low and shamanic petroglyphs remind you of a time long
gone. It adds a whole extra dimension to the ride.
4. The thrill of following the Afghan border
For me, one of the most exciting aspects of this ride is fol-
lowing the Afghan border for hundreds of miles between
Kala-i-Khumb and Langar. Separated by the rushing tur-
quoise waters of the Panj River, at times the two countries
are literally a stone’s throw apart. But the waving Afghan
farmers, with their simple adobe houses, hand-scythed
wheat fields and neat terraces of mulberry and pomegran-
ate trees, are politically a world away from the Tajiks. An-
other time, I’d love to cross the Panj, and see what life is
really like on the other side of the Wakhan Corridor.
5. It sure ain’t Magaluf
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are refreshingly untarnished
by the tentacles of mass tourism. Yes, you meet the odd
grizzled German on a bicycle or dusty overlander head-
ing East, but travelling here has an exploratory edge.
The Wakhan Corridor, in particular, feels like the end of
the earth. As you stand on a blustery mountainside and
gaze across the Panj to the silvery peaks of Pakistan and
Afghanistan, you couldn’t feel further from the toils and
troubles of our crowded 21st century existence. Tonic for
the soul indeed.
Antonia’s company www.edge-expeditions.com run sever-
al motorcycle expeditions each year to Tajikistan and Kyr-
gyzstan. The two-week trip cost from £4450 per person,
including all meals and accommodation and motorbike
hire.
TRAVERSE
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