A beacon of hope from the summit of Afghanistan’s highest mountain
The Four Tigers of Wakhan survey their path to the summit of Noshaq. Photo: Louis Mernier
An old Afghan proverb states: “There is a path to the top of even the highest mountain.” Four Afghan Ismailis took it literally. Together with a team of Frenchmen, they set out to climb Noshaq — the country’s highest mountain.
Louis Mernier, a Frenchman, had been living in Afghanistan since 2002. In 2007, during a commercial trek in Wakhan, a mountainous corridor in the northeastern part of the country, he met Malang, a poet; Amruddin, a farmer; Afiat Khan, a mason; and Gurg Ali, a teacher. Ranging in age from 25 – 35, they shared a passion for climbing; but they also harboured a common desire to offer a message of peace and hope to their countrymen.
Together, over a cup of chai, they conceived their vision, and called their expedition Afghans to the Top. At 7 492 metres, Noshaq is the highest peak in Afghanistan and had never been scaled by an Afghan. It was a feat, they hoped, that might become a symbol of the heights to which their country could once again aspire. Their motivation and ambition earned them the moniker The Four Tigers of Wakhan.
Wakhan is part of Afghanistan`s Badakhshan Province. The rugged mountain corridor is bordered by Tajikistan, China and Pakistan. Map: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
While the team was certain that it would succeed, others were doubtful. Mernier described the experience of trying to garner support as “climbing Everest before climbing Noshaq!” Many refused to sponsor them because of the instability and dangers they perceived in Afghanistan. They would not consider the possibility that Wakhan was safer than other parts of the country.
But Wakhan had been a safe haven for decades. In the 19th century, the British and Russians both attempted to traverse it before allowing it to remain as a buffer between their two empires. It remained unmolested by more recent conflicts, suffering instead from severe isolation, which forced residents to rely on the meagre harvest from its arid climate. The region is sparsely populated by a mix of Wakhi farmers, who grow wheat, barley and potatoes, and Kyrgyz nomads, who survive on their livestock.
“The people of Wakhan are indeed very special,” said Mernier. Describing them as open minded, he observed that it was the only part of the country in which he felt comfortable speaking freely with all segments of society.
One of the base camps, with Noshaq rising in the background. Photo: Louis Mernier
Their idea could have easily been written off — and many tried to convince them of its futility — but Afghans to the Top finally received aid from the French Embassy in Kabul and the Aga Khan Development Network. AKDN has been active in the region, collaborating with the Wakhan Culture Initiative and the Norwegian Government to promote cultural preservation and ecotourism projects.
On 19 July 2009 the Afghans to the Top expedition succeeded. Malang and Amruddin proudly planted the Afghan flag at Noshaq’s peak, marking the culmination of two years of perseverance.
Because of the cold, they only spent ten minutes at the top, but for Amruddin the view is etched into his mind: “At the top, we could see the mountains of Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan all around us. It was wonderful. We were standing higher than all the other Pakistani and Tajik mountains, higher than all the mountains of the Hindu Kush.”
As the first Afghans to reach the summit of Noshak, the climbers unfurl their country`s flag. Photo: Jean Annequin
Veteran filmmaker Jérôme Veyret accompanied the team, and plans to release a film documenting the beauty of the Wakhan region and the challenge of climbing Mount Noshaq. Their success has already begun to inspire others — shortly after the climb Mernier received an email from four Afghan climbers in Herat expressing their passion for climbing and their desire to embark on a similar challenge.
The Four Tigers of Wakhan hope to continue their training as mountain guides and to plan routes and travel itineraries. Meanwhile, Mernier will return to Europe and generate interest among tour operators. The team recalls that in the 1960s and 70s, Wakhan was a haven for international mountaineers and tourists. They hope that their efforts will reassure the international community that the area is once again safe and ready for the adventurous traveller.
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