Pamir Highway by bike

Langar - Khargush Pass, 58 km, 1325 ⇑m

Rain and cold for a change

We say goodbye to the Panj valley and start climbing the 4344 m high Khargush pass. On the first 20 km we climb from 2800 m to 3600 m. The first section out of Langar is the steepest. The sky is covered with grey clouds, light rain is falling. For the first time it is cold. During the morning the rain is getting stronger and the temperatures are dropping to 8 °C. We seek shelter in an abandoned house. A good decision. Around noon the rain is over, the sun breaks through the clouds and after a while it’s 20 °C warm.

Dry mountain slopes in colors from red to sand characterize the landscape. Right hand side the Pamir has carved a deep canyon. Every now and then a creek runs down the hillside, lined by stripes of vegetation. It looks like green veins on the dry slopes.

The road descends, the Pamir ascends and soon we ride along its bank. A small, sandy road along a mountain river about 10 m wide. We make ourselves aware, that the small river marks the border to Afghanistan. At kilometer 40 the valley opens. The mountains enclosing the wide valley are still over 5000 m high, but appear much smaller than the last days.

The road is tough. The washboard is quite bad in some sections. The route is not as lonely as expected. During the day we see roughly 40 cars and motorbikes. A young couple from Denmark and Hungary and two men from England and Romania also take up the challenge by bike.

Later the day we watch bactrian camels grazing on both shores of the Pamir - they don’t care about the border. A few kilometers later we pitch our tent on a narrow, bumpy meadow next to a clear and cold creek.

Rain in the climb after Langar.

Temperatures are dropping to 8 °C.

A creek runs down the hillside.

Stripes of vegetation line the creeks, like green veins.

Cushion plant at the roadside.

The small Pamir river marks the border to Afghanistan.

Bactrian camels at the Pamir river.

The Pamir has carved a deep canyon.

Khargush Pass - Bulunkul, 65 km, 900 ⇑m

Welcome to Mars

The weather is fine again. The road remains a challenge. Deep sand and washboard are on offer. After 12 km a police post checks our passports and visa.

After 550 km we turn our backs to the Afghani border and creep up the 4344 m high Khargush pass. Although the landscape is still very dry, we watch several shepherds with herds of goats. One herd is looked after by 3 young boys. When we ask for a foto they line up like organ pipes. The pass is unspectacular. It is reached after passing the Khargush lake. No sign, just the highest point of the road. The landscape becomes even drier. It seems we landed on Mars. Mountains, rocks and boulders in red, sand and grey dominate the scenery. The 5000 m high mountains both sides, appear like unspectacular hills. The ride is rough, again and again we need to stop to give hands and shoulders a rest. In the last third, thin salt pans add the color white to the scenery. Only a few robust plants manage to survive in this harsh environment. Today the traffic is relaxed, less than 10 cars and motorbikes.

When we arrive at the M41, Alichur is just an hour away. The Pamir-Highway is a well paved black line in the Mars like desert, with small salt pans here and there. But we treat ourselves with the 20 km dirt road to the Yashilkul lake. We ride through a wide sandy valley framed by mountains in the colors reaching from sand and red to green. Then the landscape turns into an open sandy steppe. There is not the one road but two, three or four parallel tracks. Finding the least soft one is tricky. We can see the village of Bulunkul long before we reach it.

The 400 residents life near the Bulunkul lake at an altitude of 3720 m. As two big groups stay in the remote homestay, the place feels almost crowded. One-story whitewashed clay houses characterize the village. The high radio antenna of the weather station stands out. Dry cow pads are stored on the flat roofs. The village has a small store, a mechanical water pump and a sport field. In the evening the cows come home from the meadows at the near lake. The homestay has a Banja. A huge wood / cow-pad stove heats a small room and at the same time boils water. The hot water drops into a bucket. You mix it with cold water from a second bucket and pour it over your body with a ladle. As we are many guests, the time for the shower is limited.

Sandy road on the way to the police post.

The mountains appear much smaller than the last days.

Herd of goats near Khargush Pass.

