Little Pamir (Karchyndy) to Zor Kol (yellow route)

From Karchyndy the trail goes back the same way through Akbilis and Garumdee Pass until Barnaoz (two days) (see Wakhan to Little Pamir section). From Barnaoz, where you overnight in a herder's shelter, the trail goes uphill westwards to the Karabel Pass (4 820 m) and then down to the Tchap Dara Valley. At the northernmost tip of the valley, below the Showr Pass, there is a herder's shelter to overnight. The Showr base camp and Showr Pass offer some the most beautiful mountain scenery of the whole Pamir.

From the Showr base camp, it is a 2-hour climb to the Showr Pass (4 890 m) via the Showr glacier. The Showr Pass is the gateway to the Big Pamir. The Showr Pass is high and can be dangerous as it is a combination of glacier and rocks that make it very difficult for horses to get through. In any case, it should not be attempted in bad weather condition. Showr Pass may not be passable after heavy snowfall.

As soon as you get to the top of the Showr Pass you can see the mountains of Tajikistan and the Lake Zor Kol far in the distance. It is then another 6-hour hike to reach Saremokor, where Hajji Tordia Akhun, the leader of the Big Pamir, lives. Lake Zor Kol is a further 1.5 hour hike from there. Saremokor and surrounding settlements is a good area to spend a couple of days and take the time to discover the Kirghiz way of life. There is no lodging option near Lake Zor Kol.

Sarhad-e-Borghil to Zor Kol (via Baharaq) (dark blue route)

From Sarhad, go to Baharaq via the Dalriz Pass (see Wakhan to Little Pamir section). In Baharaq, walk northwards along the Tchap Dara valley (the left hand side valley on the map that leads directly to Showr Pass, the right hand side valley leads to Garumdee Pass). Below Karabel Pass, join the Karchyndy to Zor Kol route (see above) to Showr Camp, Showr Pass and Zor Kol. It may take two or three days to cover the trip from Sarhad to Showr Camp, depending if you overnight in Baharaq the first night and if so if you can walk all along the Tchap Dara valley from Baharaq to Showr in a single day. It may be best to plan to do it in three days (to Showr Camp), or to plan to overnight somewhere north of Baharaq (e.g. near where the two valleys split up). Finally, it takes a long day to walk across the Showr Pass to Saremokor.

Sarhad-e-Borghil to Zor Kol (north route) (light blue route)

From Sarhad, there seems to be a direct route northbound to Zor Kol via Tarbitoq (?) or Ptukhshur (?) valley that comes out into the Tchap Dara valley to Showr. This route may be slightly quicker that the route via Baharaq. Allow two days to Showr Camp. This route was taken southbound by Go Hirai in 2001. See his report. Enquire in Sarhad for more details.

See road map here.