The road condition on the M41 (Pamir Highway) was way better than expected and for the next 300km we cruised along while admiring the scenery.

Pamir Highway (source: Wikipedia)

Also known as the Heroin Highway because of the amounts of drugs smuggled on the route, the highway was built by the Soviets to facilitate quicker movement of troops. It is the second highest altitude international highway in the world (going up to 4655m) – the Karakoram Highway connecting China and Pakistan is higher. Back in 2008 I traveled on the Leh-Manali Highway. While not international, it was significantly higher, going up to 5’328m.

Early morning Khorog-Murghab on the M41 Pamir Highway

Early morning Khorog-Murghab on the M41 Pamir Highway

Early morning Khorog-Murghab on the M41 Pamir Highway

Early morning Khorog-Murghab on the M41 Pamir Highway

“Pedestrians” crossing the M41

Early morning Khorog-Murghab on the M41 Pamir Highway

Early morning Khorog-Murghab on the M41 Pamir Highway

Public transport for people and livestock on the M41 Pamir Highway

Signboard on the M41 Pamir Highway

Ascending to the first pass on the Pamir Highway between Khorog and Murghab, the Koi-Tezek Pass (4272m)

Koi-Tezek Pass

Statue along the M41

Driving towards our lunch stop in Alichur

Driving towards our lunch stop in Alichur

The highest pass we crossed was about 4200 masl. We stopped briefly for pilav in Alichur in the middle of nowhere. It is really a harsh environment these people live in, even during summer. I don’t want to imagine what it is like in winter. We (there was a Japanese tourist driving in another car) talked to a young man from Alichur who spoke very good English. I asked him how they survive the winters there?

A thick jacket and some vodka will save your ass

After lunch we started seeing the first yurts – a sign of the increasingly Kyrgyz population

Yurt along the M41

Soon after we started passing about a dozen Chinese trucks

A very clear “pond” with fish along the M41. We were offered fish for lunch in Alichur but didn’t trust it… turns out, it would have probably been very fresh fish

And for my dear readers I also took an underwater photo

Another yurt

Continuing along the M41 Pamir Highway

Finally in Murghab

We reached Murghab at around 4pm. The town is not scenic at all. I doubt many tourists stop here for more than one night. Together with a Japanese roommate I set off to explore what little Murghab has to offer.

Entering Murghab

The bazaar in Murghab, made up of old containers

Murghab bazaar

Two Kyrgyz men (ethnic Kyrgyz but Tajikistan citizen)

Mosque in Murghab

Building in Murghab reminding me of Greek islands

Truck in Murghab

Locals playing volleyball in Murghab

Car in Murghab

Petrol station (obviously) in Murghab

Our destination for the next day, Osh. Another 417km of driving to Kyrgyzstan.

I initially contemplated spending two nights here but quickly made up my mind to continue the next morning bright and early.

Khorog is the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in eastern Tajikistan. While its area makes up around 45% of the country’s land area, it contains only 3% of the population. Yep, mostly rocks.

View of Khorog

But what is interesting about the people (Pamiris) is that they are followers of Ismaili Shias, while the vast majority of the rest of Tajikistan are Sunni. Only about 10-15% of the world’s muslims are Shia and of those, only a small fraction are Ismaili Sunnis. They recognize the Aga Khan as the hereditary imam. The current Aga Khan was born in Switzerland and promotes economic progression in the region significantly through the Aga Khan Foundation. During my short stay, I found Khorog to be very progressive, both economically and culturally.

Gunt River

Gunt River

My goal for the day was to organize a ride for the next day (or the day after) towards Murghab. I could buy a seat in a shared jeep for about 150 TJS (19 USD) but that car would just zip through the Pamir Highway and would probably result in the same experience as the day before. Thanks but no thanks. What I really wanted to do is break the journey into two days but instead drive through the Tajik Wakhan Valley which is supposed to be amazingly beautiful. The road follows the border for several hundred kilometers before heading north to Murghab. However all quotes I received from drivers were to expensive if it was just me. Despite posting a note in the Tourist Information Center and asking around the backpacker hotel, I couldn’t find anyone else.