Shepherd boys lined up like organ pipes.

Khargush lake near the 4344 m high Khargush pass.

View on the Pamir summits.

Dry, Mars like landscape.

Lake at an altitude of 4000 m. The mountains around are 4800 m high.

Thin salt pans near the Pamir-Highway.

Dirt road to the Yashilkul lake

"Downtown" Bulunkul.

Hay and bushes are stored on the flat roofs in Bulunkul.

Bulunkul - Alichur, 59 km, 835 ⇑m

An incredibly beautiful side road!

The day is a highlight! First we ride to the Yashilkul ("green lake"), which is part of a protected area. The entrance fee is 2 Euro per person. We climb a hill. The view from above shows the Bulunkul ("high lake") is a green oasis in a dry mountain desert. The only place for miles around to feed animals. Surprisingly the Yashilkul looks very different. The long lake is framed by dry, sand colored mountains. The slopes on the south bank are dotted with succulents and cushion plants. The lake has a deep blue color. Our destination is a hot spring about 7 km from Bulunkul. The natural pool is protected by a house made of natural stones. The water is not very hot, maybe 30 °C. Frogs life around the spring.

We return to the village and follow the road along the Bulunkul lake. The colors are spectacular! The deep blue of the water and the green of the meadows contrast with the red, brown and sand tones of the mountains around. Here and there thin salt crusts cover the soil and add some white to the picture. The mountains are shaped by erosion. Often a colorful mix of sand "flows" down the slopes. Just beautiful! The track made of dry clay is mostly good to ride. From time to time we spot marmots. But we never get closer than 50 m.

The highlight is a small geyser right hand side, a few hundred meters off the road. Its fountain is up to one meter high. For most of the time it chuckles and gargles without releasing any water. Taking a proper photo of an eruption takes us a while.

We ride through a sand colored stony desert. Near the tiny and seemingly deserted village of Ak Jar we cross a dry river bed. The soil is moist enough for thin grass to grow. White salt crusts indicate a high evaporation rate. Above and below, the lakes Sasykkul and Tuzkul add some blue to the scenery. In Ak Jar, totally out of the blue, we are attacked by a cloud of mosquitoes. We ride as fast as we can to escape the attack. But the pests are quite persistent and follow us for several kilometers. Most of the time about 10 of them feed themselves on every arm and every leg. Holy shit!

The path becomes narrow and lonely. The sand colored desert is no longer very exiting. The last kilometers the road runs along the river Alichur. Horses and Yaks graze on meadows. The path consists of a mixture of dry clay and round boulders. Again mosquito are around. So we resist stopping for a photo. Wow, that was an incredibly beautiful side road!😎

The village Alichur stretches along the Alichur river, where the animals garze. The streets are dusty, the houses small and simple. Many families offer a homestay. The village has two shops, but the vendors are very unmotivated. In the guesthouse next to the bridge we meet cyclists from Spain and England. One of them is struggling with the altitude.

Yashilkul lake at an altitude of 3750 m.

Cushion plant at the Yashilkul.

The Yashilkul is framed by dry, sand colored mountains.

The Bulunkul lake is a green oasis ...

... the only place for miles around to feed animals.

The Bulunkul is home to several birds.

The mountains around Bulunkul are particularly colorful.

The blue lake contrasts with the red and sand colored mountains.

The track made of dry clay is mostly good to ride.

A colorful mix of sand "flows" down the slopes.

Open and lonely landscape.

Thin salt crusts cover the soil.

The fountain this geyser is up to one meter high.

In a dry river bed the soil is moist enough for thin grass to grow.

Alichur - Murghab, 108 km, 645 ⇑m

The Pamir plateau, mountain desert at the "top of the world"

We reached the Pamir plateau. A dry, open landscape at an altitude of almost 4000 m, surrounded by mountains over 5000 m high. The well paved road is dead straight and almost flat. Left hand side a stony desert. Right hand side the river Alichur, lined by grassland. Enough for small herds of goats. The yurts of the shepherds are not far way. The shepherds are Kyrgyz. The road is amazingly quiet. A car or truck every 10 – 15 minutes is very relaxed. The wind is pushing us. This makes riding easy and we hardly notice the slight but constant ascent.

