Untamed borders brochure 2014
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Transcript of Untamed borders brochure 2014
ABOUT US
Untamed Borders offers bespoke trips and small group tours
to some of the most interesting regions of Central and South
Asia. We specialise in trips to Afghanistan, Pakistan, India,
former Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus but also arrange
private trips to other off the beaten track destinations.
Untamed Borders uses specialist local guides to allow access
to some of Asia’s harder to reach places. In the past few years
we have taken our guests skiing in the Hindu Kush mountains
of Afghanistan and arranged the fi rst commercial trips in
recent years to Chechnya, Dagestan and Mogadishu. We have
arranged meetings with retired head-hunters in Nagaland
on the Indian/Myanmar border and stayed with descendants
of both Alexander the Great’s and Genghis Khan’s armies in
Central Asia.
In this booklet we introduce some of our favourite guiding
destinations. If you are interested in taking a trip with
Untamed Borders please get in touch.
Happy travels,
The Untamed Borders crew
CONTENTS
Page 1 About us
Page 2 Contents
Page 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 Afghanistan
Page 7 | 8 Pakistan
Page 9 | 10 North East India
Page 11 | 12 Russia
Page 13 Uzbekistan
Page 14 Somalia
Page 15 | 16 Set or private itineraries
Page 17 …and beyond
Page 18 Our commitment
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan has been a crossroads of civilisations for millenia.
From Darius the Great to Alexander the Great, Marco Polo to
George Bush. They have all been here and left their mark.
It remains a place of world interest for both nervous politicians
and intrepid tourists alike, renowned for its legendary hospitality
to guests and equally legendary hostility to invaders.
Any trip here is an adventure. Sights like the remains of the giant
Buddha statues of Bamian, the Lapis Lazuli blue of the lakes at
Band e Amir or the fi rst sight of the almost unreachable Minaret
of Jam are incredible. However, most people’s lasting memories
of Afghanistan will refl ect a more human scale, whether it be kids
fl ying kites over Kabul, drinking tea with ex-mujahedin or
chatting with catapult wielding Hazara children.
A trip to Afghanistan offers the opportunity to see a country
that has been off the tourist map for 30 years, to visit a place
that is starkly beautiful and to interact with people and places
mainly recognisable from news reports. Whether your interest
in Afghanistan is its ancient or its modern history we know what
you experience in this striking and hospitable country,
recovering from decades of confl ict, will stay with you for a
lifetime.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan is a paradise for those with a love of the mountains
and mountain people. The Hindu Kush mountain range bisects
the country and is one of the least explored ranges in the world.
The opportunities for adventurous ski touring, trekking and
climbing are almost unlimited. The mountains are also home to
a number of peaceful minority groups. The Hazara of Bamian,
the Wakhi of the Wakhan and the Kyrgyz of The Afghan Pamir are
all extremely hospitable and live in a world far removed from
the troubles affecting the rest of the country.
We are the fi rst company to take commercial skiers to
Afghanistan – a feat that was recognised when Untamed Borders
received a letter of commendation from Afghanistan’s fi rst female
governor for our work in promoting ski tourism in Afghanistan.
We have arranged for climbers to make the fi rst ascents of
previously unclimbed peaks and organised logistics for the fi rst
Afghan snowboarding fi lm. We now offer a full range of outdoor
mountain activities in Afghanistan from fi rst ascents of peaks in
the Hindu Kush to ski touring on vast frozen lakes.
The combination of skiing, climbing or trekking little known or
brand new routes, and an immersion into the timeless Afghan
mountain culture makes for a heady mix.
Afghan trip options:
• Join our annual cultural trips to Kabul, Bamian, Herat and
Mazar e Sharif each Spring and Autumn.
• Join our ground breaking ski touring trips to Bamian and the
Koh e Baba mountain range.
• Join our annual trekking trip to the Wakhan and Afghan Pamir
region.
…or contact us to arrange something special for you and your
friends.
For information on our Afghan trips go to the website
www.untamedborders.com
PAKISTAN
From the burning plains of Baluchistan to the top of K2, the
world’s second highest mountain, Pakistan is the link between
the steamy subcontinent and the wild mountains of Central Asia.
Four of the great mountain ranges of the world collide in the
north and the scenery is matched by an eclectic collection of
people and cultures.
