Tents in a mountain meadow below snowy peaks in Badakhshan

Remote highland expedition

Badakhshan

The Wakhan Corridor, lapis lazuli mines, and some of the most remote highland scenery in all of Central Asia.

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What is a Badakhshan tour like?

Short answer

Badakhshan is Afghanistan's far north-east, home to the Wakhan Corridor and the historic lapis lazuli mines. Al Hamid Tour and Travel runs three set Badakhshan tours, 4 to 7 days, from $640 to $1,800 per person, with an English-speaking guide, private transport and hotels with breakfast. The best season is June to September.

Badakhshan sits at the far northeast of Afghanistan, bordering Tajikistan, China, and Pakistan. The Wakhan Corridor is one of the world's great expedition routes — high-altitude valleys, Wakhi villages, and silence unlike anywhere else.

Typical stay5 to 7 days
Best forExpedition and remote travel
Best seasonJune to September
A valley below snow-capped peaks in Badakhshan
Day 1 Badakhshan

Drive north through Kunduz and Taloqan to Faizabad, the provincial capital, and settle into the base.

Snow-capped peak above the valleys of Badakhshan
Day 2 Badakhshan

Visit the historic lapis lazuli mines and the Kokcha River valley.

Town and river bridge in Badakhshan
Day 3 Badakhshan

Drive east toward the Wakhan Corridor and enter the high-altitude zone.

Green highland valley in Badakhshan
Day 4 Badakhshan

Trek deeper into the Wakhan, meet Wakhi families, and camp under the stars.

Tents in a mountain meadow below snowy peaks in Badakhshan
Day 5 Badakhshan

Return journey with stops at key scenic viewpoints and village markets.

What do you see on a Badakhshan tour?

On a Badakhshan tour you see the Wakhan Corridor, Faizabad, the lapis mines of Sar-e Sang, the Pamir lakes and Ishkashim. Each is described below.

The Wakhan Corridor

A narrow valley about 350 km long between Tajikistan and Pakistan that reaches China, home to Wakhi farmers and, in the high Pamirs, Kyrgyz herders.

Faizabad

The provincial capital, a market town on the Kokcha River in the mountains.

The lapis mines of Sar-e Sang

The lapis lazuli mines of the Kokcha valley, worked for more than 6,000 years; their blue stone reached ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.

The Pamir lakes

High lakes in the Big and Little Pamir at the far end of the Wakhan, among the most remote places in Asia.

Ishkashim

The gateway town to the Wakhan, on the Panj River facing Tajikistan.

What is the history and culture of Badakhshan?

Badakhshan's lapis lazuli was traded for thousands of years, to the pharaohs of Egypt and the cities of Mesopotamia. Marco Polo crossed the province in the 1270s and wrote about its rubies and its lapis, and its high valleys were a route of the Silk Road into China.

The Wakhan Corridor was drawn on the map in the 1890s as a buffer between the Russian empire and British India. Its people are Wakhi and Kyrgyz, many of them Ismaili Muslims; they live in stone houses built around a central skylight, and keep yaks, sheep and goats.

What does a Badakhshan tour include?

Guides

English-speaking tour guides who know everything about the destination

Flights

Domestic and international air tickets, booked and ticketed for you. Airlines and fares

Transfers

From the airport to the hotels and all locations

Hotels

Comfortable accommodation, 2 people per room, breakfasts included

Which Badakhshan tours can you book?

You can book three set Badakhshan tours: the Wakhan Corridor Expedition, the Faizabad & Lapis Route and the Badakhshan Highlands. They take 4 to 7 days and cost $640 to $1,800 per person, with a guide, private transport and hotels with breakfast.

Set Badakhshan tours with Al Hamid Tour and Travel. Prices are per person, in US dollars, and include a guide, private transport and hotels with breakfast.
TourLengthPrice per personFocus
Wakhan Corridor Expedition7 days · 6 nights$1,400–$1,800Expedition
Faizabad & Lapis Route5 days · 4 nights$800–$1,200Heritage and gems
Badakhshan Highlands4 days · 3 nights$640–$960Mountain culture

Badakhshan tour questions

How many days do I need in Badakhshan?

