Into the Bartang
After exploring the Pamir Mountains on the Kyrgyz side, Paul went back to Bishkek and met another rider heading to Tajikistan – a country which territory is 90% mountainous. Having spent a spooky night in an abandoned ski resort between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Paul and Dave crossed to the Tajik side, and adventure began right at the border. ’It wasn’t much of a border, really – just two Tajik guys perched on top of a mountain; they weren’t thrilled to see us and we ended up arguing with them for about two hours, until they finally let us pass. We spent the night in a yurt sleeping on the floor with about 20 other travelers – bikers, cyclists, and hikers – and listened to some horror stories of an English rider whose bike had sunk in quicksand somewhere in the Bartang valley. We took off in the morning – it was snowing, and within the first few miles, there already was a fast flowing river crossing with a sandy bed. Needless to say, we realized this would be a lot more of a challenge than we expected’, - says Paul.
‘Bartang’ means ‘Narrow Passage’ in Tajik, and the valley was named aptly. The Bartang road gradually climbs up the mountains as the valley narrows, then suddenly dives down a steep path; you can ride for days and not meet a single soul – there’s nobody there except for solitary goat and sheep herders and a few tiny villages scattered along the road. ‘There are lots of river crossings over football sized boulders, mudslides which you have to find your way around, steep rocky paths - it’s hard work. Bridges are sketchy at best – they may be suitable for pedestrians or horses, but not so much for bikes: usually, they are just a few metal plates held together by rusty nails. Things can go wrong at any time. You might not see anybody – not a single soul - for days. If you break down there, there’s no help. Especially if you go off the track, which you sometimes have to do to go round a landslide or water –logged section of the road; the locals ride horses and donkeys and go straight through, so if you’re off the track and something happens, they simply wouldn’t find you. If you’re alone, just be extra careful’.
Life in the Bartang valley is extremely tough and basic: there is no infrastructure, electricity, or transportation. Everything is done by hand, and the locals live off the land and their animals. ‘Despite shocking poverty, the local Tajik people were incredibly warm, happy and friendly – they’d smile and wave at us, invite us over to their yurts, and share tea with us. Most of the time, we couldn’t understand them as they didn’t speak English, but hospitality doesn’t need a language’, - says Paul.