AFGHANISTAN We are now regularly re-visiting Afghanistan after the years of International and Internal conflict in this starkly beautiful country. Some people will think that this is a little premature given that there is still internal dissension, and still only a tenuous groping toward Central Government control and that is certainly the British Govt Foreign Office advice. We prefer to state that Afghanistan is at the cutting edge of Adventure tourism, which in its self can offer benefits and progress. As an organisation, Hinterland or rather its predecessor, Hann Overland travelled through Afghanistan frequently in the seventies and eighties. Geoff Hann personally checked out the routes in November 2002 that we would use and has led all the Afghanistan trips since that date. They have all succeeded in operating successfully.   Central and North Afghanistan - 2010 31st July departure - ground tour cost £2,350. Uzbekistan and The Lapis Mines of Afghanistan - 2010 19th September departure - ground tour costs £2,450 The Retreat - 2010 16th October departure - ground tour cost £1,990 (due to Khyber Pass problems and closure at moment please enquire for latest situation). 2011 TOURS COCKPIT of ASIA - Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran 9th April departure 2011 ground tour cost from £2,750 CENTRAL and NORTH AFGHANISTAN 30th July departure 2011 ground tour cost from £2,560 UZBEKISTAN and LAPIS MINES of AFGHANISTAN 18th/26th September departure 2011 ground tour cost from £2,595 (Full tour) The RETREAT 15th October departure 2011 ground tour cost from £2,100 Special note - all bookings with deposits received in 2010 for departures in 2011 attract a 7.5% discount on the tour ground costs. The country is desperately poor, frankly it needs any help that we or anyone can provide. The vast sums of money promised by the International community have only just trickled in or have yet to be fulfilled or are just promises. At least we can make a direct contribution to local people with the use of their services. The main roads had become diabolical but are now being totally reconstructed, the International community having recognised the importance of the trade routes to and through Afghanistan. The Afghan people are friendly and cheerfully welcoming, although wary until we can prove that we are travellers and not something else. Ancient and recent history are scattered everywhere, from Buddhist remains to burnt out tanks. Our tours are not so steeped in excavated ancient remains as for example is our Iraq tour and they are more scenic, peoples tours but we fit in as many religious and historical sites as we can. Herat, for example is full of Islamic remains. We, despite our adventurous natures, have to be sensible with our itineraries, so our Road tour takes in as much as the first time visitor could hope to fit in, given the time factor of 3 weeks. COCKPIT of ASIA This tour enters into Pakistan crosses into Afghanistan via the Khyber Pass and exits into Iran. (note. The Iran tour extensions.) Cockpit of Asia tour schedule Departure - 9th April 2010 - 22/23 days. Day 1 Depart London for Islamabad Day 2 Arrival Islamabad AM, transfer by road via Taxila to Peshawar Day 3 Peshawar AM walking tour old city Day 4 Drive over Khyber Pass to Jalalabad (Afghanistan) to Kabul (or flight if Pass shut) Day 5 Kabul Day 6 Kabul city excursions Day 7 Drive to Bamiyan Valley Day 8 Bamiyan - explorations Day 9 Bamiyan excursion to Bandi-i-Mir Lakes Day 10 Drive to Kunduz via Salang Tunnel with excursion to the Panshir Valley en route Day 11 Kunduz Day 12 Drive via Samangan Monastery to Mazar e Sherif Day 13 Mazar e Sherif - excursion to Balkh Day 14/15/16/17 Drive to Maimana/Bala Murgharb/Qalat Nau/Herat (special note - sometimes we have to alter our whole section here for various reasons, road conditions, security problems and may have to take a flight.) Day 18 Herat - AM city walking tour Day 19 Herat - PM excursion to Gazegarh Day 20 Drive to Afghan Border and travel to Torbat e Jam. Excursion to Kahf and Taybad Day 21 Further excursions, drive to Mashad Day 22 AM departure by air to Tehran. Afternoon city sights and/or departure to London etc. Day 23 Rest of day sight seeing and/or departure to London Ground tour Costs from £2,750. Included in ground cost - ground transport, driver, English speaking Hinterland Tour leader, all excursions as detailed on the scedule, accommodation and breakfast, group airport transfers at beginning and end of trip. Not included International flights, additional or individual airport transfers, insurance, visas, site entrance fees. Please note that many things can conspire to change/enhance or even delay the schedule. Every trip will have its own special experience. Road and weather conditions vary as do security problems. But we always try to refine each trip. Special note. We are currently avoiding Kandahar and the southern Road between Ghazni and Herat due to the ongoing Military activity. CENTRAL AND NORTH AFGHANISTAN This is a fantastic route, through glorious, stark mountain passes. The very centre of Afghanistan, isolated and in real terms little travelled by westerners. To travel from the Bamiyan Valley to The Minaret of Jam via Chakcharan to the medieval Islamic glories of Herat is to be transported back in time