Most travelers spend 5 to 7 days in Badakhshan. Our packages here run from 4 to 7 days, and any of them can be shortened or extended around your flights.

How much does a Badakhshan tour cost?

Badakhshan trips start from $580 per person. Al Hamid Tour and Travel's set Badakhshan packages cost $640 to $1,800 per person: Wakhan Corridor Expedition, 7 days, $1,400–$1,800; Faizabad & Lapis Route, 5 days, $800–$1,200; Badakhshan Highlands, 4 days, $640–$960. The exact figure depends on group size and travel dates — send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will quote it.

When is the best time to visit Badakhshan?

June to September. That is when Badakhshan is at its best, and when we run most departures there.

How do I get to Badakhshan?

Badakhshan is reached by road from Kabul through Kunduz and Taloqan to Faizabad, the provincial capital: one to two days of driving. Flights to Faizabad have been irregular since 2021, and we book one when it runs. The Wakhan Corridor is a further long drive east, then trekking.

Can I visit Badakhshan as part of the Afghanistan Silk Road Journey?

Yes. Badakhshan is days 11 to 15 of Al Hamid Tour and Travel's 15-day Afghanistan Silk Road Journey, which runs through Kabul, Bamyan, Herat, Balkh and Badakhshan and costs $2,300 to $3,400 per person.

Who is a Badakhshan tour best for?

Expedition and remote travel. Afghanistan's most remote and spectacular route — best for adventurous travelers seeking an expedition experience.

What is included in a Badakhshan tour?

An English-speaking guide who knows the region; private vehicle and driver, including airport transfers; hotels with breakfast, two people per room; help with the visa invitation letter and the provincial permits. Not included: international and domestic flights (we book and ticket both for you), lunch and dinner, and the visa fee.

Is it safe to travel to Badakhshan with a guide?

Conditions differ from province to province and change over time, so Al Hamid Tour and Travel does not give a blanket answer. Every trip has a registered guide and a private driver, the visa letter and any provincial permits are arranged before you travel, and the road and local conditions are checked before each departure. If they are not right for your dates, we change the route or the date. Our safety guide explains the wider picture.

Do you arrange the visa and permits for Badakhshan?

Yes. Al Hamid Tour and Travel issues the invitation letter for every guest and walks you through the application, whether you use the online e-Visa or an embassy, and handles the provincial travel permits for Badakhshan once you land. The visa fee itself is paid by you.

More about Badakhshan: read our Nuristan and Badakhshan guide.

Badakhshan is also days 11–15 of our 15-day Afghanistan Silk Road Journey.

Planning a trip to Badakhshan: Afghanistan visa & permits · Afghanistan travel permits · Is Afghanistan safe to visit? · Tour prices explained · Money and payments in Afghanistan · Best time to visit · Flights to Afghanistan · What to wear in Afghanistan · Afghanistan for women travellers · Afghan food guide

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Other packages in Badakhshan

Choose a package that matches your pace, then open booking with the details already prepared.

See every private Afghanistan tour, with its price

Wakhan Corridor Expedition 7 days

Expedition

Wakhan Corridor Expedition

The full Wakhan route — remote valleys, nomad encounters, and some of the world's most dramatic highland scenery.

Duration 7 days From $1,400–$1,800
Plan This Tour: Wakhan Corridor Expedition
Faizabad & Lapis Route 5 days

Heritage and gems

Faizabad & Lapis Route

Faizabad city, the historic lapis lazuli mines, and Kokcha River valley stops.

Duration 5 days From $800–$1,200
Plan This Tour: Faizabad & Lapis Route
Badakhshan Highlands 4 days

Mountain culture

Badakhshan Highlands

A shorter introduction to the highlands, village stays, and alpine scenery.

Duration 4 days From $640–$960
Plan This Tour: Badakhshan Highlands