Oxford University Exploration Club

Roof of the World Expedition

Expedition Summary
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.
Treasurer
Kyrillous 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 Officer
Robbie 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.