This was a trip that we had wanted to complete for a very long time, having watched many a explorer travel this historical journey. As we left Kyrgyzstan early one morning and cleared the border and customs of Tajikistan it was a pinch me moment that we were about to travel the Pamir highway. This highway otherwise known as the M41 is considered to be a modern, high altitude successor to the ancient Silk Road. It traverses the Pamir mountains, and in the day was a crucial path for travelers and merchants across Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, trading goods like gems, textiles and spices. We were also going to be travelling through the Wakhan Corridor, with Afghanistan lying directly on the other side of the Panj river. This journey is not for the faint hearted and is an experience that we will never forget.
The quality of the road on the highway is a real mixture; for the most part they are gravel and broken asphalt tracks, with many pot holes, and the dirt roads can be on the side of a sheer drops! A 4X4 is the sensible option for driving these roads, in fact some would say it would be mandatory. The type of people who travel these roads are generally those who are on an adventure with their 4×4 vehicle, which come in all shapes and sizes! There are also many cyclists who will rise to the challenge of completing it; there are many motor cyclists as well who aren’t so fond of the road make up, and of course you will come across the locals in their trucks. There is a high risk of mud and landslides and you can even come across snow in the summer months! Being prepared for this journey is a must, and if you’re up for an adventure you will certainly enjoy the adrenaline rush! We travelled with our friends Julia and Len and we were glad we had the company. You can come unstuck in this area and with very little traffic you could find yourself stranded for a little while; however its certainly a road that we didn’t feel was dangerous. The terrain is mountainous, dramatic, with narrow and winding turns and some areas being extremely remote. When travelling through parts of the Pamir Highway you must have a Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) permit. You can not drive without it and it is easily obtained online. It costs about $20-$30 dollars and is checked at a number of checkpoints as you travel through the Pamir Highway, the Wakhan Corridor and the Bartnang Valley. In fact it is best to print a number of copies of the permit as the officers at the checkpoints will often take one from you to keep.
If you are applying for a visa for Tajikistan as a British Citizen this can be completed online, however rules for visas change and its best to check up with the local authorities. We applied for ours and then went to camp by Lenin’s Peak to await the visa arrival via email. However after several days and a few conversations with fellow travellers it was suggested that we get in touch with a travel agent as we were told that a UK Citizen requires a letter of invite and the process can take a considerable length of time unless you have an agent working for you. And sure enough, after waiting a week with no joy, we contacted an agent and low and behold within 48 hours we had our visa! We would certainly recommend using an agent, although Google would say otherwise, having an agent was the only way it worked for us!
Our first stop was going to be in Murghab. Depending on your visa and nationality you may also have to register your presence with the local Migration Police in the offices situated in Mughab. If you are staying over ten days then this registration is mandatory otherwise it could mean fines and exit delays. Our visa meant we didn’t need to register, but our Australian friends did. After paper work was completed and payment made, we were ready to continue our travels. As the day had been a long one we found ourselves a park up using IOverlander which wasn’t too far away from the town. As we were setting up camp a car passed and slowed down to talk to us. His first question was do you know what is on the other side of that fence? No, was our response, why, was it significant? Well yes, it turned out it was, we were parked up by a very important snow leopard sanctuary! The gentleman talking to us was actually one of the guys who worked at the sanctuary. The sanctuary was closed but the gentleman was more than happy to take us and show us the magnificent creatures. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos, but what a start to our journey in Tajikistan. The sanctuary is taking care of the leopards as well as breeding them and then releasing them into the wild when they are ready. What a privilege to be able to see such beautiful animals.
The next day we were heading to Bulunkul Lake, a shallow freshwater lake in the Pamir mountains, renowned for its stunning topography. As we drove we were simply mesmerised by the beautiful scenery; the roads were bad, but the views made up for it! Bulunkul town is often considered the coldest inhabited place in Central Asia. We didn’t find it too cold, but it was extremely windy. We could put up with the wind simply because we were camped in such an awesome spot! We were surrounded by mountains, off the beaten track with a spectacular view, another pinch me moment. We were only having a one night stop here, despite it being stunning, it was a little open and we were on the hunt for a more secluded stopover!
We were now heading away from Pamir Highway and going to drive along the Wakhan Valley. This valley is considered to be stunning with raw and dramatic landscapes and the magnificent Pamir mountain ranges that leave you speechless. It runs along the Panj River separating Tajikistan and Afghanistan. It has been called the Wakhan corridor as historically it was a buffer between the Russian and British empires. Of course this road was an important part of the Silk Road route where goods were transported on a regular basis. We knew it was going to be remote, but we also knew it was a very popular journey that 4×4 off roaders loved to travel. The journey was definitely a bumpy one, the road was more like a dirt track, with lots of bumps, pot holes and many parts were simply corrugated sections, not a piece of asphalt in sight! The roads were also very remote, we did spot a local who had broken down, and despite the language barrier we did try to help him out, but unfortunately we had no joy and had to leave him with his family to try and get hold of help another way. We eventually found a camping spot, off the beaten track and hidden from the highway, right by the Panj River, a stones throwing distance to Afghanistan. This was going to be our home for the next couple of nights, a little dusty and windy, but it would do us!
