Stand on the roof of the world in Tajik National Park

TAJIKISTAN // This sparsely populated wilderness of 2.5 million hectares encompasses the Pamirs, a jagged Central Asian landscape of alpine deserts, deep lakes and glacial valleys that make up the world's third-highest mountain ecosystem. The epic tectonic forces that pushed up these hulking massifs, along with the world's other highest ranges - the Himalaya and Karakoram - radiate from right here, at a point called the 'Pamir Knot'. Awe-inspiring geography aside, Tajik National Park is a tranquil land, where Siberian ibex and Marco Polo sheep graze, snow leopards roam and Pamiri villages lie deep within dramatic rocky valleys. Those who venture here bed down in homestays or yurts (most of the tourist accommodation is located in the towns of Badakhshan, Khorog and Murgab). The area's local nickname is Bam-i-Dunya (Persian for 'roof of the world') and, with a plateau above 3000m (9840ft), Tajik National Park will quite literally take your breath away.

 

What animals are in the Tajik National Park?

Species that live in the national park include brown bears, snow leopards, wolves, marcours, Marcopolo's sheep, brown grouse and bar-headed geese.
 

Where is the Pamir Knot located?

Pamir, highland region of Central Asia. The Pamir Mountains region is centered on a nodal orogeny known as the Pamir Ridge, from which radiate several mountain ranges of South Central Asia, including the Hindu Kush, the Karakoram Range, the Kunlun and Tien Shan Mountains.
 

Are the Himalayas in Tajikistan?

Mountains cover more than 90 percent of Tajikistan, and half of the country is 10,000 feet or more above sea level. The Pamir mountains of Tajikistan are formed by the intersection of five mountain ranges, including the Himalayas, and thus have earned the title of "roof of the world".
 

What animals are in the Pamir Mountains?

Wildlife that can be encountered in the Pamir Mountains includes brown bears, wolves, marmots, and grazers such as the Marcopolo sheep (native to the Pamirs) and the Markor, a type of goat with large curved horns. Arguably the most special inhabitant is the snow leopard.
 

Does Tajikistan have bears?

The Tian Shan brown bear, Ursus arctos isabellinus, a subspecies of the brown bear, is widely distributed in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
 

What is the most common animal in Tajikistan?

The most common mammals are: wild boar, rodents and porcupine, Indian hedgehog, wolf, red fox, mink, ermine, marten, badger, sea otter, Turkestan lynx, Tulai hare, Turkestan red pika, juniper, Siberian fallow deer. and Tian Shan brown bear