Travel companies suspended domestic tours after the Taliban seized power in 2021, but many have resumed and are attracting Western tourists despite government warnings.
Rachel McGrath, news reporter
Wednesday 13 March 2024 15:58, United Kingdom
Afghanistan, with its centuries-old history, ancient ruins, Islamic art and unspoiled landscapes, is a magnet for tourists despite “do not travel” warnings from the Taliban regime and the British government.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the country formed part of the overland “Hippie Trail” route across Asia and welcomed hundreds of thousands of Western tourists. But as its complex modern history became clearer, the steady flow of tourists ceased.
The UK Foreign Office is currently advising against traveling to Afghanistan, highlighting the “precarious” security situation and “continued and high threat of terrorist attacks” in the country. However, some adventurous tourists do not stop there.
João Torres, founder of blog and adventure travel company Against the Compass, told Sky News there was “a huge increase in demand” for Afghanistan tours. In 2023, the company will make three trips to the country, and in 2024, the number will double.
“Syria and Iraq used to be our biggest markets, but given the situation in the Middle East, Afghanistan may soon become our biggest market,” he said.
Untamed Borders, which specializes in travel to “some of the world’s most interesting and inaccessible places,” is also seeing increased interest. We have been helping travelers visit Afghanistan since 2008.
The company’s tours were suspended in August 2021 as the Taliban took power, but since resuming in September 2022, a “significant number of tourists” have booked them, founder James said. Mr Wilcox told Sky News.
Although Afghanistan’s recent history is one of war and turmoil, Wilcox said people who book with his company aren’t visiting because it’s a “dangerous, edgy” destination.
“They want to experience places that are culturally different and have different food and architecture,” he said. “Part of the appeal of going to Afghanistan is that you don’t see life through the prism of tourism. There’s something more authentic there.”
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Wilcox added that since the Taliban took power, the situation for Western tourists has “been able to visit places they couldn’t go before, and the overall security situation has generally improved.” .
Image: Ali’s mausoleum in Mazar-i-Sharif in the north of the country. Photo: Untamed Borders
His comments come as local officials in Ghazni province, about 148 kilometers south of the capital Kabul, claim the region has “achieved remarkable development” and “become a popular destination for international tourists.” What you do is what you receive.
Mullah Hamidullah Nisar, head of information and culture in Ghazni province, added that since the beginning of this year, 293 tourists from different countries have explored the province’s “natural attractions and ancient ruins”. .
The state’s attractions include a fortress with a 1,000-year-old tower.
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The Taliban regime has a well-documented history of oppressing women, and once banned entry to national parks, stating that “women were not allowed to visit,” but Western female tourists are now allowed to visit. Untamed Borders operates mixed-gender tours.
“One thing I can say to women is, [travellers] “What women can do is spend time with women in their homes,” Wilcox said, “but there are other things women are not allowed to do and places they are prohibited from visiting. ” he said.
“On a good day as a female traveller, you get to see everything a man sees, but on a bad day, you’re ignored by everyone.”
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Entering and obtaining permission to enter Afghanistan is not an easy task. Under Taliban rule, only a handful of embassies around the world can issue visas, and in all but one, the only option is to apply in person.
Tourists will also need specialist insurance as regular insurers do not cover travel to countries on the Foreign Office’s red list. They will either fly to Kabul via another Asian hub, such as Dubai, or cross the border on foot.
Image: The minaret of Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the midwestern state of Galle. Photo: Kyodo News (via AP) Image
Unique scenery, history and cultural experiences await those willing to take risks and go beyond the necessary boundaries.
“We take people to Bamiyan, which 1,500 years ago was a route connecting India and China,” Wilcox said. “It was very cosmopolitan, with many different ideas and religions. It was the centre of Asian trade.”
Tourists can also visit Jammu’s famous minaret, the cities of Herat, Kabul, Mazar-e-Sharif, and the site where two giant Buddha statues stood in the 6th century until they were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
