Tajikistan

If there is one road in Central Asia that captures the imagination above all others it’s the M41, better known as the Pamir Highway (Памирское шоссе). Technically, the M41 and the Pamir Hwy are not identical thoroughfares: the M41 starts from Dushanbe and extends to the Kyrgyzstan border. The Pamir Hwy, by contrast, refers to a section of the M41 that runs only between Khorog and Osh. But who cares about the technicalities! The route, by whatever name it’s given, is famous for a reason. Whether bending along the hem of Tajikistan, following the Pyanj River, or winding across remote high-altitude pastures, this highway is one of the most spectacular in the world. Built by Soviet military engineers between 1931 and 1934 to facilitate troop transport and provisioning, it’s the world’s second highest road and, in all its potholed, yak-used glory, is a major highlight of visits to the region.

The Wakhan (Ваханская долина) corridor follows the Pyanj River south from Khorog along a narrow canyon to Ishkashim. Here the corridor rounds the bend and follows the Pyanj River through a wider valley towards Langar. The entire corridor on either side of the river is dotted with picturesque villages, nestled in fertile plots of intensively cultivated land and half-buried under fruit-laden orchards. Beyond these slivers of green, the towering valley walls give way to glimpses of the Hindu Kush ('killer of Hindus'), the mountains that mark the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. Apart from the beauty of the journey and the interest arising from travelling within view of Afghan communities across the river, there are several sites of interest along the way, including castle ruins, ancient shrines decorated with ibex horns and sets of petroglyphs. It's even possible to cross into Afghanistan and visit the Wakhan from the other side.

One of the best short-hike destinations in the region, the Jizeu (Jisev, Geisev) Valley offers idyllic landscape around a series of seasonally overflowing, tree-lined lakes. The prettiest lakes are bracketed by two halves of the tiny traditional hamlet of Jizeu (pronounced Jee-sao), which has a wonderful, timeless atmosphere. An added thrill of a visit, albeit a potential logistical problem, is that there's no road, and access to the village footpath starts by bouncing over the gnashing river on a swaying suspension bridge. For those wondering about the wooden contraption that looks like a sentry box, marooned on the shore, this was the former way of crossing, thankfully now retired.

With tiny hamlets occupying slivers of green, terraced slopes, silt-laden waters crashing through the valleys, emerald green lakes and even the mausoleums of a poet and a missionary, this majestic mountain range could keep a visitor occupied for days. Ideally suited to hiking, the area attracts all levels of enthusiasm, skill and fitness, from a gentle walk through pastures of flowers to serious alpine rock climbing. Guides can usually be summoned at short notice from the many homestays dotted through this beautiful region or, for more serious hikes, they can organise multiday expeditions with some notice. For those who prefer four wheels to two legs, the region offers some of the most exciting off-road driving in the country.

Measuring around 4km in length, this stunning lake (2195m), high in the Fan Mountains, is a spectacle not to be missed. Willows, feathery tamarisk and mulberry dress the edges of the shore, and at certain times of the day, the water appears milky white, at others a deep turquoise. The view from the water changes this chameleon of a lake into yet another hue.