Madiyan Hot Spring, Madiyan Valley, Pamir, Adventures of Nicole

A Day Trip to Madiyan Hot Springs, Tajikistan

Updated June 2026, A Day Trip to Madiyan Hot Springs, Tajikistan was originally published in December 2021

Madiyan Valley is one of the most remote side trips, cutting westward from Murghab in Tajikistan’s Eastern Pamirs. The rugged valley stretches west from Murghab, following the Murghab River through a landscape of stark mountains and surprisingly green riverside pastures.

Deep in the valley, the Madiyan Hot Springs offer a wonderfully simple place to soak in hot mineral water after traveling the rough roads of the Pamir. You can visit Madiyan Hot Springs as a day trip from Murghab, spend the night at the springs, or reach Madiyan Valley by hiking over 4,731-meter Gumbezkul Pass from Pshart Valley.

Check out the Eastern Pamir Travel Guide and start planning your trip

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Madiyan Hot Springs at a Glance

Location	Madiyan Valley, Eastern Pamirs, Tajikistan
Nearest town	Murghab
Access	4WD or hike
Nearest settlement	Ak Tal
Hot spring access	Free
Overnight stay	Possible in the resting rooms
Alternative hiking route	Gumbezkul Pass from Pshart Valley
Best base	Murghab

How to Get to Madiyan Hot Springs

Ak Tal, Madiyan Valley, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Along the Murghab River near Ak Tal

Madiyan Hot Springs are reached from Murghab via Madiyan Valley, with the road heading west from the southern end of town. The first stop is Ak Tal, a small settlement roughly 30 kilometers into Madiyan Valley.

A shared taxi may occasionally be available from Murghab Bazaar to Ak Tal, but hiring a 4WD with a driver is the more practical option if your goal is the hot springs. From Ak Tal, the route turns south into the Eli Suu Valley and follows a rough jeep track toward the springs.

There are two routes from Ak Tal, generally referred to as the high route and low route. Vehicles will most likely take the high route before the road eventually ends. From there, you’ll need to continue on foot.

Eli Suu River, Madiyan Valley, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — On top the plateau, peering down at the Eli Suu River

The final approach to Madiyan Hot Springs is where the journey gets particularly fun. A rough jeep track climbs onto a plateau above the Eli Suu River before continuing south toward the end of the road.

From the parking area, you’ll continue on foot along a well-worn path. The trail drops toward the river and takes only about five minutes before reaching a small metal bridge crossing the Eli Suu.

The rickety bridge looks a little sketchy at first glance, slapped together with scrap metal, we made it across without incident. Cross it carefully and you’ll find the Madiyan Hot Springs building on the other side.

Eli Suu River, Madiyan Hot Springs, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Crossing the scrap metal bridge over the Eli Suu River

On the other side, you’ll find a building that houses the Madiyan Hot Spring pools inside. There is a man from Ak Tal that care takes the facility, who you can find somewhere around here during daylight hours to unlock the doors. He walks from Ak Tal early every morning and leaves back around sunset.

Get started with the Tajikistan Travel Guide

The Madiyan Hot Springs Pool

Once inside, there are several rooms for resting on the left side and the pools can be found on the right. Each pool is enclosed by concrete walls giving privacy, in typical Soviet hot spring fashion.

Go inside the pool room and fill a bucket with hot spring water and take it to the “changing” side of the room where you need to strip down and shower before. Make sure to have brought soap with you so that you can clean yourself before hopping in the pool for a soak.

Madiyan Hot Springs, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Inside the pools

Following your soak, get dressed, and go relax in one of the rooms across the hall. You can ask the caretaker to bring chai, naan, and yogurt to you too (an offering of 20 TJS or so per person should be given).

Note that access to use the Madiyan Hot Springs pools is free.

Staying in Murghab? Plan your stay

Staying the Night at Madiyan Hot Springs

For those keen to spend the night out here at Madiyan Hot Springs, you can ask the caretaker to let you stay overnight in one of the resting rooms. This is a common practice, especially for residents of the nearby villages and towns as it’s widely believed that the hot springs cure a myriad of ailments, so people will pack up and spend a weekend or even a few days out here.

Hiking Gumbezkul Pass from Pshart Valley

Gumbezkul Pass, Pshart Valley, Madiyan Valley, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Atop Gumbezkul Pass looking towar Madiyan Valley

Pshart Valley, Pamir, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole — Atop Gumbezkul Pass looking towar Madiyan Valley

A long day hike will bring you up and over 4,731 Gumbezkul Pass from Pshart Valley to Madiyan Valley. Once over to the Madiyan side, you can continue to the hot springs.

Plan your trek over Gumbezkul Pass

Making Arrangements to Visit Madiyan Valley

By far, the easiest way to do this is to hire a local outfit to set up this trip for you. If you just want a car to take you to Madiyan from Murghab and back you can plan for it to cost around $60 USD for the entire car.

If wanting to combine Madiyan Hot Springs with the Gumbezkul Pass Hike, the 4WD to Pshart Valley, and to pick up in Madiyan Valley, take you to the hot spring and back to Murghab will cost about $110 for the driver and car, a guide will cost about $50 additional.

Several operators around Murghab can arrange this trip for you. My lovely friend Saidali of Pamir Guides can set up a tour for you as well as Bekirbek, and Eastern Pamir Eco Tours.

Continuing on to Karakul en route to Kyrgyzstan?