GBAO/Pamirs are now closed to travelers

[Li Via]

Hi,

we are in Dushanbe and here you still get a GBAO-Permit at the OVIR office.

best regards
Livia

Hi,

Did you ask if you could access the area?
When do you plan to reach gbao?

Waiting for your feedback thank you so much!

I am not there at the moment, so I can’t give you first hand information. But as I was at the OVIR in Dusanbe (last week) they said, the road is open…
best wishes

[steven]

Was told the following by a local tour operator: If you need an e-visa, at the moment, do not ask for the GBAO permit to be included. If you do, you will automatically get rejected. You can obtain the GBAO permit on arrival at OVIR (if visits are possible).

[flora.brandstetter]

Hey!
If they say " the road is open" does it mean also the pamir highway to cross to kyrgyzstan is open? Or only the road in the region/GBAO?
Thanks

[couchpotato]

Hey!
If they say " the road is open" does it mean also the pamir highway to cross to kyrgyzstan is open? Or only the road in the region/GBAO?
Thanks

Just yesterday(3rd June), the Tajik and Kyrgy border guards were shooting at each other again. Three soldiers were wound. I doubt the Tajik/Kyrgy border will open any time soon.

[Johannes S.]

Just returned yesterday from Rushan/Khorog and can confirm what Christian77 stated in his earlier post. The official version (of course…) differs completely from the local view on this. The poor GBAO area, at least some people living there, appear to stand up and claim their rights. They are also fed up with the government shutting down internet (for months now) and in the Rushan district even telephone lines (for three weeks now) - which is crazy although the shutdown is officially in full compliance with Tajik anti-terrorist laws.
In my discussions, when I mentioned the word „terrorist“ everyone was mildly smiling - this has nothing to do with terrorists they say - I did not meet any single person who confirmed the official version. I honestly believe it is super safe to go Khorog and Rushan and of course further on to Pamir.
Yesterday, a travel agent told me that a group of tourists arriving in Dushanbe airport were told that a Visa would not be granted in case they intended to travel to GBAO. On my way, I rarely saw any other tourist. All bigger groups refrain from going to GBAO as the Dushanbe officials issued a warning, i.e. do not recommend going to GBAO. As far as I know, individual tourists are still (or better to say: again) allowed to pass on to GBAO. I saw three cyclists and two motor bikers on the road to Khorog yesterday.
Again, this is just my personal obersavtion.

[Christian77]

A got a report today from a traveller who applied for the GBAO permit today in Dushanbe. He got it in under 3 hours. However, it is valid only for 7 days (and with exact dates specified). With one day of travel to and from, that’s 5 days in the Pamirs.

Elsewhere on these forums someone said that every new GBAO application along with the e-visa application results in the whole application being rejected.

Seems like they don’t want you (for more than five days).

[Christian77]

It continues… Travellers from a (big) brotherly former Soviet state were today in Dushanbe given 11 days to visit GBAO.

[pete5330]

So guess then its definitely open for a change than....

[OWNER]

Conflict in Gorno-Badakhshan. Troops on the Pamir Highway. May 2022
Video https://youtu.be/k5zbQxIpoaw

[Murodzhon]

It continues… Travellers from a (big) brotherly former Soviet state were today in Dushanbe given 11 days to visit GBAO.

According to Tajikistan rules if you visit Tajikistan without visa and you are planning to stay more than 10 working days, you have to do registration at OVIR. once you did, you can get GBAO permit for 30 days. The process takes 1 day.