Description
DUSHANBE-KALAI KHUMB-RUSHAN -BARCHADEV-SAREZ LAKE – BARCHADEV-DUSHANBE
Day 1. Dushanbe – Kalai Khumb (also Darvaz). 8-9 hours of driving including stops.
After breakfast and full relax meeting with a driver/guide at a hotel/guest-house in Dushanbe and heading to the Pamirs via Kulyab. On the way enjoy the views of Nurek Water Reservoir and discover Hulbuk fortress in Vose with guide Abdullo. Overnight in a home-stay in Kalai-Khumb town. 355km
Altitudes above sea level during the day: beginning of day – 780 in Dushanbe, highest point – 2126 m on Shurobod pass, end of day – 1295m in Kalai-khumb
Day 2. Kalai-Khumb – Rushan - Barchadev.
11-13 hours of driving, the road is not good.
Departing Kalai-Khumb (Darvaz) and heading to Khorog. Enjoy the daily life of Afghan people across Panj (Oxsus) River. Take pictures of Afghan villages, in some parts of the road they are so close. After passing Rushan district center turn to left to drive to beautiful Bartang valley. From here the road condition is not good. You need to reach Barchadev village before getting dark, the last village where you can go by car. Night in homestay. 340km
Altitudes above sea level during the day: in the beginning of the day – 1295m in Kala iKhumb, at end of the day – 2900m Barchadev.
Day 3. Barchadev village – Sarez Lake.
In the morning after breakfast and proper rest, meet the local guide, who will help you with all logistics (food, accommodation and safety) during your trekking to Sarez Lake with the highest natural dam in the world 567m and back.
One day you will trek up to Sarez lake 18 km and the second day coming down from there. Usually trekking from Barchadev village to Sarez Lake dam takes 8-10 hours. It is recommended to start at 8-9 o’clock in the morning and get there before getting dark. The nature on the way is so beautiful, especially the river that flows from under the rubble of Sarez. The path in some places so narrow, take care.
On the half way, there is a camping site – Choikhona, where you can stop for lunch and short rest. After getting there, if it is still light, you can enjoy the beauty of the lake and around. Take pictures and talk to local people - employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations who work at the station. Night in tent.
Altitudes above sea level during the day: in the beginning of the day – 2900m in Barchidev and end of the day 3623 meter on Usoi dam.
Day 4. Sarez Lake – Barchidev village
In the morning enjoy the beauty of the lake and take some pictures. Go down to the bank of the lake and test the water of Sarez, the water absolutely transparent and fresh. The guide will tell you the story of Lake Sarez. Coming down from Sarez to Barchadev village. Coming down is usually easier for travelers. On the way enjoy the beauty of the nature and take some pictures. The water of the Bartang River is so clean and tasty for drinking. Night in homestay in Barchadev.
Sarez Lake (Tajik: Сарез кӯл, SarezKūl) is a lake in Rushon District of Gorno-Badakhshan province, Tajikistan. Length about 75.8 kilometres (47.1 mi), max depth 505 meters, water surface elevation about 3,263 metres (10,705 ft) above sea level and volume of water is more than 16 cubic kilometres (3.8 cu mi). The mountains around rise more than 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) above the lake level.
The lake formed in 1911, after a great earthquake, when the Murghab River was blocked by a big landslide. Scientists believe that the landslide dam formed by the earthquake, known as the Usoi Dam, is unstable given local seismicity, and that the terrain below the lake is in danger of catastrophic flood if the dam were to fail during a future earthquake.[1] The Usoi Dam wall survived a localised 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the 2015 Tajikistan earthquake, on the 7th December 2015 with no visible signs of deterioration.
Altitudes above sea level during the day: in the beginning of the day 3623 meter on Usoi dam and at the end of the day in 2900m in Barchidev village.
Day 5. Barchadev – Kalai Khumb, 12-13 hours of driving
Heading to Kalai Khumb. On the way stop in Rushan to see Womar fortress and if there is time left, also ruins of Koron Fortress in Rusvai, close to Darvaz district center. Night in GH in Kalai Khumb. 340km
Altitudes above sea level during the day: beginning of day 2900m in Barchadev village and at the end of day – 1295meterin KalaiKhumb.
Day 6. Kalai Khumb – Dushanbe through Sagirdasht pass.
After breakfast start driving to Dushanbe through Sagirdasht pass 3252m and Tavildara district with beautiful fresh landscape. On Sagirdasht pass there are no any trees, but very fresh air because of grass, bushes and herbs. In Darband district from distance watch construction of the biggest hydro power station in Central Asia. The dam of this station will be the highest in the world – 335meter. Night in Dushanbe. 355km
Altitudes above sea level during the day: beginning of day 1295m in KalaiKhumb city, the highest on Sagirdasht pass 3252m and at the end of day –780 m in Dushanbe.
NOTE:
Sometimes because of road conditions, the pass might be closed. In this case better to drive again via South route, through Kulyab.
What you will see:
Dushanbe city/Nurek Hydro power station water reservoir/Panj River and its gorges along the Afghan border /Ancient fortress Karon (III-I century BC) Bartang valley and Sarez Lake fantastic sceneries.
What you will enjoy:
historical places: museums and fortresses/ amazing sceneries of Bartang valley and Sarez Lake/ Afghan villages across the river/Pamiri hospitality /daily life of Tajik people with open mind and happy to talk to foreigners
Trip price does not include:
• Insurance
• Guide service
• Supplement for single room
• All other personal expenses