Tajikistan-Kyrgyzstan motorcycle trip

After our flight, we land in Osh, the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan. We are picked up and can rest for a few more hours in our hotel. After lunch, we set out on a short tour outside the city to familiarize ourselves with the motorcycles. We will spend the night in Osh.

Today's day tour (approx. 150 km) takes us first to the Papan Lake, the water reservoir of Osch. On unpaved gravel roads, we drive through a green valley and then over one of the many passes south of the city. On a well-built road, we drive back to Osch in the afternoon.

Our journey today is long and dusty. However, we are rewarded with many new, unfamiliar impressions that make us forget all our efforts. The beer in the evening at our beautiful hotel tastes even better because of it.

We leave the agriculturally shaped Fergana Valley and cross the first major pass on a good road. This takes us further through a deep, wild gorge to the turnoff to Lake Iskander. On the natural road, we reduce our speed to safely navigate the switchbacks to the lake. We spend the night directly by the turquoise blue lake.

While our support vehicle drives through the dreaded Anzob tunnel on the way to Dushanbe, we cross a pass that is over 3,000 meters high. Since all traffic goes through the dark and wet tunnel, we have the impressive pass all to ourselves. We spend the night in Dushanbe.

There are two ways to get to Kalaikum: Either on the winter route in the south of Tajikistan or on the M41 across the mountains, on bumpy roads that are partially interrupted by streams. We choose the second, more challenging but all the more attractive route whenever possible. We spend the night in a homestay. This gives us the opportunity to gain insight into the daily life of a Tajik family and also to enjoy their generous hospitality.

The mighty river Pansch accompanies us to Khorog. The river and the road wind through a fascinating rock gorge. On the other side of the river, almost every green spot is used as a site for an Afghan village. Khorog, a university town in the middle of the Pamirs, offers us a cozy hotel and a good dinner.

Our journey continues through the Wakhan Valley, along the border to Afghanistan until we reach Bibi Fatima. The Wakhan Valley is inhabited by its own ethnic group. These people differ not only by their own language but also visibly and culturally from the Tajiks. In Bibi Fatima, we have a magnificent view over the Wakhan Valley. We of course also make use of the hot spring, which is beautifully situated in a rock grotto and invites us to a delightful bath with water that is over 40 degrees warm. We spend the night in Bibi Fatima.

On the drive to the Pamir Plateau, the air gets thinner, but the visibility is all the clearer. Apart from wild camels, yaks, and a few shepherds, we find ourselves alone in this seclusion. We spend the night in a homestay by Lake Bulunkul and have time to visit hot springs and a "mini geyser".

We are now on the legendary Pamir Highway or the M41. The road was built by the Soviets along the Afghan and Chinese border. Today, it is still partially used by Chinese transport vehicles. We are crossing four passes over 4,000 meters high. The Ak-Baital Pass with its 4,655 meters is the highest of them all. In Murgab, a former coal mining town, we spend the night in a hotel and, apart from hot springs, can once again stand under a shower after days.

Our journey continues to the beautifully situated Karakul Lake. We will spend the night in Karakul right by the lake. The next day we cross our last pass, the Kyzyl-Art at an altitude of 4,200 meters. Here we reach the border to Kyrgyzstan.

Before heading back to Osch, we take a detour to the base camp of Pik Lenin at over 3,500 meters altitude and enjoy a fantastic view of this mountain giant in good weather.

The last 250 km show us a completely different scenery compared to the impressive Pamir Mountains. Colorful rocks and changing vegetation merge in a wonderful way. In the evening we return...

The last day of our Pamir tour belongs to the city of Osh. We have plenty of time for a city tour or a visit to the bazaar.

Early in the morning, we will be taken from the hotel to the airport, where we will already be embarking on our return flight home.