The road to Langar in the Wakhan Valley of Tajikistan |
Langar, the first town in the Wakhan Valley of Tajikistan |
At Langar, the Pamir River meets the Wakhan River to form the Panj River |
The Wakhan Valley is shared by Tajikistan and Afghanistan |
Jama'at Khana, Langar's traditional Pamiri "congregational place" |
And of course, the driver tries to zip right past the highlight of the village |
The Jama'at Khana is preserved as Langar's museum |
The highly decorated exterior of Langar's Pamiri prayer house |
Figure of a ram on the Pamiri prayer house in Langar |
The majority of Pamiris are Ismaili muslim, followers of the Aga Khan |
Entrance to Langar's congregational hall |
A map of the village of Langar in the Jama'at Khana |
The first room of the Jama'at Khana of Langar with a fine carpet on the wall and an interesting collection on the table |
Arabic Inscription with the cry "Oh Ali" repeated 4 times |
Jama'at Khana is a Muslim place of worship that has not been formally sanctified as a mosque |
The Ismailis have a much looser interpretation on the representation of living things than other sects |
The main room of the Jama'at Khana, traditional Pamiri architecture filled with symbolism |
The five pillars members of Ali's family, Mohamed, his son-in-law Ali, Mohamed's daughter Fatima, and sons Hussein and Hassan |
The traditional Pamiri house "elements of ancient Aryan philosophy - including Zoroastrianism" |
The Hassan and Hussein pillars with an ornate clock |
Arabic inscription in the Jama'at Khana of Langar |
Another traditional feature of the room is the intricate skylight with 4 levels four Zoroastrian elements earth, water, air fire |
Ali, the son-in-law of Mohammed, the key figure in the schism between Sunni and Shiite |
Plaster of a ram with the sun rising over the mountains with a field of crops |
Across from the Langar Museum, the entrance to the mausoleum of Shoh Kambari Oftab, a Pamiri shrine-garden |
Skull and impressive horns of a Pamir Ibex |
Shoh Kambari Oftab is the man credited with bring Ismailiism to Langar |
A pile of horns from Pamir Ibex and Marco Polo sheep |
Shoh Kambari Oftab Mazar, Langar - Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan |
Skulls of Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii) |
I wonder how plentiful wildlife is these days in the Wakhan Valley |
Large trees shade the shrine-garden of Shoh Kambari Oftab mausoleum |
Shoh Kambari Oftab mausoleum Shrine-Garden, Langar |
Persian inscription at the Mausoleum of Shoh Kambari Oftab, Langar |
Oven at the shrine-garden, Langar |
The guide to the shrine-garden of Langar |
Tajikistan license plate |
Megafon Tajikistan |
Mountains rising above the treetops of beautiful Langar |
Daisies with the mountains of the Wakhan Valley |
Looking across the fields of Langar across to the Afghan side of the Wakhan Valley |
Waken Valley at Langar |
I certainly wasn't expecting to see a red-headed boy here in Langar |
The three main races of Eurasian man all meet here in this small region of Central Asia |
Langar woman in a field of grain, Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan |
This is in front of the small guesthouse where I'll be spending the night |
Pastoral scene in the peaceful Wakhan Valley |
Agricultural fields of Langar in the Wakhan Valley with the mountains of Afghanistan across the Panj River |
Early autumn in the Wakhan Valley, Langar |
Harvest time in the Wakhan Valley, Langar, Tajikistan |
Harvest time in the Wakhan Valley, Langar, Tajikistan |
Afternoon in the Wakhan Valley, Langar |
Langar, Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan |
Langar, Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan |
Three young boys, Langar, Wakhan Valley |
Three young boys, Langar, Wakhan Valley |
Langar - Waken Valley, Tajikistan |
Boys in Langar, Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan |
What a smile! Wakhan boy |
I didn't have time to do the hike to see the ancient petroglyphs |
"General Store" in the "Downtown" Langar, an old Soviet bus |
KAVZ-685 Bus, Made in the USSR, 1984 |
Live Music at the "General Store" bus in "Downtown" Langar |
The mountains rising high above Langar |
A sharp peak framed with trees, Wakhan Valley |
The old bus as a makeshift bar with a local Tajik beer |
What's nightlife in the former USSR without Vodka |
Late afternoon light on the mountains surrounding the Wakhan Valley |
Last light of a long day traveling from Murghab high in the Pamirs here to Langar in the Wakhan Valley |
Last light of a long day traveling from Murghab high in the Pamirs here to Langar in the Wakhan Valley |
Four men pushing an old Russian 4x4 across the Main Square of Langar |
Steven making friends with some locals post-Vodka |
Dinner at the guesthouse in Langar, simple but filling |
Carpets everywhere, our guesthouse in Langar |
Good Morning, Steven! |
Morning light on the mountains of Afghanistan |
The neighbor's house, Langar |
Morning sun and shadows across the Wakhan Valley, Afghanistan |
Russian graffiti on rocks with the year 1938 |
Wakhan Valley and the mountains of Afghanistan |
Wakhan Valley and the mountains of Afghanistan |
The breakfast table, Langar |
Carpets, not just for the floor |
The guesthouse in Langar |
Front yard of the guesthouse, Langar |
There was another group of travelers staying at the same guesthouse |
They seemed happy with their driver from Pamir Guides |
The harvest tied in neat bundles |
The road through the fields at Langar |
An old man walks with a young girl in early in the morning |
Old man and young girl, Langar |
Up there somewhere are the petroglyphs of Langar we missed |
The Bus/General Store in "downtown" Langar the next morning |
A house along the main road, Langar, Wakhan Valley |
Two guys walking the deserted main street of Langar, Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan |
Driving through the trees of Langar headed west down the Wakhan Valley |
Today's destination is Khorog, the capital of the GBAO, 250 km away |
Eroded hill outside Langar |
Tajikistan side of the Wakhan Valley |
Welcome to the peaceful Wakhan Valley, Tajikistan |
Departing Langar to explore the Wakhan Valley of Tajikistan |
Sheep grazing on the valley floor outside Langar |