Hostel in Dushanbe where a lot of cyclists were waiting for the Pamir to be openend again
Food acquisition in Dushanbe: chocolate cream is a must
The basic food we bought on the market
The Tadjik flag, supposed to be one of the biggest worldwide
A little exploratory trip in Dushanbe
ditto
We took little swim in a lake in the north of Dushanbe to escape from the heat
The bikes are tied on the roof of our Taxi into the Pamir
Mobile gas station
The Military station close to the Afghan border, where they didn’t let us pass trough into the Pamir
Way back seeking for a place to sleep
Young Tajiks on the way into the Pamir, where their families live
Asking for the direction
Tired from cylcing and the time shift
We are on the right way: Kovaling
Camp spot with a view all the way to Afghanistan
Martin is responsible for the water supply and usually carries way to much … too afraid of dying of thirst 😉
After Kovaling the roads got even more adventurous …
… but also more idyllic
… and more strenuous
A young Tajik has fun with Hannes’ bike
Presumably a gold mine
After the mines the road got pretty narrow,
… worse …
… and pretty steep.
It took us hours to get to the pass
A unexpected natural spring at the wayside, which was very welcome as we were running out of water
And finally we reached the insignificant but nevertheless energy-sapping pass
… and stayed also there for the night.
Two shepards accompanied us
The downhill next day …
in a beautiful valley.
First time on the original Pamir highway …
… where we tried to get into the Pamir again, without success
The people take their sheep all the way to Dushanbe in a journey lasting for about a week
Hunger
Back on the paved road where we turned towards the Kyrgyz border
After 3 days of rough roads the paved road was a welcome change
Kids having fun
No-man’s land in between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
Now in Kyrgiztan getting closer to the high mountains of the North-Pamir
Another bike test
Due to the lack of alternatives many cyclists meet again in Sary Tash, a central hub (road from/to China, Pamir, Tajikistan and Central Kyrgyztan meet there)
The shower
Most preferred topics among cyclists: food and maps
Washday
Sary Tash
We took a break for a day in Sary Tash …
and did a little hike.
Road towards the inaccessible Pamir.
The mountain range of the Northern Pamir (probably the Pik Lenin among them)
Road to Pamir … our third try to get in … surpringsingly without success
No, it’s not the bike of a local but of a swiss guy traveling already for more than two years
Last view back to the Pamir. Bye, bye, see you later maybe, sometime in the far future …
Greetings from home: one of the numerous german trucks and cars
View on the nice camping spot of the last night
Yurts
Kyrgyz’
The lower regions of Kyrgyztan are quite desertlike
A cemetery
One of the overloaded trucks carrying the hay from the mountains into the villages
Modern nomads
The other side of another pass …
… inhabited by some Kyrgyz …
… where we also got some home made, very delicious yogurt.
Some kids watching us enjoying the Yogurt
What a nice camping spot!
ditto
Back down in the valley
Scene in a city
Sunflowers and their seeds spread out on the road in order to dry
ditto
As Martin got a little bit sick (diarrhea) we hitch-hiked a bit to get one.
Martin had a sleep …
… while Hannes was trying to stop another car (not only) to get on. Without success on that day.
Fortunately, the next day we soon found somebody who brought us all the way up to the long climb to the pass.
View back onto the road we luckily didn’t need to cycle up
Back on the bikes for the long downhill on the other side of the pass
The town Kazarman, with morbid charme and a sensation of doomsday
This car took us to the starting point of a day hike …
over a pretty adventurous road …
… into a remote and idyllic valley
After a couple hours of uphill …
… we reached our destination: a field of stones with ancient figures carved in stones.
ditto
In about 4000 m altitude
Beer in 1,5 liter bottles … hmm
Breakfast at a typicall central asien table
The same car also took us back over the pass again the next day
With a lot of breaks to fill up the coolant and cool the motor in general
Back on the paved roads
Last night in the tent
Most of the last days we spent in Aslanbob, a popular vacation spot also for locals
… with waterfalls, trekking opportunities and skiing in the winter
German guys who were driving all the way down here in a fire truck within 3 months
The beautiful mountains at the back of Ashlanbob
Osh, from where we flew back home
A mosque, seen from a lookout point in Osh