If Kyrgyzstan is the country of the Tian Shan, then Tajikistan is the country of the Pamirs. The grand mountain ranges of Central Asia converge in the Pamirs: Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush. It is no wonder that it is called the "Roof of the World." The Western Pamir, or Gorno-Badakhshan, bordering Kyrgyzstan (Osh region, Alaï and Chon-Alai districts), has significant natural resources that can be utilized in joint tourism programs and tours.
The harsh climate, complex mountainous terrain, and the highest ridges and peaks all represent valuable assets in the modern extreme-adventure tourism sector. At the top of this list are the famous and popular peaks among climbers: Somoni (7495 m) and Korzhenevskaya (7105 m), located near the borders of Kyrgyzstan. Additionally, in the far east of the Central Pamirs, in a vast and endorheic basin at an altitude of 3745 meters, lie two lakes: Rang-Kul and Shor-Kul. The surface of the lakes is characterized by an extraordinarily beautiful play of colors that changes several times throughout the day. It is likely that the name Rang-Kul, which translates from Kyrgyz as "lake of colors," originates from this phenomenon.
The Salaktash area, like other gorges in the southern slope of the Rangkul basin, abounds in karst formations. Here, at an altitude of 4400 meters, is the entrance to the Putnik Cave.
In the late 1980s, Moscow speleologists explored the cave. As a result of several expeditions, an unknown passage was discovered, leading to a grand underground system. The Putnik Cave turned out to be a very intricate underground system—horizontal labyrinths connected by sloping corridors weave together into a complex network of passages. The length of the explored part of the cave exceeds 10 km. To this day, the cave remains unexplored, and this fact can be quite appealing to scientists and speleologists from around the world. Other notable natural monuments include the high-altitude desert Markasu, located at an altitude of over 4000 meters; one of the greatest glaciers in the world, Fedchenko, which is 77 km long; Lake Karakul; and many others.
Currently, there are more than 70 mineral springs in the Pamirs. The most famous Garmchashma springs are located in Gorno-Badakhshan. Unique hot mineral water springs of complex composition are found in the Ishkashim district in a picturesque gorge at an altitude of 2800 meters. Experts describe these waters as carbonated with a very high content of hydrogen sulfide. Cascading down, the hot mineralized water has created whimsical multi-tiered steps, stalactites, and bizarre formations that shimmer in various colors.
The mountains and valleys of Tajikistan, as well as the peoples who lived in its territory, are mentioned in very ancient sources. About Sogdiana and Bactria—the ancestral homeland of the Tajiks—was written in the collection of sacred texts "Avesta" (the first half of the 1st millennium BC). Ancient authors (Herodotus and Eratosthenes, Pliny and Ptolemy), as well as Chinese travelers from the early era, wrote about the territory that now comprises modern Tajikistan. The main population of Gorno-Badakhshan consists of Pamiri Kyrgyz, which allows for hopeful prospects for successful cooperation and the organization of joint ethnographic programs with Tajikistan.
The cave city near the village of Yamg and the ruins of the ancient fortress of Kangha near the village of Mug in the Ishkashim district are also of interest.
In addition to the common border in the Pamirs, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan also meet in the western part of the Fergana Valley. Notable attractions in this area include the Kayrakkum Reservoir, the saline lake Ak-sukon, the Karamazar mine in the Nurata Mountains—a monument of ancient mining architecture from the 10th-12th centuries—and the ancient city of Khujand, where monuments from the era of the Great Silk Road have been preserved.
A very interesting program is envisioned for conquering three peaks: Somoni, Korzhenevskaya, and Lenin, which are relatively close to each other. It could be called "The Snow Leopard of the Pamirs."
Here, in the Pamirs, there are also interesting proposals for organizing scientific and sports expeditions to little-explored territories. The starting point for these programs could be the Alai Valley.
Osh is called the "Gateway to the Pamirs." All expeditions to the Pamirs departed from here. By this old tradition, Osh can be the gateway to the Pamirs now, not only for scientists and athletes but also for tourists and travelers.
The Pamirs open up opportunities for organizing joint trekking of the broadest scope. Search-and-research speleological expeditions, ethnographic and historical-cultural tours including visits to ancient cities: Uzgen, Osh, Khujand—all of this is still untapped potential for two friendly neighboring countries.
