Pamir Highway by bike

Qala-i-Khumb - Vanj river, 79 km, 1000 ⇑m

Stunning valley and many trucks

Our camping spot is crowded by mosquitoes. Once again we start without breakfast. After about an hour we have breakfast in a tea-house.

The Panj and the high mountains on both sides dominate the scenery. Most of the day the valley is just wide enough for the river and a road on each shore. It is impressing how the Pamiri managed to establish villages, fields and gardens in this narrow, rocky valley. We realize this is a cultural landscape, shaped by humans for hundreds of years. The simple clay houses have flat roofs. Grain is cut by hand and tied into sheafs. Wow, that’s old-school! The infrastructure in Afghanistan is very poor. Most villages are lacking electricity. The road is extremely narrow and follows the steep topography often in an adventurous way. Most people rely on motorbikes or donkeys.

On the Pamir Highway several dozen heavy trucks per hour struggle the windy, often narrow, gravel road. Obviously the M41 is not at all prepared for such big trucks. As result in most sections they are not much faster than we are, which makes it easier to deal with them. The driver of the Jeeps often rush by quite fast and produce big dust clouds.

In the afternoon it’s getting hot again. We use every river and every fountain to cool ourselves down. At this occasion, we often meet truck drivers, cooling down their engines and brakes. One sits under its truck, in the midst of the parts of the gearbox. He sits on a carpet with water and food.

In the next village we get invited for tea. We are aware this includes an invitation for lunch. But we are not prepared for the amount of food we are offered. The table is full. We try some small-talk in a mixture of English and Russian. It seems our host invited the whole village. Again they refuse taking any money from us. Next time we will put bucks some under a plate or pillow.

In the afternoon the search for a camping spot takes longer than expected. The valley is just too narrow and we don't wanna camp close to a village. We end up at the confluence of Vanj and Panj river. At the bridge a police post checks our passports. The wide, stony shore of the Vanj offers a good place for camping.

Between Qala-i-Khumb and Vahdat the Panj valley is mostly narrow.

Simple clay houses in Afghanistan.

A green village appears like an oasis in the harsh landscape.

Settling here isn't easy.

The mountains tower 1500 m over the Panj valley.

Donkeys are a frequent sight in Tajikistan.

We are fascinated by the afghan villages.

Im engen Panj-Tal sind die Felder klein.

Heavy loaded donkey.

Stunning river loop in the Panj valley.

Bus stops offers shade for tired bikers.

The Panj is full of sediments.

Finding a camping spot is not easy.

Vanj river - Vamd, 79 km, 1050 ⇑m

Agriculture like in the 19th century

Jörg is still struggling with the heat. My stomach is still struggling with the Tajik food. Once again we start at 6 in the morning and have breakfast an hour later at the first tea-house. While Jörg enjoys bread, eggs and tea, I spend most of the time on the toilet. As the toilets have no seats and you are crouching directly over the pit, the pleasure is limited.

In the morning the temperatures are perfect for cycling. Often we can ride in the shade. The nearby river cools down the air, too. There are only a few trucks on the road – what happened? The road is paved for most of the day. We pass by two homestays and stop at the second one for some "tea". Which means we get a rich meal for 4 Euro. All ingredients (apricots, potatoes and eggs) come from their own garden.

From 11 o'clock it’s getting hot. The Panj valley is still extremely beautiful. The bare rock, shaped in various bizarre forms, dominates the scenery. Folded stone layers, visualize the forces of geology. Several plains are filled with boulders, up to the size of backpacks. The mountains in the second row are 4200 m high - they tower 2500 m over the Panj! The river shows many faces, sometimes it is calm, another time wild. We pass through fewer villages than yesterday.

Another time, this time in Tajikistan, we see grain cut by hand and tied into sheafs. A single cow is resting on that field.

This evening we decide for a homestay. Our clothes urgently need a wash – and the guys in it, too. We also clean our bikes and grease the chains. Our host mother has two young kids. Some balloons make them happy - one of the few things you can easily carry on a bike.

Remark: Eating in tea-houses and sleeping in homestays is a great way supporting the locals. A meal for two costs only 3 to 5 Euro. A night for two including dinner and breakfast between 15 and 30 Euro. We strongly believe the locals should benefit from us travelers.

Before the sun lights up the Panj valley.

The cold water is cooling down the air.

Green village in the harsh, rocky Panj valley.

Agriculture like in the 19th century.

Grain cut by hand is tied into sheafs.

Stunning river loop. The mountais tower 1000 m over the Panj!

From 11 o'clock it’s getting hot in the Panj valley.

Goat near the Panj.

The kid is only allowed to drink for a few moments.

Plain filled with boulders up to the size of backpack.

The Panj has widened into a lake.

The Panj has high tide, some trees are flooded.

Near Chorugh.

Vamd - Chorugh, 86 km, 600 ⇑m

Some city life

The Panj has widened into a lake. On the Tajik side the valley is now several hundred meter wide. It is used for agriculture, which also means that more villages are closer together. The Pamir-Highway is mostly paved and less hilly than the last days. As yesterday trucks are a rare sight - strange! The landscape appears less spectacular to us.

