CHEHELTAN, Darreh-ye Ajar (Cave of the)
35.361100,67.473600
Description
LEDGARD, J M (2003) visited the mouth of a sacred cave and spring (note 1) at the base of a kilometre-high cliff, from which gushes the Ajar River (note 2). The canyon itself is exquisite. It begins with a narrow gorge of honey-colored rock, opens into a green valley, and ends at the base of a cliff [note 3] with the Chiltan Cave (note 4). CAVE POTENTIAL: Prospects are good, in case the cave entrance is not blocked by rockfall (note 5).LEDGARD, J M (2003) visited the mouth of a sacred cave and spring (note 1) at the base of a kilometre-high cliff, from which gushes the Ajar River (note 2). The canyon itself is exquisite. It begins with a narrow gorge of honey-colored rock, opens into a green valley, and ends at the base of a cliff [note 3] with the Chiltan Cave (note 4). CAVE POTENTIAL: Prospects are good, in case the cave entrance is not blocked by rockfall (note 5).
Histoire
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 1952 to 1974: The upper Ajar, up to and including the Chiltan Cave, was a private hunting ground for the last king of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah, from 1952 until he was deposed in 1974. 1956, autumn: Abdul Hussein (a local resident and former hunting guide of Mohammed Zahir Shah) remembers an earthquake that shook the canyon one autumn morning in 1956. A rockfall dammed the Ajar River and created a deep lake before the cave. The river ran dry for three days. Trout lay exposed and flapping on the river bed. Explosives were used to release the waters (LEDGARD 2003). 1977: The Ajar Canyon was declared a national wildlife reserve.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31.0 | QAL'EH KAFIR, Madr (Caves at) | ||
| 33.4 | Kafir Fort & Caves, Saighan | ||
| 37.2 | HERI RUD, Saighan - Kahmard (Caves on the) | ||
| 48.9 | SURQAL'A (Caves at) | ||
| 50.8 | HAZARSUM, Ruyi Doab | ||
| 58.3 | RUYI, Habash (Caves at) | ||
| 78.1 | KHORAM ROCK CLEFT | ||
| 109.6 | HAIBAK ROCK CHAMBER | ||
| 110.1 | KAFTAR KHANA, Haibak |