3 Days Markhor spotting tour – promotional November 2021

TRIP OVERVIEW

Style: Hiking / Wildlife watching Difficulty: Level 3-4 Location: Darvoz & Shurobod region Driving distance: 600 km / 373mi Tour length: 3 days Departure: November 13, 2020

PRICES:

1 person – 310$ 2 people – 200$ per person 3 people – 185$ per person 4 people – 185$ per person 5 people – 167$ per person 6 people – 155$ per person

Price includes: All -2 , 3 , 2 dinners | Transportation from and to Dushanbe with 4WD vehicles | An English speaking guide | Conservancy rangers services | Camping equipment – tents, utensils, stove etc. | Binoculars and Watching scopes

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HIGHLIGHTS:

Spotting and observing endangered Markhor goats, Bird watching, Spectacular views of Hazratishoh mountains, Traditional Tajik village hospitality.

DESCRIPTION:

The Markhor is the largest species of goat family and is famous for its stunning twisting horns. Markhor is usually found in mountainous parts of Central Asia. Markhor habitat consists of dry mountains with cliffs. They graze in areas with sparse forest and many wooded shrubs. We offer3 days Markhor watching and photography in Shurobod region with departure from Dushanbe. The best time to see Markhor goats is in winter and early spring. You will also be able to see other wildlife on this tour like wild Boars, Ibex and many birds. Our guides have vast experience observing and studying Markhor and other wildlife. They will make sure you have fun, take lots of pictures, observe different age groups, and experience the culture and hospitality of conservancy families. We offer Markhor tours all year round. In the summer, however, they are more difficult to reach, as they tend to go up to an altitude of above 2500-3500 m (8200-11,482 feet), hence the tour should be prolonged. The remainder of the season, they are easier to spot. Equipment like binoculars and watching scopes is provided on this tour. Note: This is a promotional trip and is sold cheaper than usual 3 days Markhor spotting tour. The participant is obliged to write a trip report and leave feedback about the tour after the completion.

SHORT ITINERARY:

Day 1: Dushanbe – Darvaz Day 2: Darvaz Day 3: Darvaz – Dushanbe

CONSERVATION:

Association of Nature Conservation Organizations of Tajikistan (ANCOT) supports the conservation of wildlife in areas managed by people from the local communities. These organizations – being it local NGOs or small family businesses – are rooted in the local communities and aim at providing benefits to the whole populations of the areas where they are active. Through the revenues generated from tourism, we motivate these local communities to protect their natural recourses and wildlife. Thus participating in this tour you are contributing to the conservation of endangered wildlife species and their habitats in Tajikistan.Day 1: Dushanbe – Anjirob

Elevation range: 900-1920-900m/2952-6299-2950feet Driving distance: 245km/152miWe start off from Dushanbe early in the morning and drive to Shamsidini Shohin region in Shurobod. You will need to get your GBAO permits in advance as we will cross a checkpoint where you will be asked for permit. Our drive will take about 5 hours with multiple rest and bird spotting stops mainly in Norak reservoir area and Agricultural fields in Dangara. After passing Shurobod checkpoint on the way down to Anjirob village we will make a bigger spotting stop at a place called zamok or castle in English. Zamok is an observation point of Saidi Tagnob conservancy from where rangers monitor the wildlife and human activities in their territory. Here we will be searching for Markhor goats. Later we will drive to Anjirob village where a hearty will be waiting for us in the house of a local family. After the lunch we will drive to Chusk mounatins from where we will hike downhill to the Panj river. Here we might see Markhor goats from closer distance. Our car will be waiting us at the end of the trail and will take us back to the village. Overnight in the village guesthouse.Day 2: Anjirob to Kisht

Elevation range: 900-2100m/2952-6890feet Hiking distance: 9-14,5km/6-9mi Driving distance: 16km/10mi

Having early in the morning we will drive to Kisht conservancy today. It is yet another conservancy managed by local family of traditional hunters established more recently in 2016. And since then rangers of the conservancy have worked tirelessly providing annual wildlife monitoring and wildlife management in their territory which resulted in a tremendous success in population rise of Markhor goats in their territory. Here we will hike the kisht valley along the Khudkham river and through the canyons. We will hike 9km to the rangers hut. From the hut there will be several other hiking options to see the markhor, one of which is more strenuous uphill hike to the Sakha viewpoint on top the mountain. The hike is rewarded with almost 100% chance of seeing the markhor goats, and exceptionally beautiful eroded mountain formations of lower Hazratishoh mountain range. Tonight we will stay either at Sakha or in the first hut. Night in tents.

Day 3: Kisht to Dushanbe

Driving distance: 261km/162mi

Depending on where we stayed last night we will either hike to the observation point or just watch the Markhor goats from the Sakha viewpoint if we stayed at the upper hut. The best times to observe the incredible mammals is in the morning, when they usually come down on the slopes of the mountains in search of forage. We then hike back to Kisht village and have lunch in our hosts house. After the lunch we drive back to Dushanbe. The drive to Dushanbe will take approximately 5 -6 hours, depending on the number of stops we will be doing en route.

