Snow Leopard Expedition in the Pamirs

Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Arrival in Dushanbe (750 m). Airport welcome and time to rest. After breakfast, the Museum of Antiquities; after lunch, Hissar, 30 km west, with the 18th-century fortress, two madrasahs and a 16th-century mausoleum. Stay: Hotel in Dushanbe.

2. Day 2

   Dushanbe – Zighar (1,200 m). Lunch at a traditional restaurant in Kulob, then along the Panj towards the Pamirs with a close view of Afghan village life. Rest and acclimatise on arrival. Stay: Guesthouse in Zighar.

3. Day 3

   Zighar markhor conservancy. The conservancies between Kulob and Kalai Khumb are famous for markhor, and Zighar on the Afghan border is one of the most accessible places in the world to see them in the wild, though the hiking routes are demanding. Stay: Guesthouse in Zighar.

4. Day 4

   Zighar – Rushan (2,000 m). A scenic drive along the Panj River and the Afghan border. Stay: Homestay in Rushan.

5. Day 5

   Rushan – Jizew (2,740 m). 5 km along the Pamir Highway, then into the Bartang Valley to the Jizew bridge. Cross the wooden bridge and walk to Jizew, an eco-village of about 12 houses with no road or power lines, small lakes, birds and groves. Stay: Homestay in Jizew.

6. Day 6

   Jizew valley tracking. An early walk deeper into the valley, snow leopard territory, also home to wolves, ibex, foxes, eagles and many birds. Stay: Homestay in Jizew.

7. Day 7

   Jizew – Ravmed Gorge. Back to the bridge and up the Bartang to Khijez, gateway to the Ravmeddara Gorge, and on to remote Ravmed, the most popular base for snow leopard trips. Stay: Guesthouse in Ravmed.

8. Day 8

   Ravmed community conservancy (2,940 m). The first community-based conservancy was founded here in 2009 by traditional hunters; ibex and snow leopard numbers have grown since. Wildlife watching with the conservancy, traditional Pamiri houses, the village museum, petroglyphs and an ancient water mill. Stay: Guesthouse in Ravmed.

9. Day 9

   Ravmed – Darzhomch (2,457 m). 18 km back to the main Bartang road. In Darzhomch, see how the famous Pamiri socks are knitted and buy a pair as a souvenir. Stay: Homestay in Darzhomch.

10. Day 10

    Darzhomch – Kalai Khumb (1,200 m). A scenic drive out of the Bartang Valley to Kalai Khumb. Stay: Guesthouse in Kalai Khumb.

11. Day 11

    Kalai Khumb – Dushanbe. Along the Panj and over the Shurobod Pass to Kulob for lunch at a chaikhana, a stop at the 11th-century Hulbuk Fortress and a distant view of the Nurek hydropower station. Flight home the next day. Stay: Hotel in Dushanbe.