The extreme conditions of high-altitude desert and strong winds, combined with lack of opportunities beyond yak and sheep breeding, make life in the High Pamir Mountains of eastern Tajikistan a fight for survival. Yet in recent years, the village of Alichor has seen a turnaround in its fortunes, with a nascent tourism industry slowing the outflow of people to neighboring Kyrgyzstan. Photojournalist Janyl Jusupjan paid the village a visit.
Tourism Revives Remote Tajik Mountain Village
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The family meal is dominated by yak products -- yogurt, sour cream, and butter. All other products, exept meat, are brought in from the lowlands.
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Zamir's wife, Gulzat, makes a fire to cook on. An electricity line was run to the village in Soviet times, but it was never connected to the grid. So electricity is affordable only to those who own generators.
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A truck delivers Tersken, a local bush widely used for making fires.
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Tagajbek Patandaev, a local businessman, in front of his family-run hostel. For breakfast, the hostel offers fried sausages imported from Iran and eggs brought from the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. There is even a small sauna.