Is Pamir closed? A of 23rd may 2014
 

Hi, currently stuck in Samarkand while i recover from small crash... Usual story with car cutting me off!i won't be able to walk or use my right hand for a while.

Anyway, while stuck here, heard from another traveller in our guesthouse, that the Pamir is currently closed.
Is this true? anyone is Tajik now.? Please let us know,

Thanks a lot for this!

Hi, hope you recover quickly from your accident!

There was an outbreak of violence yesterday in Khorog as the UK Foreign office site says there are unconfirmed reports of the road there being closed for large vehicles.
www.gov.uk

Hopefully it's blown over by the time you're ready to ride.

Safe(r) travels when you get back to the road!


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Thanks. Internet painfully slow and often time out. Trying to investigate but not easy.


IF anyone hear anything else pls post here. Lots of bikers I am in email contact with, behind us also aiming for the Pamir. IF PAmir is closed there will be lots of disappointed people!

Here's the whole blurb from the site. If you want me to look anything else up, let me know. I have good internet today and it's always nice to take a break from blog Summary
Still current at: 23 May 2014
Updated: 22 May 2014
Latest update: Summary - outbreak of violence in Khorog
There was an outbreak of localised violence in Khorog, the administrative centre of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) a region close to the Afghan border, on 21 May 2014. The situation is currently calm but tense, and further violence remains possible. There are unconfirmed reports that the road in and out of Khorog is closed to large vehicles.

If you’re in the area, you should stay indoors and off the streets for the time being and avoid any large gatherings. The FCO is following the situation closely and you should check this site regularly for further updates.

Tajikistan’s borders with neighbouring countries are subject to closure without notice. Check in advance which border posts are currently open. You may also wish to check with the British Embassy in Dushanbe for up to date information on border restrictions.

The crossing points on the Tajik/Kyrgyz border at Karamik (Jirgatol region), Guliston (Isfara region), Avchikalacha (Sughd region) and Kizil Art (Gorno-Badakhshan region) are open to British nationals.

The crossing points on the Tajik/Uzbek border at Bratstvo (Tursunzade region), and at Fotehobod and Patar/Rabot (Sughd region) are open to British nationals holding visas.


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Thanks for the post Wicky :thumbup1:

The embassy in GB is no longer issuing GBAO-permits. (for technical reasons)
Statement on temporary suspension of GBAO permit issuance
We will just have to wait and hope, that situation calms down.

ouch, maria, I hope you recover quick !
I'm one of the guy following you (ltitteraly ;)) and would be really disappointed if the road is closed...:( But I was aware of the instability there, so let's say that if the road is open.. then it's a good news !! :scooter:

Niquedouille, where are u at the moment?
Most of the guys are in or near Turkey/ Georgia/ azerb. , with some in Russia....

We will be in Samarkand for at least another 3 days until i can walk and ride!
When we get to Dushanbe we will look for alternatives routes to get to Kyrgyz, if the parmir is still closed.

I'm in Iran right now ! :D
If I survive the cray trafic here, and reach tehran alive, and get the email with the code from the turkmenistan ambassy, I will get my turkmen visa in Tehran and then head to badjiran, turkmenistan, nukus, ouzbekistan.. and then pamir ! If everything goes right, I should be around mid-june.

Just spoke to some fiends in the Pamir and i got told the Pamir is now closed

The situation is not like that of 2010 as they are now trying to talk to sort the situation out as no one wants that however my friends told me it is currently safe but can also change to bad quickly if things don't get sorted out and it could be the same as like what happened in 2010

He said if things do get sorted then Pamir maybe should be open next week again, if it does not then it could go to small conflict and then the Pamir will be closed longer as what happened in 2010.

I also spoke to Pamir friends in Dushanbe who told me they have decided to stay there a few days instead of heading back home to the Pamirs as with what is going on they dont feel safe now heading back there.

