After a day’s break in Khorog, we set off again. It goes on to the south. Our daily destination is Yamg in the Wakhan Valley. But first we drive from Khorog to Ishkashim.
The valley of the Panj river is still very narrow and the water has a high flow velocity. About 30 km south of Khorog, the valley narrows and the foaming water roars through the bottleneck. Some huge boulders stand their ground in the middle of the spray. We let the spectacle affect us for a while before we continue our way.
On our request, we go to the hot sources in a small valley. The water gushes out of the rock and has formed lovely deposits. We want to film the water basins, but it came to nothing.
One has built a modern clinic for skin diseases next-door. A modern hotel construction is available for overnight stays. We also may go to the water basins – men and women separated. But everyone is naked here so that filming forbids himself. Somewhat disappointed, we drive on.
After another 30 minutes, about halfway to Ischkaschim, we reach a mountain called Ruby Mountain. Already Marco Polo described this mountain. In the 1950s, the Soviets once again attempted to mine rubies here, but it might not have been economic and mining came to an end.
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More InformationWe drive on for about an hour until the valley opens. The Panj river flows quietly to the valley. Small islands in the river form marvelous biotopes. As the valley finally opens the view on the first snow-covered peaks of the Hindu Kush, we make a short photo and film stop.
Electricity pylons usually run next to the road, but often the wires only hang down. We learn that most of these are telephone lines, but now everyone has a smartphone, so the fixed lines became obsolete. But nobody removes the scrap metal and the masts.
Shortly before Ishkashim, we get a lunch at a hotel. A goat, who seems to feel very comfortable in human company, entertains the guests and the children.
The food tastes very good, but the sanitary facilities are not recommended.
A short time later we reach Ishkashim, the gateway to the Wakhan Valley.
Please read on > From Ishkashim to Yamg
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