Despite having the same last four letters, which actually just means “LAND,” Tajikistan felt radically different than the first two 'Stans of our journey. It felt much more off-the-beaten-path, the people are radically different in their Persian-feeling look and hospitality, and it allowed us to experience one of the most epic road trips of our lives on the Pamir Highway….…
Life in Panjakent After our days of rest in Dushanbe, it was time to resume our travels by heading into the last of the Stans, at least for this trip. But first, we chose to spent a night in the Tajik border town of Panjakent (population 50k), which comes from Persian meaning “five towns,” likely referring to a cluster of ancient…
Exploring Dushanbe It’s been quite some time since we encountered the level of ostentatiousness that Dushanbe displays…in a blend of Skopje, North Macedonia, meets Dubai, meets China, meets Vegas. It’s oozing with development, cranes, statues, towers, fountains, bright lights, (particularly in the shape of animals or plants), big screen TVs and a distinct “look at me!” attitude. It even goes…
Day One: Osh, Kyrgyzstan to Murghab, Tajikistan (September 8, 2025) The Pamir Highway, often called “The Roof of the World” or the second highest international highway in the world, is one of the most legendary roads on the planet, traversing the four countries of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. The 1200-kilometer (750 mile) section we would journey over 6 nights/7…