Well that's the Local information from locals both in Dushanbe and also the Pamir

Thank you for the update ! Though it doesn't sound great...
When you say the pamir is closed, I guess it's closed from Korogh, and both the M41 going east, or the road going south to eskashem are closed, right ?
About that, which one is the most interresting ? (If open) I intended to take the south road, to eshkashem, and continue until it gets back to the M41 (well, of course, first, ask people in Korogh..).

cheers

Wesley, I think when you say 2010, you are really referring to 2012, right?
In 2010 Pamir was open, but there where problems in Kyrgyzstan with border with Uzbekistan closed and riots in Osh and Bishkek.
In 2012 Pamir Highway has been closed for a few weeks, before Korogh on the west and from Murghab on the east, if I remember correctly

We got stuck with the 2012 closure, but the other road was gorgeous!

Maria sorry to hear about your crash. Hope you mend quickly!

Si

Yes thanks for correction it was the 2012 conflict in the Pamir i refer to not 2010

The whole Pamir would be closed i would say (if my local friends in Khorog i spoke to todays says it is closed that is) which would mean from the Osh to Pamir border route which is main Pamir highway

The other in country border is West of Khorog along the panj river road however i dont use a map there so not 100% sure were this border is but it is the Tajik to Pamir border

Prevet from Kyrgyzstan
 

Hello Maria,
Real sorry to hear about your crash, pray you will be 100% real soon and that all your roads will be open for you.
I live in Sokuluk, about 30 km from Bishkek. If there is anything we can do to help you all please let me know. If you need some parts ordered we can help or if you need some parts researched from here that is a can do too. I have a garage and tools plus I know some folks that can work on bikes.
Send me a PM or you can call 996-551-500-998

Mac

Thanks Mac for the kind offer. We will definitely get to Kyrgyz and bishkek in the next few weeks,via Pamir or an alternative route.. We'll see...

Wesley kindly put me in contact with Gamal, his trusted mechanic in Bishkek , via facebook and i have been speaking with him. We need a bit of work (welding) and parts so we will be staying in Bishkek for few days. If you fancy meeting for a drink/ lunch/ dinner, send me an email at maria "at" franglais-riders "dot' com

We are always happy to meet new friends :thumbup1:

Thanks again! Hope to meet you soon!

Hey Maria
Hope you recover swiftly!
A.

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Sorry you have had a knock, and hope you mend soon. Be following your trip on blog and here. If you left looking for adventure in Mongolia I think you will find it if the trip so far is anything to go by. Sounds like real fun ......apart from the sore bits.

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Thanks guys for the well wishes and info! Really appreciated! :clap:

Well i also had someone crashing into me in south america, in our year trip there, and destroying my bike. Same thing with my ankle!
At least this time hardly any damage to the bike and no bone broken ( well i hope anyway! Will ask for an X-ray when i get back to the uk in few months!).

We should be able to set off in few days. I can 't wait to ride my bike again! Getting so bored lying down and waiting for my hand and ankle to mend a bit!

At least in my little competition with TouringTed on who is unluckiest, he has admitted defeat for now! :innocent:

Anyway, riding around these countries is hazardous. We know the risks. I can't complain. I ran out of luck. Still, it could have been much worse.
Ride safe guys!

:thumbup1: A real "man"................respect to you !

Maria a few years back when i was working in Africa i got a pain in my chest and cough up blood.

Think the worst the doctors told me i needed a chest x-ray ect ect but a 5 week wait.

I went to Moscow shortly after and told my then Russian girlfriend about the wait, with in 1 hour of telling her this she had taken my to a hospital and i had x-rays, heat ecg, ultra sound scans and other blood tests

Alot better service than in the UK all very affordable.

Maybe when you get to Bishkek or Almaty or Astana which are all major citys you should have a look to see if you can get a x-ray.

We are in the Khorog region at the moment. First the city was blocked by citizens because police tried to arrest a drug dealer after a catch of 10kg. Police started to shoot and 2 people died 7 wounded, police stations were set to fire. In the night of 22/23 the citizens let som last tourist drive trough the city, of which is one British couple with grey Leyland truck. We were 300 km before Khorog at that moment. This morning we arrived at Kalaikhum 200 km north of Khorog. Some friends past Kalaikhum yesterday evening.

