Pamir Mountains

The sights relate to the countries:TajikistanTajikistan , ChinaAfghanistanIndia

Pamir is a mountain system in the north of Central Asia, on the territory of Tajikistan, China, Afghanistan and India. Pamir is located at the junction of spurs of other powerful mountain systems of Central Asia – the Hindu Kush, Karakoram, Kunlun and Tien Shan.

There is no generally accepted etymology of the name Pamir. Common interpretations are “roof of the world”, “foot of death” (Iranian), “foot of the bird”, “foot of Mithra” (the Sun god).

In the 18th and 20th centuries, the Pamirs and the surrounding areas became the scene of geopolitical rivalry between the British and Russian empires, which was called the “Great Game” in the history of British geopolitics.

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Currently, the Pamir is a knot of unresolved contradictions between a number of states, leading to geopolitical tensions in the region.

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Video: Pamir

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Climate

The Pamirs are characterized by long and harsh winters and short summers. The peaks remain snow-covered all year round.

The climate of Pamir is high mountainous, harsh, sharply continental. Pamir is located in the subtropical belt, in winter the air masses of temperate latitudes prevail here, in summer – tropical. The average temperature in January at the altitudes of about 3600 m is -17.8° Celsius. Winter lasts from October to April inclusive. Absolute minimum temperatures reach -50° C. Summers are short and cold. Summer temperatures do not rise above +20° C. The average July temperature (for the same altitudes as January) is +13.9° C.

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Perennially frozen rocks are spread in the valleys of the Murghab, Oksu, and in drainless depressions (Lake Karakul, etc.).

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Cyclonic processes with southwestern mass transport have a predominant influence on annual precipitation. In the valleys of the Western Pamir the sum of annual precipitation is 92-260 mm, in the Eastern Pamir – 60-119 mm. In the highlands and on mountain slopes the amount of precipitation increases (on the Fedchenko Glacier 1100 mm). The maximum of precipitation in the Western Pamirs is in March-April, the minimum – in summer; in the Eastern Pamirs – in May-June and in August.

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In summer in the Eastern Pamirs there may be influences of humid tropical air masses participating in the monsoon circulation of India.

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Mountain peaks of Pamir

The highest point of the Pamirs is Kongur Peak (elevation 7,719 m), located in China.

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Other “seven-thousand-meter peaks” of the Pamirs:

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  • Ismail Samani Peak (formerly Communism Peak) (elevation 7,495 m) is the highest peak in the entire former USSR. It was discovered in the 1880s by Russian explorers of the Pamirs. It was mistakenly identified with Garmo Peak; later the mistake was corrected. In 1932 it was named Stalin’s Peak; in 1962 it was renamed to Communism Peak; in 1998 it was renamed to Ismail Samani Peak (Tajikistan).
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  • Lenin Peak (Abu Ali ibn Sina Peak) – height of 7,134 meters. It was discovered in 1871. It was named Kaufman Peak; in 1928 it was renamed to Lenin Peak; in 2006 in Tajikistan it was renamed to Abu Ali ibn Sina Peak (in honor of Avicenna), also known as Ibn Sina Peak.
  • Korzhenevskaya Peak – height of 7,105 meters. It was discovered in 1910 by Russian geographer N.L. Korzhenevsky. Named in honor of his wife Eugenia Korzhenevskaya.
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Glaciers

Pamir is a mountain system with a large number of glaciers of different types and genesis.

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The largest glacial phenomenon of nature in the Pamirs is Fedchenko Glacier, which is located in Central Tajikistan. It belongs to the mountain-valley type of glaciers. It is the longest glacier in the world outside the polar regions. The area of the glacier is about 700 km². Among Eurasian glaciers, it is second only to Siachen glacier (length 76 km, area 750 km²) and Baltoro glacier (length 62 km, area 750 km²) in the Karakoram mountain system.

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Glaciers cool the surface air layer, smooth the bottom and sides of valleys in their movement, carry down and grind up the fragmentary material of broken rocks, affect the daily rhythm of mountain-valley winds, below the snow line they melt, giving rise to streams and rivers.

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Zaalai Ridge




The Zaalai Range (the northern border of the Pamirs) stretches for 200 km from west to east, from the confluence of the Muksu and Kyzylsu rivers to Irkeshtam Peak on the border with China and further along the Chinese territory for another 50 km. Its average height is 5500 meters, the highest point is Lenin Peak, which is 7134 meters high.

