Riding the Wahkan Corridor from Langar to Eshkashem

We presumed that the hardest part of the Pamir Highway was over. After three river crossings with the last scary one requiring help from the locals, nothing could stop us now going through the Pamir. 

Confidence was high and this short leg of 100km today was from Langgar to Eshkashem where along the way we would get a sim-card finally after four days without connectivity.

I was not too much concern about the internet but it would be a plus to have it once a while. Langgar to Eshkashem was along the Wahkan Corridor river where we would ride from little village to little village along the way always overlooking the river to Afghanistan on the other side.

The Road & The View to Vrang

Looking Across the River to Afghanistan 

First stop was at Vrang, a village so small that you could walk it in five minutes. This village however had the first telco shop that was open. T-Cell. Reception at the village was still bad. So bad that while the telco guy was registering the new sim-card, power outage would kill his computer and a large scream followed by a slam on his table reminded me of old times back in Malaysia as a kid. After getting the sim-card, all of us had to hold up the phone searching for that sweet spot to get a little signal for messages to come in.

T-Cell Telco shop at Vrang

The short distance from Langgar to Vrang, barely 30km and somehow I had dropped my rain coat. It was weird for this had never happened before. It was the first subtle sign of Murphy law which at that time I did not notice. 

One lost raincoat + leg gaiters. Weather was no longer cold since we had left high elevation and rain was rare now. I figured I could get a replacement in the capital Dushanbe hence left it as it is not wanting to go through the bad road to find the fallen rain coat bag.

Second stop was Yamchun Fort and Bibi Fatima Hot Sping. The road up was crazy steep with gravels and narrow hairpin turns that one wrong judgment and the car would go tumbling down the cliff edge. 

The cars stopped short 1km from the top and I followed suit. A short hike to see Yamchun Fort then but we were not hikers with most of us gasping for air a short distance later. The view however was still beautiful although we did not reach the top.

Yamchun Fort

Wahkan Corridor View from Halfway up Yamchun Fort

Pushing on to Eshkashem, I notice midway that my left auxiliary bracket was broken. The bracket was an additional piece to strengthen the top box bracket. Weird that it would break near the pivot point but it was still functioning somehow by compressing on the footpeg. I rode slowly the balance journey to Eshkashem and nothing went wrong.

We all camp at a guesthouse paying just to use the toilet and cooked our own food. It would be the last camping for me in Tajikistan without knowing as things would only get worst from here on out. While the Pamir was nearly done, Tajikistan was not done with me yet and I had no idea the challenges to come.

Riding the Wahkan Corridor to Eshkashem

Riding the Wahkan Corridor to Eshkashem

Traveled on: July 2024