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Welcome to Xoroq
(Khorogh) (Tajikistan) by Tirdâd Gorgâni |
Other Towns: Dushanbe (The Capital ) Isfara Istravshan Panjikent Xujand (Khujand) Art Language People |
The
mountainous region of Pamirs is known in Tajikistan
as Bam-i-Jahon (the Roof of the World). The region is the node
from which some of the world's highest mountain ranges radiate. To the
south lie the Karakoram and Himalaya. The city of Khorogh (Khoroq or Xoroq) is the administrative center of Badakhshan Autonomous region of Tajikistan. It is located in the southwestern region of the region, some 2000m (6560 ft) above sea level. Straddling the Gunt (Ghund, in Tajiki) River, where Gunt flows into the Panj river. Even though the Pamirs are known as the home of the world's largest glaciers, the climate of Khorog is warm in the summer months (22 C in June) and mild in winter (-7C in January). The average annual rainfall in the region is 263 mm. More About the city ….and there's something fantastic about the place that leaves an indelible impression. "The sky is bluer there," insists Monica Whitlock, a BBC correspondent based in Dushanbe. "And the sheep look whiter." |
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Facts at |
a Glance |
Bank Dialing Codes Domestic Flights Embassies Guide Books Silk Road Tajikistan History Travel Trekking in Pamir University of Xoroq Weather |
*Name of town
: Khorog (Xoroq) *Language: Tajik (=Persian) *Population of Khorog: c. 22,000 *Post Office: Ulitsa Lenina 45 *Accomodation: Click here *Café: Ulitsa Lenina (opposite to the Post office) with a pleasaant Chai khane (tea house). *Area code: 35220 *Road Map: Click here. *Tourist Information: Badakhshans Khoroq office is at Ulitsa Lenina 7,on the 2:nd floor of the former communist party 'Abcomparti'-buildning). Tel: 6086 *Permission to go Trekking: Address: Ulitsa Lenina 36 (the big government buildning), Tel 5068, Contact Azorabek Lailibekov Travel agency: *Mosalam Anvarov, at ulitsa Lenina 133/3, apartment 34. Tel: 3206 home and 4057 office *Molo Abdul Shagarf, Tel: 3796 office and 5926 home More about |
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Badakhshan
Region : Along with its capital city of
Kharoq in the Shughnan district, Badakhshan consists of
the following districts: Vanj, Ishkashim, Murghab, Rushan, and Qal'a-i
Khumb. The population of the region is 210 th..
The majority of the population (96.5%) is Tajik. There are also Russian
and Kyrgiz communities in the region.
See map. |
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Transportation |
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Road Khorog is linked by highway to Osh (470 Km) and Dushanbe (527 km) and by air to Dushanbe. During the winter (October to March), the main road from the capital and the southwest of the country (east to Khorog via Khalaikum) is closed by snow. The road between Osh (in Kyrgyzstan) and Khorog is kept open all year round and traverses one of the most beautiful and unspoilt regions in the world, the Pamir Mountains. Recent political and economic troubles have meant that road maintenance has been widely neglected. See Road map Air The air trip, however, cannot be taken on any day. It requires a nice sunny day. To enter Khorog, the plane must negotiate a narrow valley. While crossing the valley, at times, it seems, the wings brush against the snow to the sides. Flight time is a little under an hour, and the view is spectacular. In addition, the plane ride (45 minutes altogether) often becomes dangerous, especially when the Badakhshanis do not pay attention to capacity and fill the isles with cargo and passengers. More about |
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Accomodation |
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Accommodation is available in town. In
addition to the State Hotel, there are also several government
'dachas' in which one can stay; their standards
of comfort and cleanliness vary but their prices are reasonable.
