This is my favourite post because it features the very iconic and famous Pamir Highway which is up-to-now, the best drive of my trip. “Pamir” is also what most travellers will mention when they hear “The Silk Road” because it is literally the world’s second highest highway covering trails that Alexander The Great, Genghis Khan and Marco Polo travelled. It is the quintessential heart of The Silk Road or Spice Route.
I explain at the end of this post the exact geography and topography of the Pamir Highway and its relationship to Highway M41 and which parts we actually travelled. It took me 6 days to travel a total of 1,776km across this mighty Pamir. I present the story and pictures, day by day.
This post covers 5 out of the 6 days across the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan. The next post covers the 6th and last day of the Pamir Highway in Kyrgyzstan.
PAMIR HIGHWAY – DAY 1:
DUSHANBE TO BUSH CAMP AT DASHTI YAZGHULOM HAMLET (102KM AFTER KALAIKHUM)
451km from 8am to 1230am+1 and 823m to 1,665m
My Pamir experience started at 8am on 26 May 2025 as the truck rolled away from Dushanbe. Speaking of truck, the last time I rode the truck was 13 days ago so it seemed like a new overland trip to me. Much to my surprise everyone had reserved seats from the night before since I was the first to enter with only 2 places left to sit !!! Today we travelled 355km over 9 elapsed hours to my first bush camp 7km after our target of Khorog. My last bush camp was 15 days ago. Our first day Pamir drive was what I would call a build-up to dramatic landscape. The first two hours were mainly farmland until we got to the Norak Reservoir, a huge man-made lake with very dramatic island landscapes through it. This was before the first main city of Danghara. From Danghara to the next main city of Kulob was also sedate with rolling hills and some deep valleys. We rose and fell from 700m to 1500m and back down to 700m. Finally, things got interesting after Kulob rising up to 2000m to reveal a huge mountain range in Afghanistan. We made a dramatic descent into a valley opposite this mountain range and started travelling along the Panj River which is the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan. We travelled right next to this river with Afghanistan only a few hundred metres away from us !!! Afghanistan was desolate and dry and extremely mountainous. Then it came !!! The only road sign in Tajikistan pointing to Afghanistan – a small road leading to a bridge over the river border. Suffice to say we stopped and took tons of photos. From here it was an electrifying drive through a narrow canyon with huge mountains on either side of the border. The river raged with speed and wash. No one could pass – a natural boundary – no barbed wire required here. We even saw a traditional Afghan villages made entirely of mud brick. We tried to find a bush camp spot before reaching Kalaikhum but no luck. We then started to drive towards tomorrow’s destination of Khorog and about 7km out we found a great spot on the river opposite an Afghan Muslim Seminary being built on the other side of the raging Panj River. Only one problem. The truck could not enter the flat area with some dried grass because of a huge boulder on the entry path. Then a miracle. Along comes a huge bulldozer and hey presto, the driver clears the boulder like it’s a marble and accepts only applause from us and no money !!! Where did he come from ? How was this timed so well ? Amazing what can happen on an overland expedition !!! On the downside, we had to get up at 4am tomorrow to travel a 100km section of the Pamir after Kalaikhum which is being rebuilt from 7am to 7pm – the aim is to cover this 100km in 3hrs before the road closes to traffic. So, no movie tonight. As dinner was cooked, a large crowd of Afghan locals appeared on the opposite bank to check out our big orange truck. Not long after this our miracle was undone. Three armed (but friendly) Tajik soldiers in army greens turned up out of nowhere and asked us to pack up and drive away saying we were too close to the border. We packed up and had our dinner on the truck. The plan was to drive the 100km now and find another bush camp just after the road closure. First time we drove post sunset in total darkness and on one of the crappiest roads to date given it was being rebuilt. That 100km took us 4.5hrs and a James Bond film stopping at midnight. Many people I decided to sleep in truck whilst others settled for a ground mat and sleeping bag only outside. I decided to pitch my tent just in case it rained and went to sleep almost instantly to the soothing sound of the gushing Panj River.
Here are my Pamir Day 1 dreams in photo form…
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PAMIR HIGHWAY EXTENSION – DAY 2:
BUSH CAMP AT DASHTI YAZGHULOM HAMLET (102KM AFTER KALAIKHUM) TO KHOROG
139km from 630am to 5pm and 1,665m to 2,189m
It did rain but I did not wake to the sound of drops on my tent but our driver Adrian asking me to get up. Wake up time was 7pm but since everyone else was up by 6am, I was invited to join them at 6:15am. No worries. The sooner we got to Khorog, the better, since a nice warm bed and supermarket was waiting for us. The landscape was much the same as Day 1 since the entire trip to Khorog was along the Panj River with huge Afghan mountains on one side and the same on our Tajik side. It started out very bare, hardly any green and no villages on either side. At 9am we made a brekkie stop at the village of Qalot. Just cereal and fruit so we could continue quickly. The day was drab – cloudy and hugging 2000m elevation. Nevertheless, I was focused on moving panorama photos since truck was not going fast but the bumps made it equally challenging. A pee stop at the village of Barushon brought out many curious students from the adjacent high school but their English was limited. The day remained overcast until we arrived at the popular Pamir Lodge – our home for the next two nights. It was around 5pm and time to swing into action to get some more wine and determine if I could hire my own jeep to take me solo to the Wakhan Corridor (most scenic section) during our spare day tomorrow so I could film and photograph without any interference. Success. Jeep hired for a measly $320USD with no one to rush me or bother me. Dinner was included. Chicken and rice at 830pm. Straight to bed after that to rise again for an altitude run at 2,200m…
Here is Pamir 2, cloudy but still impressive…
PAMIR HIGHWAY EXTENSION – DAY 3:
DAY TRIP 4WD THROUGH WAKHAN CORRIDOR: ISHKOSHIM TO LANGAR RETURN.
