Tajikistan/kyrgyzstan border crossing
 

Hi,
we, my wife and I, are planning a trip to Pamir Highway in June 2013, we hope that Pamir will open... Does anyone know if Karamyk border, from Dushambe to Sary-Tash, is open for foreigners?
Any information is more than appreciated.
Cheers
Fabrizio

Hello Fabrizio ;)

It is closed as hell. It was opened last year only because Kizyl Art and whole Pamir was closed. I will be in July in Pamir and I hope to confirm it personally to you in August ;)

Hi Fabrizio,

I have no current information, but when I was there in 2010 the border was closed. However, the alternative route from Dushanbe to Khujand (over the Pamir) and via Konibodom, Isfara, Batken to Osh (along the Pamir and through an exotic border area) was very interesting too.

Thank you Sambor,
That's why I read about someone who went through last year... I will be there in June so I will come back with fresh news in july.

Hi Travelbug,
ok I think that this alternative ruoute is fine even for us.

Does Anyone know if the validity of GBAO permit is the same of the visa? And if the GBAO permit allows to cross the same area twice?

Cheers
Fabrizio

In my passport: yes.

GBAO permit is just the stamp near Visa. Is valid with visa, the same period...

we should be there in late May or June. Picking up our Visas in Ankara next week sometime.

:)

G

According to the local authority, the Karamyk boarder crossing is open for foreigners but closed for locals. Yes, that happens in Central Asia.
But as we do have conflicting information now, I will let you know for sure after I (hopefully) crossed the boarder in May.
CHeers :-)

Thank you for info, we will there in early june and any news is welcome.

@ Griff: Hi, we have decided to get our Tajikistan visa on the road, in Bishkek, we have read that is not so difficult there... But we wonder in how many days the consulate will issue the visa in Ankara.

Cheers
Fabrizio

Tajik Visa turned around in under 24 hours here in Ankara :) also got offered 45 days and double entry for same price (54 USD) no GBAO as they no longer issue it here, but we can get that in Dushanbe.

Uzbek and Kazak visas lodged, waiting for those to come through before moving on to Georgia.

G

Bad news. Border crossing on A372 / Karamyk is now closed for foreigners too. We will try again before travel season.
CHeers.

Thank you for news.
Cheers
Fabrizio

Any new news of the a372 border crossing?

Crossings
 

A few weeks ago I went from Sary tash south into Tajikistan on the Pamir highway. Crossing was smooth and quick.

Yesterday I crossed near Isfarna Tajikistan. I was not quite sure where the border crossing was. This is where I crossed.

40.105912,70.74403

It took 20 minutes total for both the Tajik and Kyrgyz customs and passport control.

I still don't know about the A372 crossing.

but that road goes through Uzb according to google maps... is there any of this?
I need to go back from Dushanbe to Osh, but I don't like to do the same road twice... And your crossing looks good, but did you had any problems or controls or... from there to Osh?

You have to take some gravel roads. They are easy to find.. and the uzbek border police will turn you around if you try to go into the uzbekh "islands".

I can send you a track for the GPS but it might take a while. I'm on the BAM and I don't know when I will get WIFI next.

You might PM Muztoo.. that is who helped me out.

thx mate. going from bishkek to osh now and then to Isfara. After some research on the net found out that there should be tracks around them so we should be ok.
If you have wifi and willing you can always send me the track for that part, would save me some time to look for the right one... ;-)

seb (dot) leeson (atttttt) gmail (dot) com

Thx and good you are still going in that direction...
Cheers from the two yellow DRZ's hahahaha!!! (UB-remember?)