Fayzabad

Fayzabad is the capital of Badakhshan province and its largest town. It lies in a narrow valley where the Kokcha River cuts west through the mountains, with houses climbing the slopes on both banks and higher ridges visible beyond. The town is the administrative, commercial and educational centre of the province, the point where the main road from Taloqan ends and the routes into the eastern valleys begin. The centre is a long, busy bazaar strung along the river, with shops, workshops, tea houses and a market for produce brought in from the districts. Bridges connect the two sides of the town, and newer government buildings, schools and a university campus have spread along the valley floor. The airport lies a short way outside the town. For most visitors Fayzabad is a place to arrange onward travel, buy supplies and adjust to the mountains before heading to Baharak, Ishkashim and the Wakhan. It also rewards a day or two in its own right: walking the riverbank and the bazaar, looking at the stalls where lapis and other stones are sold, and climbing the paths above the town for views of the valley. Life follows the seasons, busy in summer and autumn and quieter in the snowbound months.

Settlement in the Kokcha valley around Fayzabad is old, and the valley has long been a route between the lapis mines upstream and the plains to the west. The town's present name, meaning roughly 'abode of blessing', is commonly linked to a relic associated with the Prophet Muhammad that was kept here for a time before being taken to Kandahar in the 18th century. Fayzabad served as a seat of the local rulers of Badakhshan, and it was the main town of the region when Badakhshan was brought under the Afghan state in the 19th century. Through most of the 20th century it remained a small provincial capital, reached by long journeys over unpaved mountain roads. In the early 21st century improved roads and air links, new public buildings and a growing population, drawn in part from the surrounding districts, changed the town considerably.

Dari is the language of the town, spoken with a Badakhshani accent, and people from the Pamiri valleys bring their own languages to the bazaar. Most residents are Sunni Muslims, and the town's mosques and the Friday prayers shape the rhythm of the week, with shops busiest in the mornings and before holidays. Fayzabad is a centre of Badakhshani music, and falak singing, the dambura and frame drums are heard at weddings, at family gatherings and on local radio. Nowruz is marked with family visits, special food and outings to the countryside as the weather warms, and the two Eids bring crowded bazaars and new clothes. Education plays a large part in town life, with schools and a university drawing students from across the province. Buzkashi, popular across the north, draws crowds when matches are held in the cooler months.

The town is shut in by mountains. The Kokcha flows fast and cold through the valley, fed by snowmelt from the Hindu Kush, and its banks are lined with willows, poplars and small irrigated plots. Steep slopes rise directly behind the houses, bare and brown in late summer and white in winter. Around the town, terraced fields of wheat, orchards of apricots, mulberries and walnuts, and vegetable gardens fill whatever flat land the valley allows. Short walks up the side paths give wide views over the river and the town, and on clear days to higher ridges beyond. Further afield, the road east towards Baharak follows the river through gorges and wider basins of fields and villages, a first taste of the landscapes of eastern Badakhshan.

Fayzabad's eating houses serve the staples of northern Afghanistan: qabuli palaw with carrots and raisins, kebab grilled over charcoal, shorwa soup, mantu and ashak dumplings, and fresh bread from the clay ovens of the bazaar. Green tea is drunk throughout the day, and black tea with milk is also common. Local dairy is excellent, and yoghurt, cream, butter and qurut are sold in the market along with fresh cheese brought in from the villages. In summer and autumn the stalls fill with apricots, mulberries, apples and grapes, and dried mulberries, apricots and walnuts are sold all year. Honey from the surrounding valleys is a local favourite, often eaten with bread and cream for breakfast.

The bazaar is the place to see the goods of the province. Lapis lazuli from the Kokcha valley is sold rough and polished, along with beads and simple jewellery, though much of the finer cutting is done elsewhere. Quality varies widely, and dyed or imitation stone also appears, so buyers should take care. Hand-knitted woollen socks, gloves and caps in bright patterns, embroidered caps and cushion covers, and woven bands are made in the villages and sold in town, especially before winter. Tailors and cloth sellers make up chapan coats and other traditional clothes, and blacksmiths produce knives, tools and household items for local use.

Fayzabad is at its best from late April to June and from September to October. Spring brings blossom along the river and in the orchards, and the surrounding slopes turn green; the Kokcha runs high, and landslides can affect the roads into town. Summer is warm, with hot middays in July and August, dry days and cool evenings, and it is the busiest time, when travellers pass through on the way to the Wakhan and the Pamir. Autumn brings the fruit and walnut harvest, yellowing poplars and clear light. Winter, from about December to March, is cold and snowy. The town remains inhabited and the bazaar stays open, but road travel can be interrupted for days, and flights may be delayed by weather. Nowruz in March often falls before the snow has fully gone.

Fayzabad is reached by road from Taloqan, the capital of neighbouring Takhar, via Keshem, a drive of several hours on a road that climbs through hills and river valleys. From Kabul the full journey crosses the Salang Pass and runs through Puli Khumri, Kunduz and Taloqan, about 620 km, and many travellers break it overnight in Kunduz or Taloqan. The town's airport (FBD) lies a short drive from the centre, and domestic flights have connected it with Kabul; this is by far the quickest route when services are running. Onward roads lead east to Baharak, from where they continue south up the Kokcha to Jurm and east to Zebak, Ishkashim and the Wakhan. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Fayzabad has a small number of hotels and guesthouses, most of them in the centre near the bazaar and the main road along the river, with a few on the outskirts. They cater mainly to officials, traders and visitors on work trips, and rooms are generally simple, with shared or basic private bathrooms. Heating in winter is usually by wood or gas stoves, and electricity and hot water can be irregular, so it is worth asking in advance. Some guesthouses can help arrange drivers and onward travel to the Wakhan. Choice is limited, and rooms can fill when official delegations are in town, so arranging a room ahead is sensible.

The centre of Fayzabad is easy to explore on foot, and walking along the river and through the bazaar is the best way to see the town. Zaranj rickshaws and shared taxis run along the main roads and across the bridges, and can be flagged down or found at stands in the bazaar. Private taxis and cars with drivers can be hired for trips to the airport, to nearby villages or for longer journeys. Shared vehicles to the districts, including four-wheel-drive cars for rougher routes, leave from departure points around the bazaar, usually when full and often early in the morning. In winter, snow and ice can make the steeper side streets difficult, and boots with a good grip are useful.