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The Zaalai Mountains rise in a huge wall over the Alai Valley with virtually no foothills. The exception is the Western Zaalai, which is located west of the Tersagar Pass. The length of the ridge in this section is about 64 km. There is a branched network of northern spurs. In terms of landscape type, the Western Zaalai occupies an intermediate position between Gissar-Alai and Pamir. Its peaks have sharp shapes, valleys are deeply incised, in them from vegetation there are juniper, deciduous shrubs, even birch trees grow.

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The highest point of the Western Zaalai is Sat Peak (5900 m).

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The passes and peaks of Western Zaalai offer rare beauty views of the North-West Pamir, the peaks of Communism (7495 m) and Korzhenevskaya (7105 m).

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The Central Zaalai extends 92 km from the Tersagar Pass in the west to the Kyzylart Pass in the east. This is the highest part of the range. Here are located the highest peaks of the region – peaks of Lenin (7134 m), Zhukov (6842 m), Oktyabrsky (6780 m), Dzerzhinsky (6717 m), Unity (6640 m), Kyzylagyn (6683 m). The ridge in this section is poorly dissected and looks like a continuous wall, relief forms on the northern slopes are smoothed. The passes here are ice-snow passes.

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The southern side of the Central Zaalai has a number of branched spurs extending to the south, which allows planning a variety of mountain tourist routes of various categories of complexity. The powerful rivers Muksu and Sauksai (its tributary) flowing in these places are practically insurmountable in ford, so the Central Zaalai area is isolated from the rest of the Pamirs. Only in the upper reaches of the Sauksai near the Zulumart ridge and even further east a relatively trouble-free exit from the area to the central Pamir regions is guaranteed. Snow leopards are found in the Sauksai valley, and sometimes one can see gold prospectors at work.

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Eastern Zaalai extends 52 kilometers from the Kyzylart Pass eastward to the Chinese border. It is similar in character to the Central Zaalai, but is characterized by steeper northern slopes and lower altitudes. The peaks of Kurumdy (6613) and Zarya Vostoka (6349) are located here. The unnamed peak 6384, located between them, has not been conquered yet. For the first time Zarya Vostoka was conquered in 2000 by a team of Moscow tourists led by Alexander Novik, and the first ascent to the summit of Kurumdy took place in 2001, it was made by a team from Kyrgyzstan led by Alexander Gubaev.

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East and Central Zaalai are characterized by strong winds on the crest of the watershed ridge, which can cause accidents. The main factor determining the weather in Zaalai is the Atlantic cyclones.

There can also be a danger of getting lost in bad weather on broad ridges and domed peaks with smooth, inexpressive landforms. Therefore, if you decide to conquer the summit, it is necessary to have satellite navigation aids with you.

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The Zaalai Range has a powerful glaciation. In total there are 550 glaciers with a total area of 1329 square kilometers. Among the largest glaciers here are the Korzhenevsky, Dzerzhinsky, Kuzgun, Eastern Kyzylsu, Oktyabrsky, Nura, Malaya and Bolshaya Saukdara glaciers.

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Among the popular passes are Zaalaysky, Surkhangou, Minjar, Constitution, Abris, Dzerzhinsky, 60th Anniversary of October, Razdelny, Spartak, Mira bundle, Western and Zolotoy Telenok, Beletskogo, 30th Anniversary of Victory.

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Turkestan Ridge

It is a high mountain range of latitudinal direction, belonging to the Gissar-Alai mountain system. It is located in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, where it encircles the Fergana Valley from the southwest. Tajikistan’s border withUzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan runs along the ridge.

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The length of the ridge is about 340 km. Through the mountain junction of Matcha, the range connects with the Alai Range in the east and extends to the Samarkand Plain in the west. Its northern slope is long and gentle with juniper forests and sparse woodlands, while the southern slope is short and steep with rocks and screes. From the south, the valley of the Zeravshan River separates the Turkestan Range from the Zeravshan Range. Its highest points are Skalisty Peak (5621 m) and Pyramidalny Peak (5509 m). The ridge crest, especially in the eastern part, is covered with mountain glaciers. The largest here are the Tolstoy, Shurovsky and Zeravshansky glaciers. The Dushanbe – Khujand highway passes through one of the passes of the range (Shakhristan) at an altitude of 3378 meters. The slopes are dissected by the valleys of Isfara, Ak-Suu, Kara-Suu rivers. On the northern slope there is a mountain lake Ai-Kol.

