12 days – 9 trekking days
From Tuesday, 13 th July to Saturday, 24 th July 2021
$1650 /adult, $1400/child (4 travelers total) OR $1150/adult, $800/child (8 to 10 travelers)
Group: adults looking for a relaxed trek; two-parent and single-headed families with their children from 5 to 11 years old
Foot of Dukdon Pass (3010m) , option : Mutnii lake (3540 m)
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Tajikistan in solidarity Family trek in Tajikistan

Trips to come

12 days – 9 trekking days
From Tuesday, 13 th July to Saturday, 24 th July 2021
$1650 /adult, $1400/child (4 travelers total) OR $1150/adult, $800/child (8 to 10 travelers)
Group: adults looking for a relaxed trek; two-parent and single-headed families with their children from 5 to 11 years old
Foot of Dukdon Pass (3010m) , option : Mutnii lake (3540 m)
Yes

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This family trek is the opportunity to go on an adventure at children’s pace, discover Fan mountains’
beauty and bound with local people.

The route is famous for its beauty, with deep blue lakes surrounded by high alpine summits. The itinerary
is planned so that children have time to walk, play and nap.
The international and Tajik guides come with their own children, this allow for an international playdate
and a more cultural exchange. The presence of a guide trainee enables the guides to focus on safety and the
smooth running of the trip.
Starting from Alauddin lake, we will explore the valley and stay there two nights to get acclimated, then
we will pursue our hike towards Kulikalon lake where we will have a resting day to also give us the
opportunity to explore the surroundings and have children activities. On the sixth day, we will begin our 6-
day hike towards Sarytag and Iskandarkul lake through Chukurak lake and Dukdon pass.
We will be accompanied with donkeys to have light backpacks and let children rest on donkeys’ backs
when tired.

Highlights of the trek
Itinerary
Information
Your guides

Highlights of the trip:

● Unique trip of its kind to discover Tajikistan with family

● Walk at a slower pace to enjoy the Fan mountains’ gems: and Alauddin lakes, Dukdon pass.

● Connect with local people to discover rural Tajik culture

● Tailored trek for children with a day of rest near beautiful lakes enabling children activities, playing with water and rocks, discovering the vegetation, ….

● Learn about the pastoral life, along livestock’s paths and shepherds’ camps

● Co-guided by an international guide with extended experience of Tajikistan and a Tajik guide trained by the program Women Rockin’ Pamirs, with the presence of a trainee under the program Women Rockin’ Pamirs

● Car travel is limited to optimize the time with the villagers and the trekking experience

● The profit of this trip goes to the local population and for the professional training of women in Tajikistan

● Start and end points in Dushanbe: you may arrive from Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan, you may organize your trip as you wish, you may want to combine this trek with another trek or cultural visit in the area
- Day 1. Dushanbe (900m) – Alauddin alpine hut (2550m)
  
  The guides welcome you in Dushanbe and we take a Jeep to go North and reach the Alauddin alpine hut. As
  we cross high passes, you will notice beautiful sceneries, and we will stop for pictures and lunch on the way.
  On the way up the Chapdara valley we will cross beautiful small mountain villages. This is a 5-hour drive. We
  will spend the night in an alpine hut.
- Day 2. Alauddin alpine hut (2550m) – Mutnii lake (3540 m)
  
  Today we will walk up in the Alauddin valley, on the way we will stop next to Piola lake (2900m) with its
  very dark blue light. The group will be able to split into 2 groups depending on how we feel. It is possible to
  go on for a steep ascend up to Mutnii lake (3540m) and discover the mineral and icy highest mountains of
  the Fans range: peak Chimtarga and peak Energiya. This hike contributes to our acclimatization to altitude.
  Then, we return to Alauddin alpine hut. This hike can be from 3 to 6 hours long.
- Day 3. Alauddin alpine hut (2550m) to Kulikalon lake (2800 m)
  
  We will meet our donkeys and their handlers and start hiking towards Kulikalon lake. Intense day in efforts
  and beauty! Depending on our acclimatization and mood we will either cross through Alauddin pass (3800m)
  or Laudin pass (3600m) to join the next valley where Kulikalon lake is located. The trail goes up steadily. On the top of the path you can see both Kulikalon and Alauddin lakes. When the children tire, they will be able to
  rest on a donkey. This is a seven-hour journey. We will arrive at the stunning blue Kulikalon lake where we
  will set up our tents.
- Day 4. Kulikalon lake – (2800 m)
  
  We take advantage of a full day near this shinning lake to rest, discover the surroundings where local
  people bring their herds during the summer. At this time of the year, we may see them in transhumance
  (arriving from the villages below). We will also organize activities for children, according to their age, to
  learn to read maps and orient themselves. We will spend the night camping in tents.
- Day 5. Kulikalon lake (2800m) to Chukurak lake (2430m)
  
  With our donkeys, we will go down the valley to join Artuch alpine hut (2150m), a beautiful wooden house
  that was built for alpinists during Soviet Union. We will have a late lunch there. We will then hike up for 1
  hour to Chukurak lake where we will set up our tents. This is a 5-hour journey.
- Day 6. Chukurak lake (2430m) to Zimtud village (1550m)
  
