The Tajik National Park in the heart of the Pamir Mountains is officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And for good reason! The beauty of the natural reserve has nearly no limits. Magnificent valleys with wild water rivers, lakes with intense blue colors and towering mountain peaks capped by eternal snow – it's all there. This loop trek is designed to visit the main highlights of the superb nature of the national park. From the village of Bachor, the route leads along the lakes of Chapdarkul, Tsaxinkul and Zarojkul. The trek is at high altitudes and includes a crossing of a 4700 m high mountain pass. All in all, however, the height differences are not too extreme, making the trek also accessible to hikers without tons of experience who want to hike the Pamir Mountains.
The day-to-day itinerary gives a detailed overview of the hiking and highlights planned for each stage of the trek. The itinerary has been carefully tested and tried. Although it rarely happens, unforeseen circumstances can force us to make (minor) adaptations to the schedule, even during the trek. For example, weather and road conditions may change rapidly while trekking and make certain parts of the route less passable. Flexibility is indispensable when traveling and hiking through the rugged lands of Tajikistan.
Pick-up is in the morning at your desired location in Dushanbe. We hold a briefing and distribute the equipment and provisions. Then we take a car to head toward the east of Tajikistan via Danghara and Kulob through a variety of landscapes. In the evening, we reach the city of Qal'ai Khumb (1250 m), which lies mid-way to Khorog, the capital of the Pamirs. In Qal'ai Khumb, we stay for the night.
On the second day, we continue our journey on deeper into the mountains. We drive the entire day on the Pamir Highway over the banks the Panj river, which forms the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. You are treated on the first views of the majestic Pamir Mountains. In the late afternoon, we reach Khorog (2100 m), where we spend the night.
The morning can used to visit the local places of interest in Khorog. In the afternoon, we first drive up to a botanical garden with a beautiful view over Khorog. Afterwards, we continue by car for about 3 hours to the mountain village Bachor. In Bachor, we spend the night in a homestay.
The real trekking starts on the fourth day. From Bachor, we hike through the valley of the Gunt river. The path is mostly flat throughout the day. In the afternoon, we set up camp along the river to spend our first night under the stars.
We continue our hike through a wide valley towards the north. If everything goes smoothly, it is possible to make a small detour for a great view over the lake of Yashilkul. Today we face the first stretches uphill. The difficulty of the gently ascending trail is not too high though. The campsite for the night is next to the river that flows through the valley.
Today we move higher up to cross the mark of 4000 meters altitude. Via a side valley we then climb 500 meters to the lake of Chapdarkul at 4500 meters altitude. At the shore of Chapdarkul, we pitch our tents to spend the night. The outside temperatures at 4500 meters can be very frigid at night.
Today’s hike continues at sky-high altitudes. From Chapdarkul, we climb even a bit further to cross a pass at 4700 meters. The trail runs along numerous small mountain lakes to finally reach the lake of Tsaxinkul. We set up camp at the shore of Tsaxinkul at 4300 meters.
Day 8 can be used to explore Zarojkul and several lakes in its vicinity. Leaving our tents at Tsaxinkul, we can set off without carrying the heavy backpacks. The area of Zarojkul, with its intense blue colors, is an absolute highlight of the Pamir Mountains. At the end of the day, we return to the same campsite as the previous day.
We start our way back to civilization. The hike of today leads down through the valley of the Andaravadzh river. Hot springs can be encountered in the valley. We spend the night in tents next to the river.
Continuing further down through the valley brings us to Gunt river and finally back to the village Bachor. We spend the night in a homestay in Bachor (3300 m).
From Bachor, we leave in the early by car for the first stage of the journey back to Dushanbe. Today we will make our way to Qal'ai Khumb, where we will spend the night in a hostel. The drive over the scenic Pamir Highway takes about 10 hours.
The drive back to Dushanbe on the final day takes about 8 hours. Arrival in Dushanbe is in the evening. In Dushanbe, you are dropped off at your desired location.
Check out the practical info page to see what we recommend you to bring yourself
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Traveling off the beaten tracks in unspoiled mountains. Back to nature without excess luxury.
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All necessary camping equipment can be provided. Trekking accessible for everyone.
Treks are adaptable to your personal needs regarding food, pick-up/drop-offs, and your fitness level.
