Southern Tajikistan is a land of wide river valleys and dry hills, where the Vakhsh and the Panj rivers flow towards the Amu Darya, the Oxus of the ancients, on the border with Afghanistan. Near the town of Kolkhozobod, known today by its newer name, lies Halevard, an archaeological site in the fertile Vakhsh valley. This region was part of ancient Bactria, a land of cities and fortresses that flourished under the Persians, the Greeks who followed Alexander the Great, and the Kushans.
The Vakhsh valley holds many ancient sites, and the most famous is Takhti-Sangin, on the Amu Darya, a temple where archaeologists found treasures linked to the Oxus Treasure, a collection of gold and silver objects now in the British Museum. The Tigrovaya Balka nature reserve, at the confluence of the Vakhsh and the Panj, protects tugay forests, dense riverine woodlands of poplar and tamarisk, which were once home to the Caspian tiger, now extinct. The reserve is still home to Bukhara deer and many birds.
Riding in Tajikistan is an adventure. The roads in the south are mostly paved but can be rough, with potholes, and traffic includes old cars, trucks and livestock. The heat in summer is intense, often above forty degrees, so ride early in the morning. Police checkpoints are common, and the border area with Afghanistan has restrictions, so check current advice and carry your documents. The Pamir Highway, one of the great motorcycle roads of the world, starts further east, and many riders pass through the south on their way there.
Kolkhozobod, about a kilometre away, is a town with fuel and basic services, and Dushanbe, the capital, is a few hours' ride to the north. Fuel quality can vary, so fill up at reliable stations. Tajik food includes plov, rice with meat and carrots, shashlik and fresh bread from clay ovens, and green tea is served everywhere. Tajik hospitality is warm, and travellers are often invited into homes. Riding through the Vakhsh valley in the evening, with the cotton fields glowing and the mountains in the distance, is beautiful.