  Initially, the trail climbs steeply for about 2 hours or 250 meters of altitude gain; then we will remain roughly
  at the same altitude until Igrok pass (2640m). We will cross several shepherd summer settlements where
  we may be invited for tea or yogurt. From the pass, we will have a steep but lovely descent towards Guitan
  village and Zimtud village. We will stay overnight in a homestay in Zimtud for a good rest and have
  opportunity to discover local life in Tajik mountain villages.
- Day 7. Zimtud village (1550m) to Confluence of Archamaidan and Sarymat rivers (1870 m)
  
  We will hike on the well-maintained dirt track road. It’s an easy but long way with plenty of occasions for resting: friendly mountain villages, shepherds, etc. Then, we will cross a bridge, and enter dramatic gorges
  where the road turned into a trail; we will camp just after the gorges widen. This is about a 4-hour journey.
  We will spend the night in tents.
- Day 8. Confluence Archamaidan and Sarymat rivers (1870m) to the stream Pushtikul (2400m)
  
  As we enter in the Archamaidan valley, the route gives a taste of true wilderness with gorges,
  summer settlements and whilst the valley widen the snowy peaks of Dukdon range become visible. This
  day is easy and a lot of beautiful spots offer enjoyable places for rest, take pictures, enjoy landscape and let
  children play.
  
  We will camp before the bridge. This hike is about 4 hours.
- Day 9. Stream Pushtikul (2400m) to the Foot of Dukdon Pass (3010m)
  
  We will cross the bridge and climb up through a juniper forest. While the valley widens, we arrive to a
  breathtaking point: a shepherd camp and in the back the impressive glaciers under the Sarykhodan
  mountain (4679m), our lunch spot. We will pursue our climb following the river until our camping spot,
  a beautiful pasture. From this charming corner, we can see our tomorrow target: Dukdon pass and massive
  peaks around us covered by snow. This is a 5-hour hike.
- Day 10. Foot of Dukdon Pass (3010m) to alpine flowers camping spot (3100m)
  
  Intense day: altitude, long day, impressive views! We will reach the highest point of our travel: Dukdon pass
  at 3810m. From our camping spot, a straightforward but regular trail will bring us to snowfields and glacier
  up to the pass. A true taste of high mountains, but safe. When the children tire, they will be able to rest on
  a donkey. We will take a few pictures and continue our way down to reach a beautiful pasture with a lot of
  wild alpine flowers for a good rest. We will continue for another big hour our way down until our camping
  spot; pastoral landscape next to a small river. This can be a 5 to 6 hours long.
- Day 11. Alpine flowers camping spot (3100m) to Sarytag village (2390m)
  
  Depending on our mood and level of tiredness we will either go straight down to the Karakul river through a
  steep 400m descent, or take a neighboring pass that would bring us more comfortably to the Karakul river. We will follow the Sarytag river until we see on opposite side of the river the massive Kirk-Shaytan rock
  mountain and below Sarytag village. This is a 5-hour journey; and we will terminate our travel in the lovely
  Dilovar’s homestay.
- Day 12. Sarytag village - Dushanbe
  
  Comfortable 4-wheel cars wait for us to take us back to Dushanbe. On the way down, we will stop at
  Iskandarkul, an emblematic lake and cross beautiful small mountain villages. In Dushanbe, we say goodbye
  and plan new adventures!
  This is about a 4-hour drive.
Included:
− International female trekking guide with 9+ year experience living and working in Tajikistan
− Tajik female guide trained by Women Rockin’ Pamirs and trainee
− All accommodation
− All meals (from Day 1 to return to Dushanbe)
− Mineral or filtered water
− Transportation from Dushanbe to the start of the trek and back to Dushanbe

Not included:
− Flights to Tajikistan
− Any necessary visas and permits (approximately 70$)
− Sleeping bags and matrasses (possibility to rent them in Dushanbe)
− Insurance
− Drinks and sweets
− The membership fee to Women Rockin’ Pamirs
− Tips

Trekking level:
Experienced outdoor lovers, in average 4h to 5h of walk per day except the day we need to go up to
Alauddin pass (up to 7h walking hours). Maximum elevation: 3800m. Children up to 8 year-old will be able
to sit and rest on donkey; however, an active child with some outdoor experience will enjoy more the trek.
Similarly, we highly recommend that children have practiced or at least previously tried horse or donkey
riding, so that they are a bit familiar with sitting on the pack animals.
Your backpack should not weight more than 5 kg.

To enjoy your trip to the fullest, we recommend that you practice a regular physical activity several
months before the trek.
Communications Officer, Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA)
Furough Shakarmamadova Khorog, Tajikistan
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Furough Shakarmamadova lives in Khorog, and has a Master’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality from the State University of Khorog. She has experience with guiding in the Pamiri mountains, her native region. She will guide you on this trip with her 2,5 year-old daughter, Alfiya. Furough speaks English, Russian, Tajik and Shughni, her mother tongue.

French Teacher
Audrey Jannin Rogun, Tajikistan
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Audrey Jannin has spent the last 9 years living in Tajikistan and roaming the Tajik mountains, hiking, climbing and skiing. Active member of Women Rockin’ Pamirs since its beginnings, she will be your guide for this trip, in partnership with Furough. She speaks English, Russian, and French. She will come with her 5 year-old son, Romka.