Day Hiking in Tursunzoda Tajikistan || Part 2
Editor's note: This post was originally published on 19 March 2010 and was updated in August 2019 for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
This is the second post in our series. Navigate over to our previous post at Day Hiking in Tursunzoda Tajikistan Part 1
After making the first leg of our journey. We left the parking area and crossed a small dirt bridge onto the main street of the village. It is incredible that in the 21st century, people still live like they have for hundreds of years. It is a much harder life than we are used to. But I can appreciate the simpler life.
Two village boys tag along with our group as we climb the mountains outside their village. These two boys could run circles around all of us. We were told by the guides not to give anything to the boys. The village kids would beg for anything from the group and the guides didn't want to support that type of activity. This is a hard thing to do when you know the value of what you are wearing is more than what the family would make in a year.
We are taking a small break to look at footprints from a dinosaur. One of our guides scrambles across the mountainside to help point out the dinosaur footprints.
Right to the guide's knee, you will see two imprints in the rock about 18" long. That's the dinosaur footprints. Just think when those prints were made that granite wall was flat on the ground!
The only trails in the area are made by the cows or donkeys on their way to feed on the mountain. But here is a little video of a trail that was just made by the people walking in front of me.
Follow the rest of our journey at Day Hiking in Tursunzoda Tajikistan Part 3
This is the second post in our series. Navigate over to our previous post at Day Hiking in Tursunzoda Tajikistan Part 1
After making the first leg of our journey. We left the parking area and crossed a small dirt bridge onto the main street of the village. It is incredible that in the 21st century, people still live like they have for hundreds of years. It is a much harder life than we are used to. But I can appreciate the simpler life.
The little girl watches us without saying a word. If you notice in the picture above the power poles are mounted to a cement post with a cable holding the two together. It is done like that everywhere not just near the rivers. I think this might be done because, in a mountainous area, trees do not grow very tall, and to give the height that is needed they mount them to the cement post. Tajikistan's forest only covers 2.9% of its landmass.
Now, remember in part 1 I referenced that Tajikistan was surrounded by other countries. That means Tajikistan is landlocked. Who knows how many millions of years ago it was covered by the ocean? In the picture below the rock, you see the fossilized seabed. What makes this even more impressive is that we are around 3000 ft/914 m above sea level.
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| A young Tajik girl watches as our group hikes past her. |
As seen in the video a village girl is interested in this big group of strangers but hides behind the gate of her family home.
Now, remember in part 1 I referenced that Tajikistan was surrounded by other countries. That means Tajikistan is landlocked. Who knows how many millions of years ago it was covered by the ocean? In the picture below the rock, you see the fossilized seabed. What makes this even more impressive is that we are around 3000 ft/914 m above sea level.
 |
| Fossilized seabed located at 3000ft/914m above sea level. |
Two village boys tag along with our group as we climb the mountains outside their village. These two boys could run circles around all of us. We were told by the guides not to give anything to the boys. The village kids would beg for anything from the group and the guides didn't want to support that type of activity. This is a hard thing to do when you know the value of what you are wearing is more than what the family would make in a year.
 |
| Village boys follow us on our hike. |
We are taking a small break to look at footprints from a dinosaur. One of our guides scrambles across the mountainside to help point out the dinosaur footprints.
 |
| Our guide points out the dinosaur prints. Can you see the prints made millions of years ago? |
Right to the guide's knee, you will see two imprints in the rock about 18" long. That's the dinosaur footprints. Just think when those prints were made that granite wall was flat on the ground!
The only trails in the area are made by the cows or donkeys on their way to feed on the mountain. But here is a little video of a trail that was just made by the people walking in front of me.
Follow the rest of our journey at Day Hiking in Tursunzoda Tajikistan Part 3
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