Silk Route Bike Tour
Off- limits to travellers until recently, The Pamir Highway is a dream for adventure cyclists. Cycle the 2nd highest highway in the world and one of the most remote places you can visit on this 3 week bike tour from Kashgar to Dushanbe.
The Pamir Highway is a 3 week section of the Silk Route Bike Tour by veteran adventure bike tour company Tour d'Afrique Ltd. The Silk Route tour is a 4 month adventure that takes cyclists from Shanghai to Istanbul along the historic trade route. The Pamir Highway is a new section added for this year’s tour, until recently it was not possible to travel in this region.
Starting from Kashgar, China this section of the tour head towards the Irkeshtam Pass and the border with Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is probably the most accessible of the former Soviet Asian Republics, known for its responsible tourism and hospitable nomadic peoples. After the border formalities we arrive at the junction town of Sary-Tash. At first one senses this new frontier will mark a profound shift in cultures, but in reality Central Asian and Turkic peoples share much of their heritage with the Uyghurs of Western China.
Then it’s into Tajikistan, a remote country described by Lonely Planet as “a patchwork of self-contained valleys and regional contrasts, forged together by Soviet nation-building and shared pride in a Persian cultural heritage that is claimed as the oldest and most influential in the Silk Road region.”
Here riders will embark on their own “Great Game,” as the first cycling expedition organized by “foreign devils” to navigate the fabled Pamir Highway, which was off-limits to travellers until recently. Known locally as Bam-i-Dunya (Roof of the World), the Pamirs lie at the heart of the Hindu Kush, Tien Shan and Karakorum ranges, reaching skywards to 7495 meters. Afghanistan beckons to the south, China and Kyrgyzstan to the northeast. Here cyclists face magnificent desolation, and a gruelling test of physical and mental strength.
Nomadic herders, warm nights in Yurts, the indescribable beauty of Kara-Kul Lake, and the literally breath taking 4,665 meter Ak-Baital Pass are some of the highlights of this route. Amidst such stunning scenery, travellers should be on the lookout for the giant Marco Polo sheep and the elusive snow leopard, while guarding themselves against altitude sickness.
After crossing 4 mountain passes of more than 4000 meters, the tour will reach Khorog, a stone’s throw from Afghanistan, and the site of the second rest day. From there it’s on to the Tajik capital of Dushanbe; transformed from a small village into a city by the Bolsheviks and the end point of the tour. Riders cycling the entire Silk Route will have a rest day here to explore its busy markets, and to experience a bit of luxury after the trials of the Pamirs.
Find out more about the Silk Route and Cycling the Pamir Highway on our website:
http://www.tourdafrique.com/tours/silkroute/sections/the-pamir-highway
A few Details:
Tour Start: July 12, 2012 in Kashgar, China
Finish: July 30th, 2012 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Cost: 2250 Euro for 19 days
Countries Visited: China, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan
Total Distance: 1542 km
Related Articles:
Silk Route 2012 - Highlights and Changes - Tour d’Afrique Blog
The Pamir Highway - Journey to the Roof of the World - Boba’s Adventures Blog
Designing from Bones - The Ancient Silk Route - Tour d’Afrique Blog
Tour d'Afrique Ltd is a Toronto based company named for its flagship cycling tour that annually traverses the African Continent from Cairo to Cape Town. Celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year the company now has tours that cross 5 continents.
Our mission is to create events that appeal to and challenge cyclists of all levels. Our tours attract both serious athletes and recreational cyclists who are seeking a new kind of adventure, crossing a continent under their own power!
The company also likes to give back to the communities it cycles through via the Tour d'Afrique Foundation. The Foundation donates bikes to various organizations doing outreach work along its routes.
More information at: www.tourdafrique.com or email us at info@tourdafrique.com