Caucasus and Central Asia tour
Baku - Dushanbe - Khorog - Murghab - Khorog - Panjakent - Samarkand
· 26.6 We start in the capital city of the land of fire, Azerbaijan - Baku. We will have a look at the historical center and bustling Baku market, as well as the traditional outskirts, where we will enjoy Azeri tea and have a chance to see how the people live in this country. Also, we will have a Soviet heritage architecture and a subway tour. We will taste Azerbaijani cuisine, which is also welcomed by vegetarians. Welcome to the Caucasus Mountains region!
· 27.6. The Caspian Sea is the lowest place on Earth, 28 meters below the level of the Mediterranean Sea. The promenade by the sea stretches through the entire city - here we will also visit the famous Persian Carpet Museum. Before departure, we will also have a look at the oil wells that are characteristic of this country, which make most of its revenue out of oil and gas. In the evening, we fly to Dushanbe in Tajikistan. Welcome to the stans - perfectly diverse part of the world and the favourite place of our guide Hendriks.
· 28.6. We wake up in Dushanbe, the capital of the poorest of the former Soviet Union countries and the most southern of the former Soviet Union countries. This is one of the most mountainous countries in the world, with mountains making up 93% of the total area. Portraits and slogans of the president in frames are everywhere, also we will also visit the Tajikistan flag, which used to be the highest in the world. We will visit Dushanbe's central market, but also the outskirts with true Soviet architecture. In this city, Lada is parked next to Maybach. In the evening, we will visit Independence Park full of lights and Ismail Somoni´s statue.
· 29.6. The first day with our driver and 4x4 jeep begins. The legendary Pamir Highway or m41 highway. The road that we will follow in the following days was called the most difficult by Marco Polo while crossing the Silk Road. We will stop at the historical UNESCO-listed fortress Hulbuk from the times of the Silk Road. We will visit the colorful bazaar and Soviet concrete house blocks in the city of Kulob and taste the legendary Central Asian melons. The atmosphere of rural Tajikistan is stunning. We will have dinner and spend the night at the place where two rivers meet, called Kalaikumb. On the other side of the river is Afghanistan.
· 20.6. Today we will set off early after breakfast, around 5 am. The 7-hour journey to Khorog awaits us - this is the center of the Pamir Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. It was here that the government violently suppressed protests in 2022, resulting in hundreds of deaths. We will explore the colorful Pamiri bazaar and park, but also the architectural gem of Khorog - the Jamatkhala Mosque, followed by Soviet architectural heritage built in the 70s and 80s. In the evening, we will enjoy the views and the guide will tell you more about this complicated region.
· 1.7. We are copying the Afghan border, we will have a bath in a hot spring, which Alexander the Great described during his travels. Later, we arrive in Wakhan valley, which is a narrow, fertile strip of Afghanistan between Tajikistan and Pakistan - welcome to the least visited and super authentic place on the Asian continent. Visit to the Yamchun fortress, which guarded the area from invasions by Arabs, followed by the 1500-year-old Buddhist monastery of Vrang Buddha, trek through the local village, stopping for a watermelon refreshment on the way back. From our accommodation we enjoy views of the Hindu Kush and the Pakistani Peaks, almost 7700m high.
· 2.7. Today we start in the village of Langkar, with 3,000-year-old rock paintings from the time when Buddhism and Islam still ruled the Pamirs. We will have to reach an altitude of almost 4,000 meters, followed by the Khargush Pass at 4,300m to the mountain lakes. We climb gradually from Dushanbe, so the chance of altitude sickness is lower. Possibly we will see marmots and Marco Polo sheep, if we are lucky. Stop in Bulunkul, the coldest village in Central Asia. After arriving in Murghab, populated mostly by the Kyrgyz people, hard to believe people still live in this inhospitable wasteland. Evening local bar visit possibility.
