The Pamir mountains, or Pamirs or Pamir Knot, is a large region of high ground at the junction of several other mountain ranges of which the best-known is the Himalayas. The terrain is difficult and the population sparse. There are several mountains over 7,000Â m (higher than anything outside the Greater Himalaya region) and some large glaciers.
This article covers only the part of the range in Tajikistan, officially the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. However, the Pamir range extends across borders; see Northeast Afghanistan and Northwest Pakistan for the parts in other countries. The Ferghana Valley region of Kyrgyzstan runs along the northern edge of the Pamirs and one end of the Pamir Highway is the Krygyz town of Osh.
The Pamir River starts in the Pamirs and leads down to Bactria where it joins several other tributaries to form one of the region's greatest rivers, now called the Amu Darya but known in ancient times as the Oxus. Further north, in the Ferghana Valley, other rivers that start in the Pamirs combine to form the Syr Daria, known in ancient times as the Jaxartes.
Alexander the Great stopped at the edge of the Pamirs; he took Transoxania (north of the Oxus) and the Jaxartes became his northern border. The Mongol Empire also took nearby areas but did not much intrude into the mountains. The Persian Empire and later the Russian Empire, however, did take control in these mountains as well as nearby lowlands. The British Raj nibbled at the southern edge, taking parts of the range that are now in Pakistan.
The region has no big cities; the largest town is Khorugh with a population around 30,000.
The Pamir Mountains are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
As elsewhere in Central Asia, most people in the area are Muslim. Unlike most of their neighbours, many in this region are followers of the Ismaili branch of the faith. Pamiri Ismailis will often describe themselves as more "free" than other branches of Islam, and indeed attitudes are noticeably less conservative than in Dushanbe. The Aga Khan heads one branch of the Ismalis, centered in India, and is among the world's richest men. He is held in high regard by Pamiris and has done a huge amount to help the region; schooling and healthcare in Khorugh for example is often of a higher standard than in Dushanbe, and generous international scholarships are provided for Ismaili children.
This is one of the areas described in the books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools. These books describe the work of the Central Asian Institute and of Greg Mortensen, the mountain-climber turned school builder. These books are highly recommended and are largely responsible for his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize.
There are several Pamiri languages, all related to Persian. Persian â either the Tajik dialect or the Dari variant of Afghanistan â is also widely spoken and serves as a lingua franca.
The region was part of the Soviet Union and Russian is the most commonly spoken language not native to the region.
A special permit is required to enter the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (short GBAO, which covers all of the Tajik part of Pamir) (Nov 2022). It costs USD20 and is available online (for nationals of countries eligible for the e-visa) or in Dushanbe OVIR for about 70 somoni. It is not available on arrival, if you are asked to pay for a "permit" when crossing the internal border, this is a blatant bribe.
Department of Visas and Registration (OVIR), 5 Mirzo Tursunzoda street, Dushanbe, 38.571445°, 68.797265°. Mo-Sat 8:00-17:00. Go here to get your GBAO permit. If it's not too busy and you arrive before noon, you will be able to pick up the permit in the afternoon of the same day. If you stay in Tajikistan more than 10 days, you will also have to register here. 2022-11-10 You could take a flight from Dushanbe to Khorog. There is a 14-seater flight every morning to Khorog, but its departure depends on weather conditions and the number of passengers. Tickets to the flight are sold a day in advance at the Dushanbe airport.
Pamir Highway (M41). This is the main road through the region; it runs from Dushanbe to Osh via Khorog. You could share/hire a jeep from the jeep stand near the airport in Dushanbe to Khorog. This will take between 12 and 15 hours and privately hiring a jeep costs around $400. From Khorog you can hitch on a fuel tanker or truck on its way back to Kyrgyzstan, or hire your own vehicle from Khorog. It is also possible to get an occasional shared van to Murghab and from there to Osh. Most days will also see a jeep or shared taxi head towards Ishkashim. Lorries and fuel tankers in the Pamirs are mind-numbingly slow, hitching the M41 is not a game for the impatient or the time-pressed. The first vehicle with space will usually give you a ride, but as with many places in the former Soviet Union, you are expected to pay for the ride. It can take anywhere from 2 hours to 2 days to get a ride. There many only be 2 or 3 vehicles going in your direction each day.
