Wakhan corridor - tour operator Q&A

[ventureforthphoto]

I’m feverishly planning for my own trip to the Wakhan Corridor in July, and from the research I’ve done, a week is nowhere near enough time.

Given the erratic nature of air or land travel, you’d basically have just enough time to get yourself from Dushanbe to the border at Ishkashim, and then you’d need to immediately return to Dushanbe.

I’m giving myself eight weeks, so that I can really spend some time in the Afghan Pamirs.

[steven]

We hired Yar Mohammad as our guide, he was incredible and personable, spoke great English, sincere and experienced.

Yar Mohammed has since gotten a very, very bad review.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4974

[bwv812]

We hired Yar Mohammad as our guide, he was incredible and personable, spoke great English, sincere and experienced.

Yar Mohammed has since gotten a very, very bad review.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=4974

It actually sounds like both reviewers traveled in July 2017...

[ventureforthphoto]

I'm planning a trip for this July, and have been in communication with Yar Mohammed about possibly hiring him, and have gotten a sense that he's trying to gouge me. We agreed to a per day price, which was already pretty steep, then he told me that it would not be him, but another guide who he would arrange for me, which I hesitantly agreed to. He then told me there would be a 20% surcharge on top of all costs (including transport to Sarhad, making that over $500) for his "agency", again, after we had agreed to a per day price.

That's when I went looking for other options.

[ventureforthphoto]

I’ve just returned from a month in the Afghan Wakhan (great trip!), and am going to be writing up a trip report, but wanted to get a bit of information out there more quickly.

My biggest advice would be to do everything possible to get a Wakhi guide. None of the guides based out of Ishkashem are Wakhi.

My Fantastic Wakhi guide was Ibrahim Amdard out of Khandood (he’s also a trained pharmacist and has a small pharmacy in Khandood). His Tajik phone number is: ‭+992 502165904‬ (there’s coverage in Khandood and Ishkashem with Tcell).

I’ll include his Facebook and email in my fuller trip report.

If you can’t get ahold of him, my advice would be to engage one of the Ishkashem guides to help you with the paperwork (it really is a convoluted mess) and then hire a vehicle to either Khandood or Qala-e-panja, where there are comfortable guesthouses, and let it be known you’re looking for a guide. You’ll quickly be connected to a Wakhi guide, any of whom are vastly preferable and cheaper than the guides in Ishkashem. $25 dollars a day max, likely less for a longer trip.

If you have any questions, my Instagram (link in signature) is probably the best way to get in touch.

[jacoblab1]

I’ve just returned from a month in the Afghan Wakhan

Can't wait to read the full report! Planning a trip into the Wakhan for 2-3 weeks next summer.

[satika]

I returned last week from the little Pamir. I've traveled as solo woman and only hired a donkey and her owner in Sarhad.
For the paperwork, good and reliable contacts in Eshkashim, please ask for Safi Usmani on the bazaar. He asks a good price and all paperwork was done in less than 1,5 hours since we started to talk. It can be shorter if you have 4 pictures and 6 copies of your visa and passport with you.
In Sarhad ask for GirgischBai as donkeyman, I don't know how to write his name so it's phonetical. He has a horse and donkey which are both in good health. He speaks basic English and is very cooperative. He is kind and fair towards his animals.

If you want a guided trekking, Safi can help you or Malang Dayra. The last one has a big trekking company and I hiked the last day with his group. That's was extremely smooth organised.