itself. We shall carry on operating this route as long as we are able to do so. Further pictures of this Adventure tour are available at www.adventuretravelphotos.com CENTRAL AND NORTH AFGHANISTAN 31st July 2010 and 30th July 2011 This tour can be joined in Islamabad or Kabul. We also have alternative schedules if the whole group have to fly into Kabul directly due to Pass or Road closures etc. We will then extend our stay in the north and travel down to Bamiyan by another route previously unexplored today. This is our ideal schedule. Day 1 Dept London by air. Day 2 Arrive Islamabad transfer to Peshawar via Taxila excursion en route. Day 3 Peshawar city walking tour. Day 4 Drive over Khyber Pass to Jalalabad (Afghanistan) and Kabul. Day 5 Kabul city excursions. Day 6 Drive to Bamiyan. Day 7 Bamiyan explorations. Day 8/9/10/11/12 We drive through the Central Mountains and Valleys via The lakes of Bandi i Mir, Chakcharan, Minaret of Jam, Chest and Obeh to Herat. Day 13/14 In Herat with a City walking tour and excursion to Gazegarh. Day 16/17/18 A tough trip driving to Qalat Nau, Bala Merghab, to Maimana. Day 19 Drive to Mazar i Sherif. Day 20 Balkh excursion. Day 21 To Kabul via Samanagan Monastery and the Salang Tunnel. Day 22 Kabul/ or flight from Kabul. Day 23 Drive to Peshawar via Kabul Gorge and Khyber Pass. Day 24 Depart from Peshawar or Islamabad for flight connections. Note. The schedule is an outline only. Time will be lost in places and/or gained in others. The transport will be a selection of hired local transport of various sorts and accommodation outside of the major cities will often be Tea houses (chai khanas). The journey is rough at times, the food, at times, a little miserable. The day to day company, both local and your travelling companions, often superb. There is a feast of carpets to look over, many tribal trinkets to examine, all in all an unforgettable experience. Ground tour cost from £2,560. This includes all ground transport and services, accommodation and breakfast, listed excursions, services of Hinterland Tour leader. Not included, International flights, individual airport transfers, main meals. Any insurance and required visas. AFGHANISTAN /UZBEKISTAN Sogdiana, The Oxus and Badakshan (Uzbekistan and the Lapis Lazuli mines of Afghanistan) We are repeating our very successful trip of this region . Although we are treading a well known track from Tashkent through to Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, nothing diminishes its appeal. Further we cross the Oxus river at Termez and travel to Mazar e Sherif and Balkh in Afghanistan. Then we explore a small part of Badakshan Province down to the Lapis mines. Cross a high mountain pass and on through the Panshir valley where the shade of General Masoud still lingers and finally to Kabul. Uzbekistan and the Lapis Mines of Afghanistan 19th September 2010 and 18th September 2011 Uzbekistan (Sogdiana) Dept London (evening) Day 1 Arrive Tashkent a.m, explore city. Day 2 Fly a.m.to Urgench for Khiva Day 3 Drive to Bukhara Day 4 Full day in Bukhara Day 5 Drive to Samarkand via Gijduvan Day 6 Samarkand and Shakrisabaz Day 7 Drive to Termez Day 8 Full day in Termez Afghanistan Day 9 a.m cross the Oxus River and travel to Mazar e Sharif Day 10 Full day in Mazar with Balkh excursion. Day 11 Drive to Khulm to Kunduz. Day 12 Excursion to AL Khanum, ancient Greek city site. Day 13/14/15/16/17/18 To Faizabad, Jurm, the Lapis mines and down through the Panjshir valley to Charikhar. Day 19 To Kabul. Day 20 Kabul Day 21 Depart by air to London or other routings. When available Tour extension - Day 21  By road to Jalalabad. Tour extension - Day 22  To Pakistan via the Khyber Pass to Peshawar. Tour extension - Day 23  Full day in Peshawar. Tour extension - Day 24  Drive to Islamabad or Lahore as required. The above schedule sounds so prosaic but it is redolent with history from early Greeks, and Persians, Alexander and Roxane to fiery Turcomans and great figures as Mahmoud of Ghazni, Tamerlane, Babur and through to the present day of Afghan civil war personalities such as Generals Masoud and Dostum and The Taliban. The mountains are rugged, the Lapis, when polished, very beautiful and the going underfoot tough. Ground cost from £2,595 combined tour cost (note that you can travel Uzbekistan only for £980 and the 14 day Afghanistan only section from £1,750) The Khyber Pass Extension - 4 days £450 Cost include - all ground transport, including group airport transfers excursions as detailed in itinerary, accommodation and breakfast (for the Uzbekistan section dinner is also included)for Afghanistan with more basic accommodation and facilities only, accommodation and breakfast. Services of Tour leader. Not included - International flights, insurance, visas individual airport transfers. Note single room supplement in Uzbekistan allow US$ 185. THE RETREAT THE FIRST AFGHAN WAR and the Retreat of 1842 with the British Army from Kabul to Jalalabad. (our dates 16th October 2010 and 15th October 2011) This is very new trek for us and subject to various problems on the ground but none surpassing those that the British Army and the vastly outnumbering Camp Followers had in January 1842 as they abandoned Kabul. The weather was ferocious, sleet, snow, ice and intense cold and the attacks from the