This is one of the ultimate road trips in the world. From Pakistan’s cultural capital Lahore to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, going through the ancient Uyghur city of Kashgar in China. During this trip you will travel from the plains of the Punjab countryside to the mountains of the Himalayas. Not a trip for the faint-hearted!
The trip starts in Lahore, after which we will be heading towards Islamabad, via the Grand Trunk Road with its famous Rohtas Fort. Pakistan’s capital Islamabad isn’t like any other city in the country. It’s relatively new and looks quite well organized.
Then we’ll hit the Karakoram Highway (for about 1200kms!). This highway was constructed in the 1960s and 70s and is a symbol of the friendship between China and Pakistan. One of the first stops is Abbottabad, a place which might be familiar to you as the hiding place of Osama Bin Laden!
From the Hunza Valley, it’s a few more hours to the border, where we’ll be entering China. After a night in a yurt at the incredibly beautiful Karakul Lake, we enter the historic city of Kashgar, closer geographically to Tehran and Damascus than to Beijing, a border town between China and the Central Asian states of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Kashgar has quite a different charm to it than its bigger counterparts in the East. We’ll have a full day of exploring before we head for the border.
We then head along the Pamir Highway into Tajikistan. In the same style as the Karakoram Highway, we will cross the border from China into Kyrgyzstan before we embark along the Pamir Highway.
Across the border, we head for the tiny town of Sary Tash, in Kyrgyzstan. Here we’ll explore our favourite named mountain – Lenin Peak.
In the days that follow, we’ll enter Tajikistan and drive for days along the Pamir Highway. Incredible landscapes, old Soviet bus stops, lost Lenin monuments, it’s all there! At night, we will stay in distinctive local towns across the Pamir. The tour will take the Wakhan Corridor route meaning we get the possibility to glance at the other side of the river and experience local life in Afghanistan. A rare opportunity which also shows the stark contrast between both countries.
We will end the trip in Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s capital, where we see the modern side of the country.
Tuesday 7th September – Lahore
Wednesday 8th September – Lahore
Thursday 9th September – Lahore
Friday 10th September – Islamabad
Saturday 11th September – Abbottabad/Naran
Sunday 12th September – Naran/Fairy Meadows/Nanga Parbat.
Monday 13th September – Fairy Meadows
Tuesday 14th September – Fairy Meadows – Hunza
Wednesday 15th September – Around Hunza
Thursday 16th September – Hunza, Passu, Sost
Friday 17th September – Sost, Tashkurgan (China)
Saturday 18th September – Karakul Lake, Kashgar
Sunday 19th September – Kashgar
Monday 20th September – Kashgar – Irkeshtam Pass – Sary-Tash
Tuesday 21st September – Sary-Tash – Karakul Lake – Murghab
Wednesday 22nd September – Murghab – Langar
Thursday 23rd September – Langar – Ishkashim
Friday 24th September – Ishkashim – Khorog
Saturday 25th September – Khorog – Kalaikhumb
Sunday 26th September – Kalaikhumb – Dushanbe
Monday September 27th – Dushanbe
Tuesday September 28th – Dushanbe
Want to extend your YPT adventure? Join one of our great tour extensions
Both tours:
– all accommodation
– all transport as according to itinerary
– all guide fees
– breakfasts
– Entrance Fees
Karakoram:
– Airport pick-up
Pamir:
– Airport drop-off
– From Sary Tash to Dushanbe: lunch and dinner
– International flights
– Visas (YPT can offer visa support)
– GBAO permit (can be bought with Tajik e-visa)
– Single Supplement (€300 per tour)
– From Lahore to Sary Tash: lunch and dinner
– Tips for the local guides
– Any additional flights needed in case of emergency
We have expert guides ready to help answer any questions you may have.
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