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Offered languages
- English
The Wakhan valley is located between in south-west of Tajikistan in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province and north-east of Afghanistan. It contains the headwaters of the Amu Darya River, and was an ancient corridor for travelers from the Tarim Basin to Badakshan. An 1873 agreement between UK and Russia split the Wakhan by delimiting spheres of influence for the two countries at the Pyanj and Pamir rivers, and an agreement between Britain and Afghanistan in 1893 confirmed the new border.
The Wakhan is connected to Tashkurgan Tajik County, China, by a long, narrow strip called the Wakhan Corridor, which separates the Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan. Historically the Wakhan has been an important region for thousands of years as it is where the Western and Eastern portions of Central Asia meet.
What's Included
Lunch
Dinner
Breakfast
Meeting and pickup
Itinerary
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1Dushanbe
Reception / meet of tourists from the international airport of Dushanbe or hotel guests. Departure to Kulyab (from Dushanbe - 196 km drive)
3 hours • Admission ticket free -
2Vose
On the way to Kulyab we will visit the Hulbuk Fortress (165 km from Dushanbe). From the 9th to the 11th centuries, the Hulbuk Fortress was located in the center of one of the four largest cities in Central Asia, it was the residence of Shah (King) Khatlon. The citadel was guarded by a giant salt hill, which at that time was of great importance as the source of one of the three precious resources (along with gold and horses) traded on the Silk Roads.
2 hours • Admission ticket free -
3Mausoleum of Mir Said Ali Khamadoni
The next object is the Kulyab (31 km drive from Hulbuk). In the center of the city of Kulyab, in the park area, there is a memorial complex of Mir Said Ali Hamadoni - a poet, philosopher and thinker of the 14th century. His son Muhammad, relatives, as well as Sheikh Shokhi Tolikoni from the Afghan city of Tolukan, a former inspector of the mausoleum and mosque, are also buried there. The complex includes the local history museum of the 2700th anniversary of Kulyab, the museum of the literary heritage of the writer Mirsaid Ali Hamadoni and the house-museum of the national poet Saydali Valizod. Every year the museum is visited by more than two million visitors, both local and foreign guests.
1 hour • Admission ticket included -
4Qalaikhumb
14:00 - after lunch, we will continue our journey to Kalai Khumb, Darvaz (from Kulyab - 169 km drive). 19:00 - arrival in Kalai Khumb, Darvaz. Accommodation at the hotel and dinner.
5 hours • Admission ticket free -
5Qalaikhumb
08:00 - breakfast at the hotel 09:00 - visit the ancient city Karon Tajik and Russian archaeologists in 2012 found the ancient city of Karon on the territory of the Darvaz region of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. Temples, fragments of a five-domed church, a temple of fire, water, two temples of the wind, a windmill, a fragment of the sacred book of the Zoroastrians "Avesta", the remains of a large polo ground, halls, administrative and residential premises were found. building. The ruins were found in the ancient city, which is supposedly one of the largest mountain "residences" of local kings.
3 hours • Admission ticket free -
6Khorog
11:00 - continuation of the journey, heading to Khorog (from Kalai Khumb - 243 km), lunch at the same time. 20:00 – arrival in Khorog, hotel accommodation and dinner
9 hours • Admission ticket free -
7Ishkashim
- Breakfast at hotel - Departure to Ishkoshim district, accommodation at hotel
4 hours • Admission ticket free -
8
- Visiting Healing spring "Garm-Chashma» - mineral spring Garm-Chashma is located at an altitude of 2325m above sea level, near the town of Khorog in Ishkashim district. The spring is filled with hot water of turquoise color, which includes iron, aluminum, magnesium, strontium, fluorine and other elements. The same time lunch - Return to hotel, dinner
6 hours • Admission ticket free -
9Vakhan Passage
Wakhan Valley - located between the south-west of Tajikistan in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region and the north-east of Afghanistan. Namadgut. Arriving from Ishkashim, just two kilometers from the tiny hilltop village of Namadgut, you will find the Qahqaha Fortress, a ruined fort with spectacular views of the Pyanj River, offering sweeping views of both Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
4 hours • Admission ticket included -
10
Yamchun. In this pretty village built on top of a cliff, you will find the Yamchun Fort, which is 2000 years old and was used to protect the townspeople during the Kushan Empire. The Yamchun fortress is the most impressive place in the entire Wakhan valley, as it offers stunning views of the valley and the Afghan Hindu Kush, whose snow-capped peaks jut out against the backdrop of the fortress. Yamchun also has several famous hot springs called Bibi Fatima. Vrang - the world-famous Silk Road was not only a set of routes aimed at trade and the exchange of goods between civilizations and empires, but also the fact that many different people from different religions left their religious and cultural mark. It is for this reason that in Vrang you can find a Buddhist stupa from the 4th century, the origin and history of which, unfortunately, remain rather unknown. The stupa is built on the highest point of the village, offering breathtaking views of the valley. Lunch during the trip.
6 hours • Admission ticket included -
11Vakhan Passage
08:00 - breakfast at the hostel 09:00 - continuation of the hike through the Wakhan valley to the ancient fortresses and mountain gorges. Visits to Zong and Hisor, Langar. Lunch at the same time. Zong is another small settlement where Abreshim-Kal'a was built, a fortress that served to protect against Chinese and Afghan invaders. Langar will be your first or last destination, depending on whether you come from Khorog or the Pamir Highway. Langar is the most touristy place in Wakhan as it has hosted hundreds of bikers and drivers in general over the years. At the top of the village are the remains of some of the most important petroglyphs in Tajikistan. 18:00 - return to the hostel, dinner Distance - 7 km, climb - 700 m
10 hours • Admission ticket included -
12Qalaikhumb
08:00 - breakfast at the hostel 09:00 - return trip in the direction of Dushanbe; lunch on the way. 19:00 - overnight in Qalai Khumb (Darvoz) (341 km from the Wakhan valley).
12 hours • Admission ticket free -
13Dushanbe
07:00 - breakfast at the hotel 08:00 – departure to Dushanbe; lunch at the same time 18:00 - arrival in Dushanbe, end of the tour, seeing off tourists (362 km drive from Qalai Khumb)
10 hours • Admission ticket free
Dushanbe - Hulbuk - Kulyab - Kalai Khumb (Darvaz)
Qalai Khumb - the ancient city of Karon - Khorog
Khorog - Ishkashim
Ishkashim - Wakhan Valley - Namadgut - Yamchun - Vrang
Wrang-Zong and Hisor-Langar
Wakhan Valley - Qalai Khumb
Qalai Khumb - Dushanbe
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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