Tajikistan

Akbaital, Kyrgyz word meaning "white mare" is a pass of the Eastern Pamirs, located on the M41 motorway between Osh and Murghab. The height of the pass is 4655 meters. The highest point of the Pamir Highway. The pass is open all year round and it connects the Sarykolsky and Muzkol ridges and separates the Karakul Lake Basin from the upper reaches of the South Akbaital River (Murghab Basin). The climb from the Muzkol valley is relatively gentle, but on the south side it is steeper with several hairpin bends.

Hissor (or Hissar, Gissar) is situated 27 km southwest from Dushanbe and 8 km south from Hissor city is one of the main historical site of Tajikistan and includes : Hissar fort with ark built in XVI century; the Registan square; old madrassah-i Kuhna built in XVI century and its museum and another madrassah built in XVIII century; a caravanserai built in 1808; the mosque Sangin; the mausoleum of Mahdumi Abzam built in the XVI century, over the grave of Khdja Muhhamad Haivoki.

The small Ak-Balyk lake, about ten km from the village of Alichur is at an altitude of 3896 meters on the edge of the "highway" M-41 and the Gunt river. In the Kyrgyz language, "Ak" means "white" and "Balyk" means "fish". Local shepherds say that we have never been able to measure the depth of this lake.

The hot spring of Bibi Fatima-Zahro (name of the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad) is located at 3200 meters alt. on the heights of the village of Yamchun, near the river. According to beliefs, it is also a place of worship.

The thermal spring would have healing properties against urological and gynecological diseases, digestive problems, etc. The locals also believe that being exposed to water improves female fertility. Although located in the high mountains, it has a temperature above 40 degrees Celsius all year round.