· 3.7. After a good sleep and a traditional Kyrgyz breakfast, we will leave Murghab around 10 am. Our goal is the abandoned Soviet Shorbulak Observatory at an altitude of 4400 meters. On the way back to Khorog through Central Pamirs, we will see the historical bridges crossing the river and also a series of Soviet bus stops from the time when public transport existed here 50 years back. There is even a book and a movie about them called “Soviet bus stops”. In the evening, we are back in Khorog.
· 4.7. Today we leave Khorog for the town of Kalaikumb in the afternoon. We will buy souvenirs at the local bazaar, and also have the best local samosa (pastry stuffed with meat, onion or potatoes, and herbs), and after almost a week, we can even have an espresso. After a 7-hour afternoon trip, we are back in Kalaikumb, a town where two rivers meet. We recommend having a perfect mango juice made in Afghanistan from the local shop here. Evening walk around this cosy mountain city.
· 5.7. In the morning, we leave Kalaikum with a stop at the historical museum at the Hulbuk fortress + Lake Nurek. After passing Dushanbe, we will also stop in the mining town of Sarvoda, full of Soviet architecture, very artistic statues, and mosaics. We will also stop near the of the largest Soviet mosaics of entire “stans” – the Zerafshan mosaic. In the evening, we cross the Tajik-Uzbek border with the Uzbekistan flag, followed by Samarkand city. Overnight here.
· 6.7. We start the day at Registan Square (for our guide Hendriks’ top 5 ever), which was a madrasa once, built by Timur the Great. Timur´s empire was 70% of today’s Russian size when Samarkand was the capital. We will continue to the Bibi Khanim mausoleum and mosque - the materials to build this were brought from India by 95 elephants, 10 000 people can pray here. We will get lost in the mahallas, where Uzbeks have lived in the small streets for millennia, have tea, great Uzbek food ,and talk with locals. Afternoon shopping at Siab market
Our journey through this beautiful and authentic part of the world ends here - flying home.
Possibility to continue traveling to the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, or the historical cities of Bukhara and Khiva by yourself. We will help with anything necessary.
Is the Caucasus and Central Asia tour too long for you?
Check our Slovakia 7-day tour here.
What is included in the price:
accommodation with breakfast in 3* hotels and guesthouses (dinners in Tajikistan part of the trip)
English speaking guide
Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4 for Tajikistan part
entry to the Registan Square, Bibi Khanim mosque in Uzbekistan.
entry to the Pamir National Park in Tajikistan
special Uzbek dinner in Samarkand
local surprise at the end
What is not included in the price:
flights and visas ( we will recommend the easiest and most economical ways)
personal expenses
travel insurance
visa to Azerbaijan
What to bring with you: comfortable shoes, hat, sunglasses, long pants, cream, rain jacket
Baku - Dushanbe - Khorog - Murghab - Khorog - Panjakent - Samarkand
· 26.6 We start in the capital city of the land of fire, Azerbaijan - Baku. We will have a look at the historical center and bustling Baku market, as well as the traditional outskirts, where we will enjoy Azeri tea and have a chance to see how the people live in this country. Also, we will have a Soviet heritage architecture and a subway tour. We will taste Azerbaijani cuisine, which is also welcomed by vegetarians. Welcome to the Caucasus Mountains region!
· 27.6. The Caspian Sea is the lowest place on Earth, 28 meters below the level of the Mediterranean Sea. The promenade by the sea stretches through the entire city - here we will also visit the famous Persian Carpet Museum. Before departure, we will also have a look at the oil wells that are characteristic of this country, which make most of its revenue out of oil and gas. In the evening, we fly to Dushanbe in Tajikistan. Welcome to the stans - perfectly diverse part of the world and the favourite place of our guide Hendriks.
· 28.6. We wake up in Dushanbe, the capital of the poorest of the former Soviet Union countries and the most southern of the former Soviet Union countries. This is one of the most mountainous countries in the world, with mountains making up 93% of the total area. Portraits and slogans of the president in frames are everywhere, also we will also visit the Tajikistan flag, which used to be the highest in the world. We will visit Dushanbe's central market, but also the outskirts with true Soviet architecture. In this city, Lada is parked next to Maybach. In the evening, we will visit Independence Park full of lights and Ismail Somoni´s statue.
