Afghanistan
In August 2016 I traveled through Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan every bit an American for 2 weeks, backpacking across the beautiful Pamir mountains inwards the Wakhan Corridor. This is how I did it.
DISCLAIMER: The U.S. of A. authorities warns against move to Afghanistan. Just because I went, does non hateful I intend everyone should go. The security province of affairs changes on a weekly basis, together with requires a goodness bargain of research/planning.
When I told household unit of measurement & friends I was planning a trip to Afghanistan, they idea I’d lost my mind. Afghanistan, that war-torn middle eastern province total of terrorists, soldiers, auto bombs, predator drones, together with IEDs.
Why the hell would I desire to go there?
Afghanistan has been on my bucket listing for a few years afterward I met a beau traveler together with world speaker Shane Dallas who happened to percentage his experience amongst me at a move manufacture conference.
I learned that the version of the province most of us run into each black on the level word is only non the total story…
Parts of Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan tin live dangerous, sure, but it’s also total of beauty, hospitality, together with history too.
This is the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan I was on a mission to seek out together with share.
The Wakhan Corridor
Afghanistan’s remote together with desolate Wakhan Corridor is called the “roof of the world” past times the local people who alive there.
It’s located inwards the far North East corner of the country, surrounded on iii sides past times Tajikistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan together with China.
The Wakhan is incredibly cut-off from the residual of Afghanistan.
There are no authorities services, large parts of the part receive got no roads, together with people are basically living on their ain inwards the mountains.
The surface area is inhabited past times 2 primary ethnic groups, the Wakhi together with the Kyrgyz. The Wakhi ofttimes receive got 2 homes, i for wintertime together with i for summertime months, made of stone.
The Kyrgyz are to a greater extent than nomadic, living inwards semi-portable yurt tents made of felt. They movement their homes together with animals to unlike valleys depending on the season.
A bulk of the population raises livestock for a living. They merchandise sheep, goats together with yaks to merchants from Islamic Republic of Pakistan or other parts of Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan for clothing, food, together with necessities they can’t arrive at themselves at these remote high-altitude locations they telephone telephone home.
The Wakhan used to live component of the ancient Silk Road, together with explorers Marco Polo together with Alexander the Great both passed through this component of Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan on their travels closed to the world.
Safety In Afghanistan
Travelers don’t receive got to worry nigh the Taliban or Al-Qaeda inwards the Wakhan. It’s i of the few places inwards Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan that has remained relatively conflict-free over the years.
The Wakhan is component of Afghanistan’s Badakhshan Province. While the Taliban does receive got a presence inwards parts of Badakhshan, the Wakhan part itself is terrorist-free (for now). The primary route leading inwards is currently controlled past times the Afghan Military, who keeps the Taliban out.
Most locals living inwards Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor are Ismaili Muslims, who practise a moderate shape of Islam. They despise the Taliban, together with to a greater extent than ofttimes than non welcome unusual travelers. It’s go an of import component of their economy.
But that doesn’t hateful the Wakhan is a tourist hot-spot.
The surface area sees a total of nigh 100 tourists every year. This is partly due to the taboo of traveling inwards a war-torn country, lack of reliable move information including safety tips together with remoteness of the region.
How To Get Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Visa
There is a real specific procedure for obtaining a visa to acquire into Afghanistan’s Wakhan corridor, together with it involves a trip to the neighboring province of Tajikistan together with a town called Khorog nigh the border.
But first, you’ll demand a double entry visa for Tajikistan. You cannot acquire a double entry visa on arrival at the airport, then you lot must apply for i inwards advance at an official diplomatic mission or consulate.
Why? After you lot move into Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan through Tajikistan, you’ll demand to leave of absence through Tajikistan too. Which counts every bit a sec entry into Tajikistan. But typical visas for Tajikistan are exclusively unmarried entry.
