BBC's John Simpson recommends: Trek Afghanistan

Veteran BBC correspondent John Simpson held the stage for an hour at Destinations travel show in London, fielding questions from the audience mostly related to political issues and the recent disappointments with the BBC's performance. One audience member, however, raised an interesting tourism-related question, asking Simpson - one of the first journalists to enter Afghanistan during the 2001 conflict, whether he could envision a day when the war-torn nation would hold its own stand at a major travel trade show and promote itself as a desirable destination.

To the surprise of many in the audience, John responded that it was, in fact, possible to enjoy a wonderful, and relatively safe, holiday in Afghanistan in the present day. If one has the money for it , that is.
The Wakhan Corridor is a long, thin, protruding limb of mountainous wonder bordered by the Hindu Kush to the south and east and Tajikistan in the north, also flanking China and Pakistan, once a part of the Silk Route. The result of a negotiation following the 19th century Great Game between Tsarist Russia and Britain, the Wakham was designated a buffer zone between the two empires.
It is today inhabited by 40,000 nomads whose principal activity is yak raising and herding. It is a peninsula of peace and relative stability distant both physically and philosophically from the strife that bloodies the centre of the country.

A must, then, for those seeking a unique vacation in largely unexplored territory but also a great opportunity to see another side to a country too long tarnished with violence and bloodshed, invest in its rural culture and connect with the peaceful tribes who dwell there.

One company that offers treks through the Wakhan Corridor, through the Pamir mountains and through traditional villages where you will meet locals and experience some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world is The Great Game Travel Company, founded and run by three individuals with a lifelong passion for Tajikistan and central Asia and fluent in the local languages.

Their Wakhan Corridor Trek is 16 days long and includes plenty of hiking, stays in traditional mountains homes, visiting the sites where great Sufi poets lived and composed as well as the ruins of once-resplendent castles and fortresses from the 4th century. You'll also visit the second highest garden in the world, the Pamir Botanical Garden at 2,320 m!

Itineraries are tailor-made so all prices are to be negotiated with the company who will issue a quote once the itinerary has been worked out to suit you.

Apparently John Simpson can't afford it, but hopefully, you can!

The Great Game Travel Company: www.greatgametravel.co.uk