455km from 1030am to 1130pm and 2,189m to 2,791m
Slept in to 7am then off I went to run the town of Khorog (Pop 31,100, Elev 2,189m). This town’s main function is to service the many travellers that come to experience the Pamir Highway, including cyclists and Harley enthusiasts. Plenty of hotels, chops and restaurants. Even an air strip for light aircraft. My run went surprisingly well at 2,200m. Got back with plenty of time to get ready for my trip. My driver Souage turned up on time at 10am but we had a problem. I could on pay in USD and he need local to refuel. The owners did not have enough local cash so the wonderful wife Zubida went to the bank with my driver to convert my USD into local. She knows the banker so it should take less time. They returned in just 30min and we I set off for the premier Pamir experience at 1030am. A setback you ask ? No. Because it created a bigger gap between my car and the two cars that left at 930am with 10 truck people. I did not want to overlap with them so I could get clear shots of all attractions. My journey almost finished before it started !!! About one hour into it we stopped at a police check. They asked for my passport. It was at the hotel. They accepted the photo on my phone. Then they asked for my visa – BONG – I had no photo of it since I never thought anyone would ask for it. Now what ? Then a sign of relief. One of the officers pointed to a photo of a Pamir Permit. What a relief. I had just taken a photo of mine before I left thinking, now that is something they may ask for since it is the Pamir I am travelling today and did not want to bring my passport. They accepted it with a smile. My trip was saved !!! But wait, that’s not all. Half way through we both heard a sharp crack like a stick cracking from under the bonnet ! Oh no ! We stopped, cracked open the hood (bonnet) and behold… the bracket that held the battery down at the front had burst in half and was glowing orange on the sides. Because of the shit road it had slid down and touched the positive battery terminal sending a current across it and heating it up to oblivion. Souage removed it and off we went. Saved again. God wanted me to see and shoot the Wakhan Corridor and send it back to you !!! How else can I explain an absolutely picture-perfect day with perfect sun, perfect wispy photo clouds and scenery to die for, not once but twice !!!
I have decided not to describe my solo journey through the Wakhan Corridor (Valley) so I can leave more room for more God’s picture-perfect photos that will paint the picture of the only words I have to offer: this 455km, 13hr epic journey was a PICTORIAL BANQUET. Before I hand you over to feast on the photos may I summarise some interesting observations I made:
1 I saw more of Afghanistan than I did Tajikistan – all the photos you will see are of Afghanistan !!!
2 Afghanistan and Tajikistan are separated by the Panj River which is 921km long.
3 Some Afghan and Tajik villages are so close to each other that local people can talk to each other.
4 Where the two countries are separated by just tens of metres there are horseshoe shaped stone structures 2m long by 1m high every 100m that are actually mini-bunkers just in case an Afghan decided to take a pot shot at a Tajik army border guard.
5 I saw many army guys walking the border in green camouflage gear looking very very young and Souage explained that all males must serve 2yrs in the military after high school and most end up on the Panj River border !!!
6 The Wakhan Valley is actually part of an autonomous province within Tajikistan called Gorno-Badakhstan.
It was magic driving back at sunset and night in such an isolated, inhospitable place. Here I was working on my laptop with olives and rose at my side while the car danced around on the crappy dirt road for close to 400km. Next to me. Souage smoked and laughed. On my left was Afghanistan and my right Tajikistan. Spooky but stimulating. I was in another world so far from everything I knew. What an epic day. Can one day qualify as EPIC ? Why not ? One of the longest day trips I have done. Souage made it so much easier and enjoyable with his traditional and modern Tajik musical tunes. The former sounded Greek in many parts. The latter reached the highs of Eurovision !!! He even put on DJ mixes of popular Western Hits worthy of my films – if only my Shazam worked !!! Souage and I made a stop in Ishkoshim at around 845pm to rest and grab some snacks we could eat in the car. After a HUGE day I arrived at the hostel around 1130pm. The gracious Zubida had left a plate of dinner in my room so I proceeded to add rose and an episode of The Royle Family to help me celebrate this brilliant day before a well-earned sleep.
