Overland Travel Across Borders: A Tale of Two Frontiers
Panji Poyon Dusti Dushanbe Kunduz River Bridge
The Panj River, a powerful tributary of the Amu Darya, forms the majority of the 1,357-kilometer border between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. This dramatic river valley cuts through the heart of the Pamirs, creating a stunning but formidable natural barrier. Your crossing here is a passage over a historic frontier that separates the former Soviet Union from the heart of Central Asia.
Ishkashim Wakhan Market in Volatile Pamir Valley
The main and most reliable international crossing is at Panji Poyon, also known as the Dusti Bridge, which connects the Tajik capital of Dushanbe with the northern Afghan city of Kunduz. Further east, a crossing at Ishkashim provides a unique entry point into Afghanistan’s remote Wakhan Corridor, a peaceful and isolated region. Several other smaller bridges, many built with international aid, also dot the river.