We notice many apricot and mulberry trees. Sheets under the trees help to collect the fruits. The Panj has high tide. The flooded grassland is for sure ideal for mosquitoes.

Chorugh is the capital of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The home town of 30.000 is busy and full of people. It’s the hub for all travelers of the Pamirs and offers plenty accommodation, restaurants and shops. It’s amazing how many tourists are in the streets. We stroll through the bazaar, which has a large offering. The park at the shore of the Grunt river offers an open air swimming pool. Everybody is very relaxed – that’s not at all self-evident, Gorno-Badakhshan is considered a conflict region. The park is also home of the competent info center. Chorugh isn’t a beauty but it’s perfectly fine for a day. We fill up our stocks, dine in an Indian restaurant for a change and shower extensively.

Soviet remains. Roadside propaganda.

Apricots are drying on a flat roof.

Discarded ZIL-130.

Several villages have a soccer field.

Bazaar in Chorugh: Watermelons are sold directly from the truck.

Vast range of fruits and vegetables.

The man and the girl are obviously in a good mood.

Chorugh - Avj, 81 km, 1070 ⇑m

About poplar trees and a hot-spring

We leave the Pamir-Highway and head south into the Wakhan Corridor. The road is paved for most of the time – something we did not expect. And it is quiet, no heavy trucks and maybe 20 % the cars of the M41. On the first 10 km two police posts check our passports and visa. We notice many small army posts. Often just a yellow container with a high fence around it. Several times we spot patrols of 3 army officers.

The scenery is stunning and varied. In the first section the valley is narrow and the Panj rushes through rapids. Sometimes the Afghan shore is just 20 m away. On both sides of the river the villages are characterized by simple clay houses. Some are whitewashed.

The valley widens and enables farming. NGOs support the planting of fast growing poplar and willow trees. They provide shade and firewood and help fighting erosion. Thorny branches protect young trees from goats. These trees are a great success story and add a lot of green to the Wakhan Corridor.

The kids have 3 months of summer vacation. Indeed every helping hand is needed in the shops and on the fields. The villagers for Andarob are producing a felt carpet on the street. Wool is placed on a plastic foil in the required design, watered and wrapped around an iron-pol. Finally the future carpet is rolled back and through on the village street, which requires a lot of manpower.

The scenery changes again. Scree fields replace the farmland. To our right 5000 m high peaks are only a few kilometers away. In front of us we catch the first glimpses of the Hindu Kush.

It takes us a while to understand the hot springs of Avj. The hotel on the other side of the street is pretty run down. The area of the springs appears like a sanatorium to us. Elderly men and women in white bathrobes wander around between the one story buildings. Some of the younger look like doctors or nurses. Small stone buildings host the two hot water pools. The pools are about 3 by 3 m small. The water is maybe 40 °C warm, slightly sparkling and smell of sulfur. Men and women use the pools alternately and naked. The atmosphere is relaxed. As soon someone speaks English we have to answer a lot of questions. The locals encourage us to dive with open eyes, as the water should be good for them.

We are invited to stay the night in the sanatorium. Not in one of the dormitories but on a Tapchane, a platform used for eating. Why not, our fully packed bikes stood here for hours and no one touched them.

We are heading into the Wakhan Corridor.

Arcs like this are quite common.

The Panj rushes throug rapids."

The Afghan shore is just 20 m away.

The locals harvest a small bush.

Villagers produce a felt carpet.

Village in Afghanistan.

Waterfall above the Panj in Afghanistan.

In the villages we meet many kids.

Trucks on narrow streets in Afghanistan.

Snow capped mountains ahead.

The road is quiet and good to ride.

So far, the road is better than the M41.

Grain field near Kozideh.

Avj - near Darshai, 77 km, 920 ⇑m

At the foot of the Hindu Kush

A woman sells fresh bread, it’s still warm. Tea (with lots of sugar) we get for free in the kitchen of the sanatorium. On the way to Ishkashim the view on the Hindu Kush is getting clearer and clearer. The big village is good for a second breakfast and filling up stocks.

Then the scenery blows us away. The mountains in the first row are over 5000 m high, the peaks in the second row 6000 m. The valley is green, the farmers grow grain, vegetables and apricots. The road is lined with poplar trees and still paved.

Near the fortress of Qahka, towering on a hill over the Panj, we have lunch in a homestay. During the meal we enjoy the view on the Pamir (left hand side) and the Hindu Kush (right hand side). Here both mountain ranges are up to 6000 m high. Wow! The few vestiges left from the fortress do not impress us. The nearby small museum is worth a visit. The old man explains the exhibits, in the two rooms, to us in a mixture of Russian and English. We understand enough to get a rough idea about the traditional way of life of the Wakhan people.

For the rest of the day the giants of the Hindu Kush dominate the scenery. Some peaks we catch sight of are over 6800 m high. Those snow capped summits are roughly 10 to 15 km away. It is worth waiting some minutes, if they are covered in clouds for a while. The valley stays fertile and green for many kilometers. Then the Panj and scree fields are taking over.

