Tajikistan & Kyrgyzstan cultural tour along Pamir Highway

So we paid around 2300$ for car with driver for a seven day trip from Dushanbe to Osh. Our accomodations we arranged and paid on our own. It all started really nice. Masrur and Ahmad were excellent drivers, great driving skills and cars they kept clean and tidy. Always clean the next day when they came to pick us up. So in Tajikistan everything was fine. The problems started when we changed cars to cross into Kyrgyzstan. Our stuff were transferred to this van that actually looked like a shared minivan. Really crappy, dirty and smelly. Our things barely fit, and besides the driver, there was another passenger. So we thought ok, this is the van to transfer us to the checkpoint into Kyrgyzstan which is actually quite far. But to our surprise, no it was actually the car that would take us to Turpakul and Osh the next day! We made a stop, the boy driving got off and sorry but the handicapped passenger, with atrophic legs, limited leg movement and crutches was our actual driver. Not something you would want on the Pamir highway. So we told them to call Sharaf to sort things out. We said that we want a proper car with a new driver. He told us to go until Sary Mogul and he would sort things out. There the family told us the our car cannot make it to Turpakul, obviously, to go with another car there, come back the next day, carry our things back again to the original car and go to Osh. We told them that our bags stay in the car, we have small day packs. So again called Sharaf and asked for a car to take us to Turpakul, and the next day take us to Osh and the bags stay inside. So this old land rover comes, we were getting really tired, started 7am from Murghab and said ok fine with that car. No a/c, back windows did not roll down, and the trunk door broken. So when we arrived in Turpakul the driver went to take our things out. We said no they stay in the car only the small bags. No he said I am not taking you to Osh tomorrow. Arrange for a taxi! We had a booking at Nice yurt camp, so we asked the guy to give us the wifi to call Sharaf once again and see what the hell is going on. We were stuck in Turpakul with no car for the last, mind you, paid leg to Osh. Btw, our bags were up to the last inch covered in dust and dirt. I had never seen so dirty my things ever again. Although the guy at Nice yort camp spoke English and understood that our problem was the transport to Osh, he kept calling his dad and his manager, instead of Sharaf, and telling them that we are complaining. We hadn't even seen our yurts, we had to sort out our transportation problem first, we had already booked our flight from Osh to Bishkek. So Sharaf spoke to them and told us they would arrange a taxi for us from there to Osh (30$ the cost which he would oay- numbers are quite similar in all languages). After we hung up the phone with Sharaf, the guy at nice yurt camp said no taxi and if you do not like it go, please leave. So we were left stranded at Turpakul with no place to stay and no transportation to Osh. We called Sharaf again and told us he made arrangements with the first yurt camp. So we went there at Pamir yurt camp where Abdulaza was the manager. He did not have yurts for the night so told us to walk around Turpakul and then we would stay at Pamir nomads guesthouse at Sary Mogul and the next day at 7am a taxi would take us to Osh. So we did not have our night in Turpakul. We walked around the area and at 7pm left for Sary Mogul. Once we arrived we had to wash all our things that were covered in dirt with ice cold water. At 8pm dinner was served. After dinner we wanted to have hot showers but to our surprise of course no hot water. All the other guests had run it down. So the next day after breakfast we asked how much our stay was to get the whooping price of 32$ per person!!!! Shared toilets and showers and no hot water. I thought Sharaf would have the decency to actually cover our stay there, since we also got charged the 43$ at Nice yurt camp (reservation via booking). But no instead Sharaf and Abdulaza actually charged us the taxi to Osh as well (25$x4+30= 130$, the amount we were actually charged). We had found other option for around 20$ per person but we're afraid we would be left stranded there. (Imagine that in Osh we paid 30$ per room for this huge room with A/C and private bathroom). They think they are smart, but they are actually quite sneaky and dumb if you think about it. So sorry but our overall experience was a huge disappointment. But hey this is the Pamir highway, full of breathtaking scenery, but the people do not offer you any warmth or hospitality, they just try to squeeze every cent out of you. This was the case for all guesthouses, which I have reviewed separately.

