Everything you need to know about the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike in the Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan!
Where is the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike?
The Engel’s Peak Meadows hike is a hidden gem in the Pamir Mountains, Tajikistan. Along the hike there are incredible views of the Wakhan Valley and the Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan. These jaw-dropping landscapes make the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike one of the most interesting hikes in Tajikistan.
The trail head for the Engel’s Peak Meadow hike is located near the small villages of Zong and Langar, about 8 hours drive from Khorog. Most people will access the hike while on a road trip along Pamir Highway and Wakhan Valley.
In the summer, the meadows burst with wildflowers, adding a splash of colour to the already stunning scenery. Whether you’re a pro-hiker or just looking to get out and enjoy the views of the Wakhan Valley, Engel’s Peak Meadows won’t disappoint!
Hiking to Engel’s Peak
Engel’s Peak is a challenging expedition hike for experienced hikers with a summit of 6510m. There are group tours that do the Engel’s Peak summit but it’s not one that you can tackle on your own.
The Engel’s Peak Meadows hike takes you to a green meadow where you can admire views of Engel’s Peak. At a height of just under 4000m, the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike can be done independently as a one or two day trek.
Is the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike difficult?
The Engel’s Peak Meadows hike is a moderate hike without any technical or particularly difficult parts. That being said, the majority of the hike is uphill and our group found it pretty tiring and needed regular breaks.
The hike goes from an altitude of 3200m to 4000m. If you haven’t properly adjusted to being at a higher altitude it can be pretty exhausting.
What to expect on the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike
Depending on which village you start and end in, the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike is approximately 20km return. Our driver took us to about 20 minutes away from the start of the trail, near Dirch. It took our group about 8 hours return to hike from this point with a few breaks.
If you are leaving from Zong, add at least another hour each way. If you are leaving from Langar, add another 2 hours.
Getting to the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike trail head
Leave early if you want to do the return hike in one day. If on a Pamir Highway tour, get your driver to drop you at start of the trail, near Dirch.
We met some groups whose drivers didn’t want to drop them to the start of the trail head and instead they had to leave from Zong or Langar. I’m not really sure why this is because the road up is in a decent condition for cars. It is a steep climb up from Langar and Zong and you are adding an extra couple of kilometres to the hike unnecessarily.
The hike to Engel’s Peak Meadows
From the start of the trail head, the first hour of trek is all uphill as the path zig zags up the mountain. Luckily, the views are absolutely breath-taking. It makes the hiking feel easy! We had incredible views over the Wakhan Corridor and into the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan. This part of the trail is used by local shepherds so it is not uncommon to pass shepherds and their dogs herding goats along the mountainside.
After going up for about an hour, you the path flattens out and winds around the side of the mountain for an hour or so alongside an irrigation canal.
The path then turns to the left and heads into the valley between the two mountains. There is a nice spot to stop for a break and a snack before you head into the valley.
If you’re scared of heights (like me) the next bit might be a little testing. As you turn into the valley, you walk along a narrow path with a pretty steep drop into the gorge-like river valley below. I found it pretty scary but everyone else in our group was fine. The path is always about one metre wide so you’re never too close to the edge and the path widens again after a while.
The trail then heads around the edge of the mountains for about 45 minutes where you get the first glimpses of Engel’s Peak in the distance. The trail starts to incline again until eventually you reach the river. Follow the river until it opens up to Engel’s Peak Meadows.
If you are camping, this the place where you will set up for the night.
Returning to Dirch, Zong or Langar
We did the return hike in one day so after spending a little time at the meadows, we started the hike back.
We had organised with our driver to be picked up at the same drop off point, near Dirch. You don’t have phone signal on the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike until you are back to the trailhead. We managed to get enough signal to call our driver from Dirch.
We heard from other tourists that the road from Langar was really difficult and steep to come up. They were experienced hikers and they decided to go the long way back via the road as they didn’t want to risk going down such a steep and slippery path to Langar. Speak to local people to check on the condition of the trail if you plan on hiking back to Langar.
What to bring on the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike
You will need to bring different equipment depending on if you are doing a one or two day hike. The most important things to pack or wear are:
- Good hiking shoes – parts of the trail are pebbly and slippery. Wear shoes with good grip.
- Plenty of water
- Sunscreen and sun protection – this is particularly important if you are hiking in the Tajik summer like we were. It gets very hot and there is not a lot of shade along the hike.
- Snacks and meals
- Hiking poles – we didn’t have them but they would have been super useful for the downhills
- Camping equipment if staying overnight. There are no facilities in the Engel’s Peak Meadows so you will need to bring everything that you need with you.
Taking a Pamir Highway tour
Most people will do the Engel’s Peak Meadows hike as part of a longer trip along the Pamir Highway and Wakhan Valley. We travelled the Pamir Highway from Osh to Dushanbe on a 9 day tour through Visit Alay Tours.
I highly recommend booking through them. It made everything really simple and we had such an amazing time every step of the way.
More information on Planning a Pamir Highway trip.
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