With your double entry Tajik visa, the side past times side footstep is to move to the town of Khorog, where it’s possible to apply for an Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan visa at the local consulate. Keep reading to acquire more…
Arriving In Dushanbe
Flying into the metropolis of Dushanbe, the upper-case missive of the alphabet of Tajikistan, is going to live your commencement adventure. Tajikistan has a reputation every bit i of the most corrupt countries inwards the reason — together with you’ll shortly know why.
Dushanbe airdrome officials asked me for bribes on 2 split upwards occasions. If you lot refuse, they transportation you lot to the dorsum of the line, or movement you lot to some other line, over together with over in i lawsuit again until you lot surrender together with pay them.
Dushanbe Accommodation:
Twins Hotel | Rohat Hotel | Green House Hostel
I recommend spending at to the lowest degree i black inwards Dushanbe, but in all likelihood more. You’ll demand to telephone commutation cash, purchase last-minute supplies, together with acquire a local sim bill of fare for your phone.
The best prison theatre cellular telephone telephone companionship to usage is TCell for prison theatre cellular telephone service inwards the Pamir Mountains. You’ll fifty-fifty receive got some service on the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan side for a while.
There’s a basic outdoor store inwards Dushanbe called “BAP3ИШ” where you lot tin purchase a knife, stove gas, together with other camping ground supplies you lot mightiness demand inwards the Wakhan. Nothing high-end, exactly inexpensive Chinese made stuff.
Traveling To Khorog
Khorog is a mount town inwards the pump of Tajikistan’s remote GBAO region. To move inwards Tajikistan’s GBAO region, you lot demand a GBAO permit.
This tin live obtained either when applying for your double entry Tajikistan visa, or inwards the Tajik upper-case missive of the alphabet of Dushanbe at the OVIR office.
Now you lot must move to Khorog together with apply for the Afghan visa inwards person.
This requires a rough, dusty, 20 hours long 4×4 taxi journeying over the Pamir Highway from Dushanbe.
While there’s also a short flying from Dushanbe to Khorog, it’s non tardily to acquire a ticket together with is ofttimes canceled due to weather.
Khorog Accommodation:
Mountain River Guest House | Delhi Darbar Hotel | Pamir Lodge
Khorog is a major halt for trekkers/cyclists/motorcyclists who are exploring the Pamir Highway inwards Tajikistan. It’s also the final identify you’ll notice an ATM, in that location are 2 or 3 inwards town. Plan on spending a to the lowest degree a black or 2 hither earlier heading to Afghanistan.
Visiting The Afghan Consulate
Khorog is habitation to a modest Afghan consulate that has a reputation for giving out Afghan visas inwards every bit footling every bit an hour. As an American, this same-day visa service cost me $200 USD.
Why then much? Because the U.S. makes it hard for Afghans to acquire a visa. So they render the favor amongst a high visa fee for Americans.
The adult woman at the consulate was trying her best to persuade me non to visit. Saying the visa is also expensive for Americans, that it won’t live tardily to move there, etc. I assured her I was prepared together with had been planning this trip for years.
At the consulate, I had to explicate why I wanted to see Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (hiking inwards the Wakhan), together with write/sign a missive of the alphabet acknowledging I lonely was responsible for myself together with my actions inwards Afghanistan.
Crossing The Border
With my shiny novel Afghan visa inwards hand, I traveled to the Tajik border town of Ishkashim. It’s a 3 sixty minutes drive South of Khorog. One or 2 shared taxis caput to Ishkashim from Khorog each morning.
The desolate Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan border post sits on the correct side of the route earlier you lot truly achieve the town of Ishkashim. Tajikistan border guards receive got a reputation for requesting bribes, then exactly live aware.
On the Afghan side of the border, they searched my bags together with scanned my passport through the INTERPOL database to ensure I wasn’t a fugitive. After that, I was in! Welcome to Afghanistan.
I’d live lying if I said I wasn’t feeling nervous standing on Afghan soil.
The border post is a few kilometers away from the nearest Afghan town of Sultan Eshkashim, then unless you lot desire to walk there, an overpriced taxi ride costs $20 for a 10-minute drive.
