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What to see in Khorog?

Things to see and time to kill in Khorog.

Khorog, one of the highest places in the post-soviet area, is a tourist center of the Pamirs, through which all key tourist routes pass. Today Khorog attracts tourists from all over the world and a trade route from the PRC to the central region of Asia passes through it.

The Pamir Botanical Garden - probably the most popular part of the city, which was founded in the middle of the 20th century to study and experiment the survival of various types of plants under a mountainous climate. You can learn more about the history, nature, culture and tradition of Khorog in the local history museum. In other words, the past, present and future of Gorno-Badakhshan are intertwined in this city.

The worst thing one could do is just sit in a hotel and wait for a bus to leave Khorog or a meeting to attend prior to departure from it. Got a free hour in Khorog - get out to the people of Khorog ! Khorog is on M41, Pamir Highway, on 2100 m altitude, a little corner, probably, with the best quality of air on the entire planet. as the local put it. As the locals put it, "just being in Khorog, on its own, is a blessing".

Khorog Botanical Garden is 5-6 km far from the center of Khorog, located on the altitude of 2320 m above the sea level. They say that botanical garden of Khorog was is the highest in altitude among the Commonwealth of Independent States and the second highest place in the World. It was founded in 1940 under the name of Russian explorer A.V. Gulskiy. Khorog botanical garden is also a unique natural research center for the studying suitability and adaptability of various types of plants to environmental conditions on high altitudes of the Pamirs. It would be fare to say that the surrounding area of the garden includes all natural characteristics of the western part of the Pamirs including the rocks, steep hills, sand, gravel, slide-rocks, etc.

The garden also hosts a museum with more than 800 exhibits characterizing the natural conditions of GBAO and mainly “the flora and fauna”. The garden gives a unique opportunity to its visitors to get an outstanding view to Khorog City for its western top hillside. There are no eateries and the best alternative would be carrying picnic basket or at least bottled water.

In order to get to the Botanical Garden Khorog one would have to catch a mini-bus number 3 and take a trip till the gates of the garden. For the gates one will have to walk further up the hill while enjoying the view till one gets to the garden. Alternatively, due to that being the end point of transportation route number 3, drivers are usually willing to driver passengers up the hill for an extra cost.

Khorog City Park is an excellent place for to relax and take some fresh air and enjoy an evening cool breeze in the center of Khorog. Khorog City Park hosts Chorbogh restaurant, an open area theatre, public swimming pool, and play grounds for children and most notably, the Tourist Information Center. The Park is distinctive with its outstanding green trees and grasses especially in summer, late spring and early autumn. Khorog City Park is situated in the centeral part of Khorog, on Davronov Street. It is this park that hosts multi-cultural beautiful musical festival and various types of exhibitions at summer times.

Khorog Museum is situated on Lenin Street and represents local historical and archeological exhibits. Visiting the museum certainly brings one closer to the culture of the locals. There are different exhibits that represent the local life style at various times from the past up until the present. A Russian and Tajik speaking guide is available to hire for ease of reference at a low cost.