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The range faces Kyrgyzstan with its northern slopes. All the northern slopes of the central and eastern parts of the range for 80 km are extremely interesting for mountaineers. In general, these are areas little explored by mountaineers, except for the world-famous Ak-Suu and Karavshin gorges. The climate of the region is much milder than on the Tien Shan. Annual precipitation ranges from 250 to 400 mm, increasing from west to east. The driest months of the year are August and September. The average temperature in January is -5°C, August – +14°C.

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Ak-Suu and Karavshin gorges are literally a paradise for mountaineers. The rocks of the area in their structure resemble Patagonia, but unlike the latter they are much longer and warmer. The walls here are up to 2000 meters high, such as the northern wall of Ak-Suu peak. Rocks are represented by strong, monolithic granites, limestones and sandstones. There are excellent opportunities for technical ascents on already passed routes, as well as opportunities for first ascents and new routes to already conquered peaks. You can get to this area by helicopter directly from Tashkent. But it is also possible to get there by motor transport from Tashkent to Katran village if you are going to Lyailyak or to Vorukh village if you are going to Karavshin, from where it is a day’s journey on foot or on horseback.

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West of the Ak-Suu gorge are the little known canyons of Uryam, Sabah and Kyrk-Bulak, where the cliffs are the same as in Ak-Suu and Karavshin and where there are a large number of beautiful peaks and opportunities for new routes. Further to the west of these gorges, in the upper reaches of the Karasang River, on its southern side, for 10 km there are rock walls up to 1000 meters high, composed of limestone and sandstone.
To the east of the Karavshin gorge for thirty kilometers there is a series of sub-parallel, stretched in meridional direction canyons: Dzhaupai, Tamyngen, Min-Teke, Jiptic, Kshemysh. These are areas rarely visited by mountaineers. All these gorges can be accessed by motor transport from the Fergana Valley. Approaches are 1-2 days with the use of pack transport.

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High Alai




The High Alai is the watershed of the rivers of the Fergana and Alai valleys. It is located in southwestern Kyrgyzstan and northeastern central Tajikistan, in the Pamir-Alai mountain system. In the west, the valley of the Soh River separates the High Alai from the Matcha (Matcha Mountain Node), the eastern border of this district runs along the Isfairamsai River.

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Inside the district can be subdivided into five sections (from west to east): Tandykul Peak area, Abramov Glacier area, Kuruk-Sai, Dugoba and Chekelik mountains. The highest point of the area is Tandykul Peak (5539 m).

The central axis of High Alai is the Alai Range, stretching almost 200 km wide. From it the Kuruk-Sai Mountains branch off to the northwest, the Collector Range to the northeast and the Tekelik Range to the southeast.

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The average height of the ridges reaches 4,500 meters. The cliffs are generally eroded. The snowline almost nowhere drops below 3000 m, in the gorges of the northern exposure it is 3200 m, and on the southern exposure it is 3600 m. The largest glaciers of the area are Inpan-saldy, Tandykul, Yangidavan, Jamankyrchii, Abramova, Gajir, Egorova, Dugoba. In the southwest of the area glaciation is more significant, to the northeast the number of glaciers and their size decreases.

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It is more convenient to get to the valley of Sourdob-Kyzyl-Suu (Alai) by the north-western Pamir road from Dushanbe. On the way beyond Obigarm, a resort of all-union importance, the highway rushes to the Vakhsh. Here one branch of it goes to the Obikhingou valley (Pamir), and the other branch goes to Surkhob-Kizil (Alay) to Jirgatal village through Garm and Hant (the way by car takes one day). Local airline planes fly from Dushanbe to Garm.

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Alai Range

It is a mountain range of the Pamir-Alai mountain system in Kyrgyzstan and partly in Tajikistan. Its height can reach up to 5,539 meters. It divides the Fergana and Alai valleys. The length of the ridge is 400 kilometers.

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The ridge is covered with eternal snow almost throughout its entire length and abounds with glaciers, especially in the west. The total area of glaciation is 568 square kilometers. The passes here are very high and difficult.

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In this territory, the most developed area is the Dugoba Gorge. All other gorges are developed very poorly and can provide an opportunity for travelers to explore these “wild” places. Access to the Fergana Valley gorge is easy and possible by motor vehicle from the city of Osh. Horses for transportation are available almost everywhere in the area.

