Pamir Highway, Tajikistan
View along the Pamir Highway from Darvos to the Bartang Valley
The Pamir Highway (officially known as “M41”) is a ~750 mile road that winds through the rugged terrain of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It has served several important roles throughout history including acting as a silk road route in the first millennia, a secret strategic supply line for the Russian military in the late 19th century during “The Great Game” (its first ‘modern’ construction), and main supply route today to the autonomous Gorno-Badakshan region of Tajikistan.
A road trip on the Pamir Highway has been a top priority for our year-long adventure ever since we became aware of the region and started doing our research. For us, it was the rugged, beautiful landscapes along the way and interesting Pamiri culture that attracted us to this adventure.
We had high expectations going in and after 9 days driving along the Pamir Highway we can confidently say they were exceeded multiple times over. The striking landscapes, the people and their hospitality, and solitude made it a truly unforgettable experience. Before diving into the details of our adventure, a few notes on our route, our guide, and our ride:
- Our route: Typically, a road trip through the Pamirs starts in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and ends in Osh, Kyrgyzstan (or vice versa). This was our original route and we planned to spend a few days on the back-end exploring Kyrgyzstan; however, as the date of our trip approached we became aware of an ongoing conflict on the Tajik-Kyrgyz border where we planned to cross. We worked with our guide, Baktiar, to adjust our route to start and end in Dushanbe. This route took us along the Panj River (and Afghanistan border) through the famed Wakhan Corridor, turning north towards the higher altitude Tajik villages of Langar and Alichur before looping back towards the Panj and the way we came via the Gund Valley
- Our guide, driver, and friend: Our research on different tour operators led us to “Visit Alay,” which paired us with our guide for the trip, Baktiar. Baktiar is an intelligent, proud Kyrgyz man who splits his time between Murghab (a larger, high altitude village in the Pamirs near the Chinese border) and Osh (the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan where he lives with his wife and children during off season). Baktiar has been driving tourists and locals along the Pamir highway for 10+ years. When he’s not guiding people through the Pamirs, he’s driving a taxi in Osh or new trucks from the Chinese border to Dushanbe or Tashkent. He is very popular in the Pamir region — it seemed like Baktiar knew every person we passed. Baktiar is also a very selfless person — he stopped to lend a helping hand to many individuals we encountered along the way (more detail below). We could not have imagined a better guide for our trip than Baktiar. He taught us so much about the people and region and was a true friend by the end of our 9 days together
- Our ride: Baktiar’s car, which we dubbed “The Terminator,” is a black Series 80 (circa mid 1990s) Toyota Landcruiser from Europe. Baktiar tells us that Toyota Landcruisers, particularly Series 80 – 200 (circa mid 2000s), are the best cars for navigating the conditions in the Pamirs (which explains why we saw so many of them). Newer models with their bells and whistles are not great for navigating the roads (in one newer model the manual shift is a button on the dashboard) and are difficult to repair when issues arise (which happens often in this region). Cars typically come from Europe, Japan, or Dubai. Towards the end of our trip, Baktiar sold The Terminator and upgraded to a Series 200 Landcruiser from Dubai. We are the last to enjoy this reliable force with Baktiar, which felt like an honor
Many articles we read in our research suggested that one option, in addition to hitchhiking or going with a guide, was to self-drive the trip. In our humble opinion, this is not a viable option. As a non-starter for many (including us), you need to drive manual to navigate the roads, which are abysmal (particularly between Darvos and Khorog) and also require navigating steep uphill switchbacks in first and second gear. Additionally, we would have missed out on the wealth of knowledge Baktiar was able to share on the people and the region along the way.
It’s also worth noting that we spent a majority of the trip driving along the Afghanistan border, often separated by no more than a few yards of the Panj River. While we did see several Taliban military checkpoints (the reality of the white flags was hard to ignore), most of what we saw across the way were spectacular landscapes, beautiful small villages, and Afghan people going about their daily lives. Most of the pictures we share below are of these Afghan landscapes, villages, and people.