The locals harvest a small bush. They cut it with the sickle and carry it home on heavy hand carts. We realize how hard and simple the life in the Wahkan is until today. Several people walk goats or small cows on a leash. Obviously these animals are precious for them. We would not be surprised, if it was their only animal. Where the Panj is calm, kids bath in the freezing cold water. The infrastructure is getting thinner. The few shops have very little to choose from.

We pitch our tent on a sandbank next to the Panj. The combination of wind and fine sand is an issue. Soon the sand starts creeping into the tent. We solve the problem by watering the sand around our tent. It takes us a while, but it works.

The trees are flooded.

The Hindu Kush is "growing" higher and higher.

Thorny branches protect young trees from goats.

These mountains are about 5000 m high.

Boundary stone near Ishkashim.

The Wakhan often is incredibly green.

Three men walking down a poplar avenue.

View on the Hindu Kush.

Ruins of Qahka fortress, on a hill over the Panj.

View on the Pamir.

Mountains and poplar trees are typical for the Wakhan.

One of the "really high" summits of the Hindu Kush.

The road is paved but hilly.

The 6827 m high Languta-e Barti.

Another "really high" summit of the Hindu Kush.

Shop in Boibar.

Darshai - Vrang, 59 km, 990 ⇑m

About an invitation and a stunning view

Goodbye asphalt, welcome gravel, sand and washboard. No reason to complain, we expected this difficult road conditions in the whole Wakhan. Most of the day the valley shows its green face. The Hindu Kush continues to dominate the scenery. In the Pamir mountains the peaks Karls Max and Engles come in sight, both over 6000 m high. Unfortunately it's a bit hazy.

No tea-house today. At noon we inquire for one in a small shop. Immediately we are invited for lunch. Well, at the beginning we don't really understand what’s going on. The shop keeper sells us tomatoes and cucumbers for a salad and sends a boy off with the vegetables. After a while we are invited into the garden next to the shop. There tea, bread and the salad are already waiting for us. The shop keeper joins us and we have lunch together. We are glad he charges us for 2 Euro for bread and tea. We enjoy these moments we share with the locals - although the communication is very limited.

The way to the fortress of Yamchun and the hot spring Bibi Fotima includes a decent amount of work. We have to climb 500 vertical meters and some sections are really steep. But it is worth the effort. The ruins of the fortress, the way it overlooks the the Panj valley, make clear it was once very powerful. Moreover the view over Yamchun onto the Hindu Kush is just stunning 😎! The hot spring is at the end of the road, in a vertical rockface. The water is at least 40 °C warm. This time we share the pool with two local police men. They overtook us in their police Lada on the way up.

Aydar Malikmadov was a teacher. He build up the museum and a homestay in Yamg. It is a pleasure listening to him. In English he teaches us a lot about the life in the Wakhan. For instance he tells us that Plov contains a lot of fat – most probably the reason for my persistent diarrhea. Wind is appreciated, because keeps the mosquitoes away. In winter temperatures of -20 °C in the night and -6 °C during the day are considered as "not too cold". Almost only public authorities like schools, municipalities or the police offer jobs. They are badly payed, around 60 to 70 Euro a month. The Aga Khan foundation, the NGO of the religious leaded of the Ismailis, funds many projects in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Among others the planting of trees in the Wahkan is driven by them.

View on the Hindu Kush.

The locals also cycle.

Sand dunes spread around the Panj.

ZIL-130.

View over Yamchun fortress onto the Hindu Kush.

Vrang - Langar, 37 km, 375 ⇑m

The end of the (Tajik) Wakhan

Today is our last day in the Wakhan. A last time we enjoy the view at the Hindu Kush summits in the colors grey and white. The Pamir mountains to our left appear mostly in red tones. In-between the mostly green Panj valley. We enjoy riding through poplar avenues and pass grain and potato fields. Near the villages single cows, goats and donkeys graze at the edge of fields. Most of them are tied up to a stake. The scree fields between the villages remind us, that green villages and farmland are the result of hard labour.

We visit the Buddhist Stupa above the village of Vrang. The view from the hill illustrates how green the valley is. One-story clay houses with flat roofs are typical for these villages. The roofs are used to store hay as winter food for the animals, dried cow-pads as fuel for the winter, or to dry apricots.

We relax in the hot spring in Shirgin. It is located in a concrete building next to the street. The pool is small, about 2 by 2 m. The water is maybe 36 °C warm and contains sulfur. The minerals created a thick layer around the pool. It is not the nicest hot spring but it is fine for a short break.

Langar is the last village in the Tajik Wakhan. It was founded at the confluence of the rivers Wakhan and Pamir. There are so many homestays, that boys follow us and advertise for the one of their family. The shops have plenty to choose from. Getting the food for 3 days is no issue. That's how long we expect the tour over the Khargush Pass to last, a section without any infrastructure.

The path to the ancient petroglyphs high above Langar is exceptionally steep. At the end we are a bit disappointed. There are at least as many modern graffiti as old stone carvings. Some of the new drawings imitate the historic ones. What a shame! At least the view is spectacular, although sky is meanwhile covered with clouds.

A young donkey is tied up next to a field.