After a two night stop we were on the road again. This day proved to be a serendipitous day. First the views, can you go round every corner and say wow, we did! The scenery was simply out of this world, we were blown away with its beauty. The road hugged the left hand side of the Afghan border with the cascading river separating us, it was simply awesome. The journey was broken up with stops just to take in the beauty and of course for us to take photographs! We also stopped to help a young German motorcyclist. He was on the side of the road with what turned out to be a broken fuel pump. As we were trying to help him, a local guide also stopped and asked us if on our continued journey we could stop at the next village and ask for Misha and Misha would be able to come out and pick up the guy and his bike and take him to the nearest garage so it could be fixed. Of course we can help a fellow traveller. As we got close to the village we asked a local for Misha’s house, apparently everyone knows Misha! We were pointed towards a large yellow building at the end of the village. Although Misha wasn’t at home, his wife and family were. We were invited in and enjoyed a delicious three course lunch! Misha was told about the biker and he would be on his way later in the day .. in the middle of nowhere travellers are being looked after by the locals, who go out of their way to welcome you and take care of you .. we loved this day!
Each day we drove through the Wakhan valley we were mesmerised by the beauty and scenery, raw and dramatic was exactly what we had been told and we were not disappointed. We felt so privileged that we could be on this journey and achieve a lifetime ambition. We had planned to head to a little place called Nasiba Oasis, again we had found it on IOverlander. The journey and views were yet again spectacular and we also found some asphalt that day as well! The reviews about Nasiba Oasis had us keen to see this little bit of paradise and we certainly were not disappointed. We were going to camp in the garden of a local’s home by a stream! The couple went out of their way to make us feel so welcome. They showed us around their land and with a little help from their English speaking friend we heard stories of life in their home during the winter and summer days. They also had an old-fashioned washing machine outside so we could catch up on some washing and what’s more they had water boiling on an open fire so we could wash our hair! The owner was a real character and had both Mike and Len playing draughts with him in the late afternoon. This was the perfect place to end our journey through the Wakhan corridor .. tomorrow we would be back on the Pamir Highway.
We were now back on the Pamir Highway and we had a long day ahead of us. We were travelling the Silk Road with the mountain passes extremely narrow and the Panji river separating us from Afghanistan. The river can be extremely turbulent in places .. either a grey or muddy brown colour and the big boulders in the middle causing great turbulent waves. On our side of the road there were huge overhangs and boulders .. you were always on full alert , narrow roads and possible rock falls kept us on our toes! The valleys we travelled through had many villages and the sides of the streets would often be lined with beautiful tall are trees. We were driving to the town of Khorog as we wanted to see the memorial of the first car that drove the Pamir Highway. It is a GAZ-AA truck and it stands proud on the outskirts to commemorate the first truck to arrive from Osh back in 1933. We then headed to a hotel, we were having a little bit of luxury as it had been an extremely long day!
We were on our last leg and we would have completed the Pamir Highway, as well as driven a large percentage of the famous Silk Road, emotions were high. We were now heading for Dushanbe, where we would take some time to catch up on jobs, reflect on this amazing journey as well as prepare ourselves for our next country. I was in the driver’s seat, we were back on asphalt, no longer were we driving corrugated, bumpy, pot holed roads. What a journey it had been with some amazing memories to reflect on.
We were going to have a few nights resting in Dushanbe before heading to Uzbekistan. Whilst here we visited the famous Hisor Fort. This fort is one of the most preserved archaeological sites in Tajikistan. It is said to be dated back to 500 BC and Hisor was seen as the most important settlement in the region up until Dushanbe became the capital just over 100 years ago. The position of it made it an ideal place to ward off incoming enemies and protect caravans passing the Silk Road. The original fort didn’t really stand the test of time and it has been demolished and reconstructed many times. Now the fortress features a gate and fortified walls with several buildings inside. The fortress is on a hill and wide open views of the surrounding area can be seen as you walk around. We visited on a Sunday which is a popular day for weddings where people walk past a band and many of the men enjoy a dance whilst the wedding procession walks up to some steps adorned with flower arches for photos.
Embarking on the Pamir Highway was a dream come true, marking a significant milestone on our travel bucket list. Interactions with locals, like stopping to assist a fellow traveler and sharing a meal with a family, highlighted the vibrant hospitality ingrained in this remote culture. These experiences intertwined with the striking landscapes created memories that would resonate for a lifetime. Overall, this expedition was both an adventure and a deeply enriching experience, filled with breathtaking views and unexpected encounters that we absolutely loved.
