Tajikistan - first below 0° .

After having spent a month in the desert, entering this country seemed unreal. The quality of the road was more than perfect and the population more than genuinely friendly. We were so warmly welcomed with a bunch of joyful children giving us high-five to encourage us along the way. People showing thumbs up instead of Uzbeks honking, constantly offering us bread and fruits. We felt again the Persian hospitality, forgotten since Iran.

Right from the border with Uzbekistan, we were spoiled with the scenic road in the spectacular canyon. We cycled it up slowly, enjoying the breathtaking views, heading to the capital: Dushanbe. It took us 3 days to get there, discovering along the way the culture and the way of living of what is known as the poorest of the Central Asian countries.

Dushanbe. The buzzing-Las Vegas-style city with a Soviet touch and continuously under construction. Peculiar and choked with contrasts. Outrageously rich and empty buildings in the city center, flawless majestic fountains… While locals are living without running water just around the corner. We spend there three days; resting, stocking up on food, organizing permits for Pamir, and wandering around.

Over 90% of Tajikistan’s territory is covered with mountains with most of the country higher than 3.000 meters. The Tajik mountains are among the highest places in the world. We just couldn’t resist the idea of going to the mind-blowing Pamir mountains. It was simply too tempting.

As the border with Kirghistan was closed due to some recent clashes, it was impossible to cross to Kyrgyzstan from Tajikistan. We decided to do a two-week loop in the Pamir mountains anyway and return to Dushanbe afterward to cross the border with Uzbekistan up to the North. Yeah, we like adding ourselves some kilometers, especially to cycle in the mountains. Winter was still not here so we had to take this opportunity.

Organizing the Pamir permit was a pain in the ass. It turned out that we need registration in our hotel first before getting permits to get to the mountains. We already knew the principle of registration from Uzbekistan, but it was the first time we heard that we need one as well in Tajikistan. First try, we were given only one week permit due to communication issues… After a few round trips between the hotel and the office and some of Roxy’s broken Russian explications, we were finally happy owners of 30 days Pamir permits (also known as GBAO Permits). Without even being ripped off.

Pamir Highway: here we come !!

Unfortunately only one day after leaving Dushanbe we were caught in the pouring rain with the forecast saying that it will last for three days. Without a particular desire to pedal under the rain in the mountains, we found ourselves in a small village asking locals for a dry place to spend two days.

The owner of the famous CayHouse of the village, an old guy, kinda unwillingly invited us to his family house mumbling that we need to give some money for staying.

It was the first time someone asked us for money for a night. Without having a choice, of course, we agreed on giving some money to the hosting family.

As always in the majority of Muslim houses, they had an extra room for guests. An empty room filled with pillows and some blankets to sleep on it. No running water. No bathroom. Toilets in the back of the garden in a little made-out of clay hut. That was it. The simple living of these people never stops to surprise us.

The family had at least 6 children. We were not sure of the exact number, because they were coming in and out all the time having a look at the tourist's strangers. Unfortunately, only one boy spoke russian, which made the communication even harder and we felt like real ufos…

After two long days, the weather got better. We finally woke up with the sun and saw the most spectacular view of a long time… summits covered with a nice white layer of snow contrasting with colorful autumnal trees. The first snowfall of the trip! Expectedly, temperatures dropped significantly. The autumn was here. The next nights were cold. Very cold.

We were mentally prepared that the road will be rubbish in the Pamir. It is famous for it. Indeed, it was. At least there was no surprise. We arrived at the city of Tavildara at midday. At the entrance, there was a police control so had to leave again our documents copies. The officer said that the Tavildara pass was closed because there was too much snow… We hold up our breath.

“We will just go to ride a bit in the valley and come back” - we told him, otherwise he wouldn’t let us go… it’s too cold and too much snow - he said.

Another officer came and said something like “whatever, let them go”.

We told him that we are going to eat first in the Tavildara village and after we would go up a little just wandering around, without going to the pass. He finally let us pass. What a relief.

It was the toughest ride we’d done so far.

We woke up at 6am to give ourselves every chance to reach the pass and descend as low as possible on the other side to pitch the tent. Down in the village, people were waving at us that the road was closed. Turn around ? No way !

The climb was harsh and steep from the beginning. Fortunately, we managed to cycle the first 15ish km.

We found ourselves completely alone. It was amazing to cycle such a remote road only by ourselves. We felt privileged, but nervous at the same time. If no cars were passing, it meant that people were telling the truth and it may be too much snow up there…

Indeed, the last 10km were very challenging. It was a constant battle between a poor gravel road, powerful face wind, mud, snow, and our soaking legs. Some sections were fully covered with snow and ice, and for others we had to hop onto a muddy part, but was even worst with mudguards, picking all the mud along and making the tires stop rolling every 500m. Exhausting.

Our bicycles definitely didn’t enjoy this adventure. The mud slowly covering the chains and breaks. We were afraid of not being able to do the downhill. We’d finally reached the top: 3258m! So happy and exhausted(…)

But the view was rewarding, with 4000m snowy peaks surrounding us and Afghanistan a few kilometers away…

We took a victory photo and started to go down. It was still too much snow to ride, so we pushed some 3-4km. We found ourselves in a stunning but freezing snowy canyon with still absolutely no space for a tent. We continued for another 10km. We couldn’t feel our toes. We finally reached an open valley with some grass and a source of water. We made a little campfire and ate our noodles… A night at 2600m is always an adventure!

The next day, we finally reached the main road, bordering Afghanistan on the other side of a river. It was mid-October, snow was here and we still had a thousand kilometers to get to Kyrgyzstan: it was time to get back to Dushanbe. This time by a beautiful new road, waving to Afghans on the other side of the valley.

A few days later we reached Dushanbe again and stayed at an Austrian couple's house. They are expats leaving in Tadjikistan since 6months and were very kind to us. We took the opportunity to rest, clean our clothes and repair a bit the bikes. No stop planned before Kyrgyzstan! We headed to the north of Tadjikistan where lays the Fergana valley: basically the only flat territory of Tadjikistan. It was nice to cycle again on flat roads. The weather continued to be challenging and we had rain every 2 days basically…

On the last 100kms before reaching the Uzbek border, we cycled a road which was the theoretical border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. No fence, no wall, nothing marking the border though.

We were shocked to cross entire villages burned down. Recently it seemed. We asked some locals passing by who explained to us that during the September clashes (like a 1month and a half ago), there was a conflict zone. People living on one side of the road burning down the houses on the other side, and vice versa. A very sad time for the region… We pushed a bit further not to sleep in the area and reached the border with Uzbekistan again, this time only for two days.

It’s high time to reach Kyrgyzstan on the other side!