Afghanistan with James Willcox and Untamed Borders

Celebrate the launch of the Bradt Afghanistan Guidebook: the first guide to the country from a mainstream publisher in almost 20 years!

Afghanistan is a paradox: a nation so well-known internationally, yet one so infrequently explored that it has been effectively untouched by tourism since being a key stop on the hippie trail four decades ago.

The Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, China and the ex-USSR ‘stans collide in Afghanistan. It is both the graveyard of empires and one of the world’s most hospitable countries.

From the searing deserts of the south to the high peaks of the Hindu Kush, any trip here is challenging – but one that is now eminently possible with the right preparation.

Tickets are very limited and will sell out quickly!

Join co-author James Willcox and the Untamed borders team as they discuss everything Afghanistan, including..

• Iconic locations such as the Khyber Pass, the Minaret of Jam (14 hours’ drive from the nearest paved road!) and the Buddha Niches of Bamiyan (even if the Taliban have destroyed the statues once found there)
• Trekking with Kyrgyz nomads in the Pamir mountains
• Buzkashi, a sport where riders attempt to place a goat carcass in a goal
• Chaikhanas, communal tea houses that have changed little from the time of Silk Road traders
• Band e Amir, the country’s first national park, with swan-shaped pedalo across the lapis lazuli blue waters of its lakes

About the author:

James Willcox has travelled extensively throughout Central Asia, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa. In 2008, he founded the travel company Untamed Borders.(untamedborders.com), which specialises in providing unparalleled access to some of the world’s most inaccessible places, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Middle East, North Africa, East Africa, former Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus. Willcox has worked in tourism in Afghanistan since 2010, guiding two or three tours each year, working with TV crews and organising events. In doing so he helped pioneer ski tourism in the country, helped organise Afghanistan’s first National Marathon race, and trained and employed the country’s first (and only) female tour guide. He has been awarded a personal commendation from the Afghan government and a medal from the Afghan Olympic Committee for his efforts in promoting tourism and sport in Afghanistan. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society

The event will start promptly at 7.00pm, please arrive 10 minutes early.

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Includes a complimentary glass of wine/soft drink on arrival.

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