· 29.6. The first day with our driver and 4x4 jeep begins. The legendary Pamir Highway or m41 highway. The road that we will follow in the following days was called the most difficult by Marco Polo while crossing the Silk Road. We will stop at the historical UNESCO-listed fortress Hulbuk from the times of the Silk Road. We will visit the colorful bazaar and Soviet concrete house blocks in the city of Kulob and taste the legendary Central Asian melons. The atmosphere of rural Tajikistan is stunning. We will have dinner and spend the night at the place where two rivers meet, called Kalaikumb. On the other side of the river is Afghanistan.
· 20.6. Today we will set off early after breakfast, around 5 am. The 7-hour journey to Khorog awaits us - this is the center of the Pamir Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. It was here that the government violently suppressed protests in 2022, resulting in hundreds of deaths. We will explore the colorful Pamiri bazaar and park, but also the architectural gem of Khorog - the Jamatkhala Mosque, followed by Soviet architectural heritage built in the 70s and 80s. In the evening, we will enjoy the views and the guide will tell you more about this complicated region.
· 1.7. We are copying the Afghan border, we will have a bath in a hot spring, which Alexander the Great described during his travels. Later, we arrive in Wakhan valley, which is a narrow, fertile strip of Afghanistan between Tajikistan and Pakistan - welcome to the least visited and super authentic place on the Asian continent. Visit to the Yamchun fortress, which guarded the area from invasions by Arabs, followed by the 1500-year-old Buddhist monastery of Vrang Buddha, trek through the local village, stopping for a watermelon refreshment on the way back. From our accommodation we enjoy views of the Hindu Kush and the Pakistani Peaks, almost 7700m high.
· 2.7. Today we start in the village of Langkar, with 3,000-year-old rock paintings from the time when Buddhism and Islam still ruled the Pamirs. We will have to reach an altitude of almost 4,000 meters, followed by the Khargush Pass at 4,300m to the mountain lakes. We climb gradually from Dushanbe, so the chance of altitude sickness is lower. Possibly we will see marmots and Marco Polo sheep, if we are lucky. Stop in Bulunkul, the coldest village in Central Asia. After arriving in Murghab, populated mostly by the Kyrgyz people, hard to believe people still live in this inhospitable wasteland. Evening local bar visit possibility.
· 3.7. After a good sleep and a traditional Kyrgyz breakfast, we will leave Murghab around 10 am. Our goal is the abandoned Soviet Shorbulak Observatory at an altitude of 4400 meters. On the way back to Khorog through Central Pamirs, we will see the historical bridges crossing the river and also a series of Soviet bus stops from the time when public transport existed here 50 years back. There is even a book and a movie about them called “Soviet bus stops”. In the evening, we are back in Khorog.
· 4.7. Today we leave Khorog for the town of Kalaikumb in the afternoon. We will buy souvenirs at the local bazaar, and also have the best local samosa (pastry stuffed with meat, onion or potatoes, and herbs), and after almost a week, we can even have an espresso. After a 7-hour afternoon trip, we are back in Kalaikumb, a town where two rivers meet. We recommend having a perfect mango juice made in Afghanistan from the local shop here. Evening walk around this cosy mountain city.
· 5.7. In the morning, we leave Kalaikum with a stop at the historical museum at the Hulbuk fortress + Lake Nurek. After passing Dushanbe, we will also stop in the mining town of Sarvoda, full of Soviet architecture, very artistic statues, and mosaics. We will also stop near the of the largest Soviet mosaics of entire “stans” – the Zerafshan mosaic. In the evening, we cross the Tajik-Uzbek border with the Uzbekistan flag, followed by Samarkand city. Overnight here.