The Kulma pass đ is the only border crossing between China and Tajikistan. Although the pass is officially open for nationals of all countries, travelers repeatedly reported they were not able to cross through the borders. The Chinese side is downhill 14 km away, right next to the Karakorum Highway.
The Wakhan Corridor is an old trade route leading across the southern edge of the Pamirs from Afghanistan to China. However, it was never a major route because the terrain is difficult and the hill tribes can be. Since it is all in Afghan territory, it is almost certainly too dangerous for travel today.
There are some typical arranged itineraries, e.g.
These trips can also be done by public transport, which may take a few days more. The routes are also frequently used by cyclists, organised or independently.
Example for a typical 5-day/4-night trip from Dushanbe to Osh:
A six-day tour may add a stop in remote Ali Chur.
An alternative example for a slightly longer 10d/9n trip from Dushanbe to Dushanbe (staying in Tajikistan):
If you have more time, you may add a stop in Murgab.
This trip was 1,600⏠in Nov 2022 (organised with PECTA, food/accomodation/tips excluded). However, 860⏠of this was spent just for the transfer from Dushanbe to Khorog (both ways). You can cut the cost for this part of the journey considerably by using public transport such as marshrutka or shared taxi. It will be way less comfortable (and potentially safe), but also an interesting experience.
View the wild life like the Marco Polo Sheep.
Mountain climbing.
Hiking and trekking.
Skiing.
Be part of a very expensive tour group. (Or travel on the cheap and hitchhike.)
Sit and enjoy the silence and views.
Pamirs Eco-Cultural Tourism Association (PECTA), 37.4902113°, 71.5475549°, +992 934425555, info@pecta.tj. PECTA is a tourism association comprising drivers, homestays, as well as tour operators and hotels in Pamir. They can help you plan a trip with fair working conditions for the drivers and homestays. Accomodation is not included and paid directly to the homestay owners. The drivers will organise accomodation and point out interesting activies as you travel through the mountains. 7,000 somoni (âŹ0.70) per km driven (incl. fuel and any costs regarding the car) and 200,000 for the driver per day 2022-11-10
Rice, eggs, snacks, yak butter, bread, mutton, Pamiri tea (sheer-chai), freshly made warm bread (non).
Tea, surprisingly good coffee, and vodka. Yak milk.
There are a number of homestays in most villages on the Pamir highway. They are usually in homes built in traditional Pamiri style. They are made with wood, with five pillars, a sky light and richly decorated with carpets. You are ensured great hospitality and simple but delicious meals.
Travel guides typically suggest 15,000 somoni per person per night as an average for these homestays, but 20,000 is closer to the mark. (Oct 2022)
Most homestays shut down during winter (ca. November-March). Ask around to find someone who opens up.
Zong Village - Homestay of Mavluda. 130,000 somoni per person per night incl dinner and breakfast.
Alichur - Ask for the English teacher, meet her family, and you decide how much money to leave behind. Alternatively, there is Cafe & Hoste Marco Polo homestay which also runs Cafe Goldenfish right next to it at the Eastern end of the village. Also offers activities such as Yak Safari or Marco Polo spotting.
Bulunkul - Either Homestay of Nisso or Orsu (another teacher).
Sanatorii Dzhielondi (Sanatorium), Jelondy (on the M41 between Khorogh and Murghab), 37.57511°, 72.58257°. If you're up for a little SPA treatment whilst travelling through the Pamirs, take up refuge for a night in this former sanatorium from the Soviet area. Fed by one of the (very) hot springs in the area, diving into the large pool of steaming water takes some courage but luckily there's some cold showers to cool off afterwards. Entry to the pool is included in the room rate. Restaurant with basic food on site. TJS50 p.p./night 2019-08-28
A zealous policeman in Murghab may want to register you with the police or complain if you were taking photos. This isn't a problem, registration should be known well enough simply getting to the area.
There is some risk of altitude sickness.
One end of the Pamir Highway is at Osh, from where you easily reach anywhere in the Ferghana Valley. The other is at Dushanbe, from where you easily reach anywhere in Bactria. Beyond those, anywhere in Central Asia is possible; the most interesting destination that is nearby and reasonably safe is Samarkand.
There is the border crossing at Kulma Pass into China open year round, officially open now also for foreign nationals - but have wads of US dollars handy to facilitate your passage.