Park in Khorog

But I did bump into a Kyrgyzstan driver who had just finished a tour and would head home the next day. Hence we settled on 500 TJS (63 USD) to Murghab. In turn I would have the car for myself and could go at my own pace.

The kind of car I chose (left) and another Mongol Rallye car…

With that settled, I explored the local bazaar with some roommates from the homestay.

Khorog bazaar

Music stall at the Khorog bazaar

Watermelons at Khorog bazaar

I was almost a bit sad to leave Khorog after only one day. While the town doesn’t have that many sights, it does have a very relaxing vibe. It reminded me a little bit of Leh in the Ladakh Valley, India. I might return one day, next time by air though.

Afghanistan consulate in Khorog for the adventurous travelers

Sunset in the Pamir mountains

Pamir shared taxi stand in Dushanbe at 6am

An die Herren der Michel + Jenni AG aus Belp: falls sie einen ihrer LKW vermissen, er steht am Pamir taxi stand in Dushanbe

All cars going to the Pamir are four-wheel drive Mitsubishis, Land Rovers or some other similar brands. While prices are fairly fixed (based on which seat you choose), there is no cooperative. And in this case I think it would actually make sense. Because here every driver tried to fill his car. I just chose the car that had the most luggage already on top, figuring it would leave first. But while I was passenger 5 out of 7 and we quickly had number 6 as well, we waited and waited. And then for some strange reason which I never understood (again due to my lack of Russian language skills), we waited some more. We finally left at 8.45am. Other cars did not leave much before us, so it was clear that we’d arrive in the dark for the last part of the journey.

Preparing the car for a long drive

We followed the A385 south with beautiful scenery. Unfortunately I sat in the very back with tinted windows and was not really able to take any decent photos. The car had a 2-3-3 “seating configuration”, so there was the driver and a passenger in the front, three passengers in the middle and three in the back. Yes, it was very cramped. Apologies for the bad photos that follow, its the best I could do.

Nurek Reservoir

Old fortress somewhere along the A385

After about three hours we stopped at Kulob for some very good lunch.

Lunch stop in Kulob

We followed the A385 east and then north, joining the river separating Tajikistan and Afghanistan. For the next several hundred kilometers we drove along the border. Afghanistan at times was just 20 meters on the other side of the river and it was interesting seeing how much simpler houses and roads were on the other side. Eventually the road also got very bad on the Tajikistani side. At this point the drive started to get annoying and the mixtape of Tajik love songs and Reggaeton (which for some reasons seems to be very popular in Central Asia) started to repeat.

One of the countless checkpoints

And another checkpoint. Not sure what they check because nobody ever wanted to see my passport or permit for Gorno Badakhshan

View from the back window. Afghanistan on the other side of the Panj river

A day later I talked to some Germans participating in the Mongol Rallye. Appartently a day before we passed the region, they were doing road construction on the Afghanistani side. This was doing using explosives. The Germans’ car was hit by a fist-sized rock, fortunately on the roof. At least it was just a rock flying over from Afghanistan. I guess you could say they were just a stone’s throw from Afghanistan.

After a long six hours since the lunch break, we stopped again for a snack. It was a beautiful terrace overlooking the river and the Afghanistani shores. But by this time I was completely exhausted and we still had three hours ahead of us. Fortunately the road got slightly better. And without anything further worthwhile mentioning, we made it to Khorog shortly before 9pm. Finally. A “taxi” dropped me off at the homestay “Lalmo’s” where I was greeted with a filling and tasty dinner and met several other travelers.

Panj river

View from our last stop – Afghanistan on the other side of the river

Few hours to go to Khorog

Another roadblock, at least this time no police

While Uzbekistan was full of over 50s tour groups from Italy and Spain, it was nice to meet some individual travelers in Tajikistan, most of which are on epic trips and have exciting stories to share. Over a bottle of Tajik wine, I learned about some of their adventures.

Tasty meal after a long day on the road