The Murghab district of Tajikistan is becoming one of major destinations for those who look for pristine mountain scenes, trekking or hunting for famed Marco Polo sheep. Most of such tourists travel to the Pamir region known as The Roof of the World in summer, as winters on the altitude of 3,500-4,500 meters are harsh. This did not deture Ubaidylda Shaymov, the former teacher from Murghab, from revisiting his remote Bash-Gumboz village on the border with Afghanistan.
LUCIE gallery: Winter Holiday in Pamirs
Ubaidylda Shaimov, who moved to neighboring Kyrgyzstan from Murghab in Tajikistan four years ago, decided to visit his beloved homeland in winter and send us these pictures. Janyl Jusupjan explains why winter was the best time for him to come to Pamirs.
![View of the village Bash-Gumboz](https://gdb.rferl.org/3c3a8c6c-bb5d-4465-a88f-8d96a101096f_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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View of the village Bash-Gumboz
![Students of a local boarding school, Bash-Gumboz village](https://gdb.rferl.org/e9ba233c-a6e5-4395-895d-d56b66c564bf_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Students of a local boarding school, Bash-Gumboz village
![Palmira, a language teacher before her wedding.](https://gdb.rferl.org/a1a1333a-db46-4b55-9496-793847cfc64a_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Palmira, a language teacher before her wedding.
![Chuko or ashyk, ankle bones of sheep, used for traditional nomadic game](https://gdb.rferl.org/7bc2be4b-312d-4340-aec9-cfc1020ff27f_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Chuko or ashyk, ankle bones of sheep, used for traditional nomadic game
![Abdilaat Ibraev is a teacher and famed ordo player in Bash Gumboz](https://gdb.rferl.org/726bbeeb-9ab2-4719-9439-43645dc526a3_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Abdilaat Ibraev is a teacher and famed ordo player in Bash Gumboz
![Tajikistan -- Abdilaat Ibraev and others play Ashyk/Chuko/Ankle Bone Shooting, Murghab, 24 December 2014](https://gdb.rferl.org/97932f73-9711-478c-a004-c69f5681aa66_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Tajikistan -- Abdilaat Ibraev and others play Ashyk/Chuko/Ankle Bone Shooting, Murghab, 24 December 2014
![Tajikistan -- Talant, first from right, with other kids, Murghab, 4 December 2014](https://gdb.rferl.org/6d0aa089-42c4-46bf-b47b-ef30444d0cb0_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Tajikistan -- Talant, first from right, with other kids, Murghab, 4 December 2014
![Cousins of Ubaidylda Shaymov](https://gdb.rferl.org/bae6b5bd-2947-4087-a487-eb20cece3c6c_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Cousins of Ubaidylda Shaymov
![Baby bear Misha on a walk near Bash-Gumboz village, Murghab](https://gdb.rferl.org/e48cd974-9396-41ba-972d-2080a4dab4bc_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Baby bear Misha on a walk near Bash-Gumboz village, Murghab
![Misha with Mendibai and Ubaidylda, Murghab, Tajikstan](https://gdb.rferl.org/b23c3479-16d8-4737-84d5-23b4ba252245_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Misha with Mendibai and Ubaidylda, Murghab, Tajikstan
![Ubaidylda Shaymov near the buriаl place for the victim of Stalinism near his village, Murghab](https://gdb.rferl.org/81c60976-7cc4-45e4-856d-d28920ad3901_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Ubaidylda Shaymov near the buriаl place for the victim of Stalinism near his village, Murghab
![Aktam zoo, White House Rock in Murghab](https://gdb.rferl.org/9bd858d3-5b88-43ad-93c8-2e887958dbb0_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Aktam zoo, White House Rock in Murghab
![Suyunbay Akmatov, winnter of Ashyk/Ankle Bone Shooting](https://gdb.rferl.org/e76cc193-1482-4029-9eca-6862100214ae_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Suyunbay Akmatov, winnter of Ashyk/Ankle Bone Shooting