We were dinied because of a new governement order of 1.00hr last night, the road and the city is forbidden for foreigners, our friends have been sent back from the next checkpoint some 100 km before Khorog. There was a new outbreak last night at 00.45hrs, two police cars were attacked, 1 attacker shot to dead.

NGO's in the city are advised to leave, nobody can tell how long it will be closed. Because of limited (visum) time we are on the way back.

So defenitly no acces to the Pamir as Khorog is closed. Now people are asked allready at the first checkpoints after Dushanbe for their destination and send back from there.

Sorry for the bad news,

GRTZ,

JP

I missed my flight to Dushanbe Sunday and would of been in Pamirs Tuesday, lucky i missed my flight.

Update
 

Please see this link with more details of the thread from Jervig explaining the situation recently Khorog arrest leads to deadly clash - Central Asia Online

Thanks for keeping us posted. I'll be arriving in Osh next Wednesday and I was planning on riding back into the Pamir. Major setback for the local population. So sad.

Will have to find something else to do.

Maybe when you get to Bishkek or Almaty or Astana which are all major citys you should have a look to see if you can get a x-ray.[/QUOTE]

Yes wez is right. If it does not improve as the days go on get xray.

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Sorry to hear of your tumble. Also sorry to hear about the troubles. Im in Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. As others have said dont wait till the uk for X rays. I had a tumble in Kazakhstan and was taken to hospital, couple of X rays confirmed there was nothing broke, I was given cream, bandage and the bill. Just a bit over €7
I got a truck to Bishkek where I'll stay for a another week and rest, then continue into China.
Hope you heal quick. Don't over do it.

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Hi all - Maria hope you have recovered well!

I will be trying to get a GBAO permit tomorrow and then hit the Pamir in around 4 days, if its open. I would love to meet up with other bikes to do the trip together. I am now in Dushanbe.

Anybody have new info or wants to ride together you can post here or email me at:
michael (AT) stummann.net

I am danish, 43 years old and ride an Africa Twin btw :)

Just want to let you know that today (9 june) i got denied a pamir permit in Dushanbe :(
Will try through travel agencies and update if anything works...

Be aware of the fact that even if you manage to pass the Pamir Highway and get to Sary Tash, riots are going on between Sary Tash and Gulcho in Kirgizstan. The couple with the Leyland I mentioned above, who were the last to pass Khorog got stuck there and were personally violently threatened. Some friendly people helped them to pass offroad by very difficult tracks.

I hope I am wrong but my latest info is that officially: negociations in Khorog are going into the right direction. In my opinion this kind of statements mean nothing changed and there is absolutely no progress.

GRTZ,

JP

let me know when you get the permit !
I'm in samarcand now, waiting for parts for my bike (africa twin also ;)), should head down dusanbe next week (wednesday or thursday). I already have the permit

Got it yesterday

One of our friend got his permit from Osh i believe with Patrick from Muztoo.com help but not sure must verify.

We rode up to saray tash, the good road.

There is a road blockade but we passed twice over with no problems.

It is possible for a bike or a 4x4 to go round by the river bed. Steep slope on one side but we got plenty of help from the locals.
So if you are on two wheels or 4x4 do not worry about it. If you are in a big truck you may have a problem.

How's your foot Maria? Where are you now

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Pamir update: Someone just got denied a permit today, even though I got one yesterday. She was told "not until monday".

So dont count on anything right now...

Hi Nick, foot and hand better although still very painful. Mending slowly....

My husband's bike died again two nights ago, despite fitting a new chinese engine on it. Maybe wrong tunning or sth... Anyway,we had to put it on a ditch for the night while we found a place to stay.

By some miracle, after opening the carb yesterday morning, and finding nothing and putting all back together, it ran again. We made it to Bishkek yesterday and into a mechanic today, where the bike died again.
Last chance for it!
Do we will be in Bishkek for few days....