Here are some of our day-to-day highlights:
Day 1: Dushanbe to Darvos
8:30am: We load up The Terminator for the first time and make our way southwest towards the Afghanistan border and Pamirs
9:45am: We come upon our first breathtaking view of the trip — the Nurek Reservoir. The world’s second highest dam (and ~45 miles long!), the reservoir and its deep blue water was a beautiful contrast to the multicolored hills layered throughout. It felt like we were on another planet
12:30pm: A few more hours of driving through rolling desert-like hills and cotton fields and we come upon our second stop of the trip — a museum detailing the findings from a 1970s excavation of the ancient fortress city of Hulbuk. Our guide? A Tajik man who was part of the original excavation and has been the director of the museum for 44 years! He was incredibly kind and engaging, leading us through the most interesting finds and handing us antiquities from the excavation to hold and role play with (talk about an immersive experience). At the end of the tour, he even gave Jessie a beautiful scented rose from the garden as a parting gift
2:00pm: we catch up with the Panj River and the Afghanistan border. As we drive along the Panj, we are in awe of our first views of the rugged, mountainous landscapes and small villages on both sides of the river. We also see several Taliban flags, military vehicles and checkpoints on the other side as we make our way into our first overnight stop of the trip – Darvos
5:00pm: Our guesthouse in Darvos is situated along the Panj, creating the perfect backdrop for our first dinner with Baktiar – a chicken drumstick and fries for Doug and Jessie’s first of many plates of fries of the trip (vegetarian options are very limited in this region)
Day 2: Darvos to Jizeu Valley
8:30am: Our first of many breakfasts of eggs, bread and instant coffee
9:00am: We are on the road and driving along the Panj again. As Baktiar warns us, this stretch of road is arguably the worst of the trip — it seemed we spent the majority of the drive in first or second gear navigating deep potholes and boulders. Still, this didn’t interfere with the beautiful views of the treelined villages and mountains layered against one another
2:30pm: A late lunch at a small cafe along the drive. Another plate of fries for Jessie and a delicious Lagman soup for Doug. Baktiar knows and greets the owner, who is Pamiri (from this point on, it is Pamiri people we interact with who speak a different language and are culturally different than Tajik people)
3:00pm: We pass a young boy standing next to what appears to be a broken down car on the side of the road. “We help” Baktiar says, so we give the young boy a lift to the next village so he can link up with family while his older brother walks to find a repair shop
4:00pm: At Rushon, we say “see you soon” to the Panj and drive inland through the beautiful Bartang Valley towards the trailhead to the hike to the village where our homestay is for the evening
4:30pm: Along the drive, we pick up an older man walking on the side of the road. He and Baktiar have a nice conversation in Pamiri until we drop him off at the next village. Baktiar tells us that he’s a teacher at the local school and relies on cars driving through to give him a lift home after school to the next village where he lives
5:30pm: We reach the trailhead to our hike. Baktiar hands us a walkie talkie in case of emergency and we cross the rickety suspension bridge over the Bartang River. We hike 2.5 hours with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and fall leaves along the river accompanying the trail. We bask in the quiet as we see no one else on the trail as we make our way up to the first Jizeu village
7:15pm: It’s dark as we approach the village and after losing our way, and a brief run-in with some barking dogs, we finally find our host for the evening, Gulsha. Gulsha is a worn, middle aged man who is the most gentle, kind host we encounter on our trip. He quickly shows us the house we are sleeping in and, along with his wife, prepares us a delicious vegetable and noodle soup for dinner. We chat about family and life in the village and learn about the 10 families that live here
8:30pm: We brush our teeth under the moonlight and stars, prepare our bed (DIY situation), and cozy up for the evening. There’s no heat or electricity, but for a lone light bulb in the structure we’re staying in
Day 3: Jizeu Valley to Khorog
7:30am: We wake up and brush our teeth against a breathtaking backdrop of the mountains and valley that are just beyond the village
8:00am: We enjoy a lovely breakfast of sweet porridge, bread, nuts and fruit jam before exploring the lake that sits at the base of the village
8:30am: As we walk around the lake, we can’t help but think of Aspen and the Maroon Bells during fall. However, this morning walk is even more spectacular and we have the place to ourselves!
