Tajikistan loop preferred direction

[dude]

I'm thinking of doing a 4 weeks trip mostly in Tajikistan as a loop roughly like this:

- Land in Tashkent
- Go to Osh
- Do the Pamir Hwy and Wakhan Valley with many side treks
- Hike in the Fann Mountains
- Samarkand
- Back in Tashkent

The trip would be in August.

I'm wondering if it's preferable to do such a loop clockwise or counterclockwise.

Thanks

[blakep76]

Either would be okay, but one possible *disadvantage* of doing the trip in the clockwise direction would be you are faced with a very rapid ascent from Osh to the higher passes in Tajikistan (something like 1,000 meters in altitude to over 4,500 in a couple of days)...depends on your personal experience with high altitude or physical condition as to whether or not this will be an issue for you. Certainly the counter clockwise direction allows for a more gentle incline on the Pamir Highway.