Comments on: Badakhshani Express: Scraping the Pamir Mountains with Tajik Air

By: Murtaza Sattar

Murtaza Sattar — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:30:38 +0000

Just to give you an idea of the flights I took into the mountains of northern Pakistan, please see the scenery behind the aircraft. Photo’s taken by me:

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6952134

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6307230&nseq=50

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:57:47 +0000

@Madina: Thank you for your comment. We really liked Khorog. Interesting place and story. The people were very friendly (although this was true throughout our time in Tajikistan) and so many of them spoke English.

It’s both funny and incredible that the same guy is at the ticket booth at the Khorog airport. I guess some things never change…even in 15 years!

That flight was truly beautiful and shocking. Good luck with your trip next summer. We’d love to hear your impressions returning after all these years.

By: Madina

Madina — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 03:03:46 +0000

Enjoyed the description… The seatbelt situation is classic, never fails. I am from Khorog but havn’t been there in 15 years. Planning to go next summer, I want to go and have similar experience , as a tourist, entering through back doors, and experince everything and every place. I can’t belive the same guy is still at the ticket booth( by description sounds like the same that I knew) lol… I used to grab whomever was beside me on the plane, I was very much in shock everytime. Now I know how beautiful were those moments. Can’t wait to go… Thank yo so much for this… Many good memories were brought to live..best of luck!!!

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:41:33 +0000

@Murt: Glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment. That was one terrific, memorable flight. I heartily recommend it to anyone. I suspect the cost from Khorog to Dushanbe is a bit more than $80 these days, but the challenge in getting the ticket is probably the same. If you take the flight, let us know how much it cost and how it went!

By: Murtaza Sattar

Murtaza Sattar — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:31:28 +0000

Thank you for a great video. I have flown through the mountains on the opposite side, the Pakistani side of the Himalayas on a PIA 737.
I do really want to fly this route you flew on. Only $80 one way (probably a bit more now in 2010.
Once again, thank you for the video.
Murt

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:52:28 +0000

@Amy: Thanks so much for your comment and kind words. It’s interesting: just last night during a talk, the subject of Tajikistan came up again amidst a group of very well traveled people, none of whom had been there. It really is a fascinating country and one that sees very little tourist traffic. I’m really glad that our information and stories stir your emotions and strike you as real. That’s important to us. In the end, we hope our photos and stories can do justice to the people and the places we visit.

By: Amy Cha

Amy Cha — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:50:37 +0000

Did you know that ” moo ha vat” means love in Tajkik? A couple days ago, I discovered your website through facebook. As I was reading and looking pictures on the website, my heart started to beat! I just envy you guys so much for the courage and the adventure spirit. I lived in Tajikistan for two years and worked for NGO. so I knew what it is like over there. I totally validate your experiecne of tajik people and the culture. Tajikistan is one of the most unknown country to the world. Ten years ago, when I, ” I am going to Tajikistan, 10 out of 10 people say, What? “Tajik has a special place in my heart and it is so good to see valid information about ” Tajik” in the cyperworld.

By: Daniel Noll

Daniel Noll — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:53:45 +0000

@ e carter: I think I’m with you on the concern about extra weight.

@ Anajon: Two to a seat in the flying lunchbox? That’s almost as frightening as the rumor we heard while in Tajikistan: that in Russia, it’s possible to actually *buy* a pilot’s license outright, without the requisite training. Flay (or drive) safely.

By: Anajon

Anajon — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:10:23 +0000

took the flight yesterday for the second time – last time a bit over a year ago… there were definitely 2 extra adults and rather big children on the flight squeezing in two to a seat – glad we made it over all the rocks and passed the summits near enough to touch sometimes …. since I work in Tajikistan – I’ll most likely do it again – still beats the minimum 15 hour road trip even so that i most spectacular as well – this time I drove up and flew bag.

Anajon

By: e carter

e carter — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:29:30 +0000

Quite interesting, but I was left speechless by A comment made by EMMA telling all how to sneak on extra baggage by having your friends pass it to you after passing a check in . Am I to get this right, EMMA wants to prevent some hassle and a few extra dollars by sliping on extra weight in a plane that skims the top of solid rock peaks. People please dont do this! Or that mountain peat just ahead may be your,
( and the other folks unlucky enough traveling with you) tomb stone!