10:30am: We befriend a lovely French-Dutch couple, Fleur and Eloi, that also stayed the night in the village, and share the hike back to the main road where Baktiar is waiting for us. They are also taking extended time off to travel and we share experiences and recommendations along the way
12:00pm: We meet Baktiar across the suspension bridge and give our new friends a lift back to Rushon where they continue their journey back towards Dushanbe
3:00pm: We arrive in Khorog, the capital of the Pamirs. It is a much larger city than those that we’ve experienced thus far on the trip. We stay at an Indian hotel equipped with an ensuite bathroom. This allows us the much needed luxury of showering and doing some laundry
6:30pm: After walking around the city and picking up a few essentials, we dine at the Indian restaurant at the hotel — the food is delicious and a welcome respite from Central Asian soups, bread, and fries that we had been having thus far
Day 4: Khorog to Langar
9:00am: After breakfast, we make a brief stop by the old Soviet Lenin statue situated on the outskirts of Khorog. This statue used to be in the city center, but was moved following independence — an interesting relic of the past
10:00am: We depart Khorog and spend the next few hours driving through the Wakhan Corridor. This stretch of the drive delivers some of the most beautiful views we’ve seen on our travels — changing leaves and a turquoise river. We see many beautiful villages nestled on the Afghan bank along the Panj with people going about their daily lives
11:00am: We give an elderly woman, a self described “babushka”, a lift from one of the hot springs we pass back to the main road
12:30pm: We arrive in Ishkashim, a larger town with a formal border crossing via bridge between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Traditionally, this bridge serves as a local market where Afghan and Tajik peoples meet in the middle of the river to exchange goods. Given the current circumstances, both the border and the market are closed — a sad reality of the white flags we see flying on the other side of the river
1:00pm: We stop at a local guesthouse in Ishkashim so that Baktiar can pick up a tire for the Terminator from the owner. We meet and spend time with the owner’s son, who speaks excellent English and is a big Michael Jordan fan (he’s 10)
3:00pm: After a series of steep switchbacks, we arrive at the Yamchun Fort. Overlooking the Wakhan Valley at ~10,000 feet, the third century BC Yamchun Fort was used to control the flow of goods and for defensive purposes. We’re the only people here, and the views are spectacular. The Fort is framed by the snowcapped Hindu Kush mountains in Pakistan and an amazing view down valley with the Panj and fall leaves
4:00pm: A short drive from the Yamchun Fort and we arrive at the Bibi Fotima hot springs. In Tajikistan, couples who experience fertility issues travel from all over the country to bathe in the natural hot springs which are believed to support fertility (this and the fertility clinic that sits nearby). The natural hot springs feel fantastic and we meet two Tajik couples who have traveled from Dushanbe in hopes of solving their fertility challenges. Women and men bathe separately and have perform rituals in the springs for good luck
6:00pm: Snow on the mountains becomes more prevalent as we approach Langar, our stop for the next two nights. Langar is a small village that sits at ~10,000 feet and is famous for its mountains (we’re here for one hike in particular), petroglyphs and mountain animals
7:30pm: Our dining room for the evening is the cozy, traditional Pamiri home that we’re staying in. While digging into some juicy pieces of meat, Doug asks Baktiar and our host if it is beef. After a few words are exchanged, Baktiar responds with “it is Illegal sheep”. Doug gives a puzzled look. Baktiar goes on to explain that it is Marco Polo sheep picked up at the village butcher. Apparently, an expensive license is required to hunt and kill these scarce and beautiful animals (many westerners take trips to this region specifically for this reason). It was available for some reason and our arrival warranted some special delicacies. Not ideal…
Day 5: Engels Peak Hike in Langar
7:00am: We wake up early to prepare for our hike to the meadow that sits at the base of Engels Peak. This hike is supposed to be one of the highlights of the Pamirs. Our “guide” for this hike is the son of the guesthouse owner (his name is Aknasir, he’s 40 or so and very impatient)
7:30am: After walking through some of the farms in Langar, we reach the trailhead and begin our ascent
9:00am: The first stretch of the hike is challenging — steep uphill and on loose rock. We take a few breaks along the way to admire the amazing views of the Hindu Kush mountains and changing trees in the valley below
9:30am: We reach a flat path that hugs a stream curving through the valley towards Engels Peak. The first views of the peak emerge and they are awesome
11:00am: A moderate uphill climb and trek through some tundra terrain and rock and we arrive at the meadow that sits at the base of Engels Peak. At ~13,000 feet in elevation, the meadow is the highest point of the trip for us so far. We find a lovely spot to soak in the views and snack on some dried fruit and nuts. We have the place to ourselves (per usual!)