Are you in contact with Ali? Hr helped me and others ftom here. Top guy and honest

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http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ad.php?t=76429

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I cant access facebook but may be you can see my friends
Nick o'neill nrw
Where are staying? Memo has a guest house. It's not advertised so doesn't get the over landers passing through and it's open plan accommodation. But good people to know for imports and repairs. Find them on Delonski just off manas...number 78

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Hi Nick,

Yes , wesley put me in contact with him and with Sergei. We met with sergei last night ( top guy!) and today he took us to Ali and now the bike is with him! Sergei did the translation. Very good people indeed.

We will see if the bike can be fixed. We cannot continue with one bike that can die any time. Mine is ok. Maybe buy a cheap chinese something to end our trip, if this is possible..... Yesterday was very tough as we tried to revive the bike in the middle of nowhere! I was very depressed.... Even thinking about giving up.....

Today we are more enthusiastic. We will find a solution and we will get to UlaanBator!

As I read on your blog, you made it to bichkek now, and your bike is in good hands :thumbup1:

how was the track along the river bed ? You too have very light motorbike, how do you think it will go with big heavy motorbike ?

:innocent:Passing the blockade is no problem at all. Plenty of heavy bikes went through with people on big Beemer and one on a 1200gs adv full of tyres and stuff...

It is not through the river, it is next to the river on grass and bit of stream.

On one side there is a biggish slope ( to get back to the tarmac) that can be muddy if wet, but you can get help from the locals to push up, friendly enough people....the day we were in sary tash we saw a van full of cyclists and bicycles arriving at our home stay, so they made it through too!
Where are you?

ok ! Sounds allright :mchappy:
If a GS went through, I can go finger in the nose.. :biggrin:

Hey Maria,

Just saw your comment re the Chinese bike. I actually just arrived in Bishkek tonight on a 200cc Chinese bike I bought in Aktobe, Kazakhstan (with some fantastic local help). There's over 2500km on the clock now most of it in company with my friends drz400 that wasn't taken when mine was stolen in Kiev.

Thought I'd just say how possible it is! Best of luck!


Tadhg

Ps, hoping to get our Tajikistan visas and gbao permits tomorrow. Will let the hubb know how it goes.

Try memo at dolonski. Sergei knows him
He may be able to sell an xr. He was looking at buying five new bikes snd mo ing the old to his second location

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Tajikistan visa and GBAO permit issued within 10 mins today for Irish and English citizens. 85 dollars plus 100 som for double entry. Only opened at 12 noon.

Cross posting this:

I'm posting this from Khorog, so:

1) rest assured it is open

2) I got a GBAO permit via an agency for $85. One of Muztoo's guides facilitated that. The actual permit was done by Pamir Silk Guides. They just needed a scan of the passport and the permit was printed locally. They do that all the time. The cost is high, but I couldn't get one in Istanbul. Note, that Muztoo made no money on the deal. They were just happy to use that contact for me.

3) Entered KZ-TJ at Kyzyl Art on 9.6. Nobody wanted to see the permit

4) The checkpoint after the Kara Kul village is gone

5) Went to Khorog via the Bartang valley. At no point was I stopped and hence never showed my permit. Between the Khorog airport and the bazaar was the usual police checkpoint (same as last year). They waved me through

6) All seems quiet in town. Bunch of tourists around

7) The road block between Sary Tash and Osh is a non issue for bikes. I have personally talked to 8 bikers, and one 4x4 driver who have all had the same experience as myself. Locals gladly show you the way around! I saw 2 large Swiss plated overland vehicles that made it through coming from Sari-Tash. Didn't talk to them

8) The real issue for people coming from TJ is that there is no fuel in Sari-Tash! Fill up in Kara-Kul village. The blockage is 65 km from the border. There is a fuel station that had 92 octane right after the blockage.

Please also stick to the facts and report the source of your info. Us travelers and the local businesses in the area don't need any fear mongering based on rumors and speculation. I don't know what the future holds, but this is the situation right now. When traveling in the Stans you always need to be prepared for the unexpected. Last year it was Cholera, Plague, and Foot and Mouth disease outbreaks, this year it is something else.

