Tajikistan is an adventure-seeker’s dream, a wild country of mountains, glaciers, and rivers where you can be hours away from the nearest person. Snowfall makes much of the country inaccessible in winter, but when it melts it’s the ideal destination for a multi-activity holiday. Feel the excitement start to rise inside you as you plan an epic, adrenalin-fuelled trip with Paramount Journey.
Trekking
There are large parts of Tajikistan you can reach only on foot, and trekking is unbeatably the best way to explore the national parks and see wildlife up close. You might even be lucky and see a snow leopard or Marco Polo sheep! The Hissar Valley is a great spot for a short trek, as it’s close to Dushanbe and not too demanding, but there are some amazing longer hikes through the villages, passes, and petrified forest of the Yagnob Valley, between the jewel-like lakes of the Fann Mountains, and along the dramatic Wakhan Corridor, the border with Afghanistan.
Mountaineering
Tajikistan has a significant number of peaks over 6,000m, some of which have never been climbed. The mountaineering season in the Pamirs is relatively short (typically June to September), but that’s ample time to make an ascent of Mount Mayakovskiy (6,096m) in southwest Gorno-Badakhshan. Paramount Journey can also tailor a trip for you, helping with logistics and permits as well as providing reputable guides, which is ideal if you want to try to climb Ismoil Somoni (7,495m), Korzhenevskaya (7,105m), or Peak Lenin (7,134m).
Mountain biking
Getting your own bike out to Tajikistan can be a challenge, so on our mountain biking adventures we provide all the gear you need. The two-week expedition combines trekking and biking in Fann Mountains and Yagnob Valley. You’ll bike a variety of terrains by day, steadily climbing passes and then sailing down dirt tracks, rugged peaks all around you. Nights are spent camping under the stars, or staying with local families in home stays. Sign up for our August adventure now!
Rafting and kayaking
With hundreds of glacier-fed rivers criss-crossing Tajikistan, it’s a prime location for white water rafting and kayaking. The country’s water sports industry is under-developed, but Paramount Journey is leading the way, helping with logistics and providing experienced guides to help you safely navigate the rivers. There are Class IV to Class VI rapids in the Pamirs, and Class V in the Zarafshan Range. Many of the rivers have never been rafted or kayaked their entire length, so there’s plenty of opportunity to set a record.
Paragliding
Paragliding is in its infancy in Tajikistan, but if you have your own equipment and are confident in how to use it, there are some stunning vistas to explore. The village of Alakjin, close to Dushanbe, is a recommended site: you can climb the track through the orchards above the village, which takes about 45 minutes, then land on the water basin at Chorbogh, or in the flat lands either side of the river.
Horse riding
Tajikistan is a land for horsemen. Every nomad requires horses to carry his yurt and to shepherd his flocks, and there are plenty of legends about horses, from the hoof print of Ali’s horse near Khorog. to the ghost horse Bucephalus at Iskanderkul. With Paramount Journey you can horse trek through the mountains, following in the hoof prints of Silk Road travellers, and also participate in a thrilling game of buzkashi, Tajikistan’s horseback rugby match, where the ball is replaced with the headless carcass of a goat!
If you are wondering where to travel for an action-packed trip, choose Tajikistan. The mountains are higher, the rivers wilder, and the opportunities more exciting than almost anywhere else on earth. And with Paramount Journey you can make the most of every day, whether you’re planning a week-long trek, a fortnight’s mountain biking, or as many sports as you can possibly fit in to your trip.
