Poor but Peaceful: Tourism in remote Afghanistan

By Shannon Lane @shannonroselane

IN a thin strip, wedged between Tajikistan and Pakistan, there is a precarious peace where the Taliban has struggled to impose their rule

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Under no Taliban ruling, the women are not enforced to wear a burqa

Known as the Wakhan Corridor, approximately 12,000 villagers reside at an altitude of 4,500 metres, upon the harsh, desolate terrain.

The photographer said: "Afghans love referring to Alexander the Great passing through the region to explain their light hair and eyes."

The Wakhi people live a simple, relaxed life, with their livestock. A few families are unaware that the Taliban was ever in power, or that the US army invaded.

This area has recently been encouraged by the Afghan government to attract tourists from the Western world looking for an adventure.

A father and daughter sit in their traditional house known as 'Chid'

To visit these villages one must travel through the tense Afghanistan atmosphere, pass border control, and drive up a primitive road built over half a century ago.

Photographer Eric Lafforgue visited these little-known lands in August 2016 to understand their movements in tourism and meet the Afghans that time forgot.

The houses are made of basic materials such as stone and plaster

He said: “First I travelled to Khandud, which is famous for the colourful outfits of its women. With the help of the Aga Khan Foundation, the women have even opened a shop to sell souvenirs for tourists. Socks, vests and embroideries.”

The women wear traditional outfits consisting of a long skirt, vest, small hat and veil

Light hair and eyes are extremely common in the Afghan people

The main tourist attraction is the Pamiri houses, known as ‘Chid’. They are built out of stone and plaster, and each retains particular features symbolizing spiritual and traditional aspects.

Eric said: “At first they appear basic but they reveal symbols and beliefs when you ask the owners. In each room, five wooden pillars – symbolizing the five pillars of Island – support a beam skylight called Chorkhona.”

The walls of this pamiri house have been decorated for the Nowruz festival

The photographer continued to travel deeper into the Wakhan Corridor, to finally meet the Wahki nomads in the mountains of Grand Pamir.

He said: “A friendly Pamiri is responsible for the organization, he owns a small travel agency in Ishkashim and has high hopes for the future. He must make do with the limited resources: the Internet is non-existent in the region.

The Wakhi people have allegedly lived on this rough terrain for over 2,000 years

“Local guides will take turns from village to village to share equitably the revenues generated by tourists.”

The Wakhi villages are completely isolated from the outside world, and have allegedly lived in the mountains for 2,000 years.

The only form of transport is by the yaks, and even they come across difficulties

The photographer said: “Distractions are rare for children. Nobody knows Messi or Ronaldo. Tourists are eagerly awaited as they provide some excitement in this harsh and monotonous existence.”

Despite the encouragement of visitors to the area, Eric was the first tourist of this year, with the season ending shortly after due to snow covering the mountains for six months.

The Afghan people line their eye with kohl with the belief that it improves eyesight

Eric Lafforgue said: “The Wakhi chief’s wife said to me: ‘They say that in the plain, peace has returned and tourists are back in Afghanistan. I hope that many of them will come and visit us to discover our culture.’”