The Pamir Highway

Introducing The Pamir Highway

The Pamir Hwy from Khorog to Osh (a section of the M41) was built by Soviet military engineers between 1931 and 1934, in order to facilitate troops, transport and provisioning to this very remote outpost of the Soviet empire. Off-limits to travellers until recently, the extremely remote high-altitude road takes you through Tibetan-style high plateau scenery populated by yurts and yaks and studded with deep-blue lakes.

Being a major drug-smuggling artery, the road has several border-guard checkpoints, where you will have to register. Most of the traffic these days is Chinese trucks and minivans travelling to/from Kashgar over the Qolma Pass.

Blue kilometre posts line the way with the distance from Khorog marked on one side and from Osh on the other.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009