Khorog

Dushanbe | Khojand | Penjikent | Murgab | Istaravshan | Kulyab

  Khorog was a very tiny settlement in the past that loosely belonged to the domain of local chieftains, the Afghan Shah or the Emir of Bukhara. In 1896 Russians moved a Russian base from Murghab according to Anglo-Russian Border Agreement of 1896, which delineated the current northern border of Afghanistan on the Pyanj River. In 1899 the Danish expedition led by Olufsen estimated the population of Khorog as only 33 houses and 120 people. These days Khorog still remain a small mountain valley town but a capital of Gorno Badakhshan region since 1925 and supporting a population of 30 thousand people. Khorog is located on either side of the dashing Gunt River and surrounded by Pamir ranges. A few kilometres downstream, the Gunt merges with the Pyanj - the main feeder of Oxus, marking the border with Afghanistan.

  Things to see here include Pamir Botanical Garden - second highest in the world, Khorog museum that contains archeological and historical exhibits including the piano that was delivered here from Osh in 1914 for the daughter of Russian commander. Afghan market - that happens every Saturday a few kilimetres outside of Khorog where Afghanis are allowed to cross over the border without visa to sell their wares to Tajiki people. Khorog-Dushanbe flight thru (not over!) Pamir mountains was considered one of the most technically difficult at soviet union and are also very spectacular and thrilling - operated only on good weather days it is a 40 minutes flight by Russian made Antonov 28 or Yakovlev 40. Please note there is no reservation ahead is available for this flight and tickets sold on first come, first served basis.

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