Hiking from Dushanbe to the Upper Zarafshon Valley via Yaghnob

I don’t suggest starting your hike in Dushanbe. It will be too hot. Your starting point should be the town of Hushyori on the main road going north from Dushanbe.

From Hushyori you can follow the (not yet complete) Pamir Trail route to the Upper Zarafshon (scroll down and follow Stage 18 to Stage 31).

My route is more direct, and in some places easier: Hushyori —> Kulol-Sangalt Pass —> Ziddi (Kalon) village —> Loylakul Pass —> Khoja Sangkhok Mineral Springs —> Qaratabon Pass —> Margheb —> Novobod —> Rost Pass (Ghuzn Pass) —> village of Ghuzn.

First, start in the village of Hushyori and do the route over the Kulol-Sangalt Pass to the Ziddi Valley. Once in the Ziddi valley you can choose your route east up the river. You can choose to go up to Loylakul Pass to get a view of the Loylakul glaciers. Then you can come back down or angle over to the Akhbakul Pass and down the Tagobikul gorge to the Yaghnob Valley. Or you can do what I plan to do: come back down from Loylakul Pass to the Khoja Sangkhok Mineral Springs and then turn north up and over the Qaratabon Pass (mostly open grassy terrain). From the pass you go directly down/north to the village of Margheb, where there are three guest houses that serve tourists.

From Margheb you have multiple choices: walk up the Yaghnob Valley on the road, attempt a difficult and sketchy trip on the goat paths that start about 4km upriver from Margheb, or go over the 4080 meter pass on the south side of the Zamin Qaror mastiff (no reports on this route yet), and then through the easy Varsaut Pass and down to the Yaghnob valley villages. After this you will aim for the abandoned village of Novobod and the Rost/Ghuzn Pass to the village of Ghuzn on the Zarafshon side (from here escape by car or go east over a ridge to the Rivut gorge and then on to Langar).

I’ve done this entire route, aside from the Qaratabon pass, which has an easy 1A rating on the Soviet/Russian alpine grading scale. From Margheb I walked up the road, so I can’t comment on the other two alternate routes (the goat paths and the high 4080 meter pass).

How long will this route take? The easiest options should be 6-8 days from Hushyori to Ghuzn (10+ days if you are a slow mover who stops to enjoy the scenery and cook three meals per day).

Plan to restock on food in the village of Margheb. I carry 10 days worth of food regularly, but those who wish to travel lighter can plan on buying food in a village store or from a guest house in Margheb (limited options) - or pay for a half-day shopping from Margheb trip to the town of Sarvoda.