Ishkashim vs. Sultan Eshkashim: These are 2 unlike towns, together with it tin live confusing. Ishkashim is the border town on the Tajikistan side, Sultan Eshkashim is the border town on the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan side.
Eshkashim & Wakhan Permits
Sultan Eshkashim is the entrance to the Wakhan Corridor. Many travelers are happy to exactly hang out in that location for a few days to experience a gustation of Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan earlier heading dorsum to Tajikistan.
But if you lot desire to go hiking inwards the Wakhan, you lot demand to acquire additional permits.
Sultan Eshkashim Accommodation:
Marco Polo Guest House (no website)
While getting these permits on your ain is possible, it’s a huge hurting inwards the donkey if you lot don’t verbalize Persian/Farsi. Instead, I hired an English linguistic communication speaking local to aid for nigh $50.
The permit procedure involves multiple passport photos, paperwork, plenty of tea, together with stops at a few unlike government, police, together with armed forces offices. You’ll receive got to explicate yourself to local officials questioning why you lot are there, what you lot do, etc.
The whole ordeal takes 3-4 hours, provided all the offices are fifty-fifty open. They sometimes closed downward on surely days (Friday/Saturday). I got lucky, but if something is closed you lot may receive got to render the side past times side day.
Local officials eventually gave me a hand-written missive of the alphabet granting permission to move to the side past times side village, where I’d receive got to asking permission in i lawsuit again to movement on further.
Driving To Sarhad-e Broghil
Now that I had my permits for the Wakhan, it was fourth dimension to brand my agency 200 km upwards the valley inwards an expensive 4X4 taxi to the hamlet of Sarhad-e Broghil, where the route ends together with the truthful wilderness begins.
I hired a local translator/guide to bring together me on the trek.
For the side past times side 2 days, Yar Mohammad Attahi helped me navigate additional checkpoints together with permit stops every bit nosotros drove into the mountains piece giving me the chance to truly communicate amongst locals.
The 4X4 journeying to Sarhad navigates some of the roughest roads I’ve ever seen. Over boulder fields, into rivers, along the border of cliffs, together with through deep desert sand.
Our beat-up Toyota van was equipped amongst crappy shocks, broken windows, together with was repeatedly crippled past times apartment tires (5 times). It was i wild ride!
But because then few cars move out here, together with the route is unforgiving to vehicles, the cost of this “taxi” journeying is high — $350 i way.
Once nosotros made it to Sarhad-e Broghil, Yar together with I spent the black at a guesthouse. The side past times side twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum nosotros began our 100 mile trek across the towering, snow-capped Pamir Mountains.
READ MORE: Epic Pictures From Afghanistan
Hiking In The Wakhan
While I’ll go into to a greater extent than exceptional nigh the trek itself inwards futurity articles, I exactly wanted to percentage some logistics here. I flora my guide/translator Yar inwards the Afghan border town of Sultan Eshkashim.
At the destination of the route inwards Sarhad, nosotros hired a pack Equus caballus accompanied past times its possessor Panshambe to aid deportment our nutrient & gear for the side past times side 10 days of hiking.
The iii of us were completely on our ain inwards the wilderness afterward Sarhad. Only passing through tiny Wakhi or Kyrgyz communities made upwards of a few rock huts together with yurts. No markets, no doctors, no roads.
I’d brought a camping ground stove together with plenty freeze-dried meals for 12 days, along amongst unloosen energy bars together with trail mix for snacks. My companions packed rice, tea, together with staff of life for themselves. Over the class of the trip nosotros mixed together with shared our supplies amongst each other.
Unless you lot convey your ain trekking food, your options are going to live limited. Canned fish, beans, rice, together with saccharide are available to purchase inwards Sultan Eshkashim. But that’s nigh it. You tin sometimes purchase flatbread from locals inwards the mountains.