Afghan tribesmen constant and unrelentingly pitiless. We begin in Kabul, enjoy the city and to prepare and acclimatise ourselves before we depart into the Countryside to meet our pack ponies, pony men and guides. THE RETREAT Dept London (evening) Day 1 Arrive Kabul. Day 2 Kabul. Day 3 Drive to City outskirts and collect our Afghan team. Day 4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11 Walking days from Begrami to Gandamak. Day 11/12 Gandamak to Jalalabad possibly by minibus. Day 13/14 Return to Kabul by road. Excursion to Panjshir Valley. Depart Kabul. Alternative Day 13 Cross into Pakistan by the Khyber Pass, overnight Peshawar. Alternative Day 14 Peshawar. Alternative Day 15 Drive to Islamabad for departure by air. Tour cost from £1,995. Included - hotel accommodation on twin room basis in city. Chai Khana (Tea house) accommodation including breakfast. All road transport, pack ponies, horsemen, guide and any guards. Not included - main meals, visas, International flights, insurance, individual airport transfers. Note - this is an exploratory trek and we cannot guarantee conditions. The route is approx 116 miles in length and walking conditions are undulating with some long steep climbs out of valleys often in dust conditions. Clients are expected to be walking fit and to accept the conditions. Baggage will need to be of the soft variety so that it can be packed on horses and if neccessary by yourself IMPORTANT Please read before completing our tour booking form. At the present time Afghanistan is still recovering from a series of wars and internal conflicts that have lasted for almost 30 years. During the last few years the country has had a Government supported by the UN and Western powers, although now a series of elections are beginning to bring a more stable Government presence. The armed forces of the US are still hunting Al Qaeda and Taliban supporters in parts of the country. British and other forces are conducting serious campaigns in Helmand Province against Taliban insurgency. Although increasing, there are still few tourists or Travellers to be seen. The vast majority of non-Afghans are NGOs, UN personnel and various contingents of military forces from around the world. The British Foreign Office strongly advises that in their view Afghanistan is not safe for travellers and that British citizens should not travel to, and in, that country. Mainly for this reason Afghanistan is basically uninsurable by ordinary insurance companies at reasonable (sensible) premiums. However the surrounding countries such as Pakistan and Iran and your flights are insurable. We do insist that clients travelling with us take out some form of insurance for these, principally health and repatriation cover while recognising that you will not be covered by insurance for Afghanistan. But in turn all clients should realise and understand that Hinterland Travel and its staff will also not be covered by insurance. Risk will therefore apply to all. However on a positive note we are always seeking some form of insurance that we can offer to our clients and be assured once offered or found we will inform everyone. The situation is changing all the time so please contact us for further information about insurance. Hinterland Travel while understanding and recognising the view of the British Foreign Office, believes from its past and present direct experience of Afghanistan that adventure tourism is possible, albeit with care. The Company monitors events and always seeks to avoid reckless, in our view, direct confrontation with danger. Schedules are changed, alternatives sought, or even cancellations. We try to take all reasonable pre cautions that are feasible at the time. Final decisions will be taken by Geoff Hann (Managing Director) in conjunction with any of our Tour leaders. Hinterland Travel (Anglo Overseas Leisure Ltd) and its Managing Director, Geoff Hann firmly believe that we have a duty of care toward our clients, but also this has to reasonable given the circumstances. We ask our clients to consider their response to our brochure and the advice given, and if there are matters which are not clear, or if clarification is required, then please consult Geoff Hann before booking with us. Once our booking form has been completed and a deposit received then we consider that our clients have accepted and assessed the possible risks and dangers of our trips as advertised and their own personal responsibilities. The deposit of £350 per person is required at time of booking, and is then only refundable if Hinterland Travel are compelled to cancel. The full balance of monies due is payable 8 weeks prior to departure. Afghanistan Books Farrukh Husein is a London based seller of Afghanistan first edition travel literature and travel guides such as the classic 'Historical Guide to Afghanistan' by N H Dupree. Farrukh has a range of interesting books including signed first editions of Eric Newby's 'Short walk in the Hindu Kush' and Freya Stark's 'Minaret of Djam'. Farrukh also stocks antiquarian books on Afghanistan and out of print books. Farrukhs specialist stock imcludes rare books on Afghan history published in Kabul from the 1930s-1980. For book enquiries and the latest book catalogue please email farhus30@yahoo.co.uk or you can buy directly from Amazon.