Driving the M34 road is not a piece of cake
M34 is the name of a major highway of Tajikistan, running from Dushanbe, the capital of the country, and Khujand, the country's second largest city.
Running through the north west part of the country, the mountain road is totally paved but pretty challenging. It is pretty narrow in parts with no protections and dangerous drop offs. The drive is difficult and dangerous through steep mountain passes on hairpin turns.
The road is 302 km (187 miles) long and runs from Duschanbe, the capital of the country, to Khujand, sometimes spelled Khodjent, the country's second largest city and the capital of Tajikistan's northernmost Sughd province. To drive the road without stopping will take most people between 6 and 8 hours.
This road links the most important cities of the country and has heavy traffic and lots of trucks, some mountain passes and dozens of unlit and narrow tunnels, including the Anzob Tunnel, nicknamed the Tunnel of Fear (or the Tunnel of Death by locals). The tunnel bypassed the infamous Anzob Pass, a gravel mountain pass at 3.372m (11,062ft) above the sea level.
The road tops out at 2.751m (9,025ft) above the sea level by Shakhristan Pass (Pereval Shakhristan). It is typically open all year round, with the occasional closure in winters due to dangerous weather conditions. Expect fog and rain often and snow on winters.
Pic: Vidas Pakalnis