people with very few Western values and no apparent ambition who asked me many times why I would ever want to travel to Tajikistan.

Moreover, Tajikistan is one of those fake democracies where elections are celebrated but there is only one political party, so the same President has been ruling since 1994.

There is no freedom of speech and I remember when my Australian friend, Sam, was talking to a local man for about half an hour at the main square in Dushanbe, a man in a suit came to ask what was going on and invited him to leave.

This means that, still today, the Government doesn’t like their citizens to get international exposure.

The Tajiks – Tajiks are a Persian ethnic group who live mainly in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, but also in Xinjiang (China) and Uzbekistan.

Actually, nearly half of the total Tajik population live in Afghanistan.

Lovely Tajiks in Khujand – tRAVEL TO tAJIKISTAN

Nevertheless, you should know that, like all the Stans, Tajikistan is ethnically mixed and, actually, most of the people living in the Pamirs are Kyrgyz, whereas those in the Wakhan Valley are Wakhis, so if you want to meet the real Tajiks when you are traveling to Tajikistan, you will have to explore Dushanbe and the western part of the country.

Kyrgyz people from the Pamirs

Language – Tajik, which is a dialect of Persian (the language spoken in Iran and Afghanistan) is the official language. Russian is, of course, widely spoken among most people. English tends to be a problem across all the country. I recommend you learn some basic Russian before you visit Tajikistan. 

Religion – Tajiks are Suni Muslims but, like in all Central Asia, religion is not a very big deal. However, I felt that Tajiks were the most religious people in all Central Asia, especially those from the Fann Mountains. I remember that the men there never said hello or shook hands with my girlfriend.

Read: 65 Tips for traveling to Uzbekistan

Tajik women – Tajikistan travel guide

  How to travel to Tajikistan

Travel to Tajikistan by air

Traveling to Tajikistan by air is very easy, as there are many international flights connecting Dushanbe with Europe.

If you intend to travel the Pamir Highway, many people fly into Osh, the largest city in southern Kyrgyzstan and the beginning of the M-41 on the Kyrgyz side.

Travel to Tajikistan by land

Moreover, if you want to travel to Tajikistan by land, know that it shares a border with 4 countries and most of them have multiple border crossings. 

Kyrgyzstan – There are 6 border crossings and 4 of them are open to foreigners. The most obvious is the Kyzyl Art border crossing, which is the one that follows the Pamir Highway. For more information, read the latest Caravanistan updates.

Kyzyl Art pass: Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border – Tajikistan travel guide

Uzbekistan – There are 5 border crossings with Uzbekistan and all of them seem to be open. I personally crossed the one at Konibodom, that links Khujand with the Fergana Valley, but if you don’t plan to visit that region, it is not very convenient. The Oybek border crossing is the one that connects Khujand with Tashkent and Penjakent is the one that connects the Fann Mountains with Samarkand. For more information, check the latest updates on Caravanistan.

Afghanistan – You can cross at Ishkashim, the gate to the Wakhan Corridor and a very safe part of Afghanistan; or the border crossing south of Dushanbe, which is also open but leads to Kunduz, a not very safe part of Afghanistan. Both borders are open but, if you plan to travel back to Tajikistan, remember to have a double entry visa.

China – Apparently, Kulma Pass is open now, as long as you have a valid printed visa on your passport. For more information, check the latest updates on Caravanistan.

Kulma Pass leads directly to the Karakoram Highway that connects Kashgar with Islamabad in Pakistan. Read here the full guide.

Read: 75 Tips for traveling to Kyrgyzstan

Uzbekistan – Tajikistan border crossing

  Is it safe to travel to Tajikistan?

In summer 2018, 4 cyclists traveling across Tajikistan were murdered in Danghara, an area relatively close to Dushanbe. ISIS claimed the attack.

That accident triggered a big concern among many travelers and the Tajiks are concerned that it might affect their tourism negatively.

This unfortunate event, however, has been a one-off thing and I personally think that it shouldn’t affect your decision to travel to Tajikistan. A similar case happened in Morocco in December 2018 when 2 Scandinavian girls were killed and, so far, it doesn’t seem that tourism has been affected.

Aside from that, Tajikistan is a safe country with very low crime rates.

Tajiks are always friendly – Is traveling to Tajikistan safe

  Scams and corruption when visiting Tajikistan

I still remember being in the car with a homestay owner, on our way to Khujand, when he gave some money to a policeman after stopping at one checkpoint.

Why did you give him money? – I said

Oh, this is just the standard bribing procedure. If we don’t pay him, then he would try to find a reason to fine or arrest us. 

The corruption in Tajikistan is a well-known fact and some of these police officers also try to rip off foreigners but luckily, as tourists, there is not much they can do to you unless you are credulous and believe their lies.

Common scams include policemen telling you that there is a problem with your Tajik visa or making you pay an entrance fee to a place that, obviously, doesn’t require an entrance fee.

Dude, just think:

How the hell there is going to be something wrong with your visa? And also,where have you been where you need to purchase an entry ticket from a policeman?

Just say no and continue with your business.

Epic landscapes

  Money when you travel in Tajikistan

The official currency is the Tajik Somoni and, in February 2019, 1USD = 9.50SOM

ATMs and credit cards – You can find ATM’s in the big cities (not in the Pamir Highway).

How much does it cost to travel to Tajikistan

It really depends on where you go and, ultimately, how you travel the Pamir Highway.

Typically, meals cost something between 1 and 3USD and budget homestays around 10-15USD, which tends to include dinner and breakfast.

In Dushanbe, you can find dorms for 3-4USD and the local transportation ranges from 2 to 10USD, depending on where you go.

For all costs referred to the Pamir Highway, read my guide.

Read: 80 Tips for traveling to Iran

We were on a low budget, so we hitchhiked the entire Pamir Highway

  Food and alcohol when visiting Tajikistan.

Heads-up.

Like in all Central Asia, the food won’t be the highlight of your visit in Tajikistan. 

In the Pamirs and different homestays, you are likely to eat shorpo for every meal, which is a meat broth.

In local restaurants, you will just find things like shahslik, meat skewers; lagman, a noodle soup; manti, fatty meat dumplings; or plov, rice fried in lamb fat.

As per alcohol, as in all ex-Soviet countries, beer and especially vodka are found everywhere.

Lagman is the comodin dish. After eating 100 bowls of it across all Central Asia, I really hated it but since I like pasta a lot, I could handle it more than other dishes

  Transportation when you travel around Tajikistan

The below information refers to types of transportation in western Tajikistan, not the Pamir Highway. For this, read my guide to the Pamir Highway.

Marshrutkas – Marshrutkas is what former Soviet countries call their public minivans. They are really cheap and travel between most towns and cities.

Local shared taxis – Actually, we used more local shared taxis than marshrutkas and, as far as I could see, they are the most preferred option among locals.

Hitchhiking – Highly doable and easy! We actually had one of our most crazy hitchhiking experiences, when we spent more than 48 hours in a truck, on our way from Khorog to Dushanbe.

Traveling in a mini UAZ-452 – A classic Soviet van

  Books for traveling to Tajikistan

Tajikistan Travel Guide by Bradt – The most comprehensive travel guide to Tajikistan. I bought all the Bradt guides to Central Asia (e-Book format). They are, by far, the most insightful guides I have ever read recently.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICES ON AMAZON

  Central Asia Travel Guide by Lonely Planet – I am not a fan of this guide, but if you are traveling to all the Stans and want to buy just one book, it is a good choice as well.

 CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICES ON AMAZON

  Internet and mobile when traveling in Tajikistan

Wi-Fi – From Murghab to Khujand and Dushanbe, the Wi-Fi connection when you are traveling in Tajikistan is one of the worst I have ever seen. In Dushanbe, the Wi-Fi in my hostel was particularly bad and then every day I would go work to a fancy café and the internet was down every now and then. In the Pamir Highway and the Wakhan Valley, Wi-Fi doesn’t exist.

SIM Card – 3G was just OK anywhere outside of the Pamir Highway. I bought MegaFon and, for a few Somonis, I got plenty of GBs.

  Accommodation in Tajikistan

Homestays – On the Pamir Highway, homestays are the way to go. I recommend you stay in random homestays, not in the popular ones. This way, the benefits will be spread more equally plus random homestays are cheaper.

Hostels – Hostels are popular, from Khorog to Dushanbe and Khujand. Click here to check all the available hostels in Tajikistan!

Hotels – In Khorog, Dushanbe, and Khujand you can find hotel options for mid-range travelers. Click here to check all the available hotels in Tajikistan!

Yurts – In the Pamirs, you can also find nomadic yurt camps where Kyrgyz nomads live.

A yurt camp somewhere in the Tajik Pamirs

  Traveling to Tajikistan – 3-week Itinerary

I traveled to Tajikistan from Kyrgyzstan via Kyzyl Art Pass and left through Uzbekistan at Konibodom, so this Tajikistan itinerary reflects the direction I took.

Map of the Tajikistan itinerary

  Things to do in Tajikistan – Pamir Highway (8-9 days) 

Built by the Soviets in 1930, the Pamir Highway is an architectural masterpiece that goes through some of the remotest landscapes you can ever imagine.

Officially, it starts in Osh (Kyrgyzstan) and ends in Afghanistan but the highest and most beautiful part of it lies in Tajikistan.

The following information is just a small summary.

For the full guide, read my 6,000-word guide to the Pamir Highway.

The stunning Pamir Highway – Tajikistan travel itinerary

How many days are needed for the Pamir Highway?

Well, it is really hard to say. We spent more than 2 weeks between the Pamir Highway and the Wakhan Valley but that is because we stopped in many places plus we also did a 3-day trek.

Normally, most people take a 5 or 7-day tour (starting from Osh), which also includes the Wakhan Valley, but, to be very honest, it is not enough to explore the side valleys, which is where the most stunning landscapes are.

Amazing road! – Tajikistan travel itinerary

If you don’t have the time, I get it but, if you do, here are all the places you need to stop at:

Karakul (1 night) – The first big settlement coming from Kyrgyzstan, Karakul has a very big lake and with some pretty cool snow-capped mountains at the background.

Murghab (2-3 nights) – Murghab is the main town on the M-41 and a base for visiting other places and valleys. We first stayed 2 nights because we waited for a festival and then we stayed a 3rd night after coming back from the trek.

The mosque in Murghab – Tajikistan itinerary

Gumbezkul Pass trek (2-3 nights) – If you have your own car, you can do this trek in 1 day but we did it in 3, cause we walked all the way from Murghab and spent one amazing night with some real nomads in the middle of nowhere. For more information, I wrote the full guide for Everything Everywhere: How to trek the Gumbezkul Pass.

Alichur  (1 night) – Very cool landscapes, yaks, trekking and Marco Polo sheep safaris.

Madyian Valley, close to Murghab – things to do in Tajikistan

Bulunkul (Stopover) – The coldest place in Central Asia is home to a beautiful lake. The trek from Alichur to here is a popular one. You can find a few homestays.

For most travelers, the Pamir Highway is, definitely, one of the best things to do in Tajikistan.

For more information, don’t forget to check my guide to the Pamir Highway

The festival we attended in Murghab – Things to do in Tajikistan

  Places to visit in Tajikistan – Wakhan Valley (3-4 days)

Many travelers tend to classify the Wakhan Valley as part of the Pamir Highway (M-41), which is completely wrong because they are 2 different places.

Actually, to reach the Wakhan Valley you need to leave the road and drive towards Afghanistan for several kilometers.

