Murghab → Karakul → Kyzyl-Art → Osh by 4x4
The last and highest leg of the Pamir Highway: from Murghab over the Ak-Baital pass (4,655 m) to the great lake Karakul, across the Kyzyl-Art pass (about 4,280 m) into Kyrgyzstan and down past Sary-Tash and the Taldyk pass to Osh. About 420 km and 10–12 hours with the border. Private 4x4 for up to 4 people.
- Distance~420 km
- Drive time10–12 h incl. border
- BorderKyzyl-Art (TJ) – Bor-Dobo (KG)
- PermitGBAO
- Pricefrom $520
The Kyrgyz side (Osh, Sary-Tash, Lenin Peak) is run by our sister service RideKG. Open RideKG →
GBAO permit required — tick it on your e-visa application. GBAO permit →
Your ride is performed by a licensed local partner carrier in Tajikistan; we arrange it and stand behind it.
Murghab → Karakul → Kyzyl-Art → Osh by 4x4: price per car
| Car | Per car one way | Per person if you are 2 · 3 · 4 · 6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 up to 4 Toyota Land Cruiser / Prado or Mitsubishi Pajero | $520 ≈ 4,890 somoni | $260 | $173 | $130 | — |
English-speaking driver +$15 (transfers) / +$20 a day. Prices updated 2026-10-20.
Murghab → Karakul, one way
| Car | Per car one way | Per person if you are 2 · 3 · 4 · 6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 up to 4 Toyota Land Cruiser / Prado or Mitsubishi Pajero | $190 ≈ 1,790 somoni | $95 | $63 | $48 | — |
English-speaking driver +$15 (transfers) / +$20 a day. Prices updated 2026-10-20.
Murghab → Sary-Tash (handover to RideKG)
| Car | Per car one way | Per person if you are 2 · 3 · 4 · 6 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 up to 4 Toyota Land Cruiser / Prado or Mitsubishi Pajero | $420 ≈ 3,950 somoni | $210 | $140 | $105 | — |
English-speaking driver +$15 (transfers) / +$20 a day. Prices updated 2026-10-20.
The road
Patchy asphalt and gravel near Ak-Baital; dirt around the Kyzyl-Art post and a no-man’s-land of roughly 20–30 km to the Kyrgyz post at Bor-Dobo; about 20 km of potholes, then good asphalt from Sary-Tash to Osh (about 3 hours).
Worth stopping
- Ak-Baital pass — the highest point of the M41.
- Karakul lake and village (about 135 km from Murghab).
- Sary-Tash with the view of Lenin Peak.
- Taldyk pass.
Good to know
- GBAO permit and a valid exit stamp are checked at Kyzyl-Art. Before the Tajik–Kyrgyz border reopening of March 2025 foreigners sometimes needed special permission or found it shut; since mid-2025 travellers report it open without extra permits — we check before your date and plan to reach it in daylight.
- Short of time? Book Murghab → Sary-Tash and switch to a RideKG car to Osh, Lenin Peak base camp or Irkeshtam (China).
- Just want Karakul? Murghab → Karakul one way is $190.
Included
- Private car and driver, fuel, road fees and parking
- Meet & greet with a name sign at the airport, 60 min free waiting after landing
- Stops on the way where you ask (up to 1 h in total on transfers)
- Multi-day trips: the driver’s lodging, meals and return drive
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before pickup
- Transfers: pay the driver in cash (USD or somoni) — no prepayment
Murghab → Karakul → Kyzyl-Art → Osh by 4x4: questions
How much is Murghab → Osh by 4x4?
$520 per car (up to 4 people), driver’s return included. Murghab → Sary-Tash $420, Murghab → Karakul $190.
How long is the drive?
10–12 hours including the border; it can be split with a night in Karakul.
Can you take us to the Kulma pass (China) instead?
On request, from Murghab. You need a Chinese visa, and the crossing works on weekdays only.