Remote and difficult to access, the land is scattered with deep river canyons along the edges of rural settlements, decorated by ribbons of cultivation in an otherwise barren landscape, akin to Mars.

Herders lead their yaks, sheep and goats across the wilds in a semi-nomadic life, battling the ravages of winter for eight months of the year and relaxing into the brief respite of spring. The Pamir Highway holds the cream of the mountain scenery, thanks to the outrageously scenic spurs of the different mountain ranges.

People here are used to a hard life and share knowledge with neighboring communities of how to survive with very little means at their disposal. Their isolation in high-altitude valleys has resulted in many cultural differences, especially in dialects. People here speak Pamiri, and while it shares the same Persian roots as Tajik, it is as different as English to French.  

View video travelogue here.