The Wakhan Valley

Anyways. The Wakhan Valley is one of my most favorite places in entire Central Asia and my most favorite place in my Tajikistan itinerary.

And the reason is that, besides being home to intriguing and jaw-dropping landscapes, the Wakhan is of great historical importance as the ancient border between North Asia and South Asia and on the remarkable Silk Road route, which can be seen in the many fortresses and other sites of cultural heritage there.

Moreover, in the 20th century, the Wakhan Valley marked the border between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan and the Soviet tanks came through here to invade Afghanistan in the 70s.

Today, the river you will go along during your whole journey, whose other side is in Afghanistan, is the main entry point for smuggling products, especially heroin, and, from the window of your car, you can wave and say hello at the many Afghans across the river, from whom you are separated by only a couple of meters.

Once again, this is a small summary, so for more information, don’t forget to check my guide to the Wakhan Valley in Tajikistan.

The views from Khaaka fortress – Left side is Afghanistan and right Tajikistan – Places to visit in Tajikistan

These are all the places we stopped at:

Langar (1 night) – The first big settlement you find is Langar.

We personally didn’t like Langar, as it is the only place in the Wakhan where the locals are very pushy in trying to promote their homestays, plus it is actually far from the river.

I recommend you continue for a few kilometers to Hisor, a more genuine village and with nicer views to actual Afghanistan.

Vrang (stop) – Vrang is another old village that has an ancient Buddhist temple. It is worth stopping for a few hours.

Yamchun (1 night) – The most striking fortress in the Wakhan, which stands with the Afghan Hindu Kush on its background.

Yamchun fortress – Places to visit in Tajikistan

It also has some famous hot springs called Baby Fatima that are believed to have some fertility benefits.

Namadgut (1 night) – There is nothing in particular to see here but travelers don’t tend to stop here, so it is quite untouched. That is why here we had the best cultural experience with a local woman who blessed us with her hospitality.

Kaakha Fortress – The second most famous fortress after Yamchun has also great views to Afghanistan.

Ishkashim (1 night) – The main town in the Wakhan Valley. It used to hold the Afghan market in no man’s land but it is temporarily closed. It is also the border to Afghanistan for those interested in doing the Afghan Wakhan corridor.

For more information, read my guide to the Wakhan Valley

Wakhi people – Best things to do in Tajikistan

  Tajikistan itinerary – Khorog (2 days)

After nearly two weeks of showering with buckets, using holes and bushes as toilets, exclusively eating shorpo and with no internet at all, getting to Khorog felt particularly good.

It is not a very big town but it has a good local market where you can buy many food items that were not available in the Pamir Highway, like cheese, and supermarkets with cold beer.

There is also an Indian restaurant that tends to be filled with travelers and a really good Tajik restaurant by the river, serving high quality grilled meat and other stuff.

Other than this, Khorog is a place to just chill, where we spent 4 days just catching up with work and filling our bellies with decent food.

By the way, the famous Afghan market takes place on Saturday.

Afghan people in the Afghan market of Khorog – A travel guide to Tajikistan

Where to stay in Khorog

Backpacker Hostel – Pamir Lodge – All right, it is a cool place and there is a friendly atmosphere. However, the hostel has the capacity for nearly 100 people and it only has two toilets and two showers, so when I came in August, it was very difficult to find them empty, apart from being quite dirty of course.

Backpacker Hostel – Hostel Do Nazarbayg – An alternative to Pamir lodge. You will find fewer backpackers but the location is much better and it is not that busy.

Click here to see the latest prices

Guest House – Riverside – A quieter, more homestay-style place.

Click here to see the latest prices

  The journey to Dushanbe – 1 day

The road to Dushanbe is a very long way.

Shared taxis take around 12 hours and cost 30USD. They leave from near the market but you need to be there early, 7am at most.

We arrived before 8am and there weren’t any marshrutkas or taxis left, so we decided to hitchhike and it took us 3 days, spending more than 48 hours in a truck.

The distance is only 518km but the road is really bad but beautiful and interesting as, again, it goes along the Afghan border for the most part of it.

The road from Dushanbe to Khorog: the left side is Afghanistan and the right Tajikistan

  Things to do in Tajikistan – Dushanbe (2 days)

The capital of Tajikistan is another place to chill for a few days while you collect some visas, like the Uzbek or Turkmen visas.

Well, not the Uzbek visa anymore, as from February 2019, they started issuing visas on arrival. Check my Uzbekistan travel guide for more information.

Dushanbe has cafés with real coffee, a variety of restaurants and a few pubs where to hang out at night.

What I liked about Dushanbe is that it was my first introduction to the real Tajikistan, as most people you meet in the eastern part are Kyrgyz, Wakhis or Pamir, so you will see a significant difference with the people living here, especially in the way women dress.

Don’t forget to check the main bazaar and the Rudaki Park, which holds the second tallest flagpole in the world

Where to stay in Dushanbe

Backpacker Hostel – Green House Hostel– We spent so many days here because the hostel was really comfortable. Comfy beds, a big kitchen and a living room with awesome couches.

Click here to see the latest prices

  Budget Guest House – Hello Dushanbe – If you want a less backpacker-friendly place, Hello Dushanbe may be slightly more expensive but the facilities are great. It has both private rooms and a dorm.

Click here to see the latest prices

Lovely Tajik women

  Hissor Fortress – Day trip from Dushanbe

If you are bored to be in Dushanbe, we also did a day trip to a fortress named Hissor, which was built by the Uzbeks in the 18th century, as this part of Tajikistan used to belong to the Emirate of Bukhara. The north was part of the Russian empire. 

All right, the fortress itself was boring, as it was overly refurbished, but we always like to get out of town, take a local marshrutka and just see other towns, so it was worth it only for this reason. 

How to get to Hissor fortress

From Dushanbe, you need to take a marshrutka to a town named Khisor. From there, take a taxi or hitchhike back to the fortress which is 4 or 5km away.

The fortress

  Places to visit in Tajikistan – Penjakent and the Fann Mountains (3-4 days)

Once again, this is a small summary.

For all the information needed, read my guide to the Fann Mountains.

While they are not as stunning as the valleys around the Pamir Highway, the Fann Mountains are also very pretty and their main advantage is that, unlike the Pamirs, they are heavily populated and filled with several tiny villages where actual Tajik people live.

Tajiks from the Fanns

Therefore, visiting the Fann Mountains is a great opportunity to discover the real Tajik rural life, so different from anything you have seen during your Tajikistan itinerary. 

Most people come to the Fann Mountains to visit Iskanderkul lake but I recommend going to the area around Penjakent and doing the 7 Lakes Trek.

Trekking in the Fanns

The reason is that, although Iskanderkul is a beautiful lake, no people live there plus it is always busy with domestic tourists, which isn’t a bad thing, but you won’t see much of the local culture. 

On the other hand, the 7 Lakes trek starts in Penjakent and goes through several tiny villages where you can do homestays.

From Penjakent, we took a UAZ-452, the classic Soviet mini-van, and drove to a village named Rachnapollon.

That area is really off the beaten track, so the driver himself invited us to stay at his place, for free, but we decided to give him a generous tip because he had been feeding us. 

How to get to Penjakent

First, take a local shared taxi from Dushanbe to Penjakent, which costs 70TJS (8USD). It is a 230km journey.

In Penjakent, for just a few somonis, we got in the UAZ-452 to Rachnapollon, from where we started walking on the next day.

Remember to check my guide to the Fann Mountains

Random people during the trek

  Places to visit in Tajikistan – Khujand (2-3 days)

Khujand is the purest Tajikistan in its most genuine form and one of the oldest cities in Central Asia (2,500 years old). 

It is the second largest city in the country, a city with little international exposure that has kept its traditional values.

Most travelers use it as a mere transit point, as it is close to the closest border with Tashkent, but I recommend spending here two nights at least.

Arbob Palace Tajikistan

Things to do in Khujand

Don’t forget to check the traditional bazaar, one of those traditional bazaars where everybody asks for a photo and gives you free stuff; and all the mausoleums and historical buildings around the main square. The Arbob Palace is also worth checking out. 

Mosques in Khujand

Where to stay in Khujand

Budget Hostel – Somoni Hostel – The best choice for backpackers and a really cool hostel.

Click here to check the latest prices

Budget Hotel – Golden Apartments – The alternative to a backpacker hostel.

Click here to check the latest prices

Khujand’s bazaar

  More information for visiting Tajikistan

Here you can find all my articles and travel guides to Tajikistan

And here all my guides to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.

Traveling to Iran? Find all my articles here

    from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2WmI1Xa via IFTTT

[naramdil]

You are saraiki perhaps? Very warm and kind people and honestly my favourite pakistani people next to the wakhis in gilgit

ah I wish, I think that's such a beautiful language and would love to learn it!

[trekkinginpakistan]

New Post has been published on Trekking in Pakistan

New Post has been published on http://bit.ly/2uOgr8h

Boibar

Duration 3 days Distance 27.4km Standard easy Season Mid-June-September Start/ Finish Jamalabad Zone and Permit open, no permit Public Transport no Summary The beautiful and rarely visited Boibar Valley is the route to Jurjur Khun-e-Sar, Tupodan, Parigar Sar and Qarũn Koh base camps, with Qarũn Pass offering exceptional views of the Hispar Muztagh.

  Boibar is an east-west valley whose river descends from Qarũn Koh (7164m) to the Hunza River at Morkhun 10km south of Sost. Boibar is historically significant as the original Wakhi settlement in Gojal and the old route to Shimshal, and has spectacular old-growth juniper trees. Avgarch and Boibar are also names of places in the Wakhan Corridor, suggesting the original inhabitants may have come from Wakhan. Morkhun (2743m) receives more rain than other Gojal villages, as its name suggests (mor means ‘rain’; Khun, ‘house’). At the time of research, villagers were constructing a road to Avgarch with eventual plans to extend it to the Boibar huts.

PLANNING

Maps   

The Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research 1:250, 000 orographical map Karakoram (Sheet 1) covers the trek. It labels Jamalabad as Jukulgar, Parigar Sar as Pregar, and the Boibar River at Murkhun. The glacier at the valley’s head labeled Murkhun is locally called Qarũn Koh. Maidun isn’t named, but it’s marked by a triangle.

Guides and Porters

Porters ask for a flat rate per stage, including payment for food rations and the clothing and equipment allowance. Hire a local person to show the way, learn about the area, and support the village’s economy.

GETTING TO/FROM THE TREK 

Morkhun is halfway between Afiyatabad and Passu, so jump on any vehicle heading south from Afiyatabad or north from Passu. The short ride on NATCO buses and on vans or wagons. From Morkhun, north of the bridge and south of the Pakistan Army camp, follow the Jamalabad Link Rd half a Kilometre to its end. Jamalabad (2789m), named for the late Mir of Hunza, Mohammad Jamal Khan, lies above the Boibar River’s true right (north) bank.

THE TREK

Day 1 : Jamalabad to Boibar

3½-4½ hours, 7.7km, 716m ascent

Follow the trail east along the canal. A shrine to Shah Shams, marked by white flags, sits on the river’s south side. Reach the first footbridge in 30 minutes and cross to the true left bank. Watch for rock fall between Jamalabad and Avgarch and avoid this section of trail in rain or high winds. Continue along the river’s edge 30 minutes passing scattered rose bushes and the herb spandr to a clear side stream, which flows from Sangar, a scenic grassy ridge descending from Jurjur-Khun-e-Sar (6055m) to the south. (It takes five hours to reach Sangar from Morkhun, making it an eight-to nine-hour round trip).

