The Shakhdara River defines the district. Its valley is between the Shugnon Range in the north and the Shakhdara Range in the south. It flows into the Gunt River above Khorog a few miles before that river flows into the Panj River. Going upstream, it first goes southeast for about 40 km(straight line). At Bidiz there is a gorge and one of the few forests in Gorno-Badikshan. The river turns east. At Sindev is the fort of the last Mingbashi or ruler of Shakhdara. The head of the river is the Jawshangoz plain where there were clashes between nomadic Kirghiz and settled Tajiks in the 18th and 19th centuries. There is a ruined fort from the 2nd or 3rd century and views of Karl Marx Peak to the south. A road of some sort goes north to the Koitezek Pass on the Pamir Highway with a branch west to Turumtaikul Lake and another route goes over the Maz pass to the Pamir River.