Adventure Travel Starts in Khorog
24 Hours Along The Panj River
Khorog has long been the capital and main hub of all the rugged Gorno-Badakhshan region of Tajikistan. Khorog a place to recuperate and regroup after a grueling cramped car ride from Dushanbe. While the journey from the Tajik capital to the foothills of the Pamirs could take as little as 16 hours, expect the worst and prepare for a whole day confined to the inside of a rickety jeep.
Following the Panj River along the Afghan border, the stunning views of the water, off-worldly landscape, and splashes of lush green farms make up for the strenuous ride. But as night begins to fall, all that will cross your mind is the perilous fall from the Pamir Highway down into the rushing waters below. Eyes scrunched shut, you will pray for sleep to overcome you so that you will either awake in the comfort of Khorog or in whatever heaven you may believe in.
Wanting to travel to Afghanistan? Read about how to get an Afghan visa is Khorog here!
Your Oasis in Khorog
The Pamir Highway is known as one of the most dangerous roads in the entire world. While this may give you second thoughts about risking it all on your trip to Tajikistan, locals travel the very same treacherous routes every day. You will always have that thrill of danger, but 9 times out of 10 you will get from Dushanbe to Khorog without a hitch.
After a day of having your nose pressed against the window eyes glued on the stunning views of the Afghan Border. A night of being thrown side to side inside the packed van. And finally, a morning anxiously waiting to arrive in civilization, your driver will finally pull into the Khorog bus stand.
After such a strenuous journey, you will undoubtedly want to head straight to either your guesthouse or hotel. Despite seeming like a tiny mountain town, Khorog is actually a hub for universities, hospitals, and travel in the region. You will find a fair share of homestays around the city.
If you are heading up to the Pamir Mountains, you will surely be going through the town of Murghab!
What To Do In Khorog
After a day of being confined to your bed, recovering from that excruciating journey from Dushanbe to Kohorg, you can finally begin to wander the streets to see what all the buzz is about. Although Khorog is sure to be on all traveler’s lips in Tajikistan, it is not particularly famous for any one thing. You will find a public part with a swimming pool, a tiny botanical garden, and some small hiking trails leading up the mountain, but there is nothing that would make you consider spending the better part of your trip in the city of Khorog.
Other than being a center for education and medicine in Gorno-Badakhshan, Khorog is a place to find drivers and plan your trip through the Pamir Mountains and the Wakahan Corridor. The biggest resource for travelers in Khorog is the PECTA Office. Here you can find the most up to date travel information as well as a Wifi connection before heading out on your adventure to some of the most remote places in Tajikistan.
Want to know what it is like traveling the Pamir Highway? You can read my full guide here!
Divided by the River
Nestled into a valley with a roaring river dividing the town, Khorog is a city at the crossroads of Gorno-Badakhshan. With highways leading to the capital in Dushanbe, the Pamir mountaintop town of Murghab, Ishkashim in the Wakahan Corridor, and across the border into Afghanistan, it is no wonder that Khorog is literally the heart pumping life into the rest of the country.
After a few days of wandering the rather uninspiring streets, having a gag meal at the infamous knock-off MacDonalds, and hiking up the mountain to get some stunning views of the valley, you will be inevitably ready to leave the town of Khorog behind.
At the main bus stand, you will find buses going to Dushanbe (300 Somoni) and Murghab (150 Somoni) daily. To get to Ishkashim (50 Somoni) you will have to find the other bus stand located through the bazaar and directly across the river. You always want to be sure to arrive at the bus stand early because the drivers only leave once the jeep is completely full.
One of the hardest places to get to in Central Asia is Turkmenistan. Read about how to travel there here!
Setting Off On An Adventure
With your driver and route secured, it won’t be long until you will be leaving the valley of Khorog behind. The few days spent exploring the bazaar, hiking up the hillside, and lounging about in coffeeshops is just the start of the adventure that awaits you in the Pamir Mountains.
While you can find some international restaurants and comforts of home in Khorog, the town is by no means touristy. You will still feel just as off of the beaten path in Khorog as you would be in Ishkashim or Murghab. As Central Asia continues to open up to the world and attract travelers throughout the world to out of reach places such as Khorog, the town will naturally begin to grow. But no matter how much this transport hub develops, the Pamir Mountains is home to endless secrets which one could spend a lifetime uncovering.