Just beyond the stream pass Bandiletk. Here red markings on the rock are said to have been made by a bilas (evil spirit) who licked the rock after having eaten people. Villagers say it’s dangerous to travel here after dark. The area on both sides of the river, with its scattered artemisias, ephedras, and roses, is also known as Lalazar (beautiful place in Persian).

Continue 15 minutes to the second footbridge surrounded by tamarisks and a thorny shrub xakh and cross to the river’s true right bank. The trail forks immediately. Both trails lead to Avgarch, but people describe the right fork as dangerous. Take the left fork and follow the trail along the true right bank downstream, backtracking for a few minutes to the base of Yasin Band. Ascend a short 35-degree scree slope, and then a steep, narrow chimney with steps made out of juniper branches, to the terrace above. From this plateau are beautiful views south to Jurjur-Khun-e-Sar and east to Parigar Sar (6200m), a prominent rocky peak (sar) known as the rock (gar) where fairies (pari) dwell.

Continue 30 minutes along a canal at the base of a rocky rhubarb-dotted slope and through level fields and wildflowers to Avgarch (3200m). This large cultivated area was the first settlement of the Wakhi people living in the five villages between Sost and Morkhun who refer to themselves as Avgarchi. It has a mosque with unique wood carvings and two forts. One sits atop the central building, a reminder of the constant battles with Qirghiz people who also used the upper Hunza Valley until the 19th century. A lone giant juniper called Baltar Yarz is nearby. Legend says a boy, Baltar, would have died, but he sacrificed a cow near the juniper tree (yarz) and lived.                

From Avgarch, continue up, then cross the river via a footbridge heading south-east to reach Boibar (3505m), a barren summer settlement 1½ hours from Avgarch. Boibar huts sit in a southern side valley, which has a small glacier. Above is the dramatic north face of Tupodan (6106m), whose name means ‘the sun-drenched mountain’.

Day 2 : Boibar to Maidun     

2 hours, 6km, 495m ascent

Continue one hour to a cold spring called Xunza Kuk (Queen’s spring), then 30 minutes to Pariyar (the place loved by fairies). These overgrazed pastures are the upper limit of juniper. Many junipers have been cut, but some of those remaining are older than 1000 years. Maidun (4000m), 30 minutes farther, has good water and makes a fine base camp for exploring the upper Boibar Valley. The route to Tupodan Base Camp, used by the 1987 British expedition who were the first to summit Tupodan, heads south up the Tupodan Glacier from Maidun.

Side Trip : Qarũn Pass     

4-5 hours, 11km, 873m ascent, 873m descent

The original, but now abandoned, route to Shimshal village followed the Boibar Valley, crossed Qarũn Pass, and descend 2100m of treacherous scree to reach the Shimshal River at Dut. A day trek to the top of the pass offers great views and a glimpse of how difficult access to Shimshal used to be. Legend has it that Mamu Singh, Shimshal’s founder, saw the meadows along the Lupgar Glacier from the pass and so decided to take his livestock there. Shimshalis say the pass is like the legendary miser, Qarũn, because no water is available on the arduous ascent from Dut to the pass, hence the name Qarũn Pass.

From Maidun, ascend 1½ hours past yellow rock outcrops to the pasture of Zardgarben (the base of the yellow rock) from where the pass cairn is visible. Continue, passing right of the Qarũn koh Glacier’s black moraine to the base of the pass (4500m). From this point, the routes to Qarũn Koh and Parigar Sar Base Camps head across the glacier east and north-east respectively. The route to the pass turns south, ascends a scree gully, and traverses to Qarũn Pass (4873m) in one hour. Lupgar Sar, Trivor and Destaghil Sar rise in front. Return from the Pass to Maidun.

Day 3 : Maidun to Jamalabad

4-5 hours, 13.7km, 1211m descent

Retrace steps Downvalley to Jamalabad.

[everydayafghanistan]

Wakhi boys on a horse ride in the Wakhan corridor. In many parts of Afghanistan horse remains the most efficient way of getting around. Horse riding is a skill you learn young. #Wakhan, #Badakhshan, #Afghanistan. Photo made by Tara Moayed @taramoayed for @ishkarartisans #everydayBadakhshan, #everydayAfghanistan, #everydayAsia, #everydayeveryWhere, #Instagram. (at Wakhan Corridor)

[ethreesixty]

Some stories made us proud to be Pakistanis!

Do you know who are the proud of Pakistan? I don’t know if I am wrong or right but I think now a days by facing many difficulties in our daily lives somewhere we all easily get disheartened. At some point many of us get hopeless and disappointed from the nature and from the society. But there are so many people exist who after saw the worst part of their lives are still full of life and became an example for others. Because of their courage and hard work they are in the list of the people who are proud of Pakistan's. To see such people who never lose hope at any point any keep struggling and battling with their problems can learn many things and motivate us. In previous years there are some stories happened which left us so proud for the rest of the world. You may have heard about them somewhere or from someone but even after let’s come and talk about them once again.

Dr.Anum Najam-A Survivor: Dr.Anjum who went to become Pakistan’s first Quadriplegic physycetrist. In 2008 Dr.Anjum and her family was on their way to Muzaffarabad from Rawalpindi when out of nowhere a group of armed robbers opened fire to stop their vehicle. One bullet fired at Dr.Anum’s neck and was sop in the middle which causing a spinal cord injury that paralyzed her entire body from the bottom of the neck. In that hard time when she was fighting with the pain she didn’t give up neither she lose hope and she recovered. After her recovery, she continued her education and without any second thought completed her MBBS. 2016 was the year when Anum became the Pakistan’s first Quadriplegic psychiatrist. Raffia Qaseem Baig: She belonging to the KPK province, in 2009 she joined Pakistan’s police force as constable. When she was on a first day at her job, a bomb exploded near the session court. Attending the bombsite by itself and after seeing the massacre she decided to apply to bomb disposal unit. That was not that much easy to join as expected the organization did not except her request, but she did not give up and fought against resistance within the organization. Her efforts have worked and on permanent basis she was finally allowed to join the squad.

This was the first time in the history of Pakistan that Raffia became the first woman to join ABU. Though she already done her master in Economics and International Relations but she didn’t stop there and continue her further study in LLB from the university of Peshawar. Fayeem Avzl son of an Ambulance Driver: Ability is not someone’s legacy. Talent is a God gift which he can give to any one without distinction of rich poverty. Fayeem Avzl is a son of an ambulance driver proved that to get successful in life all you need to do is hard work, patience and commitment. He was a student of National college of Arts (NCA) but soon after he realized that his passion is something else so he decided to dropout to chase his love for film making. At School of Creative Arts he was working with juniors, in short time of period Fayeem established his reputation as one of the most creative people around. One acclaim leading to the other, it motivated Faheem and he gave birth to his own short film. He made this short film in Hunza valley and the story is about the determined shepherdess who desolates her home to live in the grazing land with cattle.

His short film name is The Last of the Wakhi Shepherdess which won two awards, one in Bulgaria and one in Russia by the early film festival 2016.

Conclusion:

There are many other heroes who belong to different fields of work made Pakistan proud. These people made the rest of us proud by their achievements. We all can be a proud moment for Pakistan just what all we need is hard work, will power, and commitment. Read the full article

[21stcenturybi]

8, 17, 19, 23? 🌷

yay, thank you Monica! :-)8: What languages do your parents speak? so my Mum speaks German (native language), English, French, Wakhi and also Persian I think fluently, and then there’s a few languages she knows at least in part, Russian and Romanes definitely and probably also some other obscure language(s) spoken in Northern Pakistan which I don’t remember the name of.My Dad also speaks German (native language) and English, more French than he admits, Urdu and Turkish, and I think some Portuguese (he spent some time in Brazil when he was in university). It’s crazy how many languages they know!! Actually I think this language diversity shaped me a lot growing up and is probably also at least partly responsible for my interest in linguistics haha17. Have you ever been embarrassed by a native speaker of the language you are trying to learn?I think this question is meant like, did they embarrass me because I was speaking the language badly? Otherwise I don’t understand it haha but the answer is no. 19. What is your native language / homeland famous for? German is famous for being an ugly and crude language, which like, okay, if someone like Adolf Hitler is the most known speaker of your language then I guess it’s understandable that this stereotype originated.23. What language uses the prettiest alphabet?I would say Urdu. Maybe that’s because I can’t read it haha but it just looks so elegant!

[gbnewsurdu]

About Burushaski Burusho Communities Known to its speakers as mishāski (or ‘our idiom, our language’), Burushaski is mainly spoken in the Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin valleys situated in the Gilgit- Baltistan region of Pakistan (formerly known as the Northern Areas). There are no official records on the total number of Burushaski speakers. Based on personal communication with native speakers of Burushaski in different regions, this study estimates the total number of Burushos (speakers of the Burushaski language) in Pakistan to be around 100,000. There are significant dialectal differences between the Yasin variety (Werchikwar) on the one hand, and the Hunza and Nagar varieties on the other. The Hunza and Nagar valleys are situated in the Hunza-Nagar District, and the Yasin valley is in the Ghizer District of Gilgit-Baltistan. About 300 speakers of Burushaski live in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, India. This variety, which separated from the Nagar variety in 1890-’91, is a distinct variety of Burushaski exhibiting systematic differences from other varieties. The following map is a closer look at the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, showing the Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin valleys. Burushaski is spoken in a region home to speakers of several language families: Indo-Iranian, Tibeto-Burman, and Altaic. It has been greatly influenced by languages such as Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Khowar, Shina, Wakhi, Balti and Kashimiri. Almost all Burushos (speakers of the Burushaski language) are bilingual in their native language and at least one of the other regional languages, e.g. the Indo- Aryan Urdu, Shina, Kashmiri, Khowar, or the Tibeto-Burman Balti. Among these, Urdu has a special status in that it is the lingua franca of the region and the language of literacy. Just as it has for speakers of other minority languages, the dominance of Urdu has resulted in a strong push for a majority of Burushos to shift to Urdu. As a result, many younger-generation Burushos only have a receptive proficiency in Burushaski. With greater means of mobility, more and more people have chosen to move to bigger cities for education and employment. As a result, they shift to using Urdu as their primary language. Thus, imperfect knowledge of the language is very common and fluency in Burushaski among speakers of the second and third generations is rapidly declining. A lack of institutional support and cultural homogenization through education and media have also greatly contributed to a drive towards language shift. Because the language is primarily preserved orally and literacy in the first language is practically nonexistent, the survival of the different varieties of Burushaski is greatly threatened. The language has a very rich storytelling tradition which is yet to be fully explored. Burushaski also boasts of a flourishing tradition of Ginan/Qasida and Nauha, which are genres of religious poetry among Muslims of the region, and largely a result of linguistic and cultural contact with Urdu and Persian. Many Burushos have expressed a strong need for the documentation and preservation of Burushaski oral literature, which is at risk of being lost when the present older generation passes away. Classification Burushaski is a language whose proposed linguistic classification and genetic affiliations have been controversial. Many studies on Burushaski deal with attempts to trace its linguistic origins (cf. Toporov 1970-71, Bengston 1991-1998, Tuite 1998, Čašule 1998- 2009, among others). For example, according to Bengtson, Burushaski would belong to a “Macro-Caucasic” family under the “Dené- Caucasian” macrophylum (Bengston 1991-1998) – a proposed, transcontinental branch consisting of Basque, languages spoken in Daghestan, North-West Caucasian languages, Na-Dene, and Burushaski. Čašule (1998, 2004, 2010, 2014) has attempted to demonstrate links between Indo-European, more specifically its Paleo-Balkanic branch, and Burushaski. None of these studies has provided conclusive evidence for a genetic relationship between Burushaski and an existing language so far. Therefore, the language is still considered a linguistic isolate. Other languages designated as language isolates are Basque, the language of the Yeniseian Kets, and the Nivkh and Yukaghir languages. Dialects There are three major regional varieties (dialects) of Burushaski, viz. Hunza, Nagar, and Yasin Burushaski. Stark differences are observed between the Yasin variety (also called “Werchikwar”) on the one hand and the Hunza and Nagar varieties on the other. The latter two, between which the differences are less striking, are claimed to have descended from what would have been a single variety at some point. Dialectal differences are observed mostly in lexicon and phonology, but also in morphology and syntax. 🌷🌷🌷🌷 Learn Burushaski Language: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnd66-O57rFgvvxq5mjpIRLEEtmrlShWp 🌷🌷🌷🌷 by GB News

[touristguidebuzz]

30 Photos From Afghanistan That You Won’t See In The News

Traveling in Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Last summer I traveled into the mountains of Afghanistan for a two week backpacking adventure. Not your typical summer vacation destination. Here’s what I witnessed on my journey.

