from pakistan to SOVIET CENTRAL ASIA across XINJIANG
SEPTEMBER 01 ⇾ SEPTEMBER 25
Private tour departures available all year round
DAY 1 TO DAY 2 – ISLAMABAD AND RAWALPINDI
Meet-and-greet at Islamabad International Airport and transfer to our hotel of choice in Islamabad.
Introductory briefing about the region, the route and the set of rules to observe while travelling in Pakistan.
We'll spend our first two days in Northern Pakistan exploring the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area, a densely populated megalopolis where the country's past, present and future bump into each other amidst exotic bazaars, traditional architecture, and modernist shapes.
Overnights in Islamabad.
DAY 3 TO DAY 4 – PESHAWAR
After an early breakfast, we'll drive north to Peshawar, a fascinating frontier city of fading colonial grandeur, ancient Pashtun traditions and tumultuous existences.
Besides touring Peshawar’s top sights – such as the Mahabat Khan Mosque and the Qissa Khawani Bazaar – we’ll also take some time to truly go off the beaten path (as if the mere fact of being a tourist in Peshawar wasn’t offbeat enough) and visit the notorious Badaber neighbourhood, the dramatic theatre of a heroic Soviet-led prison riot in 1985.
Overnights in Peshawar.
DAY 5 – SWAT VALLEY
We’ll leave Peshawar in the morning and move north towards the picturesque Malakand Pass, visiting the magnificent Buddhist monastery of Takht-i-Bahi en route.
We'll then travel amidst the enchanting slopes of the Swat Valley and stop at the world-famous Churchill's Picket along the way.
Overnight in the Swat Valley.
DAY 6 TO DAY 7 – CHITRAL
We'll start early in the morning and head for Chitral, a lively Pakistani market town and the gateway to access the almost mythical land of the Kalash.
We'll devote two days to the exploration of the Rumbur and Bumburet valleys: impervious roads, towering mountains, and secluded hamlets inhabited by the Kalash people, also known as kafiri (infidels), an animistic Indo-European ethnicity rumoured to share the same blood with the brave soldiers of the Ancient Macedonian Army.
Overnights in Chitral.
DAY 8 – MASTUJ
In the morning we'll transfer to the transit townlet of Mastuj enjoying breathtaking glimpses of the Hindu Kush along the way: the scenic route leading to Mastuj carves its way through starkly gorgeous mountainscapes and has been used for centuries by traders travelling between Chitral and Gilgit.
Late afternoon arrival in Mastuj and dinner at a local chaikhana (tea house).
Overnight in Mastuj.
DAY 9 – GUPIS
We'll continue our odyssey across North Pakistan's untamed borderlands and enter the realm of the Karakoram, a mountain range spanning the borders of China, India, and Pakistan, with the northwest extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan.
We’ll cross the awe-striking Shandur Pass, home to the highest polo ground in the world, and then reach the leafy settlement of Gupis on the southern bank of the Gilgit river in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Gupis.
DAY 10 TO DAY 12 – HUNZA AND NAGAR
Today we’ll driver further east and head for the lovely town of Karimabad in the Hunza-Nagar Valleys, with excellent views of the Rakaposhi and Ultar peaks along the way.
Once in Karimabad, we’ll take a short tour around town and then spend the following days exploring the areas inhabited by the Burusho people, an isolated Indo-Aryan ethnic group mostly adhering to the Ismailitic branch of Shia Islam.
Highlights of our three-day sojourn in the valleys will include: the ancient Hunza forts of Baltit and Altit, the old stone houses and watchtowers of Ganish, the otherworldly sight of the Hopper Glacier and the spectacular Passu Cones, also known as the “Cathedral”.
During our time in the valley we'll also have the unique chance to meet with Burusho farmers and herders, who will share with us their food, their home, and the secrets of their endangered culture.
Overnights in Karimabad.
DAY 13 – Tashkurgan
We will leave Karimabad early in the morning and travel along the mythical Karakoram Highway to the border with China, crossing the notorious Khunjerab Pass, which at 4700 metres is the world's highest border crossing between two countries.
After completing the usual border formalities, we'll head straight to Tashkurgan, the end-of-the-world capital of the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, one of the many ethnic provinces of Xinjiang, aka Chinese Turkestan, an autonomous region of China home to a vast number of non-Chinese indigenous ethnicities, including Uyghur (the titular nationality), Kazakhs, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, Mongols and even Russians.
In Tashkurgan we'll pay a visit to the local museum and tour the imposing fort overlooking the town, before feasting on a traditional Chinese-Tajik dinner in a local teahouse.
Overnight in Tashkurgan.
DAY 14 to DAY 15 – Kashgar
We'll leave Tashkurgan and head to the Silk Road town of Kashgar, a place full of ancient culture and modern contrasts.
On our way to Kashgar we'll stop at the quintessentially Uyghur market town of Upal for a traditional Turkestani lunch.
Once in Kashgar, we'll devote two-and-half days touring both the main historical sights and the off-the-beaten-path attractions in and around this mesmerisingly chaotic and splendidly diverse Central Asian town.
