Muzkol Expedition - donkey issues part 1

Prior to leaving on this extended holiday we had broken the trip down into shorter stages and invited friends to join us. Only one brave soul took up the offer - Mark Redhead. Mark had been camping before, at a couple of music festivals, so was the perfect candidate for an exploratory mountaineering expedition to the remote Muzkol Range in the Eastern Pamirs about 100km from Murghab.

Mark met us in Murghab and came bearing precious gifts - a Saturday Guardian, the Economist, a resupply of paperbacks and a very good single malt. In his 2 days in Tajikistan he had also managed to pick up a rather violent stomach bug.

The team united, we got a jeep out to the where we would leave the Pamir Highway and head into the mountains on foot. Conveniently, at this exact point, a yurt stay had been established, enabling us to have a couple of comfortable nights whilst acclimatising and organising logistics. The yurt was at 4200 m so we needed to spend a day resting at this height before doing a recce of the approach route. Speaking to the owner of the yurt we managed to ascertain that it would be possible to hire 3 donkeys for 2 days to get all our supplies into base camp. Everything was going incredibly smoothly and that evening we settled down to a good meal and comfortable bed. Sleep was only interrupted once by Mark violently vomiting in the corner of the yurt when he failed to locate the door (not that yurts have corners as they are round but you know what I mean).

Predictably there was some confusion regarding the donkeys the following morning and things weren't quite what we had thought we'd arranged the previous day. We renegotiated and were assured that the donkeys would arrive for our inspection by midday, so we delayed our recce and waited. At 2pm 4 donkeys had arrived, one sitting in the back of a Uza (Russian jeep), which was quite comical. Despite 4 donkeys being brought to the yurt it turned out that 2 of them were just for show, leaving only 2 that were able to carry loads the following day. We had no other option but to accept this and hurried out on our recce.

Following the river bed on foot we successfully located the pass which would give us access into the adjacent valley from where we would be able to set up a base camp. With evening drawing in we hurried back to the yurt for a final packing session and check of supplies for an early start the following day. After we had settled down for the night we were visited by a rather drunk policeman who checked our documents and angled for a bribe but he soon got bored, or forgot what he'd asked us, and drove off into the darkness.

The start wasn't quite as early as we would have liked the following day but the donkeys were loaded, obligatory photos taken and we were ready to leave.

Recceing the approach route. Xmena (climbed by an EWP expedition in 1996) in the background.

Loading the donkeys

 Ready to go

Сycling near Murgab

Inspired by all the cyclists we had met pedalling the Pamir Highway on some epic overland trip, we decided to hire bikes for the day and head out ourselves. Instead of the Pamir Highway we took a side road which followed the Aksu river. This river heads east towards China before doubling back on itself to enter the far eastern border of Afghanistan.

Taking a break by the Aksu River

Although this road provides the only link between Tajikistan and China we saw just 3 vehicles during the day, one of which had broken down. We stopped at some tiny villages to have a look around before carrying on along the desolate road. Although it was cloudy the sun was strong at this altitude (3500 m), and James paid the price for not applying enough suncream, getting very badly burnt.

James at the village of Konye Kurgan

Me by the tombs at Konye Kurgan

We'd not planned the trip that well and hadn't taken any lunch with us so we were relieved to see a Stolvaya on our return. After some confusion we were invited into the house. We ordered some food not really knowing what would appear and were given the standard Kygryz meal of yogurt, bread and jam. The children crowded around the door to watch us. When it came to paying there was much whispering and the children were sent in to tell us the price. We initially thought we had misheard as it was an extortionate amount but the children insisted that it was correct. We asked to speak to their parents and although the mother did eventually appear, the father remained in the other room from which he cowardly gave instructions to his wife and children. We bargained them down but it was an unfortunate incident.

Luckily when we got back to Murgab our faith was restored as when we returned the bikes the family invited us in for tea but presented us with a full meal of plov, bread and sweets. Of course, we weren't hungry at all having just had a very late lunch, but James did his best not to offend.

 Heading back to Murgab

Murgab, Tajikistan - the ends of the earth

The Eastern Pamir town of Murgab  truly feels like the ends of the earth. As a modern gauge to its remoteness not even the usual soft drink brands have made it out here, although if you bring petrol from the petrol station for the generator, it is possible to use the internet, giving contact to the outside world. The wind whips up the dust and throws it at the low buildings cowering into the hillside. Every second tourist is a cyclist doing battle with the wind. There's not much to do and, like in the Great Game days, we swap information on the road ahead, change money with people about to head to Kyrgyzstan and get tips on good places to stay and eat. There are the usual random collection of people who find themselves in a town like Murgab. The British ex-banker turned fantasy novelist travelling around the world on a motorbike, the Swiss cyclist who has been pedalling for 4 years, people heading to London, Amsterdam or Sydney by bicycle, jeep or motorbike. We try to grab a late lunch in one of the 3 cafes in town and can't work out why the waitresses are ignoring us. Even the other customers try to get their attention to no avail. When James walks into the kitchen to ask to order all becomes clear. They had run out of food but were too embarrassed to tell us.

Bikers in Murgab

Murgab is ethnically split between Kyrgyz and Tajik people. Tajiks look far more Persian and their language is also similar. Again this is the cause of some tension. The town sits on the Pamir Highway built by the Russian military back in 1934. And Murgab was an important military town even in Great Game days. It was here in 1890 that the British Army Officer, Younghusband, makes a reappearance in history, famously being expelled by the Russians soon after visiting.

A collection of ISO containers make up the market in Murgab. From above it looks like an illegal arms fair but actually they are just selling water melons and out of date chocolate bars.

Tajik/Kyrgyz  Friendship monument

Erali our cosy guest house and friendly hosts