The Great Game

Our grand Central Asian odyssey links some of the most far-flung and spectacular destinations of “The Great Game,” as the 19th century diplomatic rivalry between the British Empire and Tsarist Russia was known. With long-time Central Asia explorer Roger Williams, we visit the Silk Road outpost of Kashgar, the awe-inspiring Hunza Valley in the mighty Karakorum Mountains, then head into mountainous Tajikistan via the Khulma Pass, just recently opened to foreigners. We journey a remote road across Tajikistan’s spell-binding High Pamirs, with its lakes, canyons, and massive glaciers, visit Afghanistan’s legendary Wakhan Corridor, with its snow-capped mountains and hospitable people. We complete our amazing journey in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Along the way, we soak up phenomenal mountain scenery and meet the Uighurs, Tajiks, Hunzakuts, Wakhis, and other peoples whose cultures are deeply tied to this desert and mountain realm.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-10
Kashgar, China / Hunza Valley, Pakistan

In Kashgar, an isolated Silk Road oasis with an end-of-the-world feel, we roam the bazaar, then make a spectacular drive across the Karakorum Mountains to legendary Hunza Valley, a mountain-ringed enclave that was for centuries an independent princely state.

Days 11-14
Tashkurgan, China / Murgab, Tajikistan

We cross the Khulma Pass, recently opened to foreigners, and enter mountainous Tajikistan.

Days 15-20
Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan / Khorog, Tajikistan / Dushanbe

Continuing across the beautiful lake country of the Pamir Plateau, we cross the border into Afghanistan to visit the magnificent Wakhan Corridor, an 85-mile-long mountain valley where the Panj River marks the boundary between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. This narrow finger of land was set apart at the end of the 19th century by the British Empire to act as a buffer against potential Russian ambitions in India during the Great Game. The Pamir Highway brings us to Khorog, in Tajikistan, and onward to Dushanbe, the capital, where we visit the Tajik National History Museum and Gissar, a Silk Road center of commerce and learning still dominated by its 18th century Ibrahim Beg fortress.

Days 21-24
Khujand / Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Crossing our last border, we enter Uzbekistan and end our journey in Tashkent, the capital. Depart on Day 24.

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What the Trip is Like

The trip is rated Level 3, moderate. While this trip is not expected to be physically strenuous, the rustic accommodations, long travel days, and transportation conditions may be quite demanding. Accommodations are in good city hotels, and in rustic guesthouses as well as in private local homes. Overland travel is in minivans and small buses, depending upon the size of the group. Road conditions can be very basic, and trip members should be prepared for long drives. Our expedition travels to areas that have experienced very little tourism. We believe that the most important requirements are a spirit of adventure and the understanding that you are visiting a remote and fascinating region. This is not designed as a hiking trip, but we do hope to have a few exploration walks of several hours during the journey.

Explanation of Trip Levels