Trek The Wakhan

Overview

Start: Kabul, Afghanistan

Finish: Kabul, Afghanistan

Duration: 21 Days

Max. Group Size: 10

A 21-day journey to visit the land of one of the world’s last and least visited nomadic cultures: the Kyrgyz of the Afghan Pamir. We will begin in Kabul before crossing by vehicle into the heart of the Hindu Kush mountains and later pass through the Wakhan Corridor to the Afghan Pamir where we will meet our guides and pack animals to continue our journey.

The middle section of this journey will be made by foot as we make our way to the summer grazing grounds of Chaqmaqtin. We will have the opportunity to encounter Kyrgyz and Wakhi nomads who graze their livestock here during the summer months, as well as seeing ancient tombs and Buddhist engravings and ancient Rock Petroglyphs, which live as a reminder of this one great section of the Silk Road. The journey will end in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.

Highlights:

Arrive in Afghanistan and travel through the remote North of the country.
Discover the culture of the Wakhi and the Kyrgyz nomads of this rarely visited corner of Central Asia
Explore deep into territory where few outsiders have ever been

Maximum number of people: 10

Route

Itinerary

Arrive in Kabul.
Transfer to hotel for briefing.

Overnight in Kabul.

Altitude: 1800m

Fly from Kabul to Mazar e Sharif.
Continue driving to Kunduz.

Overnight in Kunduz.

Altitude: 400m
Driving: 4-5 hours

Full days drive to Faizabad, the capital of the province of Badakhshan.
Register with the ministry in Faizabad.

Overnight in Faizabad.

Altitude: 1250m
Driving: 8-10 hours

Drive from Faizabad to Ishkishim.
Once in Ishkishim we will have to process some documentation.

Overnight in Ishkishim.

Altitude: 2600m
Driving: 7-9 hours

Make the final preparations and collecting our permits for the Wakhan region. Once we leave Ishkishim we will have to be self-sufficient for the next 13-14 days.

The two-hundred-and-fifty-kilometer drive from Ishkishim to Sarhad-e Broghil takes us along the narrowest section of the Wakhan Corridor. Passing the 7492m high Noshaq, Afghanistan’s highest peak, and the 6513m high Holy peak of Baba Tungi (Jade Peak), we will follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo and Hsuan Tsang on this ancient silk route.
The road is poor and can be washed out in places, but we hope to make it in two long but scenic days. We will have to stop in the village of Khandud to process some further paperwork.

Overnight in Qala-e Panja.

Altitude: 2800m
Driving: 6-8 hours

We make our way to the trailhead at Sarhad e Broghil. We spend the afternoon making our final preparations for our trek into the Afghan Pamir.

Overnight in Sarhad-e Brogil.

Altitude: 3250m
Driving: 4 hours

We set off from Sarhad e Broghil heading north up a side valley, through the fields of Shardhad village and heading up towards Chapdara Valley. This valley is where the locals head in the summer months to grace their animals for the lust summer grass. Shorter days walk so we do not gain height too quickly.
Tonight we camp near the nomads camp for our first night in a tent.

Overnight camping in tents.

Altitude: 3600m
Trekking: 4-5 hours

We continue our journey gaining height and crossing a pass into the Chapdara Valley where we head North East following the valley around and meeting locals Sheppards and the animals in the high pastures.
Today we will camp at the base of Qarabel Pass.

Overnight camping in tents.

Altitude: 4100m
Trekking: 6-7 hours

To assist in our acclimatisation and to enjoy the beauty of the big Pamir’s mountains will we have an exploration day. This will prepare us well for crossing Qarabel Pass tomorrow.
The valley is home to Wakhi Sheppards who graze the herds of sheep and goat.

Overnight camping in tents.

Altitude: 4100m
Trekking: 4-5 hours

An early start today to cross the Qarabel Pass (4700m). We will then resend down into the valley, After lunch in the settlement of Naubad we will continue for a few more hours before setting up camp near the base of Ghurumdee Pass.

Overnight camping in tents.

Altitude: 4420m
Trekking: 7-8 hours

Today we will have an exploration day in this amazing area. We may see various native animals such as Marco Polo Sheep, Ibex and Argaili. This area is home of the elusive Snow Leopard.
This day will also act as an contingency day if required.

Overnight camping in tents.

Altitude: 4200m
Trekking: 4-5 hours

Possibly the toughest day of the trip. The crossing of the Uween Sar Pass (4850 meters) is the highest point reached on the trip.
An early start should see the group cross the pass around noon. Uween Sar Pass is a non technical pass with fantastic view of a rocky but well used trail, used by local Kygzi herders.
From the top of the pass and after experience the amazing mountain scenery, its then downhill to the small camp of Ghughumdeh. The local Wakhi people in Ghughumdeh are welcoming and we will enjoy their hospitality.

Overnight camping in tents.

Altitude: 4300m
Trekking: 8-9 hours

Continue the trek. After 2-3 hours the group will be at the top of the Agbelis Pass (4600 meters) with great views of a small alpine lake. Another hour brings the group to a delightful lunch spot.
In the early afternoon the group will arrive in Kurchin, our first Kyrgz settlement for the night.