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History




The first written information about the Pamirs was left by ancient pilgrims, whose reports have been preserved in ancient Chinese chronicles. They were translated into Russian in the middle of the last century in his fundamental “Collection of information about the peoples who lived in Central Asia in ancient times” by Nikita Yakovlevich Bichurin, in monasticism Father Iakinf, who for many years was the head of the Russian spiritual mission in Beijing. Father Iakinf became famous as an outstanding orientalist scholar. No historian of Central Asia today can do without his works.

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The most famous of these pilgrims, 27-year-old Xuan-Tszang, originally from Gunan province, traveled to India for religious purposes in 629; in 645 he returned with a load of bundles of Buddhist literature on 22 horses.

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Xuan-Zang passed the Pamirs on his return journey in the summer of 642. He calls the Pamir in his chronicles “Pa-mi-lo” and says the following about the area:

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“It is about 1000 li long from east to west and 100 li wide from south to north. It is situated between two snow ridges, from which a terrible blizzard reigns here, and gusty winds blow. It snows in spring and summer. The wind does not stop day or night. The soil is saturated with salt and covered with fine stone and sand. Neither grain bread nor fruit can grow here. Trees and other plants are rare. Everywhere is a wilderness without a trace of human habitation. In the middle of the Pa-mi-lo valley lies a large dragon lake, 300 li long from east to west and 50 li from south to north. And it lies at a great height… Its waters are pure and clear as a mirror; the depth is immeasurable. The color of the water is dark blue; it tastes pleasant and fresh. In the depths of these waters there are sharks, dragons, crocodiles, and turtles; ducks, wild geese swim on its surface…”

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Most scientists believe that the Chinese traveler was talking about Lake Zorkul. Researcher N.A. Severtsov identified it with the giant Pamir lake Karakul.

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A huge amount of information about the Pamir Mountains has not survived to our days, however, this does not mean that there was no travel here at all. On the contrary, most likely, the Pamir route for hundreds of years (with greater or lesser intensity, depending on historical circumstances) was used constantly as a trade, caravan route.

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Legends of the Pamirs

The eternal mystery of the Top of the World – Pamir – is as inscrutable and attractive to people as, perhaps, the mysteries and secrets of the most immortal Atlantis. These mountains keep many legends and legends…

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Sufi from Pamir

Khoja Tufa, a Sufi from the Pamirs, was once asked why he allowed people to exalt him. He said:
- Some people exalt me, some people attack me. We are neither responsible for those who exalt us nor for those who attack us.
The behavior of both does not depend on us in any way, and in fact they do not pay any attention to us at all. To object to those who pay no attention to us is an empty endeavor.

As for those who do not exalt us or attack us, we cooperate with some of them and have a similar worldview. But such people are not noticed, and so they begin to identify themselves with those who exalt or with those who object.

Such activity is a kind of bazaar, where everything is sold and bought. Genuine activity, however, is invisible.

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Looking back at praise and attack means looking at what is irrelevant. The irrelevant is often more conspicuous than the relevant. To take more interest in the conspicuous than in the significant is a common but futile thing.

And do not neglect the words of Zilzilawi once said, “When fools exalt me, I encourage them. When they reach the limit in this, they will at least have the opportunity to notice that the excesses are foolish. At the same time, if they over-praise me, I will be shunned by those who are sick of flattery: they will think that I encourage praise out of a desire for praise. But if they lack the faculty of perception to such an extent that they judge only from the superficial, then it is I who must avoid them, for I can do nothing to help them.”

The best way to get rid of anything is to make the thing you want to get rid of begin to avoid you of its own accord.

The Three Dervishes




There is a legend in Central Asia that sometimes three wandering dervishes gather in old mazars and tell each other stories about the wonders of this world that they had to see and experience during their pilgrimage to the great shrines. Blessed is the one who meets them on the way and receives their blessing.

On the Gardani-Kaftar Pass


Many forgotten roads lead to the gate of Pamir – Darvaz. Many mysteries surround the space of the Heavenly Mountains. One of the ancient paths passes through the pass “Eagle’s Collar” – Gardani Kaftar.

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A lone traveler going to worship the mazar of Hazrati-Allaudin in Darwaz may not know that this space holds the memory of the once-flown shroud of Ishoni Domullo Qurbon, one of the holy ascetics of the Pamirs. He himself is part of this world, its mystery!

