Getty Images

The Pamir Highway

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.

Attractions

Must-see attractions for your itinerary

Hulbuk Fortress
The Pamir Highway
Destroyed by the Mongols, the sparse remnants of this fortified palace have been undergoing excavation since 1951 and now a fine reconstruction of the…
Balun-Kul
The Pamir Highway
Mirrorlike lake Bulun-Kul (3737m) looks magnificent in the morning light, reflecting the mineral streaks of a low, multicoloured ridge opposite. The water…
Shurabad Pass
The Pamir Highway
With any luck, there will be enough light left in the day after any delays crossing the Shurabad Pass to enjoy the first glimpse of the raging Pyanj River…
Central Park
The Pamir Highway
It’s hard to believe that Khorog’s Central Park was dug up to grow crops during the famine of the 1990s. It has since been renovated by the Aga Khan Trust…
Afghan Village Viewpoint
The Pamir Highway
Perhaps the most appealing stretch of the A385 is between Rogak and Khostov (after the popular Yakhchi Hisor roadside springs). From this vantage point it…
Shakty Cave Paintings
The Pamir Highway
Soviet archaeologists apparently took shelter in the caves at Shakty (Шахты; 4200m) during a storm one night in 1958, only to awake the next morning to…
Pamir Botanical Gardens
The Pamir Highway
At the entrance to the Shokh Dara Valley, 5km east of town, this arboretum encompasses a couple of hundred hectares of parkland and is claimed to be the…
Ancient Shrine
The Pamir Highway
Set within a traditional walled enclosure and now protected within an octagonal cover added in the 1990s, this is one of several authentic ancient Ismaili…