Tajikistan Expedition: Pamir Highway & Beyond

Guide

The group will generally be between four and 16 people.

Meals

When travelling in Tajikistan, be prepared for the meat-heavy cuisine of Central Asia. Over the centuries, it was influenced by various cultures, mainly Persian, Afghan and Russian. Beef and lamb are most commonly eaten. In the Pamirs, you might get to try yak meat in homestays. Different types of beans, grains, meat and vegetables are used. In the summer and autumn, tables will be filled with varieties of sweet organic fruits and vegetables. In the Pamirs, food tends to be high in fat. Non (a flatbread) is served first with meals. The centrepiece and national dish in Tajikistan and Central Asia is plov. The main ingredients are meat, oil, rice, shredded carrots, chickpeas, garlic and sometimes raisins, and usually eaten with your hands. In the Pamirs, choice is limited. Expenses are high to transport fresh produce. The general meal during the trip is plov, qurutob (vegetarian), manti (steamed meat or pumpkin dumplings), different soups, sambusa (puff pastry with meat), laghman (noodle soup with meat), rice, french fries, shish kabab, fresh salads and fruits. During picnic lunches, on the first days, apples, pears, watermelon, tomato and cucumber, cheese, sausages and salads will be served, followed by jam, honey, instant or espresso coffee, tea, dried fruits, candies, herbal tea, honey, cookies and bread. Dinners include a first and second course followed by various types of cooked salads, tea, dried fruits, biscuits, sweets, jam and honey. Vegetarians can be catered for if we are aware before travel, though there will be limited choice. Other dietary requirements are likely to be difficult to accommodate on this trip. Please ask us.

Transport

For the majority of the trip, we travel in fairly modern 4x4s with three people plus a driver in each vehicle. This allows for a reasonable amount of space for each person. On most days, there are several hours of travel, sometimes on very rough and bumpy roads. This trip is not recommended for people who suffer car sickness and, in the interest of fairness, you should be prepared to alternate seating positions in the vehicle and not expect to always sit in the front. In and around Dushanbe, we usually travel by minibus.

Accommodation

Most of the accommodation on this trip is in simple homestays (seven nights) and guesthouses (two nights). The remaining six nights are in hotels. Homestays are basic (see Essential Information for more detail) but are the only option in many places and are the best way to gain an insight into life in this region and meet local people. Some homestays have the option of sleeping on a tapchan (a large platform/bed) outside. Some homestays are in traditional Pamiri houses called chids. These have philosophical and religious significance. The main room is divided into a few sections, such as a cooking and sleeping area, a place to study or keep clothes, and has only one window called a ravzana. The ceiling symbolises four elements of the universe: fire, earth, air and water. Dinner in a homestay usually consists of two courses: a bowl of soup and a main dish with sides, homemade bread and jam. Usually, it is noodles or rice soup with or without meat, stewed or fried potatoes, plov, and fried vegetables with beef. Expect jam, sweets, biscuits and jurgot, a local Greek yoghurt made from yak or cow milk. For breakfast, a traditional meal is shirchoy, a mixture of milk, butter and salt boiled with black tea leaves. Pieces of bread and a little pepper can be added. In Dushanbe, we stay in a four-star hotel (local rating). We pass through Kalai Khumb twice. On our outbound journey, we use a homestay, on the return journey we stay in a three-star (local rating) hotel, which will be welcome after several nights in homestays. In Khorog, we stay in a pleasant local-style hotel. In Murghab, we stay in a very simple hotel. Atlas Hotel Dushanbe: Karon Hotel, Kalai Khumb: Lal Inn, Khorog: Jarty Gumbez guesthouse: Pamir Hotel, Murghab:

Others

— Travel Insurance — Single accommodation (available on request) — Visas or vaccinations