Khorog to Murghab: A Soldier’s Welcome

After leaving the Custom Officer’s house, I made my way to meet Sailaubai at the Khorog bazaar. I had organized extra people to join us on the way back to Murghab, including Will from Holland and Changiz from Iran, but unfortunately there was a miscommunication about the number of passengers needed, so Will, Changiz and a group from Japan went with a different driver, while Sailaubai and I waited for more people but ultimately ended up driving back with just the two of us and a 20 year old soldier from Murghab who had been in the Tajik army for two years in Dushanbe and had not seen his family for that entire period.

After the drive from Murghab to Langar, I was slightly worried that I had seen such beautiful mountains in the Hindu Kush range that the Pamirs might not be as exciting. I was completely wrong, however, and was blown away by the beauty of the Pamirs, especially by how these 5000 or higher peaks rose straight from the road to the summit, just begging to be climbed or skied.

We arrived late in Murghab, just as it was completely dark, and went to the soldier’s home, where a lot of his extended family was there to greet him. It was heartwarming to see such a return, and they welcomed Sailaubai and I in for the best two bowls of shorpa I had in Central Asia. Afterwards I would head back to the Guesthouse Erali, where I exchanged stories with Will and Changiz late into the night. It was good to be back in Murghab.

If you click on a photo (I recommend starting with the first one), you can scroll through them all. Each has a caption explaining what the photo is. I apologize for the quality of the photos in advance, but I hope you get a general idea of the awesome drive.

Author’s Note: This post is a part of many associated with my trip on the Pamir Highway in June, 2014. For a complete overview of this trip, please click this link.

Awesome statue, but I was headed the other direction

Osh was a long way away

The first of the big Pamirs to be visible

The Pamirs along this part of the M41 are huge, pointy mountains

First of two GoPro photos that came out well, here I am clearly stoked

I really loved the full view all around

My submission for a GoPro photo of the day, and my most “liked” Instagram photo so far

Mountains near Jelandy

The Pamirs are like mountains everyone draws in primary school, they are how mountains are when one imagines them. Amazing.

Starting up Koi-Tezek Pass

The mountains were a little further away the higher we climbed on Koi-Tezek Pass

Good pee break spot

Just past the top of Koi-Tezek

Lunar Landscape just beyond Koi-Tezek Pass

The sunset exploded for us just outside of Murghab

The last rays of light before a wonderful welcoming into Murghab