Landi Kotal

Lanḍī Kōtal is a small town of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Landi Kotal is at the western edge of the Khyber Pass that traditionally marks the entrance to Afghanistan. It is the highest point along the pass.It is located at 34°6'4N 71°8'44E and lies on the Khyber Pass in the Khyber Agency. At 1,072 metres above sea level, it is the headquarters of the agency administration of Khyber and is on the route across the mountains to the city of Peshawar.Landi Kotal is a tourist destination due to historic Kyber Pass. It is accessible by road from elsewhere in Pakistan, or from the Afghanistan border just five kilometers to the west.Landi Kotal was the terminus railway station of Khyber Pass Railway. A tourist train, The Khyber train safari was run on this railway. It was closed in 2006 due to washing away of railway track and bridges by flood.Landi Kotal is the main shopping centre for both the Shinwari and Afridi tribes.HistoryLandi Kotal was the westernmost part of the Khyber held by the British during their rule of the subcontinent. In 1897 the Afridis attacked Landi Kotal and other posts in the Khyber Pass. Although the Khyber Rifles put up a stiff defence, Landi Kotal was overrun, as the Rifles lacked water. The British counter-attacked with a force of 34,500 men under Sir William Lockhart, defeating the Afridis, although the Afridis took the town again during the second Anglo-Afghan War.