What comes to mind when you think about Afghanistan? War? Terrorism? Osama Bin Laden? The Mother Of All Bombs?

Sure, much of Afghanistan is still dangerous — but there’s also incredible beauty, hospitality and kindness in the country that doesn’t get reported on.

It’s far too easy to vilify or write-off an entire nation when you don’t have to look those people in the eyes. People with the same hopes and dreams as you — to survive, find happiness, and provide for their families.

I was able to experience the positive side of Afghanistan and its wonderful people, up close and personal, during my trip there last summer. It’s since become my most memorable travel adventure to date.

Here are some of my favorite photos of people & landscapes from my 100 mile trek into Afghanistan’s remote and mountainous Wakhan Corridor.

This is the “other” side of Afghanistan that you don’t see in the news.

The Hindu Kush Mountains

Traveling in the Wakhan

Wakhan Corridor

The Wakhan is a rugged and wild region of Northeast Afghanistan, part of Badakhshan Province. It’s a narrow peice of land, about 400 km long, surrounded on three sides by Tajikistan, China, and Pakistan.

Two large mountain ranges dominate the area, the Pamir in the North, and the Hindu Kush in the South. The Wakhan Corridor was created by politicians in the 1800’s during the “Great Game” in an attempt to leave a buffer zone between British India and the Russian empire.

Riding Yaks in the Wakhan

Hitchhiking By Yak

Taking a break from walking, I managed to hitch a ride on a yak for a portion of the route. We ran into a group of Wakhi men leading their yaks through the mountains. While they stopped for tea, they let us borrow their yaks, which we led further into the valley until their owners caught up with us later.

Yaks are the ultimate eco-friendly 4×4 in Afghanistan, able to climb steep rocky terrain and power through icy cold rivers. There are no trees above 10,000 feet, so locals are forced to trek for 3 days to lower elevations with their animals in order to gather firewood for cooking and warmth.

Ruined Stone Shelter on a Vast Landscape

Trekking in the Wakhan

Ancient Silk Road

The Wakhan was once part of the ancient silk road, an important trading route connecting China to Europe. Along with silk, horses, and other goods, it was a highway for armies and explorers too. Explorers like Marco Polo who is believed to have passed through here during the 13th century.

Crossing steep mountain passes and high desolate plateaus, passing caravans of yaks and donkeys loaded with goods, spending the night in stone shelters with traveling merchants — I felt like I was getting a glimpse of what the silk road must have been like all those years ago.

Muslim Shopkeepers in Afghanistan

My Compatriots in the Wakhan

The Many Faces Of Islam

Just like the many different branches of Christianity, there are many different branches of Islam, all with their own beliefs and values. Many people living in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor are Ismaili Muslims, who practice a moderate form of Islam. They number 25 million worldwide, and despise the Taliban.

Their spiritual leader is the Aga Khan, a successful British businessman and Imam who runs the Aga Khan Development Network, a super important charity organization that improves living conditions and opportunities for the poor in Africa and Central Asia.

Footbridge Over the Wakhan River

Untamed Blue Rivers

The Wakhan River runs through the Wakhan Corridor, fed by the high altitude mountains of the Hindu Kush on the border with Pakistan. It snakes its way through the mountains, and is a major lifeline for the people living in this harsh and unforgiving landscape.

The bright blue color of this water is due to reddish hues of the rock formations around it, as well as the crystal clear source (a glacier). Water molecules absorb other colors, like red, more efficiently than blue.

Enjoying the Wild Landscape

Snowy Mountains in August

Epic Mountain Views

When the weather was clear, I was rewarded with incredible views of the mountains like this! The trail was well worn, as it’s used daily by small groups of locals who travel in caravans of yaks or donkeys from settlement to settlement.

The 10 day trek ranged in altitude from 10,000 to 16,000 feet, and we averaged about 10 miles per day of hiking. I began to feel the effects of altitude on my body around 12,000 feet with shortness of breath. At 16,000 feet hiking became even more tiring and difficult.

Snow Covered Yurts

Kyrgyz Settlement in the Wakhan

Portable Yurts

The Kyrgyz people of Afghanistan are semi-nomadic, moving from valley to valley herding their animals to different grazing pastures depending on the season. They live in cozy yurts made of sheep felt, which can be broken down and transported long distances.

Each settlement consists of 2-3 families living and working together. Originally from the area around Kyrgyzstan, their ancestors were kind of trapped in the Wakhan after the Soviets took over Central Asia, forcibly settled nomadic tribes, and sealed off the silk road route.

Sheer Chai Milk Tea

Salty Milk Tea

Both the Wakhi and Kyrgyz people drink large amounts of salty milk tea, called Sheer Chai. It’s served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Basically, it’s a mix of yak and goat milk, boiled down for hours and dried into a portable block. It’s prepared by adding boiling water, loose-leaf tea, and rock salt.

The salt is great for rehydration at high & dry altitudes — I called it my Afghan Gatorade. It took a while to get used to (salty hot milk anyone?), but by the end of the adventure my body was craving sheer chai for every meal. You can also dissolve raw butter into the tea at breakfast for extra calories.

Petroglyphs in Afghanistan

Afghan Petroglyphs

Near the end of my 2nd day on the trail, we hiked past a set of ancient petroglyphs scrawled into a dark colored boulder overlooking the valley. My local guide, Yar, couldn’t tell me much about them, other than they think these markings are a few thousand years old.

They depict hunting scenes, men armed with what appear to be bows, as well as large game like ibex and the rare Marco Polo sheep. This was just one of many petroglyphs that dot the landscape in these mountains. They are thought to mark ancient hunting grounds claimed by different tribes.

Central Asia Institute School

Kyrgyz Boys Ready for Class

CAI Schools

This simple 3 room school in the remote Afghan village of Bozai Gumbaz was built by Greg Mortenson and his Central Asia Institute. You may have heard of Greg before, he’s the author of the best selling novel Three Cups Of Tea, about building schools for girls in Pakistan.

The school at Bozai Gumbaz, where I spent the night playing cards with Afghan army soldiers, was prominent in his 2nd book, Stones To Schools. The next morning a group of boys showed up on donkeys for class. I saw many CAI schools along the road from Eshkashim to Sarhad-e Broghil.

Camping in Afghanistan

Camping In Afghanistan

As a big fan of the outdoors, one of the highlights on this trip was the opportunity to wild camp in the mountains of Afghanistan. Most nights we were able to stay at small Wakhi or Kyrgyz settlements in basic guest huts, but we also camped out in tents a few nights too.

Normally I’m a camping hammock kind of guy, but because I knew there weren’t going to be any trees for most of this trek, I packed my super lightweight Nemo Hornet 2P Tent. It snowed a few times during the journey — in August!

Greetings From the Heart

Friendly Shopkeeper in Eshkashim

As-Salāmu ʿAlaykum

I was constantly greeted with As-salāmu ʿalaykum which means “peace be upon you”. A shorter version of this is just salām. Shaking hands is common, and so is placing your hand on your heart, which simply means your greeting comes from the heart.

Another important term I used during my journey is taschakor, meaning thank you. I always recommend trying to learn 10 of the most used words in a local language before traveling there. In the Afghan Wakhan, most people speak some Dari (Farsi) along with local dialects.

Afghan Woman Wearing Blue Burka

Wakhi Girl in Sarhad-e Broghil

Women In Afghanistan

Many people were asking if I saw women in Afghanistan. Yes I saw women during my trip, but most were extremely shy, especially if I had my camera out. Plus in their culture, talking with strange men is taboo. But shooting portraits of men or kids was not a problem.

Near the border town of Sultan Eshkashim, which is primarily Sunni Muslim, many women wear the full-length blue burqa that covers their face. In more rural areas of the Wakhan, it’s less strict. Women wear long colorful dresses with a simple headscarf. I was able to say hello and see their faces.

Kyrgyz Tombs at Bozai Gumbaz

Khajahbigali Family Tomb

Shrines & Tombs

I encountered a few ancient burial tombs during my time exploring the Wakhan Corridor. Near the Afghan military outpost of Bozai Gumbaz, there’s a collection of strangely shaped Kyrgyz beehive tombs, along with evidence of Soviet bombing (craters, bomb fragments) from the 1980’s occupation.

At the settlement of Langar, we found a pile of ibex horns marking the burial place of a powerful big man. In Afghanistan, wealthy & powerful men are often called “big men”. It’s a bit like calling someone “boss.” The more animals, land, and wives you have, the “bigger” & more influential you are.

Driving in Afghanistan

Rough Roads

Before I began the 10 day, 100 mile trek through the mountains, I had to hire a 4×4 van to drive me to the last village at the end of the road. We passed a few military checkpoints along the way, stopping for tea & candy with officials before continuing on.

The drive took 2 days, and the roads were some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Dust seeped into the vehicle, covering us in dirt. We forded rivers, drove along the edge of sheer cliffs, and were frequently stopped by huge herds of goats blocking the road. The van suffered 6 flat tires during the journey.

Cooking Lunch in a Stone Shelter

Wakhi Settlement

Wakhi Settlements

While I entered Afghanistan alone, I decided to hire a local translator/guide and horseman to accompany me on the trek into the mountains. It would have been extremely difficult to communicate with people without their help. We spent the night at a few Wakhi settlements during the hike.

Wakhi homes are basically stone huts with dirt floors, constructed using manure for cement. The roof is made of logs, grass, and more manure to keep it waterproof. Some shelters had stoves inside, others just had a fire pit. Either way it was pretty smoky…

Young Afghan Girl in Sarhad

Wakhi Family Living in the Mountains

Children Of The Wakhan

Life in the Wakhan is rough, especially for kids. About 60% of children here die before the age of five, the highest infant mortality rate in the world. If they do survive, they are put to work helping out with the family business — animal herding.

There are a few schools out here, thanks to the Central Asia Institute, but it’s up to the parents if they go. In some communities, only the boys are sent to school. The morning commute can take a few hours by donkey due to the lack of roads and distance between settlements.

Central Asian Bactrian Camel

Wildlife In Afghanistan

I was really hoping to see a snow leopard or Marco Polo sheep while I was traveling through the mountains of Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. You know, Walter Mitty style! Unfortunately both of these endangered animals are extremely difficult to spot — but I did find camels!

