The Wakhan Corridor is a territory in the northeast of Afghanistan, located in the Wakhan historical and cultural region of Badakhshan province, which forms a narrow passage, the so-called "corridor", connecting Afghanistan and China and passing through the territory of Tajikistan. The corridor is a narrow strip of land, a rugged highland area approximately 210 kilometers long and 20 to 60 kilometers wide in the Wakhan and Pyanj river valleys. It separates Tajikistan in the north from Pakistan in the south.
According to the agreement concluded between Britain and the Russian Empire, which at the end of the 19th century put an end to the Great Game of these two powers, it was decided to transfer the Wakhan Corridor to sovereign Afghanistan, which became a buffer between Russian Central Asia and British India. At the end of the 20th century, this narrow strip of land became known to the world as the Wakhan Corridor.
The Pamir Mountains reach their highest height in this region, so it was practically not affected by hostilities. After 2000, the corridor became a popular place among extreme climbers, trekkers and backpackers from the CIS countries. Its main population is made up of Vakhani and Pamir Kirghiz.
Geography
The Pamir River, which flows into Lake Zorkul, forms the northern boundary of the corridor. The Vakhan River flows through the territory of the corridor from the east to the village of Kala-i-Pyanj, then joining the Pamir River, it receives a new name - Pyanj. In the western part of the Wakhan corridor, the Tajik-Afghan border runs along the Pyanj River, to the east the corridor expands and in its northern part, between the Pamir and Vakhan rivers, the Wakhan Khebet watershed rises, which is also called the Small Pamir - this is a small, rarely visited area.
At the western "entrance" to the Wakhan corridor from Afghanistan is the main administrative center of the region - the village of Ishkashim, and the deaf eastern "backyards" of the corridor end with passes leading to Xinjiang (China).
The highest ridge of the region is the Hindu Kush, along which the border with Pakistan passes.
Climate
The Wakhan corridor lies at a very high altitude and is located 1700 km from the sea. That is why winters here are especially severe and long. The air temperature drops significantly at the end of September, reaching -25°C and lower at night. The temperature in the area of the Kyrgyz settlements of the Pamirs drops to -35°C. In summer, the air in the valley warms up to +30°C.
By the way, based on the fact that the weather conditions in the area of the Wakhan Corridor and Wakhan are not always favorable, the best time for tourists to visit this area is June-September.
Traditionally, regardless of the time of year, it is cold in the Pamirs early in the morning and at night. Tourists need to have warm clothes with them, because, among other things, strong cold winds blow here.
Wakhan corridor as a through route
Despite the fact that this area is extremely difficult to cross, since ancient times the corridor has been used as a trade route between Badakhshan and Yarkand. In addition, during the existence of the Great Silk Road, the world-famous Italian merchant and traveler Marco Polo also walked along this road in 1271. Historical documents testify that this region was also visited by a Jesuit priest who went from Wakhan to China in 1602 - 1606, and Orel Stein, who in 1906 after exploring the region in his "chronicles" noted that annually hundreds of horses loaded with various goods , moved along the corridor towards China.
Wakhan
Wakhan is a district that is part of the Gorno-Badakhshan region, located along the upper reaches of the Pyanj and Vakhan rivers. The Aryan peoples inhabiting Wakhan have absorbed into their culture a bizarre and vibrant mixture of different religions, traditions and systems, while maintaining a sense of unity and harmony with the majestic mountains surrounding them. Very many historical figures famous throughout the civilized world were directly involved in the history of Vakhan: Alexander the Great with his army, who preached Greco-Buddhism; Tibetan Buddhists who founded huge monasteries here; Arabs who brought Islam; the Mongols-conquerors, to whose help the Sunnis and Ismailis resorted in the struggle against each other. All of them left a memory of themselves in this land, lost among the highest snowy mountains.
Population
The north of the province of Badakhshan is inhabited mainly by the Pamir peoples. In the uluses of Ishkashim and Vakhan, the main population is the Vakhans. Their difference from the traditional image of an Afghan is very great - there is a much freer society, women do not wear a veil, traditions of hospitality are still alive, and relations between people are sincere and direct. And the most important thing that determines these differences is religion.
Unlike the main religion of Afghanistan - Sunni Islam, the inhabitants of the Wakhan Corridor profess the traditional religion of the Pamirs - Ismailism. Although officially Ismailism is a current of Islam, however, the differences are very large. There are no mosques in the Pamir villages, just as there are no obligatory prayers and other religious paraphernalia. The main thing is the inner connection with God. The role of the imam, the vicegerent of Allah on earth, is the hereditary descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, who, according to the Ismailis, is the Aga Khan. They revere the Aga Khan practically at the level of a deity in the flesh, since their god really works wonders for his subjects - he opens schools in high-mountain villages, builds roads and hospitals. The main idea of the Aga Khan's activity is that the cause of religious extremism and instability is poverty. He believes that by eradicating poverty, it is possible to create a prosperous society. On the example of the Wakhan Corridor, the world was convinced that this idea is indeed being successfully implemented.
Tourism
Often, before the eyes of people who begin to talk about Afghanistan, the Taliban, terrorists, America and, in general, all the bad things that are connected with the endless Afghan war appear. Yes, Afghanistan has it. But not here - not in the area of the Wakhan corridor. The inhabitants of Gorno-Badakhshan have never seen a war, have not experienced fear in connection with this. Because she was never here. It is quite possible that both the natural conditions of the region and its geographical location affected this. So visiting the Wakhan corridor by tourists is quite feasible and absolutely safe. And due to its remoteness from the civilized world and insane natural beauty, this place especially attracts foreigners who want to enjoy the bewitching nature, untouched by the destructive hand of man.
Now the Wakhan corridor is becoming especially popular and attractive among lovers of mountaineering, trekking and other outdoor activities.