Cheers,
boarder

Quote:


Originally Posted by boarder View Post

I'm posting this from Khorog, so:

1) rest assured it is open

2) I got a GBAO permit via an agency for $85. One of Muztoo's guides facilitated that. The actual permit was done by Pamir Silk Guides. They just needed a scan of the passport and the permit was printed locally. They do that all the time. The cost is high, but I couldn't get one in Istanbul. Note, that Muztoo made no money on the deal. They were just happy to use that contact for me.

3) Entered KZ-TJ at Kyzyl Art on 9.6. Nobody wanted to see the permit

4) The checkpoint after the Kara Kul village is gone

5) Went to Khorog via the Bartang valley. At no point was I stopped and hence never showed my permit. Between the Khorog airport and the bazaar was the usual police checkpoint (same as last year). They waved me through

6) All seems quiet in town. Bunch of tourists around

7) The road block between Sary Tash and Osh is a non issue for bikes. I have personally talked to 8 bikers, and one 4x4 driver who have all had the same experience as myself. Locals gladly show you the way around! I saw 2 large Swiss plated overland vehicles that made it through coming from Sari-Tash. Didn't talk to them

8) The real issue for people coming from TJ is that there is no fuel in Sari-Tash! Fill up in Kara-Kul village. The blockage is 65 km from the border. There is a fuel station that had 92 octane right after the blockage.

Please also stick to the facts and report the source of your info. Us travelers and the local businesses in the area don't need any fear mongering based on rumors and speculation. I don't know what the future holds, but this is the situation right now. When traveling in the Stans you always need to be prepared for the unexpected. Last year it was Cholera, Plague, and Foot and Mouth disease outbreaks, this year it is something else.

Cheers,
boarder

Super that Khorog can be passed again, I am happy for everybody!

What you write in your last alinea is complete nonsense. Khorog was closed, people got killed in shootings, permits were not issued for a while. Read before you comment, I put in my info in the beginning all the sources. Suggesting that postings coming from me and some others are based on rumors and speculation will not encourage me to share info any longer.

GRTZ,

JP

I have to say that i find it very hard currently to recommend Pamir Highway as a travel destination or highlight of travel because of situation what is there currently and has been allready several years. When planning such trip(s) it normally includes thousands of kilometers of driving to arrive in a area where entrance is currently very unsure and unsafe.

People in area are friendly towards tourist. No doubtb about that.

However i was in area 2012 when there was civil war in city of Khorog. When we were allowed to drive through city during ceasefire as sides Goverment/army troops and local civil militia were having negotiations i saw personally
* destroyed and burnt army BTR-60 where local Pamir guy was ripping tower 14mm tower gun away near big bridge which goes over Panji
* improvised roadblocks from cut telephone lines, trees, trucks driven over bridge
* blood on a several places in street
* burnt cars, houses and houses
* tourist reporting of laying whole last night in accommadation floor trying to avoid continues shooting which was going on nonstop
* military roadblock with another BTR-60 and very nervous guardman who aimed me with unloaded machine gun in road checkblock. Later in reports show that there was at least if i remember correctly 7 civilian shot into their cars in roadblocks.
* troop transfers with army trucks
* next night when camped north from Khorog, continous illuminiation lights shot to sky and artillery and smallarm fire
* Two family (probably Tadjikistan) pulled out from their cars by angry young guy mob wearing shovels, sticks and other improvised melee weapons.


Situation in 2012 went some weeks like that. Now this year there was similar outbreak so i find currently area very unsettled and similar what happened 2012 can burst out any day now in area.

Those events what happens there are not just single incidents but are fueled by local people hatred towards Tadjikistan goverment. They seem them as source of all evil and bad. Also no doubth Taleban movement has their pawns in this as they try to expand their influence.

I am sorry all above. Pamir Highway is one of the highlights and most beutifull places i have been. People there seemed genuely friendly and interested of travellers. But until situation there is settled and area is peacefull i find it hard to recommend anyone. Try drive there and randomly try your luck if you can enter there (safely) or not.


This is not rumor but fact and own experience seen in Khorog July 2012.

