Pamir, winter 2008, Afghanistan. Unvisited since 1972
392 images Created 10 Feb 2021
My first 2008 winter expedition across the Afghan Pamir mountains. Since 1972, the high altitude plateau had not been visited by photographers in winter. To reach the plateau, my friend Malang and I walked up the frozen Wakhan river.
High in the Pamir mountains of Afghanistan, a remnant group of less than 1000 Kyrgyz dwell in one of the remotest and inhospitable environments occupied by any human population. Deprived of the simplest infrastructure, schools or health care institutions and faced with an ever growing problem of opium addiction,this community shows the highest level of maternal and child mortality in the world. With eight months of winter the beauty of
the Afghan Pamir belies its ability to support life.
Also a video here ©Matthieu Paley: https://vimeo.com/8253484
High in the Pamir mountains of Afghanistan, a remnant group of less than 1000 Kyrgyz dwell in one of the remotest and inhospitable environments occupied by any human population. Deprived of the simplest infrastructure, schools or health care institutions and faced with an ever growing problem of opium addiction,this community shows the highest level of maternal and child mortality in the world. With eight months of winter the beauty of
the Afghan Pamir belies its ability to support life.
Also a video here ©Matthieu Paley: https://vimeo.com/8253484