The north is the area we know best and the area which, we think,
holds most interest to visitors. Remains of the ancient Buddhist
civilisation of Gandhara sit side by side with the sights and smells
of the chaotic Pashtun capital of Peshawar. Walking on, around or
up glaciers in the Karakorum, crossing rope bridges in the Pamirs
and meeting isolated animist tribes in the Hindu Kush are just
some of the things we pack into trips here every summer.
Access to these areas has been made easier since the building of
the remarkable Karakorum Highway 20 years ago but it is still an
unexplored and overlooked destination for anyone wanting to
experience real adventure. However, the incredible scenery takes
second place in Pakistan to interactions with some of the most
hospitable and generous people in the world.
Pakistan trip options:
• Join our annual trip to the north of Pakistan taking in the
Shandur Polo festival, the Kalasha valleys, the Hunza valley and
the Karakorum Highway.
• Join our annual trekking trip to K2 base camp and Concordia
• Ask us to arrange a private trip to our home town of Peshawar
…or contact us to arrange something special for you and your
friends.
For information on our Pakistan trips go to the website
www.untamedborders.com
NORTH EAST INDIA
Wedged between Tibet, Myanmar and Bangladesh the North
East of India is a treasure trove of tribal groups, remote Tibetan
monasteries, nature reserves and tea plantations.
Many of the states require permits to visit them, both for
foreigners and for other Indians. This restriction combined with
its remoteness from the rest of India results in an outstanding
area to visit, almost devoid of international tourists.
As with our other destinations we believe that interaction with
people is key to a memorable trip. Our relationship with local
people allows us to join Adi tribesmen on a traditional jungle
hunting trip, stay over night at a monastery with Buddhist nuns,
meet a Bon Shaman and dine with men who were once
head-hunters.
North East India trip options:
• Join our annual edge of India trips to explore Arunchal Pradesh,
Assam and Meghalaya.
…or contact us to arrange something special for you and your
friends in any part of India.
For information on our India trips go to the website
www.untamedborders.com
RUSSIA
Russia. The world’s largest country. Stretching across two
continents and nine time zones, much of Russia remains as cut
off from western visitors today as it was under the Soviet Union.
With dozens of mountain ranges, taiga, tundra, desert, steppe,
a 37,000km coastline, shamans, a multitude of indigenous tribal
and nomadic groups and vast areas of the country completely
unconnected to any road or rail network - there is much more to
experience in Russia than St Petersburg, Moscow and long
train rides.
Tapping into our guides’ many years experience we take our
guests into parts of Russia that are rarely seen by Russians,
let alone outsiders. We show you life in Europe’s only Buddhist
Republic, explore Persian fortresses and delve into the taiga,
a forest so vast it would envelope the USA. As always it is the
people that make these trips unforgettable and our guests
fondest memories are often the time spent with the nomadic
Nenets reindeer herders of Arctic Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula
or enjoying the warm hospitality of Chechens, Dagestanis and
Ingush in Russia’s much misunderstood Caucasus states.
If you are looking for travel inspiration and want to get truly off
the beaten track then join us on a trip into Untamed Russia.
Russian trip options:
• Join our annual ground breaking trip to Chechnya, Dagestan
and Russia’s deep south.
• Visit the pagan Nenets. Nomadic reindeer herders of the Yamal
Peninsula, north of the Arctic circle.
…or contact us to arrange something special for you and your
friends in any part of Russia.
For information on our Russia trips go to the website
www.untamedborders.com
UZBEKISTAN
Lying at the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan is the cradle of
civilisation for the region. Timur ran his vast empire from here in
the 14th century and architecture buffs will be in heaven when
confronted by the epic scale of his legacy.
The medieval cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are the
jewels in the crown of Uzbekistan. Blue tiled mosques, towering
minarets and grand palaces leave the visitor awed and humbled.
A trip through Uzbekistan is a trip through the land of the silk
road, passing bactrian camels, lonely forts and windswept desert
landscapes.
However, Uzbekistan is not just a Timurid museum. Modern day
Uzbekistan is a balancing act between it’s traditional Islamic past
and it’s post soviet future. Atmospheric markets selling prayer
mats and Baltika beer, endless cotton fi elds and the sobering
sight of the now nearly dry Aral Sea stand testament to the
impact of those years. Viewing these sites is what makes a visit to
Uzbekistan so memorable.
