The Wakhan Corridor

Mark Jenkins' tale on what he calls a 'Short Walk in the Wakhan Corridor' are the kind of tales I breathe, live, and dream to experience one day of my own. I've been known to want to go places no young lady or person should want to venture. Places the average tourist would dare never to step foot on due to the history of war and a fable or two creating complete stories or lies about the country and people have always been top on my travel list. The Wakhan Corridor has suddenly worked its way on after reading this feature on Afghanistan in the November issue of Outside.

The Wakhan Corridor as Jenkins' describes it is "the thin, vestigial arm of northeastern Afghanistan that extends eastward to the border of China, separating Tajikistan from Pakistan." For sometime now it has been regarded as one of the most forbidding sections of the Silk Road. Back in 1271 Marco Polo successfully traveled through the Wakhan Corridor, but since that time few Westerners have managed to go the entire length. The piece is certainly a bit long, but quite worth the read if you can afford it. Jenkin's does an amazing job taking you there and making you believe you'll want to journey there in the future. Filled with tons of historical information, land mines, opium, and sheep-ass fat for dinner a read like this shouldn't be missed.

In addition to the story, check out these amazing photos by documentary photographer Teru Kuwayama.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Photos, Stories