EBS World Theme Travel to reveal 2,000km Pamir Highway journey from October 5 to 8

World Theme Travel: 2,000km Pamir Highway

The Pamir Mountains, the "Roof of the World," where snow-capped mountains at 7,000m altitude and deep, dizzying canyons continue!

Driving the 2,000km Pamir Highway, a road permitted for only 100 days a year, we encounter rugged nature, the lives of nomads, and unforgettable scenery!

Another Pamir encountered at the end of the road!

A road permitted for only 100 days a year: the extreme 4,655m pass, Ak-Baital, between the grasslands and snowy mountains, the world met at the end of the road toward Lenin Peak.

* Broadcast Schedule: Monday, October 5, 2026 ~ Thursday, October 8, 2026 at 8:40 PM, EBS1 * Curator: Choi Gyeong-jin (Photographer)

Part 1. A road permitted for only 100 days a year - Monday, October 5

The journey begins in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, covering approximately 2,000km along the Pamir Highway. Dushanbe's name originates from the fact that merchants traveling the former Silk Road used to gather here every Monday to hold a market. Before departing for Pamir, after tasting Black Seed honey given by a merchant at Mehrgon Market, which signifies festivals and harvests, preparations are made by buying flat peaches.

It is said that foreigners need a separate permit to travel the Pamir region. After meeting a local driver and checking the GBAO (Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast) permit required for traveling the Pamir region, the journey begins in earnest.

Following the Panj River, where Afghanistan is visible across the river, they head toward Qalai Khumb, known as the gateway city of the Pamir Highway. The journey continues while looking at the scenery of Tajikistan and Afghanistan facing each other across the border.

In Qalai Khumb, at an altitude of over 1,400m, they exchange warm greetings with children met on the road. When a soccer ball is gifted to the children, children from the entire neighborhood gather, and they spend a joyful time playing soccer together.

The next destination is Bartang Valley. To head to Jizev Village located deep in the Pamir mountains, they get out of the car and begin trekking. After crossing dizzying bridges and walking high mountain paths, a landscape unfolds where cool flowing valleys and forests harmonize. At the moment they finally face the emerald lake, the exhausting journey is momentarily forgotten.

Upon arriving at the first village in Jizev, they book a room and taste chicken prepared by the villagers. Sitting around a dinner with villagers in a 150-year-old house, they feel the hospitality of the Pamir people who warmly welcome the strange travelers. The next day, they stop by the village health center to get medicine for a cold and set off again.

Upon arriving at the second village, children are picking apples. They help the children with the process of picking and drying apples and even try herding goats themselves. They take photos of the children they spent time with, print them on the spot, and give them as gifts, leaving special memories with the people met in Pamir.

Part 2. 4,655m extreme pass, Ak-Baital - Tuesday, October 6

They depart for Khorog, the largest city in the Pamir Mountains. At this point where the Pamir Highway splits into two branches, they visit the Pamir Botanical Garden, one of the highest botanical gardens in the world. This botanical garden, which has been operating for as many as 80 years, forms a forest with various flowers and trees. Even aspen trees that reportedly came from Korea. They meet plants that have formed beautiful nature by surviving even at high altitudes.

They visit Yamchun Fortress, an ancient military site built around 300 BC. A strategic point created to defend against and monitor invaders has now become a prime vantage point overlooking the fantastic scenery of the Wakhan Corridor.

They head to Bibi Fatima Hot Spring, a natural hot spring near Yamchun Fortress. A legend is told that this hot spring grants the wishes of those who want to have a child. They relieve the fatigue accumulated during the trip by experiencing the hot spring water gushing from the rock crevices and set off again.

The road driving along the Pamir Highway. The altitude gradually rises. Bulunkul, located at a high altitude of over 3,700m. Following a resident drawing water from the village well, they eat Non, a traditional Tajik bread. Non is a staple that is never missing from the Tajik table. The freshly baked bread met during the long journey provides the best taste of any bread ever eaten in life.

They go out to the plains of Bulunkul Village and meet yaks being grazed. Bulunkul, known for its harsh winters, is the best habitat for yaks that live only at high altitudes. They meet residents cutting grass to prepare for winter and share the lives of the locals.