Luckily the Wildlife Conservation Society has staff in the area, often spending weeks in the field gathering data to protect wildlife in the Wakhan. They estimate there are about 100-200 snow leopards living in these mountains. Wolves and bears also call this wilderness home.

The Country You Thought You Knew…

The Other Afghanistan

So there you go. A peek at the other side of Afghanistan that we never see on the nightly news. After traveling the world extensively for the past 6 years, I’ve noticed this is a common theme.

Don’t let our media, which is primarily focused on negative & sensational topics, be your only window into the dynamics of a foreign country you’ve never been to.

I’m not going to tell you that Afghanistan is safe. It’s not. Our troops who’ve served there can tell you. Afghans themselves are well aware of the dangers that plague their country too.

But I think there’s another side to Afghanistan that deserves some attention. The rugged, scenic mountain landscapes. The friendly, hospitable local people.

I’m hopeful for the day when Afghanistan’s problems fade away, and more travelers can safely enjoy the beauty this incredible country has to offer. ★

Bonus Video! Backpacking Afghanistan

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READ MORE FROM AFGHANISTAN

How To Visit The Wakhan Corridor

Have any questions about Afghanistan? What do you think? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

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In today's update, we've added pages for Komzo, Palula and Yoruba resources, and have added resources to the Acholi, Afrikaans, Czech, Indonesian, Sanskrit and Wakhi pages! Go here to start learning!

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In today's update, we've added pages for Bengali and Swedish resources, and have added resources to the Catalan, Greek, Hebrew and Wakhi pages! Go here to start learning!

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A guide for traveling Tajikistan (Tips + 3-week itinerary)

The ex-Soviet Republic of Tajikistan is a truly wild country that you don’t want to miss in your Silk Road journey.

Home to the Pamir range, one of highest mountain ranges in the world, the mountains of Tajikistan attract the most adventurous travelers, especially those wanting to drive the M-41, or Pamir Highway, an impressive road and architectural masterpiece that goes through some of the remotest and most beautiful mountain scenery in Central Asia.

With tourism increasing year by year, the country is daily becoming more prepared to receive international travelers and, after spending 1 month in the country, I have this compiled this guide that contains all the tips needed for traveling to Tajikistan, plus a compelling 3-week itinerary.

Read: Ultimate guide to the Pamir Highway

    Visa Travel Insurance Best time to visit The country, the people and its culture Getting in Safety Scams and corruption Money Food and alcohol Transportation Useful books Internet and SIM Card Accommodation Itinerary More information

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  How to get a visa for visiting Tajikistan

Most likely, you can get an e-visa – Most nationalities can apply for an e-visa through the official portal, valid for any port of entry.

The visa costs 50USD, is valid for 45 days, single entry and takes 1 or 2 working days.

Double entry visa – If you want one, you will have to get it through the embassy. Most people who want a double entry visa do so because they want to travel the Afghan Corridor, accessible from Ishkashim.

If this is your case, these are the requirements:

1 Passport valid for at least 6 months of validity and with two empty pages

Passport copy and visa copy from the country you are applying from

2 Passport photos

US Dollars

I applied for one in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and got it on the same day.

My double entry visa for visiting Tajikistan

GBAO Permit – The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) is the region located in the east of Tajikistan, where the Pamir Highway and Wakhan Valley are. 

If you want to visit it, you must tick the GBAO checkbox in the application form. If you are applying at the embassy, make sure to tell them, so you get the extra stamp.

By the way, the GBAO permit costs an additional 20USD.

Read: 30 Tips for traveling to Kazakhstan

Trekking in GBAO – Things to do in Tajikistan

  Travel Insurance for Tajikistan

Eastern Tajikistan, where the Pamir Highway is, is a high altitude area, averaging around 4,000 meters above sea level.

You should know that, if you read the fine print, most insurance companies won’t cover you from 2500-3,000m and above, so you better check before you travel to Tajikistan. 

World Nomads, however, does provide cover, including their most basic policy, which already covers for trekking at 4,000m.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE QUOTE FROM WORLD NOMADS

If you want to know more options, read how to find the best backpacking insurance

  Best time to visit Tajikistan

If you plan to do some trekking in eastern Tajikistan, you should come in summer.

I remember being in Alichur, a small village in the Pamir Highway and one of the coldest places in Central Asia, and, in the morning, during August, it was -5ºC and there was a freezing, strong wind, so it felt even colder. 

Imagine the weather there during the rest of the year.

Me, at the top of Gumbezkul Pass. It was the month of August and it was absolutely freezing – Best things to do in Tajikistan

Nevertheless, the Pamir Highway is open all year long so, if you are self-driving, you can drive it at any time. Actually, my friend Joao Leitao from Nomad Revelations drove it in winter.

On the other hand, the Fann Mountains in west Tajikistan are at lower altitude, hence warmer, so they can be visited during spring and fall. 

I did the 7 lakes trek in September and it was particularly hot!

The Fann Mountains – Is travel to Tajikistan safe

  The country, the people and its culture

After the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991, Tajikistan went through a dark period of Civil War that lasted pretty much until 1997 and it was not only in 1999, that they formed an actual, stable government, even though Emomali Rahmon, who is still today President of Tajikistan today, had already been ruling from 1994.

It was one of the countries most affected by the Soviet Union’s breakdown, as all their economy and development depended on the Russians so, after getting their independence, the country went to ruin.

Murghab and all the Pamir highway is really poor – Should I travel to Tajikistan

That crisis can still be seen today, as this is clearly the least developed of all the Stans (not counting Turkmenistan), a country with high rates of unemployment, and the fact that most of their infrastructure is still from the Soviet Union times.

It is also the least Westernized country, also due to the fact they are far from Russia so, unlike Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, their cultural influence is not that visible, hence they have less international exposure.

Actually, after having some conversations with quite a few highly educated Tajiks in Dushanbe, I felt that they don’t really know anything about what is going on in the outside world.

A Soviet truck

They were people with very few Western values and no apparent ambition who asked me many times why I would ever want to travel to Tajikistan.

Moreover, Tajikistan is one of those fake democracies where elections are celebrated but there is only one political party, so the same President has been ruling since 1994.

There is no freedom of speech and I remember when my Australian friend, Sam, was talking to a local man for about half an hour at the main square in Dushanbe, a man in a suit came to ask what was going on and invited him to leave.

This means that, still today, the Government doesn’t like their citizens to get international exposure.

The Tajiks – Tajiks are a Persian ethnic group who live mainly in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, but also in Xinjiang (China) and Uzbekistan.

Actually, nearly half of the total Tajik population live in Afghanistan.

Lovely Tajiks in Khujand – tRAVEL TO tAJIKISTAN

Nevertheless, you should know that, like all the Stans, Tajikistan is ethnically mixed and, actually, most of the people living in the Pamirs are Kyrgyz, whereas those in the Wakhan Valley are Wakhis, so if you want to meet the real Tajiks when you are traveling to Tajikistan, you will have to explore Dushanbe and the western part of the country.

Kyrgyz people from the Pamirs

Language – Tajik, which is a dialect of Persian (the language spoken in Iran and Afghanistan) is the official language. Russian is, of course, widely spoken among most people. English tends to be a problem across all the country. I recommend you learn some basic Russian before you visit Tajikistan. 

Religion – Tajiks are Suni Muslims but, like in all Central Asia, religion is not a very big deal. However, I felt that Tajiks were the most religious people in all Central Asia, especially those from the Fann Mountains. I remember that the men there never said hello or shook hands with my girlfriend.

Read: 65 Tips for traveling to Uzbekistan

Tajik women – Tajikistan travel guide

  How to travel to Tajikistan

Travel to Tajikistan by air

Traveling to Tajikistan by air is very easy, as there are many international flights connecting Dushanbe with Europe.

If you intend to travel the Pamir Highway, many people fly into Osh, the largest city in southern Kyrgyzstan and the beginning of the M-41 on the Kyrgyz side.

Travel to Tajikistan by land

Moreover, if you want to travel to Tajikistan by land, know that it shares a border with 4 countries and most of them have multiple border crossings. 

Kyrgyzstan – There are 6 border crossings and 4 of them are open to foreigners. The most obvious is the Kyzyl Art border crossing, which is the one that follows the Pamir Highway. For more information, read the latest Caravanistan updates.

Kyzyl Art pass: Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan border – Tajikistan travel guide

Uzbekistan – There are 5 border crossings with Uzbekistan and all of them seem to be open. I personally crossed the one at Konibodom, that links Khujand with the Fergana Valley, but if you don’t plan to visit that region, it is not very convenient. The Oybek border crossing is the one that connects Khujand with Tashkent and Penjakent is the one that connects the Fann Mountains with Samarkand. For more information, check the latest updates on Caravanistan.

Afghanistan – You can cross at Ishkashim, the gate to the Wakhan Corridor and a very safe part of Afghanistan; or the border crossing south of Dushanbe, which is also open but leads to Kunduz, a not very safe part of Afghanistan. Both borders are open but, if you plan to travel back to Tajikistan, remember to have a double entry visa.

China – Apparently, Kulma Pass is open now, as long as you have a valid printed visa on your passport. For more information, check the latest updates on Caravanistan.

Kulma Pass leads directly to the Karakoram Highway that connects Kashgar with Islamabad in Pakistan. Read here the full guide.

Read: 75 Tips for traveling to Kyrgyzstan

Uzbekistan – Tajikistan border crossing

  Is it safe to travel to Tajikistan?

In summer 2018, 4 cyclists traveling across Tajikistan were murdered in Danghara, an area relatively close to Dushanbe. ISIS claimed the attack.

That accident triggered a big concern among many travelers and the Tajiks are concerned that it might affect their tourism negatively.

This unfortunate event, however, has been a one-off thing and I personally think that it shouldn’t affect your decision to travel to Tajikistan. A similar case happened in Morocco in December 2018 when 2 Scandinavian girls were killed and, so far, it doesn’t seem that tourism has been affected.

Aside from that, Tajikistan is a safe country with very low crime rates.

Tajiks are always friendly – Is traveling to Tajikistan safe

  Scams and corruption when visiting Tajikistan

I still remember being in the car with a homestay owner, on our way to Khujand, when he gave some money to a policeman after stopping at one checkpoint.

Why did you give him money? – I said

Oh, this is just the standard bribing procedure. If we don’t pay him, then he would try to find a reason to fine or arrest us. 

The corruption in Tajikistan is a well-known fact and some of these police officers also try to rip off foreigners but luckily, as tourists, there is not much they can do to you unless you are credulous and believe their lies.

Common scams include policemen telling you that there is a problem with your Tajik visa or making you pay an entrance fee to a place that, obviously, doesn’t require an entrance fee.

Dude, just think:

How the hell there is going to be something wrong with your visa? And also,where have you been where you need to purchase an entry ticket from a policeman?

Just say no and continue with your business.

Epic landscapes

  Money when you travel in Tajikistan

The official currency is the Tajik Somoni and, in February 2019, 1USD = 9.50SOM

ATMs and credit cards – You can find ATM’s in the big cities (not in the Pamir Highway).

How much does it cost to travel to Tajikistan

It really depends on where you go and, ultimately, how you travel the Pamir Highway.

Typically, meals cost something between 1 and 3USD and budget homestays around 10-15USD, which tends to include dinner and breakfast.

In Dushanbe, you can find dorms for 3-4USD and the local transportation ranges from 2 to 10USD, depending on where you go.

For all costs referred to the Pamir Highway, read my guide.

