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Untamed Borders Summer 2025 Newsletter

In this issue:

  • A note from James.
  • Upcoming trips.
  • Eclipse tours 2027 & the MTP Summit.
  • Untamed Borders in the media.

A note from James Willcox, Founder

Eighteen years ago Untamed Borders began with a simple idea – taking adventurous travellers overland from Pakistan into Afghanistan, via the legendary Khyber Pass. It was a route that perfectly captured our ethos and our name: wild, untamed, and steeped in history. The route played a vital role on the ancient Silk Road, linking Central Asia to the Subcontinent, and was the route many great armies and personalities passed through, including Alexander the Great and Victorian British forces. The border continues to play an important part in shaping the region today.

There is something undeniably magical about crossing borders overland – the sense of the impending unknown and the way languages, food, and culture can shift, almost instantly, as you step from one side to the other. Shortly after Untamed Borders was founded, due to the security situation in the region, we had to stop these group Khyber Pass trips, but border crossings remained something we loved to include in our trips.

Over the years, unusual border crossings have remained at the heart of what we do. From the dramatic flag ceremonies at the Wagah border between Pakistan and India, to our Horn of Africa trips that traverse the remote boundary between Djibouti and Somaliland. From crossing into Syria through the hills from Lebanon, to our Yemen Mainland journeys, which enter or exit via Oman – these crossings are more than just logistics, they’re part of the adventure.

In 2026, we’re returning to our roots. Once again, travelers will have the option to enter Afghanistan, via the storied Khyber Pass, on our Afghan Central Route tour. We’re also introducing new add-ons to Turkmenistan and Iran, designed to follow on from our new ten day Afghan trips, so you can cross from Afghanistan to Turkmenistan and Iran by land. It’s all part of our continued commitment to authentic and exciting exploration. We continue to offer our private services to cross from Afghanistan into Tajikistan and Uzbekistan by land too, helping to rekindle the spirit of the ancient Silk Road – the kind of travel where every border crossed tells a story.

We hope you have chance to embark on adventurous border crossing soon.

James

Upcoming Trips 

We have a number of exciting new trips coming up over the next 12 months, plus we’ve added lots of new dates on some of our old favourite routes too. These include a new trip to the World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan next year, a 7-day trip to Pakistan in January and a number of departures to Yemen’s natural paradise island, Socotra. You can find a full list of all our upcoming group itineraries below and online.

World Nomad Games – Kyrgyzstan 2026

An 8-day trip to Kyrgyzstan to take in the 2026 World Nomad Games and soak up some of the country’s phenomenal mountainous scenery and Silk Road history.

The Games in September celebrate sports and activities played by nomadic communities of the Central Asian Steppe, albeit in 2024, more than 100 nations were represented. Sports and events such horseback wrestling, horseback archery, hunting with birds, tug of war and Kok-Boru/Buzkashi are among the highlights. It’s also an opportunity to bring together these communities from around the world and celebrate their historic ways of life.

When not taking in action of the games we will explore the scenery, history and culture of this incredible country, one of the most mountainous on earth. 94% of the country is made up of mountainous terrain and while road-tripping through part of the stunning Tian Shan Mountain Range, we will sample some of the nation’s immense beauty. We will also spend time around Issyk Kul Lake, one of the largest alpine lakes in the world, and the nearby town of Karakol.

We then move on through the impressive Jeti Oguz and Barskoon gorges, along with the Skazka canyon, before stopping in Bokonbaevo, on the shores of Issyk Kul, staying in traditional yurts. From there, we travel through the mountains to Song Kul Lake, staying in a local yurt camp, surrounded by high peaks. It’s here guests have chance to hike around the lake or go on horse riding trips, along with meeting the local herding community. We then travel back to Bishkek, finishing the trip in the bustling capital. You can see photos from a previou visit to Kyrgyzstan here.

Pakistan in 7-days

In January 2026 we’re embarking on a 7-day group trip, visiting three of Pakistan’s major cities – Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad.

The adventure begins in the historic gem – Lahore, which contains some of the finest examples of Mughal-era architecture. You have two full days in the city, with chance to explore the narrow alleyways of the Old City, before visiting the truly awesome Badshahi Mosque and the nearby Lahore Fort. We also visit the impressive Wazi Khan Mosque and the extensive Lahore Museum, along with taking in Sufi Shrines, where mystics spin to the beat of music. Before leaving the region, we head to the border with India, at Wagah, to take in the elaborate daily flag ceremony, drawing huge crowds.

We next venture west through the countryside to the bustling Silk Road city – Peshawar – stopping at the UNESCO listed Rohtas Fort en route. Peshawar is place which throngs with life to this day, as it did throughout history as a centre of trade between the subcontinent and Central Asia. We walk through its labyrinth-like bazaars, sampling its famous street food, visit its mosques and stop at its many ancient teahouses.

After soaking up the colour and life of Peshawar we head back eastwards, stopping at the fantastic UNESCO World Hertiage sites at Takht e Bahi and Taxila, which date back to the Ghandaran period. The site contains many old buddha carvings and stupas, set across a vast site in the rolling Pakistani hills. We then finish the trip in the modern capital, Islamabad, taking in the beautiful Faisal Mosque and the showcase Pakistan Monument, with the backdrop of the lush Margalla Hills. You can see photos from our longer 13-day Pakistan trip (where we visit all the sites on our 7-day trip, plus more) here and here.

