Could it be possible that two countries that have been at each other’s throats for almost three decades may now be warming up to cross-border tourism? According to an article from the Christian Science Monitor, Iraq and Iran—who fought a decade-long war against each other in the ’80s and have had a history of antagonism ever since—may open up a border crossing for travelers.
While Iran initially condemned the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, they have since found Saddam’s ousting to be a boon to commerce and diplomatic relations. After all, the next logical step after burying the hatchet is cultural exchange. What better way to do that than to get those tourist dinars and rials flowing freely?
Sadly, not all borders show signs of opening up. Some crossings involve complicated bureaucracy around visas and permissions; others require ridiculously long waits; and still others are simply closed—in extreme cases, with machine guns cocked and ready. Below are nine of the most notorious, the most challenging, or even the most impossible, to cross.
China–Kyrgyzstan: Torugart Pass
Photos courtesy of Gusjer (cc) and Google Maps (checkpoint at the Torugart Pass)
Crossing this path is almost like stepping back in time to join caravans on the Old Silk Road. Except, instead of camels and spices, you’ll travel alongside Russian-made tractor-trailers and Chinese car parts. The Torugart is a relatively new route from China to Central Asia (it was constructed in the latter part of the nineteenth century) and is now the primary route for commerce between the two regions.
Getting your passport stamped at the border is a feat of epic proportions when you consider visas, inclement weather, and random border closures. However, the difficulty of the journey is outweighed by the sheer beauty you’ll encounter along the road as you wind up and through the Tian Shen Mountains near the roof of the world.
Pakistan–Afghanistan: Khyber Pass
Photos courtesy of Wikipedia (cc) and Google Maps (Landi Kotal, highest point on the Khyber Pass)
This infamous border crossing has been a vital connection between Central and South Asia for thousands of years. Aside from being used by the likes of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Tamerlane, the Khyber Pass was part of the “hippie trail” for thousands of Westerners traveling overland from Europe to India. Several local clans have laid claim to the road for centuries and have even requested a toll from passengers in exchange for their safe passage.
The pass is once again the focus of conflict, now between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and NATO in the War in Afghanistan. Between the Taliban’s attempting to sabotage bridges, heavily-armed convoys’ crossing into Afghanistan from Pakistan, and highly dangerous suppliers using the route for opium and counterfeit weapons, the Khyber Pass isn’t exactly an easy way to negotiate a crossing between the two countries.
U.S.–Mexico: San Ysidro and Tijuana
Photos courtesy of Willem van Bergen (cc) and Google Maps (cars lining up at the San Ysidro checkpoint)
This border-crossing isn’t known as much for its armed security or land mines (granted, that could be changing) as it is for the sheer numbers of people who cross it. Over fifty million people enter the United States at the San Ysidro border, making it the most heavily trafficked crossing in the world. Of course, large amounts of people cross north into the United States for work, but also cross south into Mexico for entertainment or cheap medical and dental services.
Some quick math (fifty million people divided by 365 days) shows that almost 140,000 people cross over per day. While the vehicle lines can be rough, pedestrian traffic moves relatively quickly—so much so that people who regularly cross often own a car on each side of the border to save them from idling at the beginning of Interstate 5.
Originally published on NileGuide