Read: 80 Tips for traveling to Iran

We were on a low budget, so we hitchhiked the entire Pamir Highway

  Food and alcohol when visiting Tajikistan.

Heads-up.

Like in all Central Asia, the food won’t be the highlight of your visit in Tajikistan. 

In the Pamirs and different homestays, you are likely to eat shorpo for every meal, which is a meat broth.

In local restaurants, you will just find things like shahslik, meat skewers; lagman, a noodle soup; manti, fatty meat dumplings; or plov, rice fried in lamb fat.

As per alcohol, as in all ex-Soviet countries, beer and especially vodka are found everywhere.

Lagman is the comodin dish. After eating 100 bowls of it across all Central Asia, I really hated it but since I like pasta a lot, I could handle it more than other dishes

  Transportation when you travel around Tajikistan

The below information refers to types of transportation in western Tajikistan, not the Pamir Highway. For this, read my guide to the Pamir Highway.

Marshrutkas – Marshrutkas is what former Soviet countries call their public minivans. They are really cheap and travel between most towns and cities.

Local shared taxis – Actually, we used more local shared taxis than marshrutkas and, as far as I could see, they are the most preferred option among locals.

Hitchhiking – Highly doable and easy! We actually had one of our most crazy hitchhiking experiences, when we spent more than 48 hours in a truck, on our way from Khorog to Dushanbe.

Traveling in a mini UAZ-452 – A classic Soviet van

  Books for traveling to Tajikistan

Tajikistan Travel Guide by Bradt – The most comprehensive travel guide to Tajikistan. I bought all the Bradt guides to Central Asia (e-Book format). They are, by far, the most insightful guides I have ever read recently.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICES ON AMAZON

  Central Asia Travel Guide by Lonely Planet – I am not a fan of this guide, but if you are traveling to all the Stans and want to buy just one book, it is a good choice as well.

 CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICES ON AMAZON

  Internet and mobile when traveling in Tajikistan

Wi-Fi – From Murghab to Khujand and Dushanbe, the Wi-Fi connection when you are traveling in Tajikistan is one of the worst I have ever seen. In Dushanbe, the Wi-Fi in my hostel was particularly bad and then every day I would go work to a fancy café and the internet was down every now and then. In the Pamir Highway and the Wakhan Valley, Wi-Fi doesn’t exist.

SIM Card – 3G was just OK anywhere outside of the Pamir Highway. I bought MegaFon and, for a few Somonis, I got plenty of GBs.

  Accommodation in Tajikistan

Homestays – On the Pamir Highway, homestays are the way to go. I recommend you stay in random homestays, not in the popular ones. This way, the benefits will be spread more equally plus random homestays are cheaper.

Hostels – Hostels are popular, from Khorog to Dushanbe and Khujand. Click here to check all the available hostels in Tajikistan!

Hotels – In Khorog, Dushanbe, and Khujand you can find hotel options for mid-range travelers. Click here to check all the available hotels in Tajikistan!

Yurts – In the Pamirs, you can also find nomadic yurt camps where Kyrgyz nomads live.

A yurt camp somewhere in the Tajik Pamirs

  Traveling to Tajikistan – 3-week Itinerary

I traveled to Tajikistan from Kyrgyzstan via Kyzyl Art Pass and left through Uzbekistan at Konibodom, so this Tajikistan itinerary reflects the direction I took.

Map of the Tajikistan itinerary

  Things to do in Tajikistan – Pamir Highway (8-9 days) 

Built by the Soviets in 1930, the Pamir Highway is an architectural masterpiece that goes through some of the remotest landscapes you can ever imagine.

Officially, it starts in Osh (Kyrgyzstan) and ends in Afghanistan but the highest and most beautiful part of it lies in Tajikistan.

The following information is just a small summary.

For the full guide, read my 6,000-word guide to the Pamir Highway.

The stunning Pamir Highway – Tajikistan travel itinerary

How many days are needed for the Pamir Highway?

Well, it is really hard to say. We spent more than 2 weeks between the Pamir Highway and the Wakhan Valley but that is because we stopped in many places plus we also did a 3-day trek.

Normally, most people take a 5 or 7-day tour (starting from Osh), which also includes the Wakhan Valley, but, to be very honest, it is not enough to explore the side valleys, which is where the most stunning landscapes are.

Amazing road! – Tajikistan travel itinerary

If you don’t have the time, I get it but, if you do, here are all the places you need to stop at:

Karakul (1 night) – The first big settlement coming from Kyrgyzstan, Karakul has a very big lake and with some pretty cool snow-capped mountains at the background.

Murghab (2-3 nights) – Murghab is the main town on the M-41 and a base for visiting other places and valleys. We first stayed 2 nights because we waited for a festival and then we stayed a 3rd night after coming back from the trek.

The mosque in Murghab – Tajikistan itinerary

Gumbezkul Pass trek (2-3 nights) – If you have your own car, you can do this trek in 1 day but we did it in 3, cause we walked all the way from Murghab and spent one amazing night with some real nomads in the middle of nowhere. For more information, I wrote the full guide for Everything Everywhere: How to trek the Gumbezkul Pass.

Alichur  (1 night) – Very cool landscapes, yaks, trekking and Marco Polo sheep safaris.

Madyian Valley, close to Murghab – things to do in Tajikistan

Bulunkul (Stopover) – The coldest place in Central Asia is home to a beautiful lake. The trek from Alichur to here is a popular one. You can find a few homestays.

For most travelers, the Pamir Highway is, definitely, one of the best things to do in Tajikistan.

For more information, don’t forget to check my guide to the Pamir Highway

The festival we attended in Murghab – Things to do in Tajikistan

  Places to visit in Tajikistan – Wakhan Valley (3-4 days)

Many travelers tend to classify the Wakhan Valley as part of the Pamir Highway (M-41), which is completely wrong because they are 2 different places.

Actually, to reach the Wakhan Valley you need to leave the road and drive towards Afghanistan for several kilometers.

The Wakhan Valley

Anyways. The Wakhan Valley is one of my most favorite places in entire Central Asia and my most favorite place in my Tajikistan itinerary.

And the reason is that, besides being home to intriguing and jaw-dropping landscapes, the Wakhan is of great historical importance as the ancient border between North Asia and South Asia and on the remarkable Silk Road route, which can be seen in the many fortresses and other sites of cultural heritage there.

Moreover, in the 20th century, the Wakhan Valley marked the border between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan and the Soviet tanks came through here to invade Afghanistan in the 70s.

Today, the river you will go along during your whole journey, whose other side is in Afghanistan, is the main entry point for smuggling products, especially heroin, and, from the window of your car, you can wave and say hello at the many Afghans across the river, from whom you are separated by only a couple of meters.

Once again, this is a small summary, so for more information, don’t forget to check my guide to the Wakhan Valley in Tajikistan.

The views from Khaaka fortress – Left side is Afghanistan and right Tajikistan – Places to visit in Tajikistan

These are all the places we stopped at:

Langar (1 night) – The first big settlement you find is Langar.

We personally didn’t like Langar, as it is the only place in the Wakhan where the locals are very pushy in trying to promote their homestays, plus it is actually far from the river.

I recommend you continue for a few kilometers to Hisor, a more genuine village and with nicer views to actual Afghanistan.

Vrang (stop) – Vrang is another old village that has an ancient Buddhist temple. It is worth stopping for a few hours.

Yamchun (1 night) – The most striking fortress in the Wakhan, which stands with the Afghan Hindu Kush on its background.

Yamchun fortress – Places to visit in Tajikistan

It also has some famous hot springs called Baby Fatima that are believed to have some fertility benefits.

Namadgut (1 night) – There is nothing in particular to see here but travelers don’t tend to stop here, so it is quite untouched. That is why here we had the best cultural experience with a local woman who blessed us with her hospitality.

Kaakha Fortress – The second most famous fortress after Yamchun has also great views to Afghanistan.

Ishkashim (1 night) – The main town in the Wakhan Valley. It used to hold the Afghan market in no man’s land but it is temporarily closed. It is also the border to Afghanistan for those interested in doing the Afghan Wakhan corridor.

For more information, read my guide to the Wakhan Valley

Wakhi people – Best things to do in Tajikistan

  Tajikistan itinerary – Khorog (2 days)

After nearly two weeks of showering with buckets, using holes and bushes as toilets, exclusively eating shorpo and with no internet at all, getting to Khorog felt particularly good.

It is not a very big town but it has a good local market where you can buy many food items that were not available in the Pamir Highway, like cheese, and supermarkets with cold beer.

There is also an Indian restaurant that tends to be filled with travelers and a really good Tajik restaurant by the river, serving high quality grilled meat and other stuff.

Other than this, Khorog is a place to just chill, where we spent 4 days just catching up with work and filling our bellies with decent food.

By the way, the famous Afghan market takes place on Saturday.

Afghan people in the Afghan market of Khorog – A travel guide to Tajikistan

Where to stay in Khorog

Backpacker Hostel – Pamir Lodge – All right, it is a cool place and there is a friendly atmosphere. However, the hostel has the capacity for nearly 100 people and it only has two toilets and two showers, so when I came in August, it was very difficult to find them empty, apart from being quite dirty of course.

Backpacker Hostel – Hostel Do Nazarbayg – An alternative to Pamir lodge. You will find fewer backpackers but the location is much better and it is not that busy.

Click here to see the latest prices

Guest House – Riverside – A quieter, more homestay-style place.

Click here to see the latest prices

  The journey to Dushanbe – 1 day

The road to Dushanbe is a very long way.

Shared taxis take around 12 hours and cost 30USD. They leave from near the market but you need to be there early, 7am at most.

We arrived before 8am and there weren’t any marshrutkas or taxis left, so we decided to hitchhike and it took us 3 days, spending more than 48 hours in a truck.

The distance is only 518km but the road is really bad but beautiful and interesting as, again, it goes along the Afghan border for the most part of it.

The road from Dushanbe to Khorog: the left side is Afghanistan and the right Tajikistan

  Things to do in Tajikistan – Dushanbe (2 days)

The capital of Tajikistan is another place to chill for a few days while you collect some visas, like the Uzbek or Turkmen visas.

Well, not the Uzbek visa anymore, as from February 2019, they started issuing visas on arrival. Check my Uzbekistan travel guide for more information.

Dushanbe has cafés with real coffee, a variety of restaurants and a few pubs where to hang out at night.

What I liked about Dushanbe is that it was my first introduction to the real Tajikistan, as most people you meet in the eastern part are Kyrgyz, Wakhis or Pamir, so you will see a significant difference with the people living here, especially in the way women dress.

Don’t forget to check the main bazaar and the Rudaki Park, which holds the second tallest flagpole in the world

Where to stay in Dushanbe

Backpacker Hostel – Green House Hostel– We spent so many days here because the hostel was really comfortable. Comfy beds, a big kitchen and a living room with awesome couches.

Click here to see the latest prices

  Budget Guest House – Hello Dushanbe – If you want a less backpacker-friendly place, Hello Dushanbe may be slightly more expensive but the facilities are great. It has both private rooms and a dorm.

Click here to see the latest prices

Lovely Tajik women

  Hissor Fortress – Day trip from Dushanbe

If you are bored to be in Dushanbe, we also did a day trip to a fortress named Hissor, which was built by the Uzbeks in the 18th century, as this part of Tajikistan used to belong to the Emirate of Bukhara. The north was part of the Russian empire. 

All right, the fortress itself was boring, as it was overly refurbished, but we always like to get out of town, take a local marshrutka and just see other towns, so it was worth it only for this reason. 

