Jizeu Valley

Jizeu is a hanging valley off the Bartang, reached by crossing the river on a footbridge and then walking several hours up a path with no road of any kind, which is why the three hamlets in it have stayed as they are: stone houses, terraced fields, apricot trees and a chain of small lakes along the valley floor. Homestays take walkers. Everything that reaches the villages comes in on foot or by donkey.

What you actually see

• The footbridge crossing - the river crossing that begins the walk in.
• The three hamlets - stone villages with no road access.
• The valley lakes - small pools strung along the floor.
• The terraced fields - hand-worked plots and apricot trees around the houses.

When to go

June to September is the season. The walk in takes several hours and should be started early. A GBAO permit is required for the whole region.

Honest expectations

There is no road: everything is on foot and the walk in is several hours uphill. Homestays are very basic with no plumbing. The footbridge over the Bartang is a serious crossing when the river is high.

Nearby

The Bartang valley runs below, and Khorog is south.