The valley narrows shortly before the 4137 m high Naizatash Pass. The mountains in shades of red and sand are eroded in various bizarre ways. The variety of shapes and colors is stunning. In the long downhill, we ride as slow as we can to appreciate the beautiful scenery.

At the foot of the pass we reach the river Murghab. It meanders through lush meadows, populated by goats and cows. A few kilometers ahead of the town of Murghab a police post checks our passports and visa. All check points are analog. The officers write everything down in big books.

Murghab has 6400 residents. It is the administrative center of the region. The small town was founded in 1893 as soviet army post. One-story whitewashed houses and dusty streets characterize the place. The bazaar consist of two aisles of standard container, an adaptation to the harsh climate. The biggest town for miles around is a hub for travelers. We haven’t seen so many tourists since Chorugh. The assortment in the shops and on the bazaar is the best since days. In the hostel we meet several familiar faces. Cyclists from Hungary, Denmark, Spain and England we met on the street the last weeks. Most guest-houses promise WLAN, but it's more of a theoretical option than something that actually works. Even the hot shower is not granted at every time of the day.

Pamir plateau near Alichur.

Near the 4137 m high Naizatash pass.

The mountains are eroded in various bizarre ways.

The 4137 m high Naizatash Pass

At the foot of the Naizatash pass.

Murghab - Ak-Baital Pass, 88 km, 1165 ⇑m

Breathtaking highlight - 4655 m!

The bread we get on the bazaar this morning is not fresh but from yesterday. We ride through a wide, dry valley. After few kilometer the valley narrows. Colors and shapes are like the last days. From time to time we watch marmots. The chubby, light brown animals are much faster than they look like. Mosquitoes are an issue. We have lunch in a yurt-camp and use the opportunity to take a short nap.

The uphill extents over 75 km. The first 70 km appear almost flat to us. Slowly we climb from 3600 to 4300 m. The traffic is negligible. The road is well paved. The wind pushes us for quite a while. We ride through a dry, barren mountain desert. Mountains as high as the Mont Blanc (4810 m) appear like colorful hills. The scenery is just breathtaking! Well, not only the scenery😉.

The last kilometers test our limits. We have to fight a strong headwind. The climb is 7 – 10 % steep. The high altitude adds its share. When we finally reach the 4655 m high Ak-Baital pass we are proud and happy. It’s our highest pass so far. We are surrounded by high, colorful mountains. Summits over 5000 m high are just 2 or 3 km away. The descent is graveled. The panorama is equally impressive. Near a bridge we find a nice camping sport next to a clear river. The panorama includes several snow-caped mountains. It was a long day and at an altitude of 4300 m it quickly gets cold after sunset.

Wide, dry valley north of Murghab.

Mountains in intense red.

North of Murghab mosquitoes are an issue.

The Pamir-Highway follows the Ak-Baital river.

4100 m: 170° panorama of the mountain desert.

4300 m: Mountains as high as the Mont Blanc (4810 m) appear like colorful hills.

4350 m: The last kilometers we have to fight a strong headwind.

4600 m: The last curvers before the Ak-Baital Pass.

4650 m: The very last meters before Ak-Baital pass.

Done! 4655m! 😀

Summits over 5000 m high are just 2 or 3 km away.

Stunning panorama with peaks up to 5800 m high.

"Donw" on 4300 m.

Ak-Baital Pass - Karakul, 82 km, 965 ⇑m

A fence in the middle of nowhere

The night at an altitude of 4300 m was freezing cold. Short before sunrise Jörg measures -1 °C inside the tent. During breakfast, in the first sunlight, it’s already some degrees plus.

We have head wind the whole day, sometimes it is quite strong. The first about 20 km are graveled. The glaciers feed a mountain river, its river-bed is well over 100 m wide. The stream is splitted in several arms and seems a bit lost in its vast gravel bed. Small grey-brown birds live next to the water. They don’t fly high up in the air, but only a few centimeters above the ground. The valley is framed by mountains in shades of sand, brown, red and copper-green.

