Taldyk Pass

Taldyk is the high point of the road between Osh and the Alay valley, reached by a long climb through the Alay range that ends in a set of tight switchbacks visible from far below, a favourite stretch for cyclists on the Pamir Highway and a hard one. From the top at 3,615 metres the road drops toward Sary-Tash and the Trans-Alay wall comes into view for the first time, which is the moment most travellers remember from the drive. Snow can fall here in any month and the pass closes in storms; it is cleared as a strategic route but conditions in winter are serious. Marmots are everywhere on the grassy slopes near the summit, and shepherd camps occupy the meadows below in summer.

What you actually see

• The switchbacks - the tight hairpins on the northern approach.
• The first Pamir view - the Trans-Alay wall appearing from the top.
• Marmot slopes - colonies on the grass near the summit.
• Summer shepherd camps - grazing in the meadows below the pass.

When to go

June to September for reliable conditions. Snow is possible in every month at this height. Cyclists tackle it in summer. In winter the road is kept open but crossings are hazardous and sometimes halted.

Honest expectations

Altitude is felt at the top and the descent is steep with heavy truck traffic. Weather changes fast and visibility can drop to nothing. There are no facilities at the summit. For cyclists it is a long sustained climb with no water for stretches.

Nearby

Sary-Tash lies south; Osh is north.