Other accomodation are: *Dostay Maimankhana - guest house Address: Just off Ulitsa Lenin, by the river *MSDP-guest house (comfortable) (Mountain Society Development Support Programme) Address: Ulitsa Lenin 54 (next to the museum) *WFP-guest house (World Food Programme) Address: Ulitsa Aini 9/1; top floor |
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What to |
see |
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Khorog's main street
continues to be called Lenin. It also has a university, radio and
television station (1977), a number of theaters and movie houses, a
library, and a regional museum (at Ulitsa Lenin). Two
major Soviet-built scientific centers: the Pamirs Biological Station
and the Pamirs Botanical Gardens are located within a short
distance (5 km northern town) from the city center. Teahouses Visiting one of these beautiful, pleasant and calm teahouses (Chayxane) is a must. |
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Getting |
around |
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Golden shrine Route Sanatorium "Garmchashma" A SPA OF EMPYREAL HIGHTS |
*Mountaine Lakes
& Springs South of Khorog, a side road loop traces the Tajik-Afghan border (north-east to Langer), before meeting the Pamir (M41) HighWay, you find the hot springs, mountain lakes and the ruines of pre-islamic fortress. *Views of Pik Karla Marxa (6723m) South-east from Khorog, the 4WD road heads up the Shakhrdara valley and over to Turuntai-kul, offering fantastic views of Pik Karla Marxa (6723m). *There are therapeutic hot springs in: Garm Chashma (near Anderob, 30km from Xoroq on the road to Ishkashim) Oudzh (30km from Ishakashim on the road from Xoroq) *Gunt valley The very attractive and friendly Gunt valley is along road from Khorog to Jelandy.Lush poplars amid arid mountains shelter traditional Pamiri villages with very friendly and curious people. There are countless spectacular views along the Gunt valley. |
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Adventure |
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T
rekking on the Roof of the World The mountainous region of Pamirs is known in Tajikistan as Bam-i-Jahon (the Roof of the World). The region is the node from which some of the world's highest mountain ranges radiate. To the south lie the Karakoram and Himalaya. In the west is the Hindu Kush and along the Kyrgyz-Chinese border is the Tian Shan. Many peaks in Pamirs rise well over 7000 m (23,000 feet) and large part of the region is too high for human settlement, but Marco Polo sheep and snow leopard roam there. Badakhshan region offer some of the best mountaineering and trekking opportunities in the world. The remoteness, variety of mountains, colourful and friendly local communities, relative ease of access and stable weather make this one of your most highly exciting destinations. The highest mountains of Central Asia: peak of Lenin (7134), Ismoil Somoni [Communism] (7495), Pobeda (7439), the ice-house of Fedchenko, Medveji, Fortambek and others are situated here. More about. |
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The 500m-deep Lake Sarez
(Sareskoye), half the size of Lake Geneva, in the heart of the
Pamirs, was formed in 1911 when the side of a mountain was dislodged by
an earthquake and fell into the path of a mountain river. In the north
of the Pamirs, Lake Kara-Kul , formed by a meteor ten million
years ago, is 3915m (12,844ft) above sea-level and hence too high
for any aquatic life. Pik Lenina and Mount Garmo
(formerly Pik Kommunizma) are to the northwest and west
respectively of Lake Kara-Kul. At well over 7000m (22,966ft), these two
peaks tower over Tajikistan and the neighbouring republic of Kyrgyzstan
to the north. Helicopter flights are available for those wishing
to climb them. Many people are convinced that Yetis are alive and
thriving in this remote wilderness.
See Travel Agencies |
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Useful |
Links |
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* Adventure on the Roof of the
World * Southern Blues * Tours to the Pamir Mountains * World Travel Guide * Pamirs in Peakware *Pamirs; What to see? *Pamir on bicycle |
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Trekking in central Pamir - from Yashilkul lake to Sarez lake *Pamir Reise (in German) * Tajikistan, Travel * Arctic Region and Satellite, Moon, Planet *Tajikistan National Travel Company * About Pamir region |
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More About |
Khorog |
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One of the oldest settlements in
the Pamirs, Khorog was originally a complex of two villages which,
in 1925, became the center of the region. Rapidly growing, by
1932, Khorog had gained enough prestige to be given city
status. At the present, the city has a population of
22,000, a number of plants for the production of milk, meat, and
bread and several factories for the manufacture of such
shoes, metal goods, building materials, and processed
food. |
Note: Some of the pictures are taken by: Robert Middelton robert@pamirs.org |
Webmaster : Bandare_gaz at
yahoo dot com (Last update: May 2005) |