· 6.7. We start the day at Registan Square (for our guide Hendriks’ top 5 ever), which was a madrasa once, built by Timur the Great. Timur´s empire was 70% of today’s Russian size when Samarkand was the capital. We will continue to the Bibi Khanim mausoleum and mosque - the materials to build this were brought from India by 95 elephants, 10 000 people can pray here. We will get lost in the mahallas, where Uzbeks have lived in the small streets for millennia, have tea, great Uzbek food ,and talk with locals. Afternoon shopping at Siab market
Our journey through this beautiful and authentic part of the world ends here - flying home.
Possibility to continue traveling to the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, or the historical cities of Bukhara and Khiva by yourself. We will help with anything necessary.
Is the Caucasus and Central Asia tour too long for you?
Check our Slovakia 7-day tour here.
What is included in the price:
accommodation with breakfast in 3* hotels and guesthouses (dinners in Tajikistan part of the trip)
English speaking guide
Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4 for Tajikistan part
entry to the Registan Square, Bibi Khanim mosque in Uzbekistan.
entry to the Pamir National Park in Tajikistan
special Uzbek dinner in Samarkand
local surprise at the end
What is not included in the price:
flights and visas ( we will recommend the easiest and most economical ways)
personal expenses
travel insurance
visa to Azerbaijan
What to bring with you: comfortable shoes, hat, sunglasses, long pants, cream, rain jacket
Baku - Dushanbe - Khorog - Murghab - Khorog - Panjakent - Samarkand
· 26.6 We start in the capital city of the land of fire, Azerbaijan - Baku. We will have a look at the historical center and bustling Baku market, as well as the traditional outskirts, where we will enjoy Azeri tea and have a chance to see how the people live in this country. Also, we will have a Soviet heritage architecture and a subway tour. We will taste Azerbaijani cuisine, which is also welcomed by vegetarians. Welcome to the Caucasus Mountains region!
· 27.6. The Caspian Sea is the lowest place on Earth, 28 meters below the level of the Mediterranean Sea. The promenade by the sea stretches through the entire city - here we will also visit the famous Persian Carpet Museum. Before departure, we will also have a look at the oil wells that are characteristic of this country, which make most of its revenue out of oil and gas. In the evening, we fly to Dushanbe in Tajikistan. Welcome to the stans - perfectly diverse part of the world and the favourite place of our guide Hendriks.
· 28.6. We wake up in Dushanbe, the capital of the poorest of the former Soviet Union countries and the most southern of the former Soviet Union countries. This is one of the most mountainous countries in the world, with mountains making up 93% of the total area. Portraits and slogans of the president in frames are everywhere, also we will also visit the Tajikistan flag, which used to be the highest in the world. We will visit Dushanbe's central market, but also the outskirts with true Soviet architecture. In this city, Lada is parked next to Maybach. In the evening, we will visit Independence Park full of lights and Ismail Somoni´s statue.
· 29.6. The first day with our driver and 4x4 jeep begins. The legendary Pamir Highway or m41 highway. The road that we will follow in the following days was called the most difficult by Marco Polo while crossing the Silk Road. We will stop at the historical UNESCO-listed fortress Hulbuk from the times of the Silk Road. We will visit the colorful bazaar and Soviet concrete house blocks in the city of Kulob and taste the legendary Central Asian melons. The atmosphere of rural Tajikistan is stunning. We will have dinner and spend the night at the place where two rivers meet, called Kalaikumb. On the other side of the river is Afghanistan.
· 20.6. Today we will set off early after breakfast, around 5 am. The 7-hour journey to Khorog awaits us - this is the center of the Pamir Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. It was here that the government violently suppressed protests in 2022, resulting in hundreds of deaths. We will explore the colorful Pamiri bazaar and park, but also the architectural gem of Khorog - the Jamatkhala Mosque, followed by Soviet architectural heritage built in the 70s and 80s. In the evening, we will enjoy the views and the guide will tell you more about this complicated region.
