Shahriston pass Q&A

[steven]

If you prefer to take the long way round over the Shahriston tunnel between Aini and Istaravshan, you can take the Shahriston pass.

We're not sure what state the pass is in, though. If you have been, please let us know!

[Christian77]

Haven't been on it. But Shahriston Pass is right on the Uzbek-Tajik border, and Google maps shows part of the road inside Uzbekistan (not that Google maps is the authority on borders here). Open Street Maps (and therefore MAPS.ME) shows this section 50 metres inside Tajikistan at two different points. I believe OSM is the correct one here, not Google.

I see one building that looks a bit like a government building on the road on the north side, and I see some perfect spots for the road to be wrecked by a creek/river washout or hillside debris. I also see on the north side a 4x4 road connecting from Uzbekistan. I can't imagine Tajik and Uzbek border guards not being somewhere in this area.

I would recommend 4-wheel drive (or motorcycle/bicycle), and the expectation that you may have to explain why you are so close to the border. Is border patrol (GKNB) in this area? Who knows. Whatever you do, DO NOT LEAVE the road. Lately Tajik border guards have just been herding tourists back in the right direction. It's now the Golden Era for lost and confused tourists to break rules in Tajikistan. But I have no idea what the Uzbek policy is towards tourists who wander into their country.

I'm also curious. I would bet that some cyclists have probably done this to avoid the tunnel and get a scenic view.

[trikolka]

I went along this road by bike the year of the Shakhriston tunnel opening. There is no border crossing if you stay on the road, but of course you must not get off the road towards Uzbekistan. The concern is that since 2013 this road suffers the same fate as the Anzob Pass road: it is no longer maintained above the tunnel level. Therefore it is likely to be really tough, and probably no longer possible if an avalanche or a landslide or debris carried by a creek block a section of the road.

It was already the case of the Anzob pass road in 2012 : I could pass by bike (as did other cyclists), but I had to walk on residual snow of an avalanche on the north side about 3 km before the summit, in august ; no car could pass there.