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Night on Lake Pariyon




High up in the mountains of Kara-Tagh there is a small beautiful lake with azure water. The ear of the refined traveler will sometimes in the surrounding space hear the sounds of many girls singing, astonishing in their unearthly sound.

The legend of these mountains says that if there is a seeker who is not afraid to spend the night in silence and solitude on the shores of the lake, then from the depths of the waters to him a beautiful peeri will appear and give the brave a magical kiss.

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In the middle of this lake there is an island filled with the fragrance of tall herbs.

And the daredevil who dares to stay on this island for the night can see another phenomenon – fireballs rising from the surface of Pariyon and carrying its eternal secrets into the depths of the sky.

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Shahri Barbar




Once upon a time there was a wondrous city in the Alichur Valley, ruled by the Indian king Barbar. Many caravan trails led to this city. It is said that the people here lived beautifully in the joy and goodness of the golden age, never growing old or dying. But soon they forgot their Creator and stopped praising him for all the favors poured on them. And then the Almighty sent them the scourge of God – the giant Khudam, which destroyed all the inhabitants, and the heavenly fire burned to the ground the city, the memories of which remained only in the sacred songs of the Pamirites – “Mado”. Others believe that it was destroyed by the Prophet’s son-in-law, Ali.

Now only the wind and teresken, and the now rare horns of argali remain in place of the once great dream of Transoxiana (Maverannahr), “Fata Morgana” of the Eastern Pamirs.

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A kapishche in the mountains




How many religions and beliefs, cultures and peoples crossed in the heart of the Earth, on the Roof of the World! Here passed the phalanxes of Iskander-Zulkarnayn (Two-horned), the tumens of Genghis Khan, the cavalry of Babur and the brave warriors of Timur. These mountains gave birth to Zarathustra and fire worshippers, mysterious Ismailis, who brought the teachings of the great poet-prophet Nosyr Khusrav from distant Arabiston. And there are also many shrines of Islam – mazars of great hajjis.

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Sometimes in the gorges of the mountains you can stumble upon an ancient temple carved out of stones by the first inhabitants of these mountains – giants Refaim. On some of them still lie precious offerings, “but the sacrifice to God is spirit broken” (from the Scriptures). Not to be carried away this gold by earthly treasure seekers.

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Shoy-Tirandoz is the feast of the riflemen




Above the center of the royal gorge – kishlak Roshkala overhangs a huge rock – this is Shoy-Tirandoz, the feast of shooters, a formidable guardian of the mountains. He is one of the gaibis – heavenly guardians of Pamir. Shoy-Tirandoz puts the stewards of this world. Once in 170 years he shoots at a ruler, and if his arrow strikes a snake soul, it immediately falls into duzzah – hell, and if it hits a man with a lion heart, then he will ascend to besht – paradise.

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The invisible battles of good and evil are first carried out in heaven, and we, sinners, are already reaping their fruits on earth.

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Pamir is an amazing world, as you have probably already realized, full of riddles and mystery, unexplainable phenomena that amaze the mind of man happen here, this world is covered with numerous legends and legends that will forever remain with this place and in which there will never be a lack.

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Tour to the Pamir Mountains

A tourist should definitely include in his program a trip along the Karakoram Highway through the Pamir Mountains towards Pakistan to the Karakul Lake lying 220 km from Kashgar – comfortably by cab or cheaply by bus.

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“Black Lake” (not to be confused with the much larger lake of the same name in Tajikistan) lies at an altitude of 3645 meters in the traditional settlement area of the Kyrgyz, who still live here in yurts on traditional pastures during the summer season. The view of the two 7,000-meter peaks that are reflected in this lake is remarkable: Kongur Tag (the highest peak of the Pamirs, 7,719 m) and the particularly beautiful Muztagh Ata (“Father of the Ice Mountains”, 7,546 m). There is a restaurant and facilities for a modest overnight stay. Camels are at your disposal for a detour around the area. On the way you will pass Bulunkul, an area where two rivers overflow at their confluence, bordered by huge sandy mountains with snow-capped peaks towering above.

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When traveling here, you must take a passport, otherwise even before Bulunkul you will be sent back at the control post Gezcun (Gezcun), where it is strictly forbidden to take photos. Those who travel by long-distance bus (via Karakol to Sost or Tashkurgan) should plan one overnight stay. Attention! Boarding the return bus in Karakol may not work: here it rushes past on a country road and does not always make a stop. It is better to book the excursion, including transportation, at Caravan Cafe.