My recent trip through the Pamir with Sharaf was fantastic. Everything was perfectly organized and coordinated with us. The hikes were great, with beautiful views and a real sense of adventure. We stayed in friendly and clean homestays that gave us a great insight into local life. Our driver was excellent and mastered the difficult roads easily in a comfortable car. A special highlight was the visit to the Afghan market, which gave our trip an interesting touch. We had great conversations about the history and culture of the region, which made the trip very educational and entertaining. The trip offered a perfect mix of activities and relaxation, with enough time to get used to the altitude. We also enjoyed a refreshing dip in hot springs. Throughout the trip we always felt safe and well looked after. Sharaf's planning and care ensured that our trip was smooth and unforgettable. I recommend this trip to anyone who wants to explore the beautiful Pamir region.

The best trip , and best organisation… I get a service better than expected ! Pamir trip is a really good organization and really perfect !

Through e-mail exchanges, Pamir-Trips/Sharaf organised an itinerary to suit my Tajikistan travel wishes. The tour by far exceeded my expectations. The Pamir mountains, the mighty Panj river, the turquoise lakes, the myriad of tones of the ever changing rock faces, the green villages..: the scenery is breath-taking from one turn of the road to the next, from beginning to end. The people we met along the way in the restaurants, the chaikhanas, the home-stays, the hotels, the shops are welcoming, friendly and willing to nod back or smile back, which makes for a very pleasant environment. The guides looked after me as a member of their family. The drivers skillfully negotiated the sometimes difficult mountain roads from Dushanbe to Karakul and back. While all this was happening, Sharaf smoothed over any unforeseen wrinkles. Aside from the ever present awesome scenery in the Pamir, there are two highlights worth mentioning: - the (short) trek to peaceful Jizev (Bartang valley) where I would have liked to stay longer. - Khujand, completely opposite, but a lively city which begs to be more visited.

We did a trip from Dushanbe along the Pamir highway, up a couple of mountains and back. It's a spectacular route and wonderfully remote (although this may change in a few years with new road construction). Sharaf and his team were great - everything was efficiently organised, everyone was friendly and interesting and we were given lots of choice and flexibility along the way. Would highly recommend to anyone interested in seeing this stunning part of the world.

My friends and I visited the Pamir region with Pamir trips, and the quality of service was second to none: the owner Sharaf is easy to communicate with, trustworthy and reliable, and his team of collaborators (drivers, mountain guides) provided us with a phenomenal trip. The hiccups along the way, common in such a harsh mountainous environment, were tackled swiftly and pleasantly. If you want to visit Tajikistan, Pamir Trips is your agency.

A travel friend and I asked Sharaf to create a tour for us in the Fann mountains - an excellent program with space for adjustments. The flexibility made it possible to drive to the south and experience the national games of Buzkashi in the rolling hills - even though we have seen Buzkashi in Mazar before - this show with hundreds of horses was something we will never forget. The March visit in the Fanns was early in the season, but the mountains were clad in purple - all the apricot trees were in flower. We did a day of trekking, home stay visits (Sharaf knows everyone), Iskander kul, 7 lakes, and many remote villages. Thank you for a great trip!

We have visited Tajikistan many times over the years and always love our time there. Our last two visits were with Pamir Trips. They are local, very knowledgeable, flexible with excellent English, Tajik, Pamiri and Russian language skills. They have a clear interest in protecting their beautiful environment and in supporting the local economy. We felt welcomed, and had a wonderful time in this beautiful country. We’ll go again.

Sharaf put together a tailor-made tour for me and my wife to travel from Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe to Khorog and into the Wakhan Valley along the border with Afghanistan, then joining the Pamir Highway all the way to Murghab, and then back to Dushanbe overland - a ten-day trip. Sharaf provided a very comfortable car with a good and responsible driver, and he proved to be a great and knowledgeable guide. At our request he included a couple of days of trekking (to basecamp of Mount Engels and to Jizev village ), camping, yak riding in Alichur Valley, relaxing in Soviet style hot springs, and visiting plenty of cultural and historical sites. Sharaf was very flexible as to what we wanted to do and thanks to him we've had a trip of a lifetime. Highly recommended!