SOMALIA
Sitting on the horn of Africa, Somalia is a link between the Arab
world and the African. Isolated for two decades due to severe
instability in the region, Somalia offers unique experiences.
We currently take small groups to the capital, Mogadishu where
our guests can explore the fading Italian architecture, explore the
legendary Bakara market but above all feel the atmosphere of
this city slowly recovering from years of neglect.
Contact us for further information.
SET ITINERARIES
We offer a small number of fi xed itineraries each year. As well as
visiting places of outstanding natural beauty, cultural interest and
ensuring we meet and mix with the local population, we time
these trips so they coincide with festivals, events or are simply
the best time of year to visit.
Each year we dedicate countless hours designing the next year’s
itineraries and because the same people who conceived these
adventures lead the trips, we believe our guests receive an
exceptionally personal service. All of our set itineraries are
designed for small groups and carried out by experienced guides.
PRIVATE ITINERARIES
Do you have a very specifi c interest and want to delve a little
deeper into a region? Do you have a fi lm, photography or
research project and need logistics, guiding and assistance?
Are our set itinerary dates inconvenient or do you simply like to
travel alone? If the answer to any of these questions is yes then
contact us and we will offer options for a private trip.
The majority of the trips we run are private trips with bespoke
itineraries. You will have the freedom to do what you want when
you want, and by travelling with our local guides you will get
a much greater chance to mix with local people and immerse
yourself in the culture.
Have a look at our website, facebook page or contact us for
more ideas.
…AND BEYOND
Our network of guides, journalists, travellers, translators and
fi xers spreads far and wide. If you are seeking an extra special
trip ask us to arrange a personalised visit to one of the below
destinations:
Kazakhstan • Camel herders, space launches and Mongol tombs
Tajikistan • Take a ride on the Pamir highway through the home
of the Ibex and the Snow Leopard.
Iran • The world’s most beautiful square at Isfehan, the 2,500
year-old centre of the ancient Persian world at Persopolis and
mud bricked Yazd.
Xinjiang • Kashgar, K2 and the Taklamakan desert.
Kyrgyzstan • Eagle hunters, alpine lakes and fermented
sheep milk.
India • With over a billion people, India offers so much more than
the Taj Mahal and Goa.
Iraq • Babylon, Baghdad and skiing in Kurdistan.
OUR COMMITMENT
Our commitment to adventureUntamed Borders is the antithesis to the mass-market travel industry. We take individuals and small groups to destinations that see very
few visitors and we work closely with local people from those regions. This allows our guests a truly authentic experience of the regions,
people and cultures they meet. When our guests pick tea in Assam, dance at a Kalasha wedding or spend time with Afghan shepherds
they are getting a 100% unadulterated experience.
Our commitment to the regions we visitBecause we only visit places that receive few tourists we have a special responsibility to these regions and the people in them. We only
travel in small groups, we use local guides and we encourage lots of interaction between our guests and the people of the places we
visit. This approach ensures as much money as possible reaches the local community by utilising locally owned restaurants,
accommodation, shops and hiring local people as guides, drivers and translators. We also believe in trying to make every guest
interaction a cultural exchange. In short, we believe in a minimum impact maximum benefi t approach.
Our commitment to safetyAs well as offering some incredible adventures for the intrepid traveller, some of our destinations offer equally unique risks and dangers.
We take our guests security very seriously, staff frequently check safety reports and ensure they are aware of any potential problems.
We take advice from many sources ranging from governments and independent security advisers to tribal chiefs and bus drivers.
All of which allow us to make your trip memorable for all the right reasons.
Text © 2013 • James Willcox
Design & lay out • Britt Das | Maria Carrilero | www.brittdas.com
Photography © 2013 • All photos by Untamed Borders and Chad Dear
All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be copied, used, reprinted or sold without the written permission of the author.
CONTACT
Website www.untamedborders.comFacebook www.facebook.com/untamedbordersE-mail [email protected]
Phone UK +44(0) 7532 139504
Address UK 12 Harnet Street, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9ES
United Kingdom
Phone Pakistan + 92 (0) 91 - 5262251
+ 92 (0) 345 9397639
Address Pakistan 1st Floor Samdani Plaza, 12 Saddar Road,
Peshawar, Pakistan
Untamed Borders is a England and Wales registered company.
Company Number 6748438