Overnight in tents.

Trekking: 6-7 hours
Altitude: 4100m

Our trek today will see us drop down from the big Pamir and across the high plains, where we arrive at the settlement of Bozai Gombaz.
Hopefully visit the school in Bozai Gombaz made famous in the book, “Stones into Schools”
We will meet our jeep and drive on the new road to Chaqmaqtin Lake where we will camp.

Overnight camping in tents.

Altitude: 3800m
Driving: 2 hours
Trekking: 2 hours

Leaving the Kyrgyz settlement on the new Jeep Road, we drive down the spectacular valley following Oxus River.
Lunch in Sarhad e Broghil, before our journey continues to Qala e Panja.

Overnight in Qala e Panja.

Altitude: 2800m
Driving: 7-8 hours
Trekking: 4-5 hours

Continuing our drive following the Oxus river, before we leave the Wakhan Corridor and arrive in mainland Afghanistan in either Qazideh/Ishkashim depending on our progress.
Overnight in local guesthouse.

Altitude: 2600m
Driving: 5-6 hours

The drive back to Ishkashim should be relatively smooth at this time of year as the river levels are low after the summer snow melts. Once back in Ishkashim there will be time to rest and say goodbye to our Wakhi guides, before we get back on the road and return to Faizabad.

Overnight in Faizabad.

Altitude: 2600m
Driving: 7-9 hours

Drive to Mazar e Sharif.
Overnight in Mazar e Sharif.

Altitude: 1250m
Driving: 8-10 hours

Morning flight from Mazar e Sharif to Kabul.
Spend the afternoon in Kabul, either catching up on some rest or sightseeing with your guide.

Overnight in Kabul.

A full day in Kabul for the guests to see some of the city’s sights including Babur’s Gardens, Sakhi shrine and a walk in the old city.

Overnight in hotel in Kabul.

Transfer to airport.
End of trip.

All accommodation
Breakfast
All food outside the major cities
Transport/transfers
International guide
Local guides
Local cook
Tents and camping equipment
Pack animals
Permits to visit the Wakhan region

Any necessary visas
International flights
Insurance
Entrance fees
Drinks
Tips
Lunch and dinner (unless specified)

Dates & Prices

Package Confirmed Dates

Trip Status Current Status

Tour Price in USD

Booking

27th Aug

16th Sep, 2026

Available

$ 4850

Book

Information

Our trekking trips are designed to be physically engaging and do provide a level of challenge for most people. As a general guideline, we recommend that you have some prior experience walking with a 10-15kg day pack for up to 8 hours per day, over 5 or more days through uneven & varied terrain (and weather); ranging from hard-packed earth, tussock grass, boulder fields, scree slopes, soft snow patches, and knee-deep rivers.

We do not directly arrange international flights to Afghanistan. There are daily flights from Dubai to Kabul with Kam Air.

We do not arrange Afghanistan visas directly. Many embassies around the world do not issue Afghan visas. We suggest you apply in Dubai en route.

The Wakhan and Afghan Pamir regions are extremely remote and in one of the least developed countries in the world. Please ensure that your insurance covers you both for visiting Afghanistan and for rescue in the Wakhan region of Afghanistan. If you have any questions about which insurance company to select, please contact us.

We do not and cannot offer a uniform accommodation standard on our itineraries. We consider comfort, location, design, character, historical interest and whether the money we spend will go into the pockets of the local community when we make our choices of where to stay.The accommodation will be based on 2 people sharing a room when in the cities. When we are in the Wakhan area we will be staying in tents and in local guesthouses that sometimes only offer central communal areas to sleep in. All guests will have their own tent unless requested to share with another guest.

All breakfast, lunch and dinner food for the trek will be purchased in Kunduz, Faizabad or Ishkishim. Once we are on the trek, we will only be able to eat what we bring with us, or barter from people along the way. Any specific allergies or dietary requirements can be accommodated if we are given prior warning. Please feel free to bring your own energy bars/trekking snacks from home, if you want to supplement it with what we provide you.In cities we will provide breakfast only.

We always check the vehicles we use thoroughly before each trip. In the Wakhan corridor and Afghan Pamir region of Afghanistan we aim to use four-wheel drive vehicles.When we choose our vehicles and drivers we take into consideration the road conditions, the length of journey and the competence of the man behind the wheel. Your comfort, enjoyment and safety of the journey is the top priority.

For this trip we use team leaders from Untamed Borders who have experience guiding in the Wakhan. One of these guides will be international. In addition to these experienced leaders, we will be working with local Wakhi guides and porters who know the routes and region well.

Trips to Afghanistan do create dangers all of their own and whilst we want you to have as much freedom as possible, we must state that the tour leader has the final word with regards to changes in the itinerary for safety reasons. Whilst the route we have chosen passes through areas that we consider to be relatively stable things can change and we may have to alter the route or cancel sections of the trip at short notice.