The Ak-Baital Pass, at 4,655 metres, is the highest point on the Pamir Highway, and it looks the part: a bare, windswept saddle of grey and tan rock, with no trees, no plants and scarcely any life except the odd marmot, on a high plateau where the sky seems dark blue even at noon. The name means White Horse, and the story is that a white horse once crossed here and left no tracks, though no one can say when. The road climbs from the east across a long, rough plateau and drops to the west toward Karakul, with the borders of China and Kyrgyzstan not far away.
The highway itself is a piece of history. The Pamir road, or M41, was built by the Soviets in the 1930s on the line of an ancient caravan track, a branch of the Silk Road, linking Osh in Kyrgyzstan with Khorog in Tajikistan across the roof of the world. In the nineteenth century, the Pamirs were the scene of the Great Game, the rivalry between Britain and Russia for control of Central Asia, and explorers crossed these plateaus with caravans of yaks and horses. Lake Karakul, a little beyond the pass, lies in a basin formed by a meteorite that struck about five million years ago, and its water is a deep blue-black, rimmed by white peaks.
The riding is tough and remote. The surface is a mix of broken asphalt, gravel and sandy stretches, with potholes, washouts and sections of corrugation, and the altitude affects both rider and machine. A carburetted engine will run rich and weak, and fuel injection helps a little, but expect a loss of power. Altitude sickness is a serious risk, so acclimatise first, ascend slowly and descend if symptoms worsen. Weather can change in minutes, and snow can fall in any month. The road is passable mostly from May to October.
The nearest services are at Murghab, the highest town in Tajikistan, at about 3,650 metres, and at Karakul, where fuel can be uncertain, so carry spare fuel and extra supplies. A permit for the Gorno-Badakhshan region is required and should be arranged before travelling.
Stop for a moment at the cairn and prayer flags, take a photograph and a few deep breaths, and remember to be patient with yourself. The silence is enormous, and the horizon is a ring of ice.