What’s Included

All meals – 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners. Snacks are also provided. Professional and knowledgeable guides will lead the tour. Transportation from and to Dushanbe on 4WD vehicles Conservancy rangers services Camping equipment – tents, utensils, stove, etc. Binoculars and watching scope

Meals: What To Expect

During the hikes: Most of our hikes include a variety of meals to nourish our bodies with enough carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. We usually have , , sausages, cheese, oatmeal, canned lentils and beans, sugar and . We also carry fresh and can easily accommodate vegetarians.

Additionally, we have snacks such as dried fruits, fresh fruits, chocolate bars, and each break will include hot coffee and . We can accommodate people with special dietary needs.

In guesthouses, home-stays, and restaurants (Tajik ): offers a large variety of fruit, meat, and soup dishes. The most popular among them are dishes such as Oshi palov, kurutob, Shurbo, Laghmon and snacks like sambusa and mantu. The national drink is green tea, respectively. Traditional Tajik begins with small dishes of dried fruits, jams, and halva, followed by soup and meat, and finished with plov. Tea accompanies every meal and is often served between meals. Besides traditional dishes, most restaurants serve Russian borsh and popular shashlyks. Shurbo: boiled meat on the bone with chickpeas, red and green peppers, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Laghmon: the same with homemade noodles Oshi Palov: a rice dish made with shredded yellow turnip or carrot and pieces of meat, all fried together in oil or mutton fat. Shashlyks: chunks or minced meat on a skewer cooked over an open fire. Vegetarian versions are often available.

What’s Not Included?

Alcoholic beverages Any expense of a personal nature Tips (always optional)

What Gear To Bring

Personal soap/shampoo Toilet paper Personal medicines (especially against diarrhea, altitude sickness, and car sickness) most of the passes on the road are above 3500m. High protection sun-cream Sunglasses Sun hat Flashlight Strong hiking shoes Warm clothes (during the summertime you will need warm clothes at nights and if you are planning to trek in the mountains, take a raincoat in case if it rains) Plastic bottle for water and water purification tablets Camera (including spare batteries. You won’t believe how many pictures you will be taking and if you don’t have a proper camera you’d wish you had one.) Trekking Poles Gifts (People in most of the villages in Tajikistan are among the poorest in the world, however, they will share their last crust with you to offer hospitality. Therefore it will be nice of you to bring gifts like; toys and books for the children, winter clothes or cosmetics and chocolates for women)

What Clothes To Bring

We will email you what kind of gear to bring depending on the season. Summers are usually warm in central Tajikistan; however, if you are going up to higher altitudes (above 2500m/8200ft) you will need warmer clothing, including a sweater and windproof jacket.

Where to meet us?

If you book a tour with us, we can pick you up from the Dushanbe International Airport upon arrival. We will take you to the location of your tour. We arrange cars from Dushanbe to Shamsiddin Shohin, Darvoz (GBAO/Pamir region), and other regions of Tajikistan. Airport pick up and transport to your destination will be additional costs.

If you are already in Tajikistan, we can organize transport for you with additional costs, or we can provide you with the address so you can come on your own.

Driving:

Due to its mountainous nature and geographical remoteness hiring a taxi can be expensive. We use services of experienced drivers, who have been driving at least 5 years on such road conditions. We also use rather new vehicles to make sure our customers enjoy their journey. We charge US$0.85 per km and daily per diem of $15 for the driver.

Safety Considerations:

Your safety is our top priority. We will only put you with experienced rangers during your hike. Most of our rangers are local and have been working in their field for 8 years or more. We may have to cancel trips or end trips early due to weather. In such cases, we are happy to accommodate you with another date without extra fees.

Group Size: The standard group size for Shamshiddin Shohin and Darvoz regions backpacking trips is 3 guests and 1 guide. Due to steep terrain and exposure on the mountains, we care about your safety. If we have larger groups, we will split them into maximum group sizes of 6 guests and 2 guides. This way we are not travelling in one big group and not getting on each other’s way.

Weather In The Shamshiddin Shohin and Darvoz Areas:

In the Shamshiddin Shohin and Darvoz region at 700-900masl, the climate is similar to Dushanbe. The temperature in the summer can rise to 45 °C (113 °F), while in winter it can drop to -20 °C (-4 °F). The region tends to be dry from June- September and sometimes until October. We present monthly average temperatures in the chart below.

Shamshiddin Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Shohin and Darvoz Min (°C) -2 1 6 12 15 19 20 17 12 8 4 1 Max (°C) 11 11 17 24 30 36 37 35 31 22 18 11 Min (°F) 28 34 43 54 59 66 68 63 54 46 39 34 Max (°F) 52 52 63 75 86 97 99 95 88 72 64 52