Guide to the Pamir Highway trip

Pamir Highway is an ultimate testament to road travel. It has a lot of things to offer for an adventure traveller. You travel next to Afghanistan for 750 km, separated by a river. China is just a fence away! You can peep into Pakistan. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a few km away from the border. On the other side of the hills lies the mighty Karakoram highway. Pristine lakes, high-altitude landscapes and ruins dating to the 3rd century BC dot the landscape! What else does one need?

For practical travel, the Pamir Highway starts from Dushanbe in Tajikistan and ends at Osh in Kyrgyzstan. It is about 1,500 km drive.

What was my motivation?

I have always been fascinated by travelling to remote areas. My trips to Antarctica and the Easter Island are examples of it. Pamir Highway was on my list for a long time. Things turned positive when my friend Subbu showed interest. It was then not difficult to plan the trip!

Which direction to travel?

The Pamir highway trip can be done either way – from Osh to Dushanbe or from Dushanbe to Osh. I prefer Dushanbe to Osh as the altitude gain is gradual compared to the drive from Osh.

Crossing between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan has been a challenge in the last 2-3 years due to the violent clashes between these countries. The land borders were closed when we planned the trip. While it opened 15 days before our travel in August 2023, it was still logistically challenging to arrange the border crossing. Hence, we chose to do it as a round trip from Dushanbe.

How many days?

Eight days is minimally needed if you are visiting Karakul Lake. You can extend it by adding detours to the journey. There are some great hikes throughout the highway.

What was our itinerary?

We did this trip for 8 days.

• Day 1: Dushanbe to Qalaikumb
• Day 2: Qalaikumb to Khorog
• Day 3: Khorog to Langar on Wakhan corridor
• Day 4: Langar to Murghab via Khargush pass and Bulunkul/Yashikul lakes
• Day 5: Murghab to Karakul lake
• Day 6: Murghab to Khorog on a different route
• Day 7: Khorog to Qalaikumb
• Day 8: Qalaikumb to Dushanbe via Tavildara pass

What is the typical cost of the trip?

It costs between 1,300 USD to 1,800 USD for an 8-11 day roundtrip from Dushanbe. This cost is for one 4X4 vehicle which can carry four people. So, the cost is reduced if there are four people in a group. The price includes the vehicle, fuel and driver charge. You need to pay extra for your stay and food. The stay costs 15-20 dollars per person.

The cost is naturally higher if you book online. If you have time, then you can negotiate for the price in Dushanbe. Else, you can also ask the hostels to arrange the trip.

One challenge is when you are less than four or three people. The trip becomes expensive. There are travel agencies and portals where you can post your ride, and others can join.

We were two people, and we did not have the luxury of waiting in Dushanbe for a cheap trip. So, we booked the trip with a travel agency online. We published the open slots, and two Hungarians joined. It was a great group!

How was the food?

Pamir is a remote area, and hence, the options for food are less. It is a challenge for vegetarians. Even some meat eaters may find it difficult due to the presence of Yak meat. Breakfast and dinner are generally okay, as homestays take care of it. You can specify your dietary needs.

 

Lunch was when we felt the problem, especially in high Pamirs. One day, at Alichur, we ordered vegetarian soup (the only vegetarian item available). When we got the soup, we were convinced that they had only tried to remove Yak meat from the soup. They had done a bad job even with that. So, we practically went hungry that day! Dry fruits and biscuits saved us.

It is a good idea to carry ready-to-eat stuff. You get hot water at the restaurants. Subbu had brought some ready-to-eat food as an experiment and, it worked very well.

 

On a surprise note, there is an Indian restaurant in Khorog named “Delhi Durbar”. Interesting to see the enterprising person from Uttar Pradesh setting up the hotel in that remote area!

 

Do we get network?

I had activated International roaming on my Airtel SIM card for the Central Asian trip. They had tied up with TCell in Tajikistan. While data, SMS and incoming calls worked, it was not possible to make outgoing calls. No idea why.

In Pamir, TCell worked well till the end of the Wakhan corridor. In higher Pamirs, the connection was sporadic. We understood that Megafon worked better in Pamirs.

How are the hotels?

We stayed at homestays and small lodges during our trip. There are also luxury hotels in Kalaikhum and Khorog. In a few homestays, we managed to get private rooms with bathrooms. But, at many places, we had one room for all four of us with a shared bathroom. Overall, no complaints.

How much cash is needed?

Cash is king in Pamir highway. You will be spending on the following items.

• Vehicle – Even though we booked online, we paid only a small part in advance before. The rest of the money was paid in USD during the start of the trip.
• Lunch – Generally, restaurants prefer to take cash in Tajik currency.
• Homestays – You can either pay in USD or in Tajik currency. Since it costs 15-20 USD per day, people do not appreciate large bills or 100 USD.

I did not find any place accepting credit cards on Pamir Highway.

I suggest bringing cash instead of withdrawing from an ATM. Forget Pamir highway, even ATMs in Dushanbe were not working. On the day we arrived in Dushanbe, we did not get money from ATM. Luckily, we found a bank where we could exchange USD for Tajik currency. Exchanging money at land borders is useless as they give ridiculously bad exchange rates.

How are the roads?

The road between Dushanbe and Qalaikhum via Kulog is in great condition, while the road via Tavildara Pass is hopeless. Qalaikhum to Khorog is horrible, with roads under construction. The rest of the roads are mostly in bad shape. Even asphalted sections are not smooth.

Things may change in another 4-5 years. China is currently building highways in Pamirs, and road conditions can dramatically improve.

What is the best time to travel?

While the Pamir Highway is open year-round, it is best to travel during the summer months of June to August. During the off-season, there may be roadblocks due to rain and snow. Homestays may be closed during winter.

Is it worth?

Pamir Highway is not luxury travel. It is expensive, but still, you will have basic facilities everywhere. The roads are bad most of the time. The distances are long, and altitude can make you sick. But if you can endure the inconveniences, it will be an experience that you will cherish for long. I rate it one of the best trips I have done so far.