Osh to Murghab: We hired a Russian UAZ jeep through Nemat for $170
(expect to pay a bit more with the falling US dollar). The jeep fit
five travelers plus the driver, snuggly. We stopped overnight in Sary
Tash and arrived in Murghab the next afternoon. Murghab to Khorog via
the Wakhan Valley: If you have a lot of time and flexibility, you can
conceivably hitchhike this route, but beware that vehicles of any sort
are few and far between, particularly outside of summer. We hired a
driver with jeep to take us the 400km over three days. The cost was
$300. We also paid for his return trip from Khorog to Murghab since he
couldn’t find any passengers that needed to return. ACTED in Murghab
can set you up with a driver for a slightly higher fee. Hang around the
market in Murghab or just walk through town - available drivers will
find you since there are not many tourists.
Other transport options: There are more regular marshrutkas (shared
vehicles) going from Murghab to Khorog and vice versa on the main Pamir
Highway. Cost is around $25/person. Go early to the Murghab or Khorog
markets. From Khorog, there are infrequent buses going to Ishkashim and
other nearby villages.
Transport to/from Dushanbe: By plane, it’s a quick and terrifying 45
minutes on Tajik Air. By car/jeep, it’s 15 hours if you’re lucky and up
to 24 hours if you’re not.
Accommodation:
Sary Tash: There are a couple of home-stays/guest houses in town; we
just stayed at the place our driver recommended. Simple sleeping
arrangements and food (fried potatoes) for around $6-$8. Dress warmly.
Temperatures dropped to -15 Celsius when we were there in early
October.
Murghab: We stayed with our driver for 10 Tajik somoni ($6), including
dinner and breakfast. There are several other guesthouses in town.
Wakhan Valley: ACTED offers a series of home stays that your driver is
likely to know about. Or, just ask around at the local store. Expect to
pay from 5-30 somoni, depending upon the place and food options. Don’t
expect water for bathing and bring toilet paper with you for the
outhouses. We bathed, very gratefully, at the hot springs in Bibi
Fatima and Garam Chasma.
Khorog: For its lovely hosts, delicious food and hot showers, The Pamir
Lodge is a great place to stay in Khorog, especially for $5 per person.
The Pamir Lodge is located across the river from the market near a
school and friendly bee keeper whose bees produce some of the world’s
strappiest honey.
Tajik visa and LOI..Not to risk, it is better to get the visa in your
home country in advance...Letter of invitation from http://www.tajikistanvisa.land.ru costs 12 euros)...or you can look through
the tourist forums, probably you will find somebody to make it cheaper.
Food: You don’t come to the Pamirs to eat. In Murghab, we ate yak meat
and yak yogurt, both of which were both surprisingly tasty. After that,
we mainly ate fried potatoes, a grain resembling bulghur wheat, bread
and tea until we reached saturation…and the town of Khorog. A wider
variety of food may be available during the summer months, but pack
power bars, nuts and dried fruit and other goodies to get you, your
mates, and your driver through sparse eating opportunities.
We highly recommend ordering kurtob, a fresh, light layered dish made
with strips of bread, homemade yogurt, onions, tomatoes and coriander,
at the Pamir Lodge in Khorog. A welcome treat after a week of bland
fried potatoes and uninspired bread.
Hi all,
Transport in Tajikistan:
Osh to Murghab: We hired a Russian UAZ jeep through Nemat for $170
(expect to pay a bit more with the falling US dollar). The jeep fit
five travelers plus the driver, snuggly. We stopped overnight in Sary
Tash and arrived in Murghab the next afternoon. Murghab to Khorog via
the Wakhan Valley: If you have a lot of time and flexibility, you can
conceivably hitchhike this route, but beware that vehicles of any sort
are few and far between, particularly outside of summer. We hired a
driver with jeep to take us the 400km over three days. The cost was
$300. We also paid for his return trip from Khorog to Murghab since he
couldn’t find any passengers that needed to return. ACTED in Murghab
can set you up with a driver for a slightly higher fee. Hang around the
market in Murghab or just walk through town - available drivers will
find you since there are not many tourists.
Other transport options: There are more regular marshrutkas (shared
vehicles) going from Murghab to Khorog and vice versa on the main Pamir
Highway. Cost is around $25/person. Go early to the Murghab or Khorog
markets. From Khorog, there are infrequent buses going to Ishkashim and
other nearby villages.
Transport to/from Dushanbe: By plane, it’s a quick and terrifying 45
minutes on Tajik Air. By car/jeep, it’s 15 hours if you’re lucky and up
to 24 hours if you’re not.
Accommodation:
Sary Tash: There are a couple of home-stays/guest houses in town; we
just stayed at the place our driver recommended. Simple sleeping
arrangements and food (fried potatoes) for around $6-$8. Dress warmly.
Temperatures dropped to -15 Celsius when we were there in early
October.
Murghab: We stayed with our driver for 10 Tajik somoni ($6), including
dinner and breakfast. There are several other guesthouses in town.
Wakhan Valley: ACTED offers a series of home stays that your driver is
likely to know about. Or, just ask around at the local store. Expect to
pay from 5-30 somoni, depending upon the place and food options. Don’t
expect water for bathing and bring toilet paper with you for the
outhouses. We bathed, very gratefully, at the hot springs in Bibi
Fatima and Garam Chasma.
Khorog: For its lovely hosts, delicious food and hot showers, The Pamir
Lodge is a great place to stay in Khorog, especially for $5 per person.
The Pamir Lodge is located across the river from the market near a
school and friendly bee keeper whose bees produce some of the world’s
strappiest honey.
Tajik visa and LOI..Not to risk, it is better to get the visa in your
home country in advance...Letter of invitation from
http://www.tajikistanvisa.land.ru costs 12 euros)...or you can look through
the tourist forums, probably you will find somebody to make it cheaper.
Food: You don’t come to the Pamirs to eat. In Murghab, we ate yak meat
and yak yogurt, both of which were both surprisingly tasty. After that,
we mainly ate fried potatoes, a grain resembling bulghur wheat, bread
and tea until we reached saturation…and the town of Khorog. A wider
variety of food may be available during the summer months, but pack
power bars, nuts and dried fruit and other goodies to get you, your
mates, and your driver through sparse eating opportunities.
We highly recommend ordering kurtob, a fresh, light layered dish made
with strips of bread, homemade yogurt, onions, tomatoes and coriander,
at the Pamir Lodge in Khorog. A welcome treat after a week of bland
fried potatoes and uninspired bread.