12:30pm: On our way down, we stop to admire some of the petroglyphs etched into the huge boulders along the trail. It’s hard to tell what is truly a petroglyph from ancient times vs. what has been etched in the last 20 years. They’re all neat 🙂
1:00pm: While Aknasir maintained a steady, comfortable pace on the way up, he is HOOFING it on the way down and leaves us literally in the dust on several occasions
2:00pm: We rejoice in the completion of the hike. Challenging at times and rewarding with spectacular views of the Hindu Kush and Engels Peak. We both agree that this is the highlight of the Pamir Highway so far
4:00pm: The shower isn’t working, so we resort to a handful of wet wipes (the first of many “Wet Wipes showers” #adventure)
6:00pm: We enjoy a delicious dinner of vegetable soup and vegetarian plov
Day 6: Langar to Alichur
8:30am: Leaving Langar, we climb in elevation and are in awe of the snowcapped mountains and barren landscapes
9:00am: We’re incredibly lucky to see not one, but two (!) caravans of people, camels, and yaks pass one another. As Baktiar explains, these caravans are full of Kyrgyz people living in Afghanistan who spend 7 days on the road every fall and spring to exchange goods and sell animals in Pakistani markets. The Kyrgyz government used to help these people get passports and visas to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to relocate them; however, this is not possible at the moment given the current political situation
10:00am: We say goodbye to Afghanistan and make our way north. Along the way, we see a broken down car with its hood up. The car uses Diesel gas, which often freezes at the high altitude we are now at. Baktiar knows the men in the car, and we help tow their car back until it is able to start again
10:30am: Baktiar pulls over on the side of the road and points out the “trailhead” of our next hike – a six-mile uphill to the panoramic viewpoint called “Hausibek’s Viewpoint”. As we’re now accustomed to, we’re the only people on the hike. After 3 hours hiking uphill through loose rock and snow, we arrive at the viewpoint which sits at ~15,700 feet (now the highest point of the trip). The views of the mountains are incredible
1:30pm: We make a quick stop at Chukurkul Lake, the first of many beautiful mirror lakes we encounter. Baktiar kicks off a session of skipping rocks across the glassy water
2:30pm: As we make our way towards Bulunkul, the landscape becomes more barren with beautiful multicolored mountains in the distance (but no more snow)
3:00pm We arrive at Bulunkul Lake – a stunning mirror lake that sits just outside of Bulunkul village at the base of multicolored mountains. We also catch our first up close views of the Yaks that dot the landscape surrounding the lake
3:30pm: We drive towards Yashikul Lake just beyond Bulunkul village. As we approach the viewpoint from the top of a hill, Baktiar nods to us as if to say what we are about to see is something special. He’s right — this is the biggest, most spectacular mirror lake we encounter
4:00pm: Baktiar pulls over at a home in Bulunkul village and tells us that this is the one Kyrgyz family that lives here. Not before long, we’re sitting in this family’s home while the mother prepares us a feast of freshly caught and well-fried fish from Bulunkul Lake and Yak cheese. While it isn’t what we’re in the mood to eat at the time, it is a lovely and interesting experience
5:30pm: We arrive in Alichur. Alichur is larger village that sits in the barren valley surrounded by mountains. At ~13,000 feet and exposed in a vast valley, Alichur is harsh, windy, and cold. The homes here are heated by dried Yak poop, which we can attest is very effective and not odorous as one might think
6:00pm: Our homestay for the night is very cozy despite the cold. We chat with the son of the owner of the homestay who lives there with his wife and newborn son. He is also a tour guide, and tells us of his dreams to move to the US in search of a better (and warmer) life
6:30pm: Jessie discovers fresh Yak Yogurt, made from the milk of the homestay’s Yaks. After several bowls to confirm taste, learning about the versatility of Yak milk (our homestay friend once made “Yalloumi” with it), and learning about the health benefits, we add this to our list of potential start-up ideas… stay tuned
Day 7: Alichur to Khorog
7:30am: The Alichur cold kills the car battery, so we have to wait while it charges up inside
