Pamir Highway

A road trip at high altitude passing Silk Road villages, mountain passes, wide open landscapes and remote Pamir valleys.

Pamir Highway
Photo: Zack Knowles, CC BY-SA 3.0

Attractive locations

Pik Mayakovskiy

High peak of the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan, named after the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. It lies far from roads and is climbed mainly by experienced mountaineers.

Khorog

The main town of the Pamir region, set where the Gunt and Panj rivers meet, with views of Afghanistan across the water. It has a botanical garden, a museum and markets, and is the usual base for trips into the mountains.

Garm Chashma

A hot spring area in the Gunt valley east of Khorog, where mineral-rich water flows into baths and pools. It is a popular place for travellers to rest after days on rough roads.

Yashilkul

A large blue-green lake high in the Pamirs, ringed by bare mountains. Simple homestays along the shore serve travellers on the highway.

Bulunkul

A remote high-altitude lake and village in the Pamirs, known for very cold winters. The lake lies in a bare mountain basin with sweeping views.

Bartang River

A river valley cutting into the Pamirs, with narrow gorges, small villages and a rough road following the water. It is a route for trekkers and travellers seeking quiet country.

Airports

Kulob International Airport TJU

Kulob, Tajikistan

It is about 164 km in a straight line from Pamir Highway.

Scams and safe taxis

Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Tajikistan page

Weather by month

Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.

  • Jan-11.5 °C22 mm
  • Feb-9.8 °C26 mm
  • Mar-4.1 °C30 mm
  • Apr1.1 °C29 mm
  • May5.2 °C16 mm
  • Jun9.4 °C7 mm
  • Jul12.3 °C2 mm
  • Aug11.6 °C1 mm
  • Sep7.2 °C1 mm
  • Oct1.7 °C7 mm
  • Nov-3.6 °C17 mm
  • Dec-8.9 °C18 mm

Driest months: Jul, Aug, Sep. Wettest months: Feb, Mar, Apr.

Long-term averages from NASA POWER; the area covered is large, so local weather can differ.

Costs

Prices here are about 28% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Festivals and events

nature

Pamir Highway season

around Jun-Sep 2027 · Pamir Highway

The high mountain road can be travelled easily only in these months.

Who can help

Emergency

112. Older numbers still used: fire 01, police 02, ambulance 03 - confirm with your hotel or driver.

local government

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan (police helpline)

Helps with: Tajikistan's interior ministry, which runs the national police. Its contact page lists a helpline and a duty number; no police unit for tourists is shown.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Tajikistan, including visitors, who needs to reach the police.

Phone: +992 37 221-21-21

Email: [email protected]

Address: 734025, J. Ikrami St. 29, Dushanbe

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Committee for Tourism Development (tourism hotline)

Helps with: Tajikistan's tourism committee. Its tourism site lists a hotline open 8:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday, with messages taken by text app outside those hours.

Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Tajikistan or planning a trip there.

Phone: 118-200-200

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Tajikistan

Helps with: The UN migration agency's mission in Dushanbe. Contact it about migration matters in Tajikistan.

Who qualifies: Migrants and organisations working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +992 48 701 0202

Email: [email protected]

Address: 48 Ayni Street, Sozidanie Business Center, Block B, 2nd Floor, 734024 Dushanbe

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign embassies in Tajikistan (official diplomatic list)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Tajik foreign ministry links to a Diplomatic List of missions in Tajikistan (2025 edition) as a downloadable file.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Police emergency number 02

Helps with: Reaches the police. UK government travel advice says to dial 102 from a mobile phone, and that emergency services do not speak English.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 02

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Ambulance emergency number 03

Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service. UK government travel advice says to dial 103 from a mobile phone, and that emergency services do not speak English.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 03

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Fire emergency number 01

Helps with: Reaches the fire service. UK government travel advice says to dial 101 from a mobile phone, and that emergency services do not speak English.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 01

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan

Helps with: The ICRC works with the society on first aid, mine risk education and restoring family links. No contact details are given on that page, so use the society's website.

Who qualifies: The page does not say who can use it. The ICRC calls the society its main partner in Tajikistan.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

See all information for Tajikistan