The 10 twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum trek maintained altitudes betwixt 12,000 together with 16,000 feet. The trails themselves weren’t terribly difficult, every bit they are used past times locals on a daily basis, but it’s the height together with the dramatic weather condition that tin mess you lot up.
Some of the trails were perched on the border of 300 human foot drops, together with when it snowed (yes, inwards August), these became much to a greater extent than dangerous. There were many river crossings, but naught deeper than your knee.
We hiked a loop from Sarhad to Chaqmaqtin Lake, starting on the “high” route through the 16,000 ft. Garumdee Pass, returning on the “low” river route dorsum to Sarhad. You tin read to a greater extent than nigh these trekking routes here.
How Much Did It Cost?
I spent 2 weeks inwards Afghanistan, amongst 10 days of those trekking. It cost me nigh $1800 USD. That doesn’t include 1 calendar week spent inwards neighboring Tajikistan earlier together with afterward the trip. Because exactly getting to the border of Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan is a split upwards risk that takes 2-3 days!
To go on things simple, prices are inwards U.S. of A. Dollars.
Tajikistan Costs
- Double Entry Tajikistan Visa: $55 USD
- GBAO Permit: $4-$20 USD
- Dushanbe Hotel: $10-$80 USD per black (x 2)
- 4X4 Taxi to Khorog: $38 USD (x 2)
- Khorog Hotel: $20-$50 USD per black (x 2)
- Taxi to Ishkashim: $9 USD (x 2)
Afghanistan Costs
- Afghanistan Visa: $200 USD (cheaper if you’re non American)
- Taxi to Eshkashim: $20 (x 2)
- Guest House: $10-$25 USD per black (x 8)
- Wakhan Permits: $50 USD
- 4×4 Taxi: $350 USD i agency (x 2)
- Pack Animal: $20 USD per twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum (x 10)
- Guide/Translator: $30 USD per twenty-four sixty minutes menstruum (x 14)
- Camping: Free
I’d tell you lot desire to budget at to the lowest degree $2500 USD together with 3 weeks for a similar trip, non including flights. Stuff goes wrong, delays happen, prices change, together with credit/ATM cards are useless in i lawsuit you’re inwards Afghanistan.
It’s a tough identify to move inwards that respect. You demand to conception at to the lowest degree a few buffer days, together with convey plenty of extra cash for unexpected situations.
Warnings About Travel In Afghanistan
Afghanistan is yet a real volatile country. While the Wakhan Corridor itself is pretty safe, a foreigner did disappear in that location recently, together with other parts of the province receive got seen kidnappings together with Taliban attacks.
Just because it felt prophylactic when I was in that location doesn’t hateful it ever volition be.
Also, it’s of import for me to betoken out that the Afghanistan/Tajikistan border sometimes closes without warning. Usually because of Cholera outbreaks, sometimes exactly because of bureaucratic arguments.
If it closes when you’re on the Afghan side, you’ll live stuck in that location until it opens again. Which could live a few days, or a few weeks. You demand to live prepared for that possibility.
Traveling overland from Kabul to the Wakhan is non a prophylactic selection at the moment, every bit in that location are Taliban controlled areas located betwixt the two. Entering & exiting from Tajikistan is the safest option.
Helpfull Websites About The Wakhan
Other Areas Of Afghanistan
- Driving In Afghanistan Nomad Revelations
- Ultimate Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan Travel Guide Lost With Purpose
- Afghanistan Travel Guide Uncharted Backpacker
Wakhan Corridor Guide
If you’re planning a trip to the Wakhan, you lot tin achieve out to Yar Mohammad Attahi every bit a guide together with translator. Tell him I sent you!
More From Afghanistan
This was exactly a brief overview of the logistics for traveling inwards Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. I’ll live sharing much to a greater extent than nigh the incredible trek itself inwards futurity articles.
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Watch Video: Backpacking Afghanistan
(Click to sentinel Backpacking Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan – Wakhan Corridor on YouTube)
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Have whatever questions nigh Afghanistan? Would you lot ever consider traveling there? Drop me a message inwards the comments below!
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