8:00am: Still no luck with the car battery, so Jessie, Doug, and our homestay friend push the car to successfully start it (Baktiar was skeptical)
10:00am: After a few hours driving on Soviet asphalt (slightly better than gravel) and a quick stop at another local hot spring, we reach the Gund Valley. There are few places more beautiful than the Gund Valley in the fall. As we descend in altitude, we see the seasons change in real time from red to bright orange to green. We say hello again to the shimmering turquoise water
3:00pm: We arrive back in Khorog. After a disappointing “linner” at a nearby restaurant that serves dishes from all around the world (the pizza we ordered had pickles on it), we decide to return to the Indian hotel for dinner
Day 8: Khorog to Darvos
9:00am: We hit the road towards Darvos. Even though we’ve been on this road before, we appreciate the views from the other direction which are beautiful and feel different from Day 2
10:00am: Baktiar connects to the bluetooth audio and begins playing some English lyric dance music we’ve never heard — this is common in Central Asia. The late 1970s hit “Daddy Kool” by Boney M. (unknown to Jessie and me until now) is very popular in Central Asia. We jam out as we wind through the valleys along the Panj
1:30pm: Hungry, we stop at a cafe along the road that’s popular for truckers driving through the Pamirs. Doug dines on some delicious Pelmeni soup and Jessie has Plov
3:30pm: Baktiar abruptly stops, jumps out of the car, pulls a piece of metal out of the tire, and works to quickly plug the hole and stop the hissing air. Jessie and I watch from the side of the road in awe. He is successful and we hop back in the car and are on our way again. We’re lucky to have avoided this situation until now…
4:15pm: Baktiar stops again — we have another hole in a different tire. This time, Baktiar isn’t able to locate and plug the hole. “Okay, quickly, back in. We’re not too far from Darvos. We go there and fix it when we get there”. Jessie and I quickly hop in and we speed towards Darvos
5:00pm: We arrive at the local tire shop in Darvos. The owner’s adorable granddaughter is hanging around the shop and Jessie befriends her
5:30pm: We arrive at our guesthouse, a different place than on the way in. Like the first place, it also along the river and very beautiful. We drop our stuff in the room and play cards (Egyptian Rat Screw) at a table along the river until dinner
Day 9: Darvos to Dushanbe
9:00am: We enjoy a breakfast of porridge seated alongside some new friends — a woman from Fiji and a man from the US on vacation that are teachers at the International Baccalaureate school in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. We enjoy asking them about life in Bishkek and what the students are like at their school
10:30am: We see our last Taliban soldiers walking in a pair on the other side of the border
11:30am: We soak in our final views of the beautiful layered mountains, the Panj and Afghanistan before turning inland back towards Dushanbe
2:30pm: We overtake an open flatbed full of young children the road as we drive through a row of cotton fields. Baktiar tells us they are headed to pick cotton in one of the fields. While Tajikistan is working to reduce its reliance on child labor, this is a sad reminder of the realities of the developing nation
3:00pm: We drive past the memorial for the four cyclists (two from the US) who were stabbed to death by terrorists in 2018. We’re surprised at the location of the tragedy — a relatively innocuous stretch of road close to Dushanbe
3:30pm: one final stop at the Nurek Reservoir to appreciate its beauty once more
4:00pm: As we make our way into Dushanbe, we see several small Opal sedans with at least 20 feet of stuff tied precariously to the top of their cars (as if one gust of wind would cause the cars to tip over). Baktiar tells us there’s no law in place to dictate how much can be carried on the top of one’s car. It seems like people really take advantage of this in Tajikistan…
8:00pm: After a much needed shower and round of laundry, we meet Baktiar at a fantastic Middle Eastern restaurant, Al Sham, for a last supper before calling the trip a wrap. After dining, we say a tearful and heartfelt goodbye to Baktiar. It was a powerful and nonstop 9 days together, and the reality of this sets in. What an experience! We take comfort knowing we’ll keep in touch through WhatsApp and potentially link up for a reunion in Kyrgyzstan in the future
Sounds beyond fantastic! Thanks for sharing all the stories!