Who?The Roof of the World expedition is an expedition approved by the Oxford University Exploration Club, whose team comprises of 3 undergraduate students of Oxford University.

Expedition Leader David Lewis David is studying for a BA in Geography at Exeter College, Oxford. He has travelled extensively in Central Asia and has spent time writing and trekking in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Kashmir, Pakistan and Uzbekistan. David is fascinated by Central Asia, and in the Pamir Mountains in particular he will use his experience of the region and his familiarity of trekking in similar terrain in order to lead the expedition.

TreasurerKyrillous Amin Kyrillous is studying for a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Catherineʼs College, Oxford. His interest in exploration has taken him around the world, most recently to South America and South-East Asia, where he spent twelve months before beginning his degree. He is particularly interested in the political and economic aspects of nomadic people in Tajikistan; the results of political displacement on different ethnic groups and effects of global economics on the traditions of nomadic tribes.

Medical OfficerRobbie Strachan Robbie is studying for a BA in History at Exeter College, Oxford. He has experience of hiking and trekking in the United Kingdom and Europe, and spent six months living and working with the Dagaari people of Burkina Faso in 2009. Robbie also worked for two years as an RLSS qualified life-guard. His particular interest in Central Asia stems from an historical interest in the journeys of the nineteenth century explorers, their different attitudes to research and their recording of findings.

Where & when?The Roof of the World expedition will take 6 weeks from June to September 2010 in the Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan, in the High Pamir mountains, fabled by Marco Polo and great British Explorers such as John Wood and Sir Francis Younghusband.

What?Our team will be trekking by pack donkey along the Panj River valley from Khorog, via Ishkashim, to Lake Zorkul and across the High Pamir to Takhtamysh.

Why?The Journey to the Roof of the World expedition has two aims, namely a historical aim and an adventurous. The expedition seeks to follow the route and compare the observations of the 1898 Danish expedition carried out by explorer Ole Olufsen, funded by the Carlsberg Foundation. The adventurous aim arises from the nature of the expedition; 400km of donkey packing across the Pamir a.k.a. Roof of the World.

Oxford University Exploration ClubRoof of the World Expedition

Expedition Summary