Gorno-Badakhshan · Tajikistan
Pamir Highway
M41Khorog to Murghab
The high route of the Pamirs, climbing from the Gunt River gorge at Khorog across the vast plateau to Murghab at 3,600 m, cresting the Ak-Baital Pass at 4,655 m, the highest point on Central Asia’s legendary M41.
From Khorog the road follows the Gunt Valley east into arid terrain before ascending onto the plateau. Past Alichur the steppe opens out, with Yashilkul and Bulunkul lakes a stark turquoise against the brown; the climb to Ak-Baital (4,655 m) is gradual but relentless before the descent into Murghab, Tajikistan’s highest town, across terrain closer to the moon than to anywhere on earth.
The M41 is the stuff of overland legend, a Soviet-built ribbon across the roof of Central Asia that tops 4,655 m at the Ak-Baital pass. Broken, remote and sublime.
Why we picked it
Scenery
Best seasons
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Pamir Highway on the map193.0 mi · point to point
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Character
Higher than 9 in 10 roads in the catalogue.
Corners
busiest around mile 91Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%2,083.5 – 4,275.4 mPoints of interest3 stops
- Koitezek PassViewpoint95 mi in
- Jaman-TalViewpoint186 mi in
- Naizatash PassViewpoint162 mi in
Hazards
- Altitude sickness above 3,800 m
- Unpaved and broken surface
- Rockfall
- Extreme cold even in summer
- No fuel for 200 km stretches
- No mechanical services
Sources
“the road on the Pamir Highway is definitely not in a good condition, but the landscapes were breathtaking.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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Nearby roads
The closest great drives to Pamir Highway.
