A legendary road · Tajikistan
Pamir Highway
From Dushanbe to Osh over passes above 4,600 m.
The Pamir Highway (the M41) is one of the great road journeys in the world. From Dushanbe it follows the Panj river along the Afghan border to Khorog, then climbs onto the high plateau through Murghab, over the Ak-Baital Pass (4,655 m) and past Karakul lake before descending to Osh in Kyrgyzstan.
Most travellers take the detour through the Wakhan Valley. Allow at least ten days from Dushanbe to Osh, and twelve to fourteen if you want rest days and hikes.
The season is June to September. Snow can close the high passes outside this window, and nights on the plateau are cold even in August.
- Time needed
- 10–14 days
- Best time
- June–September
- Getting there
- Starts in Dushanbe and ends in Osh (or the reverse). Requires a GBAO permit.
Don’t miss
Highlights
- 01
Panj river road
Days of driving with Afghanistan across the river.
- 02
Khorog
The Pamiri capital and a good rest stop.
- 03
Ak-Baital Pass
The highest point of the highway.
- 04
Karakul
A vast, high lake near the Kyrgyz border.
- 05
Murghab
A frontier town on the high plateau.
Tips
- Permits. You need a Tajik visa or e-visa and a GBAO permit for Gorno-Badakhshan, which can be requested with the e-visa.
- Altitude. Much of the eastern Pamir lies above 3,500 m. Ascend gradually through the Wakhan before the plateau.
- Where you sleep. Mostly simple homestays and guesthouses with shared bathrooms.
- Direction. The route works both ways; starting in Dushanbe lets you acclimatise in the Wakhan before the high plateau.
Nearby
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