Originally Posted by MasterMoDlx

Dear fellow travellers,



I just want to share our recent experience travelling the Pamir Hwy and Wakhan Valley in a 4x4 from May 9th to 14th.



Our route was Dushanbe - Kulob - Khalaikum - Khorog - Ishkashim - Khargush - Murghab - Karakol - Kyzyl Art and the on to Kyrgyzstan.



The southern route from Dushanbe till roughly 20km before Khalaikum is mostly very smooth. Speeds up to 100km/h are possible in some stretches. 20km before Khalaikum the pavement ends with the usual potholed dirt track slowing you down quite a bit.



The onward route to Khorog is in very bad shape due to the harsh winter conditions and a lot of avalanches. It's basically a broken tarmac road with some river crossings along the way but probably still ok even in a 2wd. On the Afghan side the Taliban have advanced quite close to the Tajik border therefore you will find a lot of military around.



In Wakhan the military presence increases even more with Russian fighter jets patrolling the valley from time to time. Latest reports say that Ishkashim province in Afghanistan has been retaken by government forces so maybe the situation will calm down soon. We were able to pass without major problems. The road till Ishkashim and beyond is in good condition however afterwards turns into a demanding dirt track not suitable for all drivers and vehicles. You will find everything from washboard stretches to very rough mountain tracks ascending towards Kargush pass.



The Pamir Hwy remains unchanged over the last few years with stretches in very good conditions and some bumpier ones. At the time of passage there was no snow on the road anymore even at 4600m.



The border on Kyzyl Art remains a bit dodgy. They tried to make money by asking for a quarantine document we should have received when entering TJ and we should pay a 40 somoni straf to leave without. Playing dumb and being self-conscious helps to get away without paying anything.



The no man's land between the borders in meanwhile cleared of snow but remains in muddy and wet condition. However it is passable even for 2wd and bikes.



Hope this helps someone



Cheers