How to get to Hissor fortress

From Dushanbe, you need to take a marshrutka to a town named Khisor. From there, take a taxi or hitchhike back to the fortress which is 4 or 5km away.

The fortress

  Places to visit in Tajikistan – Penjakent and the Fann Mountains (3-4 days)

Once again, this is a small summary.

For all the information needed, read my guide to the Fann Mountains.

While they are not as stunning as the valleys around the Pamir Highway, the Fann Mountains are also very pretty and their main advantage is that, unlike the Pamirs, they are heavily populated and filled with several tiny villages where actual Tajik people live.

Tajiks from the Fanns

Therefore, visiting the Fann Mountains is a great opportunity to discover the real Tajik rural life, so different from anything you have seen during your Tajikistan itinerary. 

Most people come to the Fann Mountains to visit Iskanderkul lake but I recommend going to the area around Penjakent and doing the 7 Lakes Trek.

Trekking in the Fanns

The reason is that, although Iskanderkul is a beautiful lake, no people live there plus it is always busy with domestic tourists, which isn’t a bad thing, but you won’t see much of the local culture. 

On the other hand, the 7 Lakes trek starts in Penjakent and goes through several tiny villages where you can do homestays.

From Penjakent, we took a UAZ-452, the classic Soviet mini-van, and drove to a village named Rachnapollon.

That area is really off the beaten track, so the driver himself invited us to stay at his place, for free, but we decided to give him a generous tip because he had been feeding us. 

How to get to Penjakent

First, take a local shared taxi from Dushanbe to Penjakent, which costs 70TJS (8USD). It is a 230km journey.

In Penjakent, for just a few somonis, we got in the UAZ-452 to Rachnapollon, from where we started walking on the next day.

Remember to check my guide to the Fann Mountains

Random people during the trek

  Places to visit in Tajikistan – Khujand (2-3 days)

Khujand is the purest Tajikistan in its most genuine form and one of the oldest cities in Central Asia (2,500 years old). 

It is the second largest city in the country, a city with little international exposure that has kept its traditional values.

Most travelers use it as a mere transit point, as it is close to the closest border with Tashkent, but I recommend spending here two nights at least.

Arbob Palace Tajikistan

Things to do in Khujand

Don’t forget to check the traditional bazaar, one of those traditional bazaars where everybody asks for a photo and gives you free stuff; and all the mausoleums and historical buildings around the main square. The Arbob Palace is also worth checking out. 

Mosques in Khujand

Where to stay in Khujand

Budget Hostel – Somoni Hostel – The best choice for backpackers and a really cool hostel.

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Budget Hotel – Golden Apartments – The alternative to a backpacker hostel.

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Khujand’s bazaar

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Boibar

Duration 3 days Distance 27.4km Standard easy Season Mid-June-September Start/ Finish Jamalabad Zone and Permit open, no permit Public Transport no Summary The beautiful and rarely visited Boibar Valley is the route to Jurjur Khun-e-Sar, Tupodan, Parigar Sar and Qarũn Koh base camps, with Qarũn Pass offering exceptional views of the Hispar Muztagh.

  Boibar is an east-west valley whose river descends from Qarũn Koh (7164m) to the Hunza River at Morkhun 10km south of Sost. Boibar is historically significant as the original Wakhi settlement in Gojal and the old route to Shimshal, and has spectacular old-growth juniper trees. Avgarch and Boibar are also names of places in the Wakhan Corridor, suggesting the original inhabitants may have come from Wakhan. Morkhun (2743m) receives more rain than other Gojal villages, as its name suggests (mor means ‘rain’; Khun, ‘house’). At the time of research, villagers were constructing a road to Avgarch with eventual plans to extend it to the Boibar huts.

PLANNING

Maps   

The Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research 1:250, 000 orographical map Karakoram (Sheet 1) covers the trek. It labels Jamalabad as Jukulgar, Parigar Sar as Pregar, and the Boibar River at Murkhun. The glacier at the valley’s head labeled Murkhun is locally called Qarũn Koh. Maidun isn’t named, but it’s marked by a triangle.

Guides and Porters

Porters ask for a flat rate per stage, including payment for food rations and the clothing and equipment allowance. Hire a local person to show the way, learn about the area, and support the village’s economy.

GETTING TO/FROM THE TREK 

Morkhun is halfway between Afiyatabad and Passu, so jump on any vehicle heading south from Afiyatabad or north from Passu. The short ride on NATCO buses and on vans or wagons. From Morkhun, north of the bridge and south of the Pakistan Army camp, follow the Jamalabad Link Rd half a Kilometre to its end. Jamalabad (2789m), named for the late Mir of Hunza, Mohammad Jamal Khan, lies above the Boibar River’s true right (north) bank.

THE TREK

Day 1 : Jamalabad to Boibar

3½-4½ hours, 7.7km, 716m ascent

Follow the trail east along the canal. A shrine to Shah Shams, marked by white flags, sits on the river’s south side. Reach the first footbridge in 30 minutes and cross to the true left bank. Watch for rock fall between Jamalabad and Avgarch and avoid this section of trail in rain or high winds. Continue along the river’s edge 30 minutes passing scattered rose bushes and the herb spandr to a clear side stream, which flows from Sangar, a scenic grassy ridge descending from Jurjur-Khun-e-Sar (6055m) to the south. (It takes five hours to reach Sangar from Morkhun, making it an eight-to nine-hour round trip).

Just beyond the stream pass Bandiletk. Here red markings on the rock are said to have been made by a bilas (evil spirit) who licked the rock after having eaten people. Villagers say it’s dangerous to travel here after dark. The area on both sides of the river, with its scattered artemisias, ephedras, and roses, is also known as Lalazar (beautiful place in Persian).

Continue 15 minutes to the second footbridge surrounded by tamarisks and a thorny shrub xakh and cross to the river’s true right bank. The trail forks immediately. Both trails lead to Avgarch, but people describe the right fork as dangerous. Take the left fork and follow the trail along the true right bank downstream, backtracking for a few minutes to the base of Yasin Band. Ascend a short 35-degree scree slope, and then a steep, narrow chimney with steps made out of juniper branches, to the terrace above. From this plateau are beautiful views south to Jurjur-Khun-e-Sar and east to Parigar Sar (6200m), a prominent rocky peak (sar) known as the rock (gar) where fairies (pari) dwell.

Continue 30 minutes along a canal at the base of a rocky rhubarb-dotted slope and through level fields and wildflowers to Avgarch (3200m). This large cultivated area was the first settlement of the Wakhi people living in the five villages between Sost and Morkhun who refer to themselves as Avgarchi. It has a mosque with unique wood carvings and two forts. One sits atop the central building, a reminder of the constant battles with Qirghiz people who also used the upper Hunza Valley until the 19th century. A lone giant juniper called Baltar Yarz is nearby. Legend says a boy, Baltar, would have died, but he sacrificed a cow near the juniper tree (yarz) and lived.                

From Avgarch, continue up, then cross the river via a footbridge heading south-east to reach Boibar (3505m), a barren summer settlement 1½ hours from Avgarch. Boibar huts sit in a southern side valley, which has a small glacier. Above is the dramatic north face of Tupodan (6106m), whose name means ‘the sun-drenched mountain’.

Day 2 : Boibar to Maidun     

2 hours, 6km, 495m ascent

Continue one hour to a cold spring called Xunza Kuk (Queen’s spring), then 30 minutes to Pariyar (the place loved by fairies). These overgrazed pastures are the upper limit of juniper. Many junipers have been cut, but some of those remaining are older than 1000 years. Maidun (4000m), 30 minutes farther, has good water and makes a fine base camp for exploring the upper Boibar Valley. The route to Tupodan Base Camp, used by the 1987 British expedition who were the first to summit Tupodan, heads south up the Tupodan Glacier from Maidun.

Side Trip : Qarũn Pass     

4-5 hours, 11km, 873m ascent, 873m descent

The original, but now abandoned, route to Shimshal village followed the Boibar Valley, crossed Qarũn Pass, and descend 2100m of treacherous scree to reach the Shimshal River at Dut. A day trek to the top of the pass offers great views and a glimpse of how difficult access to Shimshal used to be. Legend has it that Mamu Singh, Shimshal’s founder, saw the meadows along the Lupgar Glacier from the pass and so decided to take his livestock there. Shimshalis say the pass is like the legendary miser, Qarũn, because no water is available on the arduous ascent from Dut to the pass, hence the name Qarũn Pass.

From Maidun, ascend 1½ hours past yellow rock outcrops to the pasture of Zardgarben (the base of the yellow rock) from where the pass cairn is visible. Continue, passing right of the Qarũn koh Glacier’s black moraine to the base of the pass (4500m). From this point, the routes to Qarũn Koh and Parigar Sar Base Camps head across the glacier east and north-east respectively. The route to the pass turns south, ascends a scree gully, and traverses to Qarũn Pass (4873m) in one hour. Lupgar Sar, Trivor and Destaghil Sar rise in front. Return from the Pass to Maidun.

Day 3 : Maidun to Jamalabad

4-5 hours, 13.7km, 1211m descent

Retrace steps Downvalley to Jamalabad.

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Werthum Pass

Duration 7 days Distance 52.4km Standard Very demanding, technical Season Mid-June-September Start China Camp Finish Raminj Zone and Permit open, no permit Public Transport yes Summary Werthum Pass offers a rugged mountaineers’ route between the Batura Glacier and Chapursan’s Lupgar Valley through unvisited areas with scope for climbing and watching wildlife.

  Werthum (‘millstone’ in Wakhi) is an infrequently crossed nonglaciated pass (5147m) linking the Batura Glacier to Chapursan’s Lupgar Valley to its north. The pass offers an alternative exit from the upper Batura Glacier, especially attractive for those climbing in the Werthum Valley. This rugged side valley north of the Batura Glacier has some easy nontechnical snowy peaks, and several technical peaks ranging from 5400m to 5900m at the valley’s head and along the Shireen Maidan (sweet field) Glacier. The views from the pass include the six Batura peaks and Shishpar. Crossing Werthum Pass isn’t technically difficult, but requires basic mountaineering skills.

PLANNING

What to Bring

A rope, ice axe and mountaineering equipment necessary to cut steps in the ice cornice on the north side of the pass are required (see Mountaineering Equipment,). Crampons aren’t necessary when crossing from south to north, but are when crossing from north to south. When trekking with porters bring a tarp or tent for their use because no huts exist for the two nights between Kukhil and Harkeesh.

Maps

Refer to Maps under the Batura Glacier trek (p). The Swiss map incorrectly marks the trail between Shireen and Maidan and Werthum Base Camp (unmarked), and misrepresents the confluence of the streams that form Werthum Nala. The actual trail is on the opposite side of the river from where the trail is drawn on the map; the map has it backwards. Unsuspecting trekkers have dangled on nasty scree slopes and cliffs trying to follow the trail depicted on the map. Werthum Pass isn’t marked and the glacier on its north side is much smaller than the map shows. Harkeesh isn’t marked either. It’s on the south side of the Lupgar River along the first side stream west (left) of the place name Purzin.

Guides and Porters

Hiring a local guide and porters is unavoidable. Only four Passu men-Qamar Jan, Sanjar Beg, Ali Aman and Safdar Hussain- know the route over the Werthum Pass, although more will learn the route after the authors’ crossing and opening of this route in July 2000.

