Tajikistan Overview

Tajikistan is a very beautiful country and absolutely a must visit if time and finances allow.  The primary attraction are the Pamirs, a mountain range that runs through Central Asia, and of course Tajikistan.  The range is by comparison young, and thus very steep and has some of the highest peaks in the world.  The  majority of adventure travelers that tour the Pamirs, in Tajikistan anyway, are cyclists; motorcycles are the second most prevalent, with 4x4s and old military vehicles turned into mega off-road RVs coming in third.  The year 2018 is the 'Year of Tourism and Folk Art," and for the price of an inexpensive visa, the Country is welcoming people with open arms.

With regards to renting motorcycles in Tajikistan, there are little to no offerings.  Most prospective riders rent in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and make the loop, or similar version of it, as detailed below.  

My Route Through Tajikistan

The most common route through Tajikistan, and the one I took, passes within three meters of Afghanistan, China and Uzbekistan.  If Google Maps is to be believed, the route actually passes through small portions of Uzbekistan, but on the road it is not discernible.  

Economic and Safety Rankings

With regards to safety, the US State Department has Tajikistan rated at Security Threat - Level 1, which is the department's safest level.  The World Fact Book, published by the CIA, ranks Tajikistan as the 192nd richest country (out of 229 countries/territories).  In short, a visit to Tajikistan is both safe and inexpensive.  

Immigration/Military Check Points/Police

The process to get into Tajikistan is really quite simple.  A visa can be obtained online or at an embassy for $55 (US price).  There is an additional $20 fee to ride through the Pamirs, which is payable by all nationalities.  The immigration/customs process is simple and quick. There are various scammers that hang around the customs area that try to trick you into buying a variety of "required services," and can be quite pushy.  These "services" are not required, and it's best to just turn your back to them and walk away.

Tajikistan shares a very long border with Afghanistan (separated by the Panj, a medium size river).  For protection purposes, the Country has installed numerous stationary check points and roaming patrols along the road.  The check points are quick to get through and require a simple showing and recording of a passport, road permit and visa.  The check points are intentionally very laid back to legal tourists and in the lower/hotter elevations, the military was handing out slices of watermelon as documents were being recorded.

With regards to the police, very few are prevalent in the eastern part of the country. The western part of the country, most notably the capital, is flush with them.  I had heard horror stories with regards to police corruption in the country, but neither I, nor anyone I actually spoke with, experienced any negative encounters.  

Roads and Fuel

The quality of the roads in Tajikistan vary significantly depending on whether they are located in the west or east side of the country.  The eastern side of the country is mostly mountainous, scenic and remote, and is the reason why most of the tourists come to Tajikistan.  The roads in this part of the country are poor to atrocious and many have never been paved or were last paved by the Soviets (prior to 1991). Large sharp rocks are very prevalent, potholes galore on the paved sections, unsigned missing bridges, sand, loose gravel, and combinations of all the above span the majority of the eastern roadway system.  During the trip, Greta did sustain some damage, most notably, one large dent, three medium dents and a 2-inch longitudinal crack in the front (cast aluminum) rim.  Thankfully all damage was straightened, trued, and welded in Bishkek in just under two hours for only $28. The west side of the country is primarily flat  or rolling and supports the majority of business and government.  The roads in this part of the country are in good shape and seem to be newly paved and marked.

The rub in the tourist community is that the roads in the east are in such bad shape and need to be repaired. In my personal opinion, the poor roads are a good thing, as the road is not well suited for regular passenger vehicles or massive tour buses, which leaves this area to adventurers.  If the Tajik government were to repave, and I am sure they will, the highway will be loaded with tour buses full of pensioners, and the small kitschy home stays and wild camping areas will be replaced by chain hotels and chain restaurants.  People who want to see the unspoiled and unmolested Tajikistan had better hurry, because the government is looking to tourism to bolster its economy, and making access to the Pamirs easier to the masses is the next logical step.

Fuel stations in the eastern part of the Country are few and far between, but if planned correctly, are adequate for most motorcycles.  If fuel shortages are encountered, every village has a fuel farm (villages are run on generators) and they will sell to people in need, although at an inflated price (30 percent over).  The western side of the country is flush with fuel stations. 

The People

The people are simply amazing, and I am sure it has to do with the newness of tourism in the country.  Tajikistan has only recently opened it doors widely, and more recently the Pamirs, to foreigners.  The people are genuinely excited to see people cruising through.  Many people have opened their homes to travelers in the form of a home stay.  A home stay will cost $10-$15 a night and will include a bed to sleep in and all meals for which the patron is around.  Arrive before two o'clock, and three meals will be part of the stay.  

The kids in these small towns are the best part.  When they hear the motorcycle coming, they will run down their driveways to wave or give high-five as I pass.  I stopped in a small village with a market, and within 5 minutes half the kid residents had arrived and were asking a million questions, climbing on Greta and taking pictures.  They really cracked me up.   

The Market Stop

Tourism

Tajikistan's principal tourism lies in the eastern part of the country and consists mostly of the incredible, untouched and unmolested scenery.   The Wakhan (the route I took) and Bartang Valleys are the tougher of the routes and stray from the primary road (M41).  The western part of the country contains very little in comparison and is basically a pass through for most tourists going to and from the Pamirs.  Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital, is a modern city and not much of a draw.  The City is primarily used by tourists that are resting after riding through the Pamirs or as a location for organizing equipment before heading into the Pamirs.  There are a couple of hostels (Pamir Lodge in Khorog and the Green House and Yeti in Dushanbe) that are frequented by overlanders to conduct these activities.

Trip summary

Leg Distance: 1,168 mi (1,883 km)

Total Distance Traveled by Motorcycle: 28.860 mi (46,547 km) 

Countries/Territories Visited: USA, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar, France, Monaco, Italy, Vatican City, San Marino, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Transnistria, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, China (for 20 seconds)