In addition to our urban exploration around Kashgar's narrow alleys, bustling markets and historic mosques, we'll also make an excursion out of town and visit the elegant sand dunes of the Taklamakan Desert near the crumbling village of Yarkand.
Meals and overnights in Kashgar.
DAY 16 to DAY 17 – Sary Tash
Today we'll move west and enter the territory of the mighty former Soviet Union, in the shape of the tiny but gorgeous Kyrgyz Republic, a mountainous independent state squeezed among China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
The road trip from Kashgar to the 3000-metre high Irkeshtam Pass, marking the border between China and Kyrgyzstan, is an attraction for itself, as you will travel through stunning and diverse landscapes of red mountains, desert plateaus and remote settlements built along the unruly course of the Kirzlesu River.
Once in Kyrgyzstan (expect long but friendly border formalities), we'll head to Sary Tash, a rather otherworldly Mad-Max-style hamlet along the road and the last major Kyrgyz outpost on the Pamir Highway, arguably the most epic road in the entire former USSR.
Coming from China we'll arrive in Sary Tash quite late in the evening, just in time for a shashlik dinner and some astronomic observations of the sublime night sky over the Pamir.
On our second day we'll explore the area surrounding the hamlet: from Sary Tash you'll enjoy stunning views of the Trans-Alai and in clear-weather days you'll get a glimpse of the mighty Lenin Peak and Communism Peak, the two highest mountains in the USSR.
The more athletic among us will be able to undertake short hikes across the lunar landscapes around Sary Tash, whereas the lazier ones will enjoy the company of the local villagers, who will share with us their homes, their food and their stories.
Meals and overnights in Sary Tash.
DAY 18 – PAMIR HIGHWAY
After having crossed the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, we'll reach Karakul, a tiny Soviet-era concrete village built along the dusty shores of the namesake lake.
We'll then continue our epic journey along the Pamir Highway heading towards Rangkul, yet another remote hamlet surrounded by unreal natural beauty and crumbling Soviet ruins.
After lunch we'll drive south to Murghab, the main urban settlement in Northern Pamir, where we will visit the local headquarter of the National Mountaineering Association to learn more about the history of this extremely remote corner of Central Asia.
Dinner and overnight in Murghab.
DAY 19 – PAMIR HIGHWAY
Another glorious day of driving along the Pamir Highway: we'll first head for the tiny village of Alichur, where we'll enjoy a traditional Pamiri lunch, and then reach the absurdly isolated lakeside hamlet of Bulun-Kul.
Dinner and overnight in Bulun-Kul.
DAY 20 – WAKHAN VALLEY
Today we'll enter the Wakhan Valley, arguably the most beautiful dale in the whole Pamir region.
We'll drive on remote mountain roads and catch stunning glimpses of Afghan villages located a few metres away on the opposite bank of the Panj, the narrow whitewater river marking the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
In the afternoon we'll reach Vrang, a pretty rural village mostly inhabited by the Wakhi people, an Iranic ethnic group predominantly living between Northeastern Afghanistan and the southern fringes of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region.
Dinner and overnight in Vrang.
DAY 21 – WAKHAN VALLEY
We'll continue our adventure across the Wakhan Valley visiting hot springs and ancient pagan temples along the way.
We'll stop in several Wakhi hamlets along the way and after lunch we'll reach Ishkashim, a relatively large village functioning as crossing point to those intrepid travellers and traders who venture into Afghanistan.
Dinner and overnight in Ishkashim.
DAY 22 – KHOROG
Lazy morning in Ishkashim and transfer to Khorog, the capital of the Autonomous Badakhshan.
Khorog Soviet Tour: House of the Soviet, Aga Khan Botanical Gardens, Pamir University, Central Bazaar, Lenin Statue.
Meals and overnight in Khorog.
DAY 23 – KALAIKHUM
Morning transfer to the dusty Tajik town of Kalaikhum via the quaint villages of Rushan and Lyakhsh.
Besides the routine pauses for food, toilet and random landscape pictures, we'll break the journey in semi-abandoned outposts with plenty of Soviet-era remnants on display: perfect locations for photographic discoveries.
Overnight in Kalaikhum.
DAY 24 – DUSHANBE
Early morning transfer to Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe and short Soviet-themed tour around the city: Concert Palace, State Circus, Old Chaikhana, Mevlana Mosque, National Theatre, City Library, Green Bazaar, Ministry of Economic Development, Cable Car Station and a surprisingly vast amount of well-preserved Soviet mosaics and modernist architectures.
Overnight in Dushanbe.
DAY 25 – FAREWELL TO THE MOUNTAINS
After enjoying a last Tajik meal together, we'll take care of your transfer to Dushanbe International Airport.
For those wishing to take the train/bus to reach further destinations, we’ll arrange for a transfer to the local train/bus station in Dushanbe.
Possible tour extensions to this itinerary include: Afghanistan and/or Kyrgyzstan.
End of the tour.
8950 €
INCLUSIONS
Double/twin-room accommodation (breakfast included), private transport in Pakistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (jeeps), all entrance fees, English-speaking guiding service, 24/7 on-site and remote assistance.
EXCLUSIONS
Single supplement, international flights, main meals (lunches and dinners), extra drinks, visa fees (if required), tips, travel insurance.