When crossing from north to south, hire men from Raminj or Khaibar. Ghulam Sar- war from Khaibar and several men from Raminj also know the route. It may, however, be difficult to find any porters willing to do it, because of the steepness and difficulty from this direction.

Stages

Passu porters ask for 11 stages total between Passu and Raminj, although it’s only 10 stages. Passu to Guchesham or Shilmin is 4½ stages total, but porters usually charge five stages for this distance (see the Batura Glacier trek, for more details). They also ask for one stage between Shilmin or Guchesham and Shireen Maidan, which should be half a stage, thereby effectively inserting an additional stage, much to their benefit. The five stages beyond Shireen Maidan are: (1) Werthum Base Camp; (2) Werthum High Camp; (3) Shikar Gah; (4) Harkeesh; and (5) Raminj.

GETTING TO/FROM THE TREK

To the Start

See the Batura Glacier Trek for a description of how to reach China Camp.

From The Finish

See the Lupgar Pir Pass trek for a description of where to go from Raminj.

The Trek

Days 1-2 : China Camp to Yashpirt

2 days, 16.6km, 872m ascent

See Days 1-2 of the Batura Glacier trek for the description between China Camp and Yashpirt.

Day 3 : Yashpirt to Shireen Maidan

6 hours, 16.9km, 586m ascent

See Day 3 of the Batura Glacier trek for a description of the 4½- hours walk between Yashpirt and Shilmin. From Shilmin, the trail up the Werthum Valley leaves the Batura Glacier’s north margin bending 90 degrees and follows the Werthum Nala’s true right (west) bank north-east. Massive scree slopes on both the valley’s east and west walls guard its entrance. Stay close to the hillside (on the left) 15 minutes to the place where dwarf willows (chikor) grow. Begin a steady climb over scree on a faint trail. Early in the season, when snow is melting, be cautious for extreme rock-fall danger. After 30 minutes, the trail reaches the top of the scree and continues level for 15 minutes to Furzeen. The predominant birches (furz) and scrub junipers shade this attractive grove where a seasonal stream trickles. Ibex frequent the opposite rocky slopes as they migrate between the Batura Glacier and Khaibar Nala via the Shireen Maidan Glacier. The trail descends steeply a short distance to the river, and follows the river bed to the confluence of the Werthum Nala and the Shireen Maidan Glacier’s outwash Stream. Cross the Werthum Nala via two enormous adjacent boulders that bridge the torrent 300m upstream from the confluence, or ford the river when water is low. Along the true left bank at the confluence is a level camp site, sheltered from the wind, with six stone circles. A spring trickles near the river’s edge. Shireen Maidan (3888m) is a preferable camps site to Shilmin, well worth the additional 1½ hours’ walk. The peaks above the glacier offer climbing possibilities (see the boxed text ‘Peak Possibilities’,).

Day 4 : Shireen Maidan to Werthum Base Camp

3 hours, 3.8km, 475m ascent

Recross the river to the Werthum Nala’s true right (west) bank and immediately ascend the steep scree slope on a yak trail to the grassy slopes above. Traversing high above the river gorge, the trail crosses three small ravines, the last two of which offer clear water. Before the second stream, 1½ hours from Shireen Maidan, a difficult section of trail rounds a yellowish rock face called Dzug Band (literally, ‘difficult yak trail’ in Wakhi). A few minutes farther ahead, a house-sized overhanging boulder offers shelter and marks the beginning of the huge area Known as Werthum, which extends all thye way to the valley’s head. Fifteen minutes past the third stream the going gets a little easier, and a cauliflower like edible plant (yamush) and purple flower (bozlunj), whose dried petals can be used to make a tea that assists with acclimatization, pop up between the shale, ephedra and patches of grass.

The trail descends to the river where it disappears among rocks and boulders along the river’s true right bank. Stay close to the water’s edge, hopping rocks and scampering across boulders 15 to 30 minutes. This section could be difficult in the afternoon when water levels are typically higher. The route then fords the Werthum Nala to its true left bank shortly beyond the confluence with a side stream. This is the outwash stream coming from the unnamed glacier to the east. Once across the river, a trail ascends the steep rhubarb- dotted scree slope five minutes to a cairn at the top.

A lone stone circle, which is used as a porters’ shelter, marks Werthum Base Camp (4363m) in the middle of an exposed, broad grassy plateau above the confluence of the two unnamed streams that join to form Werthum Nala. The stream from the north-west issues from the glacier lying at the base of Werthum Peak, whose summit dominates the valley’s head. The other is the outwash stream from the sizable unnamed glacier that descends from several 5000m peaks east of Werthum Base Camp. Water is accessible in a small ravine east of the stone shelter.

This is a relatively short day, but the 475m elevation gain is an argument for stopping. When previously acclimatized, it’s possible to move up to Werthum High Camp. Otherwise, enjoy an afternoon spent strolling in the meadows. It is possible to climb Werthum Peak or one of the other peaks in the area (see the boxed text ‘Peak Possibilities’).

  Peak Possibilities

Werthum Valley is a climbing destination with many peaks accessible to trekkers with mountaineering experience. Here are a few options.

Peaks above Shireen Maidan Glacier

Accessible from Shireen Maidan

(Day 3)

A dozen jagged 5000m and 6000m summits encircle the Shireen Maidan Glacier, beckoning climbers to this picturesque side valley. Most climbs are along the glacier’s north side and are mostly mixed ice and rock. These technical routes are more difficult than those accessed from Werthum Base Camp (Day 4). Beneath the Shireen Maidan Glacier’s terminal moraine, 10 minutes east of the confluence camp site on Day 3, is an extremely clear and deep blue- green lake. The grassy area nearby is the base camp.

Werthum Peak

Accessible from Werthum Base Camp (Day 4)

Werthum Peak (peak 5844m on the Swiss map), the valley’s only named peak, is a technical peak north-west of Werthum Base Camp. The three-day climb involves an ascent/descent of 1418m each way. On the first day, move from Werthum Base Camp upvalley to the high camp called Deposit Camp, where porters ‘deposit’ climber’ loads. The route to Deposit Camp stays low along the true left bank of the Werthum Nala’s north-west branch, and crosses the stream descending from Werthum Pass. Continue past the confluence of outwash streams from two glaciers, the southernmost of which ends in an icefall from peak 5539m. Cross the northern glacier’s outwash stream and move onto the black rocky moraine between the two glaciers. Deposit Camp is at the west edge of the northern glacier. On the second day, summit and return to Deposit Camp. Climb steeply to the ridge, staying far to the left (south), and then head right (north) to make the long traverse of the corniced north-south ridge to the summit. A rope, ice axe and crampons are essential, and anchors may be necessary depending on snow conditions. Return to Werthum Base Camp on the third day. It’s a fairly serious route, not recommended for novices.

Unnamed Peaks around Werthum Base Camp

Accessible from Werthum Base Camp

(Day 4) North and north-east of Werthum Base Camp are several unnamed, rounded snow- covered summits. These non-technical ‘walk-ups’ range from 5300m to 5500m, easily engaging most trekkers for a day or two. A rope and ice axe are necessary, but crampons are optional.

  Day 5 : Werthum Base Camp to Werthum High Camp

3-4 hours, 3.4km, 612m ascent

From Werthum Base Camp, it’s advisable to set a high camp below the pass. Follow a faint yak trail for 1½ hours, staying very high above the true left bank of the Werthum Nala’s north-west branch. The route traverses north-north-east over stable slate and talus heading towards the rounded peak (5426m on the Swiss map) whose dry slopes are capped by snow. Werthum Pass lies on the ridge that runs south-east between this peak and peak 5315m. The route to the pass is via the side valley immediately in front of peak 5426m. The last reliable clear water flows in the second side stream before the highest grassy patch where yaks sometimes graze.

Cross a dry gully 30 minutes beyond the grass, then head north another 30 minutes up a relentlessly steep rock- and scree-covered hillside. The angle steepens to 25 degrees towards the ridge top, which separates the main Werthum Valley from the barren, snow-filled upper basin beneath the pass. A stream flows through this upper basin and down a steep ravine to meet the Werthum Nala’s north-west branch far below. Traverse scree 45 minutes to one hour to Werthum High Camp (4975m) on a level rocky terrace high above the true left bank of the stream descending from the pass. Water trickles from afternoon snow melt.

It’s possible to break up the Knee-pounding 1658m descent from Werthum Pass to Harkeesh by forgoing a high camp on the south side and crossing Werthum Pass in one long day. This also avoids sleeping at high altitude. The 6.9km between Werthum Base Camp and Shikar Gah Camp can be covered in 6½-8½ hours, with a 784m ascent and 862m descent. The following day, the 1190m descent to Raminj takes 5-5½ hours (8.2km; see Days 6-7 for a description).

Day 6 : Werthum High Camp to Harkeesh

6-7 hours, 6.1km, 172m ascent, 1658m descent

Continue up the snow and scree slope to reach the Werthum Pass (5147m) 45 minutes from the high camp. The pass has 20- to 25- degree slopes on both sides and a permanent 3m to 4m vertical cornice on its north side. Use a rope belay while breaking through the cornice and cutting steps in the ice to reach the talus below the pass. The pass is more difficult before mid-July when there’s more snow and a larger cornice.

Descend the talus and scree slope, then cross a tiny bergschrund onto a small unnamed glacier. Cross the glacier in 15 minutes to moraine and a stream. Cross to its true left bank, and follow the stream down 30 minutes to a level area (4694m). It is possible to make a high camp here when trekking from north to south.

Cross to the stream’s true right bank where the valley begins to drop steeply. Reach the confluence with another stream coming from the south-west in 15 minutes. The route stays along the main stream’s true right bank as the valley turns northward and narrows. When trekking from north to south, take caution to stay to the east (left), and follow the true right Bank of the easternmost (left) stream.

The stream plunges steeply between two enormous reddish rock walls into the canyon-like area called Shikar Gah (4285m) 30 minutes below the confluence. (Some people also call this area Bayeen Shikar Gah, a hunting place named after Bayeen, a man from Chapursan). The level stream bed here has some grass, flowers and rhubarb amid the curious conglomerate boulders that dot the valley floor. Fifteen minutes farther, at this area’s north end, is an overhanging boulder with a level rocky area nearby that offers a reasonable lunch spot and possible camp site. Ibex droppings indicate these wild mountain goats roam the cliffs above.

Begins the steep descent of the boulder choked gorge immediately below Shikar Gah on the stream’s true right bank. The only way down the gorge is literally right at the water’s edge. In very high water, the difficult route might be impassable. For the next 1½ to two hours it hugs the banks. You clamber over boulder after boulder and cross the torrent as needed. Steep scree slopes on both sides of the valley make this the only route.

Eventually you reach the highest pastures along the stream’s true right bank, and pick up a faint, but obvious, livestock trail. The going becomes easier, and in 15 minutes the trail descends to cross a convenient boulder to the stream’s true left bank. Pungent junipers dot the slope. From a ridge five minutes beyond the natural bridge, Harkeesh (‘place of cultivation’ in Burushaski), a level grassy area, is visible below. Descend the steep slope on a poor trail past junipers, wild roses and abundant birches 30 minutes to a log footbridge. Pause to marvel at the colourful sculpted rock cleft which the stream emerges. Follow the path along a canal 15 minutes to Harkeesh (3489m). Water from the canal flows to Harkeesh in the afternoon, but can be dry by morning.

Day 7 : Harkeesh to Raminj

2½-3 hours, 5.6km, 394m descent

See Day 6 of the Lupgar Pir Pass trek for a description between Harkeesh and Raminj (3095m).