Tirpse, I understand you had a bad experience in 2012, and we all know 2012 has been a bad year for Pamir high season.

Nothing similar happened in 2013.

Something happened this year, in may, but facts reported seems to indicate it was very different than 2012 and it lasted only a few days, fortunately.

We all know in the 'Stans (almost all of them, and actually this year some dangerous things happened, and are happening, also in Europe - do you remember Ukraine?) things can change in only a few weeks and situations can become dangerous for tourists.

But, saying Pamir is always unsafe and has a Taliban problem is absolutely crazy, untrue and pure fantasy!

I think what Boarder was trying to say when he wrote his previous post is something like this:

"hey guys, we all know in those areas things can happen, but let's try not to be too dramatic, as in most cases things are ok, and ARE OK NOW, AS I'M IN THE AREA AND I'M TELLING YOU THEY ARE OK, NOW, the area is one of the most beautiful of the world, and the beautiful people who live there doesn't need all that fuss about an episode."

Actually, rereading what Boarder wrote, I think he explained the concept better than me.

If you don't want to travel in a place where things can change in a few days, I think it's better for you to remain in Europe. But you will loose the best.

I have been to the pamirs 5 times for 2-3 weeks at a time in the last 12 months

I think it is good to post information which is fact / first hand on this site so we all get a picture/idea of the place we are going to visit rather than of other misleading 3rd hand sources so we can make our own mind up.

This is Central Asia and sometimes there are outbreaks like this from time but mostly it does not directly effect travellers however sometimes travellers can get caught up in it.

People who read the information on this forum from other travellers who have been to the areas mentioned can then make there own mind up if they feel they want to go, we are all different and the Pamirs is not Western Europe

I myself think that both Krygystan and Tajik Pamirs are the most amazing places i have ever visited in my life and all the people i have meet are very friendly, in a few weeks i shall be heading into the Pamirs again and i myself have no worries about my own safety due to the small situation they had which caused the Pamir to close for a short while

For me the real danger in the Pamirs is nothing to do with what is written above but more if you fall and hurt yourself (i ride a motorbike there) and require medical help as it is a pretty remote area as far as trying to get real medical help/assitance goes, you will not be getting an ambulance in under 30minutes thats for sure:innocent:

Hi there, apparently if it's not one thing, it will be another one that blocks you from getting into the Pamirs.

We are in Dushanbe now and have just met some cyclists who had to come back to Dushanbe today from their way to Khorog after a land slide blocked the road just after Darband (which is at the crossroads of M41 and A372). To be precise, they say it was after the village of Kaftarguzar in the direction of Khorog.

There is a longer road from Dushanbe to Khorog (via Kulob) but any travelers who was in the mentioned area from 15th June onwards, please let us know if the shorter road is passable.

Safe travels!

BTW Dushanbe OVIR was still not issuing GBAO permits today and yday. We got ours in Bishkek on the 13th June

Oh, bad news.
Last year a bridge collapsed on the same road, just a few kms before Kalaikum, and the road was blocked for a few days early august.

I took the longer road south, through Kulob, and all I can say is that is a good one. A bit rough on the strech from Kulob to the river, due also to roadworks (maybe they are finished and is all tarmac now, I don't know).
When the road follows the river, there are some kms with very good incredible three lane tarmac, so Dushambe-Kalaikum in one day is a very easy goal on that southern road.

Yeah, i do remember that bridge before Kalaikum :thumbup1:
ilfiume - YouTube

And I remember who sent me an SMS informing me about it:-)
Thanks again Simone!

Hi,
we passed the roadblock around two weeks ago coming from Osh with our Landcruiser. It was not just driving trough. We and a Belgian couple coming from Sary Tash discussed for almost five hours before we finally could pass. Also other travellers reported increasing tension.

We are now in Bishkek and friends want to drive towards the Pamirs if they can get an GBAO permit here.

Did somebody cross the road block recently and how was the situation?
Is the road block still existing?

regards
Bernd

The roadblock after Sary Tash was removed when I passed 27 june. Unless it has been put up again, this is no longer a problem.