Central Asia is the setting for the our Tour, Pamir & Wakhan Corridor, whose route develops along the trail of the famous road which, after crossing the county, reaches its boundary and continues towards Tajikistan.
We start from just outside the centre of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where the M41 awaits us to lead us to the discovery of one of these countries which, from the motorcyclist’s viewpoint, is able to offer great excitement and unforgettable landscapes. During the course of the tour, we pass through mountainous stretches, asphalted and at a height of above 4000 metres, and cross immense prairies rising towards the horizon, and to snow-covered peaks of more than 7000 metres.
Descending to lower parts, we can enjoy the views of sandy deserts and splendid lakes of constantly changing colour, until the M41 enters a true canyon, between sensational sheer walls of a characteristic red colour. From this point our journey will be joined for a stretch of several kilometres by the Toktogul river, whose surprising characteristics is the colour of its waters: a continual variation of shades from deep blue to emerald green and to turquoise.
After this, once the river has taken itself away from our route, we ride along the M41 through a succession of spectacular bends, gentler curves and continuous variations in altitude, which lasts for hundreds of kilometres — until we reach the city of Os, the second largest in Kyrgyzstan. It is on its departure from this city that the road, rises impressively and unexpectedly climbs to a height of 4000 metres, offering us the possibility of admiring not only the summits, far off and covered with snow, and situated beyond the Chinese frontier, but also the first mountains of the range of the Himalayas.
On this almost surreal plateau, surrounded by the highest and most majestic peaks, the only inhabitants are the local shepherds who still today live in yurts, the large circular tents made of woollen felt where the family, who follow a semi-nomadic life-style, come together, sleep, and carry out all their daily activities. On our journey, we shall also have the opportunity to visit and go inside a yurt and learn at first hand the customs and way of life of its inhabitants.
In the final kilometres before the frontier, the M41 begins to deteriorate slowly, before reaching the border with Tajikistan, and continuing beyond.