The next day, they visit Bulunkul Lake, a representative natural landscape of Bulunkul Village. Behind the tourists enjoying sunbathing leisurely, net fishing is in full swing! In this place where net fishing is only possible from May to October, a successful catch is made with the net full. Fried fish made immediately with the fish caught themselves. They taste a delicacy that is crispy on the outside and savory on the inside even without special seasoning.

Leaving Bulunkul Village, they head toward Ak-Baital, the highest point of the Pamir Highway. The car, driving toward the high mountain pass located at an altitude of 4,655m, comes to an urgent stop. The local driver suffers a nosebleed due to the rapid change in altitude. Although it is an extreme land that is not easy even for locals, if they do not give up and climb, an overwhelming superb view soon unfolds before their eyes. With overwhelmed hearts, they take in the beauty that is not easily encountered in life.

Part 3. Between the grasslands and snowy mountains, Lenin Peak - Wednesday, October 7

The journey begins at the Ak-Baital pass, the highest point of the Pamir Highway at 4,655m above sea level. While enjoying the vast alpine scenery, travelers meet people exploring the Pamir Mountains, including those traveling by bicycle. Next, they encounter a wild snow leopard living in the Pamir Mountains. The snow leopard, which has been attacking nearby livestock, is currently receiving treatment at a sanctuary due to injuries. Afterward, they head toward Karakul Lake near the border. Karakul Lake was formed by a meteorite impact. After seeing the massive scale of the lake, the Pamir Highway crosses the border and leads into Kyrgyzstan.

Sary-Mogol village is reached after riding through the night. It is a nomadic village that serves as a base for high-altitude travel due to the various trekking courses in the surrounding area. An early morning livestock market opens, and they stop by to watch the bargaining. As livestock brought in on trucks appear one by one, people inspect the condition of the animals by touching their hips and backs, and buyers and sellers continue transactions by shaking hands.

A homestay in Sary-Mogol. They tour an accommodation with a view of Lenin Peak through the window and head to a Jailoo operated by the host's relative. The people here learn to ride horses from a young age and tend to livestock while roaming the high-altitude grasslands. They experience the daily lives of nomads living with livestock in the vast alpine meadows by riding horses and checking on yaks, and feel warm hospitality while sharing the traditional food Plov in a yurt.

Next, they tour Tulpar-Kol Lake and embark on a Travelers Pass trek that takes 8 hours round trip. While climbing high mountain paths, they discover an unexpected cafe and enjoy a moment of leisure while looking at the landscape of massive mountains and grasslands.

Continuing the trek, they greet travelers met on the road and observe wild marmots appearing from rock crevices. They soothe their hunger with a bowl of ramen while looking at the glacial zone and grand scenery unfolding beyond the dizzying cliffs. As the path becomes increasingly steep, they move forward while checking oxygen saturation, and finally reach a point with a 4,150m marker overlooking Lenin Peak, facing the 7,000-meter-class high mountain 'Lenin Peak' of the Pamir Mountains up close.

Part 4. The World Met at the End of the Road - Thursday, October 8

A journey traveling along the Pamir Highway, departing from Dushanbe, Tajikistan. They head toward Osh in Kyrgyzstan, the final destination. On the way from Sary-Mogol to Osh, they encounter a vast lake. They spend a pleasant time meeting people enjoying fishing and picnics, and then head to Kozho Kelen, a high-altitude mountain village in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Kozho Kelen is surrounded by red sandstone cliffs. They meet a grandfather digging potatoes and hear about the origin of the village. They visit a 'sacred spring' containing a village legend that an Islamic religious leader called Kozho visited, and embark on a trek that offers a view of the Pamir Mountains.

Due to the fickle weather, they repeatedly stop and start, eventually arriving at a viewpoint where the sheer red sandstone cliffs, snowy mountains, and Kozho Kelen village can be seen at a glance.

On the way down after finishing the trek, they meet a young man fishing for trout in a fast-flowing stream. They cook the trout at the young man's house, sit together with his family to eat, and head toward Osh, the final gateway of the Pamir Highway.

Kyrgyzstan's second-largest city with over 3,000 years of history. They visit the newly renovated market in Osh and transform into locals by purchasing traditional Kyrgyz hats and whips called Kamchy.

The conclusion of the 2,000km journey driven along the Pamir Highway. They finish by climbing Sulaiman-Too, the sacred mountain of Osh, and looking back on the journey they have passed.

Translated from the Korean original with AI. The Korean article was itself written with AI assistance. Read the original (Korean)