Video: Mountain Biking Afghanistan's Wakhan Corridor

The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow patch of land located in northeast Afghanistan that separates Tajikistan and Pakistan. The Corridor was once used a trade route hundreds of years ago, but as better routes over both land and sea developed, it was all but forgotten. Today it is seldom visited by westerners but by all accounts it is a breathtakingly beautiful and rugged place.

In the video below, professional mountain biker Matt Hunter and some of his closest friends traveled to Afghanistan to ride through Wakhan. They captured their adventure with the new Sony Action Cam and produced an outstanding short film of their experiences. If you're in the mood for a mountain biking adventure, you won't want to miss out on this one.

Kiwi Climbers Make First Ascent In Afghanistan

New Zealand climbers Pat Deavoll and Maryrose Fowlie have made a first ascent in a remote region of Afghanistan. The duo traveled to the Wakhan Corridor in late July where they are believed to have become the first to climb a peak called Koh-e-Rant, located near the Upper Qala Panja Glacier.

While details are a bit thin, Pat shared the news with the Alpinist last week and they posted the story online yesterday. The original intention was for Pat and her usual climbing partner Paul Knott to climb a peak called Rohazon Zom, but at the last minute Paul had to pull out. Maryrose stepped in however, joining the team that also consisted of Bill Byrch.

The three climbers spent eight days on the Qala Panja icefall which required a lot of "hard work" according to Pat. Eventually they topped out on August 2nd and they judged the altitude of Koh-e-Rant to be between 5850 meters (19,193 ft) and 6050 meters (19,849 ft). GPS and altimeter readings varied greatly apparently. There doesn't appear to be any records of previous ascents and Pat says they are the first climbing team to visit this particular region since a French squad back in 1968.

The trip home wasn't without challenges either. A border dispute between Afghanistan and Tajikistan had the checkpoints closed down and it required a few extra days of patience and persistence to get across. When they left, the dispute still hadn't been resolved but the Kiwi ladies, along with a number of other travelers were able to convince officials to let them pass.

A little extra adventure never hurt anyone, right?

Afghanistan's Secret Peaks 2012 Expedition Announced

A small team of climbers has announced an interesting expedition that is set to take place this summer in the Wakhan region of Afghanistan. Dubbed the Afghanistan's Secret Peaks Expedition, the team hopes to trek the length of the remote Wakhan Corridor, visiting two unexplored valleys and attempting several first ascents along the way. Once summited, they also plan to paraglide from the top, giving them unique views of the unexplored territory below. Finally, they hope to document the entire journey on film as well.

The expedition, which is expected to begin in June of this year, is taking a "leave no trace" approach to exploring the rugged and beautiful Wakhan region. The team plans to travel in a carbon neutral fashion and hopes to minimize their impact on the environments that they are passing through. The use of the paragliders is part of that approach, as they'll be used to take arial photographs and video footage along the way.

The Wakhan Corridor is located in the north-east corner of Afghanistan, and stretches between that country and China. It serves as boundary between Tajikistan to the north, and Pakistan to the south, and was once a popular trade route for merchant caravans traveling from the Far East to Europe. The area has a reputation for having unpredictable weather, matched with very rugged terrain, and there are parts of the area that have remained mostly inaccessible for centuries. With plenty of snowcapped mountain peaks, it is also a huge draw for climbers looking to bag virgin peaks.

For me personally, the Wakhan region remains on my list of "must visit" places. I've heard that it is breathtakingly beautiful and that the people that live there are friendly and accommodating. It has started to become a popular trekking destination, although visitors to the area still remain low. Obviously Afghanistan still has security issues in parts of the country, but adventure travelers with the means will have a fantastic time there. I really need to go!

Find out more about the Afghanistan's Secret Peaks Expedition, and follow the team's progress in a few months, on their official website.