The Chapursan Valley stretches some 70km from the border town of Sost in Northern Pakistan, all the way to the Afghan border at the Wakhan Corridor.

Home to rare wildlife such as Ibex & Marco Polo Sheep and Snow Leopards, the valley also houses ethnic Wakhi people who are living off their livestock and agriculture and are renowned for their hospitality.
But to reach their picturesque villages, one has to travel on a rough, unpaved road which is often blocked due to landslides. Landslides aren’t the only danger, there is a severe risk of rockfall in certain sections, especially during bad weather.

I experienced this first hand, as I was surprised by a snow storm and had to seek shelter in a safe place, with rocks tumbling down the steep mountain faces and onto the road.
Further down the valley the road (and weather) improved, and I got to observe the culture & daily lives of the Wakhis, which practise Ismaili Shia Islam, or gaze at the mountains such as Batura Sar (7795m). While the valley is not a major tourist attraction (I didn’t meet a single other traveler), one can find a few guesthouses in the villages to enjoy a meal and spend the night.

I also cycled to the end of road, which eventually turns into a footpath, and is used by the locals to cross into in Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan to trade with other Wakhis, or the nomadic Kyrgyz living in the higher pastures (also known as Little Pamir). While they are free to travel across the border, foreigners aren’t, so I turned back and headed back towards the Karakoram Highway.