Hi,
for those who are heading to the Pamirs, here's a rundown if the red tape involved:
Visas
- you can use the electronic visa (see previous posts), no problem at the border where they know about it. Police may be a bit unsettled that your visa is in your computer/phone only.. otherwise, a double-entry visa in Bishkek is quick and painless (and the same price).
GBAO permit
- same procedure as for the e-visa. Note that you don't need to register the permit anymore. Some people have reported that nobody's checked it, but you need it anyway for the Pamirs.
TIP
- you get 45 days coming in from Osh (Kyzyl-Art pass), so the same duration as your visa ! no questions asked. 10$ for a bike, 25$ for a car
- coming in from the Ferghana (Buston crossing), people have got only 15 days. But they were able to extend it in Khorog thanks to PECTA.
- the TIP is valid for one visit, so if you have a double-entry visa and plan to -re-enter Taj, you'll need to pay again
Migration card
- you get at the airport, or entering in Buston (reportedly). Not in Kyzyl-Art. Seems not to be needed nor asked.
Other
- In Kyzyl-Art, you have to pay for some Quarantine documents (no disinfection is actually carried). This paper isn't checked afterwards and has no price / you get no receipt, so you pay what you bargain for. Without bargaining, maybe 150 som and with haggling down to half of it (around 10$). Another guy asks 100 som for some random road tax, if he waked up from his drunken slumber; we ignored him but don't know if it's legal.
All people are very nice and friendly.
- Exiting from Taj to Kyrg in Kyzyl-Art, you pay a pollution tax of 1000 somoni (15 $). You avoid this when you cross from Kaz to Kyrg, because the customs have disappeared, but I think it's legit. Keep the import papers you get there until you exit the customs union (Kyrg-Kaz-Rus).
- You can buy a cheap permit for Zorkul lake in PECTA in Murghab, and it actually works ! Coming in from the other side (Murghab), some cyclists have reported been turned away by a police check before reaching Zorkul. But we haven't seen anybody except at the Khargush check-point.
Police checks are friendly in Tajikistan and we've never been asked for a "gift" or a shake down like in Kyrg.
What a change since 10 years ago, the first time I visited the Pamirs; there was virtually no tourists and fuel was hard to get by. Now there are several modern petrol stations in Khorog and TWO petrol "stations" in Murghab ! and a hotel ! and brand new banks ! and GSM (ok, 2G only) ! The Pamirs have seen a tremendous development in the last 4-5 years, so there is now no logistics problem in traveling in the Pamirs. And thanks to Chris and Patrick and Murat, you'll meet dozens of bikers in the high season.
Laurent
Overland Aventure
PS: oh, and the roads ? all were easily passable in July (OK, not so easy for the Bartang), so nothing in particular to report.