Back on asphalt we notice a considerable softness. The bitumen is very soft. At temperatures around 20 °C our shoes leave marks on the road. Right hand side a fence, about 2.5 m high, "protects" the border to China. The actual border is somewhere on the mountain ridge behind. To us the fence looks more like a reminder or warning than a real obstacle.

Early in the afternoon a thin blue line appears at the horizon. In the descent the shape of the Karakul ("black lake"), framed by snow-capped mountains, becomes clearer and clearer. Steam rises up and turns into clouds that move north. The Karakul is an endorheic-lake, it is lacking a drainage outlet. This means only inflow and evaporation regulate the water level. Thus the water is brackish and not usable as drinking water or for irrigation. The only species of fish is very small, so there is no fishery. The lake lies in a circular impact crater with a diameter of 52 km. With an altitude of 3960 m, the Karakul belongs to the highest lakes in the world.

The village of Karakul consists of one-story, whitewashed clay-houses and dusty streets. A couple of houses are deserted or even decayed. A mechanical pump is the only water-source. The tiny shop has a very poor offering. There are almost no people on the streets. Overall the village appears poor to us.

Mountain river, fed by glaciers, near our camping spot.

Yurt-Camp between Ak-Baital pass and Karakul.

Lone Pamir-Highway between Ak-Baital Pass and Karakul.

Remains of the russian army station Muzkul.

Copper-green rock at the edge of the Pamir-Highway.

The river seems a bit lost in its vast gravel bed.

The border-fence follows the road for many kilometers.

The Karakul belongs to the highest lakes in the world.

The Karakul lies in a circular impact crater with a diameter of 52 km.

The village Karakul appears poor to us.

One-story, whitewashed clay-houses and dusty streets in Karakru.

Kids playground in Karakul.

Karakul - Sary Tash, 105 km, 815 ⇑m

Headwind!!!

In the morning riding is a pleasure. No wind, blue sky. We cycle along the Karakul, sandy flats both side of the road. In front of us the snow caped 5811 m high Kon-Chukurbash rises into the sky. The first pass reminds us, we already started at an altitude of almost 4000 m. At these heights, a 8 % climb is exhausting.

But the real challenge of the day is headwind. It starts somewhere after the Uy-Bulak pass. And it feels like it gets stronger with every kilometer. Until the Kyzyl-Art pass – for roughly 25 km – it is very strong. The valley is infamous for its strong winds. Nevertheless we never expected such a fight. Even downhill we are struggling. The scenery is phenomenal. A dry, Mars-like landscape in grey to red colors. But today we are not able the appreciate this. Five cyclists, a woman from England, a couple from Spain and we arrive at the same time at the Tajik border post. The 4336 m high Kyzyl-Art pass is reached about a kilometer later.

The Kyzyl-Art pass marks the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. We know that it is also a weather divide. Nevertheless we are blown away how fast the extremely dry, Mars-like desert in Tajikistan turns into green meadows in Kyrgyzstan. The downhill is steep and rough. The wind calms down, but remains headwind for the rest of the day. We reach a wide valley with a glacier-feed river. Lush meadows are populated by big sheep and cow herds. Behind us, in the Trans-Alay range, snow-caped mountains dominate the scenery. The glaciers are big and reach far down. The Kyrgyz border control is reached roughly 25 km after the Tajik. We instantly notice our pass and face is scanned electronically – quite a difference to the hand written list in Tajikistan.

The valley opens more and more. Every few kilometers we spot a Yurt-camp. The kids of the nomads awaiting us at the road, hoping for some sweets or balloons. It would have been easy to pitch the tent. But after 11 days internet "withdrawl", the chance of a connection keeps us riding. But the way to Sary Tash appears long. When we first spot the village at the horizon it’s still far away. The nice homestay – with a good internet connection – makes up for the effort. Last but not least being "down" at altitude of 3200 m is a pleasure.

Dead straight street north of Karakul.