Murghab

Murghab sits at around three thousand six hundred metres on the eastern Pamir plateau, which makes it the highest town in the country, a low grid of single-storey buildings on bare ground with mountains standing all round. Most of its people are Kyrgyz rather than Tajik and speak Kyrgyz. The container bazaar, built out of shipping containers, is the main market for the whole eastern Pamirs, and the town is the base for trips onto the plateau.

What you actually see

• The container bazaar - a market built out of shipping containers on the edge of town.
• The altitude - the highest town in Tajikistan at around 3600 metres.
• The Kyrgyz community - the language and culture of the eastern Pamirs.
• The plateau setting - bare high ground with mountains on all sides.

When to go

June to September is the season; winter here is severe with temperatures far below freezing. Nights are cold in any month. A GBAO permit is required.

Honest expectations

The altitude is serious and arriving quickly from low ground causes real problems. Facilities are basic: homestays, limited electricity and intermittent supply. Fuel and food choices are very restricted.

Nearby

Bulunkul is west, and Karakul Lake is north.