Dushanbe to Khorog

If you are hiring a car between Dushanbe and Khorog, you have the choice of two routes; the main, summer-only route via Tavildara and the 3252m Sagirdasht Pass to Kala-i Khum, or the longer but year-round southern route via Kulyab and the Afghan border road. Minibuses generally take the shorter Tavildara route, though political violence closed that route temporarily in 2009. The condition of the Tavildara road is particularly bad and without prospect of improving any time soon. The southern route is longer but slowly being upgraded by Turkish road crews (there is a surreal three-lane stretch of highway at Zigar), plus there are great views of the amazing cliffside footpaths (known as owrings) and traditional villages on the Afghan side of the river, often less than 100m away. Yoged is one of several lovely Tajik villages en route and has signposted homestays (Soukrihusein Sukronov and Kalandarsho Dodarsjonov). Signs warn of mines along parts of this route so don’t go wandering by the river bank. The best place to break the trip is in Kala-i Khum (also known as Kalaikhum, Darvaz or Darwaz). The homestay of Bakhrom Sangkakuf, by the bridge, is a good accommodation bet, as is the homestay of Katya Khudoyidodova. There’s also an MSDSP guesthouse, 1km down the road to Kulyab. There’s a signed homestay (Dilshod Ibronov) at Togmay, 44km east of Kala-i Khum.