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PAMIR HIGHWAY M1 – DAY 4:
KHOROG TO MURGHAB.
315km from 8am to 1130pm form 2,189m to 3,651m
Slept at 1am last night and had no trouble rising at 6am, even after a late soup and plenty of rose. Just before leaving at 8am, we received the terrific news – no bush camp tonight given an overnight forecast of 2C at a height around 3,600m and the low likelihood of finding a bush camp site. Today’s drive to Murghab followed the actual M41 as opposed to yesterday’s alternate route via the Makhan Valley. Today’s route was immediately different. Narrow gorge-like valleys, mountains close, snow peaks lower and lots of little villages next to the river. The other big difference – no Afghanistan !!! Mountains on both sides belong to Tajikistan. The further we travelled west to east, the wider the valley to the point where it could support agriculture with larger villages. Some of the mountain peaks still had plenty of snow on them making for some great shots (as you will see soon). We cracked 3,000m around 1130am. Ascent was very gradual.
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PAMIR HIGHWAY M1 – DAY 5:
MURGHAB TO LAKE KARAKUL.
133km from 3,651m to 4,655m to 3,971m
It was a good sleep despite the altitude. Up at 815am and looking forward to riding at the front to get that classic Lake Karakul photo. At 9am we walked down to the main road to spend the last of our Tajik currency since tonight was our last night in Tajikistan with no opportunity to spend money at our homestay.
Murghab (Pop 6,300, Elev 3,618m) is the highest town in Tajikistan (and of the former Soviet Union). It is where the Pamir Highway crosses the Bartang river and used mainly as a stop-over by tourists, especially cyclists after gruelling ascents.
Murghab looks like an Alaskan or Icelandic outpost. There are two small grocery shops and a small bazaar comprising shipping containers selling homewares. Local people very friendly. At 10am we were off into the broad anti-plano with snow-covered jagged peaks on either side. Once again I will not describe the landscape but let the photos do the talking.
I leave you only with observations:
1. 53km after leaving Murghab at 4,287m we encountered an old rusted fence that is the border with China !!!
2. 66km after leaving Murghab at 4,327m it stated snowing outside.
3. 73km after leaving Murghab at 4,655m we reached the highest point of the Pamir Highway M41 called the AK-BAITAL PASS. This is the 2nd highest highway elevation in the world.
We arrived at our homestay in the village of Lake Karakul at 330pm. So good to be here early after two consecutive nights of 1130pm arrivals. The home we stayed in belonged to two families with 5 rooms dedicated to visitors. Room lights are powered by a solar farm dedicated to the village but there is no charging of devices and no internet. It was all power bank night tonight. There are two outdoor toilets and one outdoor hose. The hose is the shower !!! 10C water in a 10C shower. It was all baby wipes night tonight !!!
After arrival, walked down to the large lake of the same name with a nice 10C thanks to a wind off the lake. Lake Karakul is a flooded crater formed by a meteorite that hot the earth 2.4 million years ago – this is considered “recent” !!! It has a diameter of 52 km and its surface area is 380 square kilometres 3,960 m above sea level. It has an average depth of 210m and a maximum depth of 230m. By 530pm I was sipping rose at 3,971m and did not have to drink as much to get the same buzz. At 7pm we sat down to a nice home-cooked dinner starting with a warm soup of cabbage, potato and carrots. Main was noodles with pieces of potato and yak !!!. This town has a large herd of yaks which they share selling some of the meat for potatoes, flour and sugar. There is not much that will grow on the cold hard earth of this place. After dinner, finished one of my James Bonds films along with close to a bottle of wine and slipped into an early sleep.
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For our last day on the Pamir Highway M1, tune into the next Post 24 which kicks off Kyrgyzstan since we finish it in Osh City in Kyrgyzstan.
THE PAMIR HIGHWAY IN A NUTSHELL
Allow me to present this famous stretch of road in terms of numbered facts:
1. The “Pamir Highway” is the informal and almost romanticised name for the official “M41 Highway” or simply “M41” or “M-41”.
2. The M41 was built 1923-1937 by the former USSR between Dushanbe in Tajikistan and Osh City in Kyrgyzstan as the only viable route through the huge and high Pamir Mountain Range.
3. The M41 peaks at 4,655 at the Ak-Batail Pass and 1,253km long.
4. The M41 is the second-highest highway in the world at 4,655m, after the nearby Karakorum Highway (peaks at 4,714m).
5. The M41 and other roads that connect to the M41 passed over old trails that were used in the original Silk Road that was traversed by Alexander The Great, Genghis Khan and Marco Polo and it is these extensions (non-M41) along with the original M41 that were all unofficially named The Pamir Highway because of tourism. This is why the M41 and Pamir Highway are strictly not the same thing.
6. Some of these extensions also traversed Uzbekistan and Afghanistan and called the Pamir Highway because Marco Polo traversed them which is why there is debate about where the Pamir Highway starts and stops.
Below is the official topography the touristy Pamir Highway.
END OF POST - Stay tuned for Pamir Day 6...
