Kalaikhum lies in the deep, hot gorge of the Panj river in south-western Tajikistan, where the Pamir Highway's western arm runs along the border with Afghanistan. At about twelve hundred metres, it is low by Pamir standards, and the valley floor is dusty, warm and full of apricot trees. The river is the frontier: on the far bank lie Afghan villages of mud-brick houses and terraced fields, linked by narrow donkey tracks cut into the cliffs, and a rider can watch the daily routines of people walking, ploughing and herding only a few hundred metres away across the water.
The town sits where the Vanj and Panj rivers meet, in the Darvaz region, and old fort walls still stand on the hill. It is a modest place with a bazaar, a few guesthouses and a petrol station or two. Travellers on the highway use it as a stopping point on the long haul between Dushanbe and Khorog, and a meal of plov, rice with carrots and lamb, and green tea in a chaikhana is the standard welcome.
The riding is some of the most dramatic you can find. The road between Kalaikhum and Khorog hugs the river, cut into the rock face above the water, with sheer drops, tunnels, rockfalls and sections where the surface has been washed away by streams. In places it is paved, in others rough gravel and sand, with potholes that can swallow a wheel. Landslides can close it for hours after rain, and heavy lorries from China and Afghanistan struggle on the narrow bends. Ride slowly and stay away from the edge. It is not a place for a hurried rider.
Fuel is available in town but not everywhere beyond, so fill the tank and carry spare. Entry into this part of Tajikistan, the Gorno-Badakhshan region, requires a special permit that is handled through the e-visa system, and you should check the current rules before travelling. Summers are very hot in the gorge, so start early, and in spring the river runs brown and loud with meltwater. The peaks rise white on the horizon, and the glimpses of high snow above the heat are unforgettable.