A UK tour operator is presently providing journeys for Brits to expertise the “highlights of Afghanistan”.
The 9 day journey by way of vacation firm Untamed Borders is marketed for £2,173 and begins and finishes within the capital of the Taliban-controlled nation Kabul.
The UK Authorities nonetheless presents a stark warning towards travelling to the nation saying that it’s “extraordinarily harmful” with extremist Islamic motion taking up the nation in 2021.
The Untamed Borders tour web site stated: “Beginning and ending in Kabul this journey visits Bamian within the Central Highlands of Afghanistan, residence of the Buddha niches and the lakes of Band e Amir.
“We then cross to the North of the nation to go to the traditional metropolis of Balkh and the brand new metropolis of Mazar e Sharif with its spectacular and photogenic blue shrine of Hazrat Ali.
“Lastly, we are going to cross the Salang Go again to Kabul. An incredible introduction to the nation.”
The corporate additionally presents a 15 day “immersive” journey for £3,426 to Afghanistan in addition to journeys to Syria and Iraq.
However the stark recommendation from the International, Commonwealth & Growth Workplace (FCDO) may be very clear – saying that when you’re a British citizen detained there you possibly can face “months or years” of imprisonment.
The Gov.uk web site says: “You shouldn’t journey to Afghanistan. The safety scenario is risky. Journey all through Afghanistan is extraordinarily harmful and border crossings might not be open.
“There’s a heightened threat of British nationals being detained in Afghanistan.
“In case you are a British nationwide and you might be detained in Afghanistan, you possibly can face months or years of imprisonment. FCDO’s potential that can assist you is extraordinarily restricted and assist in particular person will not be potential in Afghanistan.”
However regardless of the warning vacationer numbers to the nation are creeping up – from simply 691 in 2021 to greater than 7,000 final yr, in keeping with AP information company.
Mohammad Saeed, head of the Tourism Directorate in Kabul, desires Afghanistan to turn out to be a tourism powerhouse, an ambition that seems to be backed by the Taliban’s prime leaders.
Afghanistan desires to encourage much more vacationers with a Taliban-run institute coaching tourism and hospitality professionals to draw guests.
Though influencers would possibly extol the virtues of a visit there throughout social media others with a deeper understanding of the nation are extra pragmatic.
Dr Farkhondeh Akbari’s household fled Afghanistan through the first Taliban regime within the Nineteen Nineties.
Dr Akbari stated: “It is rather ironic to see these movies on TikTok the place there’s a Taliban information and Taliban official giving tickets to vacationers to go to the [site of the] destruction of the Buddhas,” studies the BBC.
The Dr added: “These are the individuals who destroyed the Buddhas.”
Specific.co.uk has approached Untamed Borders for remark.