· 1.7. We are copying the Afghan border, we will have a bath in a hot spring, which Alexander the Great described during his travels. Later, we arrive in Wakhan valley, which is a narrow, fertile strip of Afghanistan between Tajikistan and Pakistan - welcome to the least visited and super authentic place on the Asian continent. Visit to the Yamchun fortress, which guarded the area from invasions by Arabs, followed by the 1500-year-old Buddhist monastery of Vrang Buddha, trek through the local village, stopping for a watermelon refreshment on the way back. From our accommodation we enjoy views of the Hindu Kush and the Pakistani Peaks, almost 7700m high.
· 2.7. Today we start in the village of Langkar, with 3,000-year-old rock paintings from the time when Buddhism and Islam still ruled the Pamirs. We will have to reach an altitude of almost 4,000 meters, followed by the Khargush Pass at 4,300m to the mountain lakes. We climb gradually from Dushanbe, so the chance of altitude sickness is lower. Possibly we will see marmots and Marco Polo sheep, if we are lucky. Stop in Bulunkul, the coldest village in Central Asia. After arriving in Murghab, populated mostly by the Kyrgyz people, hard to believe people still live in this inhospitable wasteland. Evening local bar visit possibility.
· 3.7. After a good sleep and a traditional Kyrgyz breakfast, we will leave Murghab around 10 am. Our goal is the abandoned Soviet Shorbulak Observatory at an altitude of 4400 meters. On the way back to Khorog through Central Pamirs, we will see the historical bridges crossing the river and also a series of Soviet bus stops from the time when public transport existed here 50 years back. There is even a book and a movie about them called “Soviet bus stops”. In the evening, we are back in Khorog.
· 4.7. Today we leave Khorog for the town of Kalaikumb in the afternoon. We will buy souvenirs at the local bazaar, and also have the best local samosa (pastry stuffed with meat, onion or potatoes, and herbs), and after almost a week, we can even have an espresso. After a 7-hour afternoon trip, we are back in Kalaikumb, a town where two rivers meet. We recommend having a perfect mango juice made in Afghanistan from the local shop here. Evening walk around this cosy mountain city.
· 5.7. In the morning, we leave Kalaikum with a stop at the historical museum at the Hulbuk fortress + Lake Nurek. After passing Dushanbe, we will also stop in the mining town of Sarvoda, full of Soviet architecture, very artistic statues, and mosaics. We will also stop near the of the largest Soviet mosaics of entire “stans” – the Zerafshan mosaic. In the evening, we cross the Tajik-Uzbek border with the Uzbekistan flag, followed by Samarkand city. Overnight here.
· 6.7. We start the day at Registan Square (for our guide Hendriks’ top 5 ever), which was a madrasa once, built by Timur the Great. Timur´s empire was 70% of today’s Russian size when Samarkand was the capital. We will continue to the Bibi Khanim mausoleum and mosque - the materials to build this were brought from India by 95 elephants, 10 000 people can pray here. We will get lost in the mahallas, where Uzbeks have lived in the small streets for millennia, have tea, great Uzbek food ,and talk with locals. Afternoon shopping at Siab market
Our journey through this beautiful and authentic part of the world ends here - flying home.
Possibility to continue traveling to the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, or the historical cities of Bukhara and Khiva by yourself. We will help with anything necessary.
Is the Caucasus and Central Asia tour too long for you?
Check our Slovakia 7-day tour here.
What is included in the price:
accommodation with breakfast in 3* hotels and guesthouses (dinners in Tajikistan part of the trip)
English speaking guide
Toyota Land Cruiser 4×4 for Tajikistan part
entry to the Registan Square, Bibi Khanim mosque in Uzbekistan.
entry to the Pamir National Park in Tajikistan
special Uzbek dinner in Samarkand
local surprise at the end
What is not included in the price:
flights and visas ( we will recommend the easiest and most economical ways)
personal expenses
travel insurance
visa to Azerbaijan
What to bring with you: comfortable shoes, hat, sunglasses, long pants, cream, rain jacket
Hidden gem of Asia and our favourite place in the world. Try the authenticity of the Post-Soviet space.