Socotra 2025/2026

An 8-day journey around Socotra, the Yemeni island renowned as one of the planet’s most ecologically diverse. Often called the “Galápagos of the East”, it boasts a remarkable collection of plants, animals and marine species, many found nowhere else – earning it UNESCO World Heritage status.

Socotra contains an immense range of landscapes and over 8-days we aim to sample as many as possible – including it’s pristine remote beaches, its mountainous interior, unique forests, deep canyons, its freshwater lagoons, dramatic sand dunes and cave networks. Throughout the adventure we’re on the lookout for the island’s array of fascinating wildlife, birdlife and plantlife, while also taking to the seas by boat to explore its protected coral reefs and sail past its towering cliff faces, lined with birds.

We also meet some of Socotra’s communities, including its fishermen, nomadic herders and conservation experts, while also offering the active amongst us the chance to go swimming in deep natural lagoons, snorkel in the crystal blue sea and go hiking in the beautiful hilly scenery. The island is an extraordinary natural gem, which has to be seen to be believed – a trip tailor made for nature lovers. We hope you can join us over the next 12 months on this truly special island. You can see photos from previous visits here and here.

Next departures:

  • November 2025.
  • April 2026.

Future Departures 

Below is a full list of our upcoming and future group departures. We can also organise private trips to any of these destinations.

– Afghanistan

– Algeria (10 day group trips in November 2025 & February 2026)
– Djibouti & Somaliland (9 day group trip in October 2025 & January 2026)
– New – Eclipse Tours (August 2027)

– New – Iran (10 day group trip in May 2026)
– Iraq

– Kyrgyzstan – World Nomad Games (8 day group trip in September 2026)
– Libya

– New – Mauritania (13 day trip group trip in April 2026)
– Pakistan

– Somalia (Mogadishu) (3 day group trips in October 2025 – 4 departures, December 2025 & 3 trips in January/February 2026)
– South Sudan (7 day group trip in March 2026)
– Syria (7 day group trips in September 2025 & April 2026)
– Tajikistan Trek – Pamir Mountain Lakes (16 day group trip in August 2026)
– New – Turkmenistan (8 day group trip in May 2026)
– Yemen

In addition to the above, we can also get in touch for more information and suggested itineraries in:

  • Chad
  • Central African Republic
  • DRC
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Georgia
  • India
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Lebanon
  • Mongolia
  • Puntland
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Tunisia
  • Uzbekistan

Latest News

Eclipse tours 2027

In August 2027 we’re organising a set of once in a life-time trips to Puntland, Libya and Algeria. The adventures coincide with the longest land-based solar eclipse in our life-time, which is scheduled to take place on 2nd August 2027. The best places to take in the spectacular natural phenomenon are the Horn of Africa and North Africa, so we’re taking guests to unique places, to take in this remarkable moment in history. It will be the longest total solar eclipse, easily accessible on land, in the 21st century – expected to last longer than 5 minutes in Puntland, Libya and Algeria – the next of this length won’t be until 2114.

The 7-day Puntland trip starts in Bosaso, before we road trip to Xaafun on the Indian Ocean Coast, heading to the eastern most point of continental Africa to view the eclipse. We continue north along the coast, past pristine beaches and historic fishing villages, to Baargal, which has better links to Yemen, than other parts of Somalia, providing an intriguing cultural experience. We continue on to the very north-eastern tip of the Horn of Africa, where the Indian Ocean meets the Red Sea, spending time at the Italian colonial lighthouse, which marks the tip of the Horn. We then return on a long road trip to finish in Bosaso.

The 7-day trip begins in the capital Algiers, where we visit its ancient Kasbah and other key sites, before we venture westwards along the Mediterranean coastline to the fabulous Roman remains at Tipaza and Cherchell. We continue our journey further west to the coastal city of Oran and take in the eclipse at the nearby M’Sila Forest. It’s at this point we head inland, to the the town of Tlemcen, known for its Moorish architecture, before road-tripping back to finish the adventure in Algiers.

A 6-day trip to Libya. We begin in the capital, Tripoli, before catching a flight east to the country’s second largest city – Benghazi. We enjoy a short city tour, then embark on a scenic coastal drive to the ancient remains of the Greek, and later Roman, city of Ptolemais. Next we drive to the capital of the Green Mountain district, spending a night in Shahha, before venturing on to explore the historic sites of Apollonia. We also have time to explore one of the world’s largest caves – the Haua Fteah Cave and take in the stunning remains of the ancient city of Cyrene. We continue to soak up the Mediterranean coast, with a stop at a Bzyantine basilica and then we take to the seas, exploring large sea caves by boat. The trip concludes as we soak up the total solar eclipse back in Benghazi, before we fly back to end the trip in Tripoli.

MTP Summit

In November some of the world’s “most travelled people” are descending on Ethiopia for a summit to share stories of exploration and exchange tips about travel. The event is being organised by country counting community MTP, which includes many people who’ve visited all 195 UN countries. Our Founder, James Willcox will be delivering a guest talk at the main summit in Addis Ababa, and Untamed Borders will also be organising a series of tours for attendees, around the wider region in Africa. The destinations include Mogadishu, South Sudan, Djibouti & Somaliland, along with Eritrea.

Alongside our Founder, there will also be a lot of other guests speakers at the event, including adventurers, journalists, experienced travel photographers and explorers. The event takes place between 13th and 16th November 2025 at the Sheraton Addis, one of Africa’s most prestigious hotels. The trips with Untamed Borders, to other nearby nations, will take place both before and after the event. You can book a space at the summit and find out more information on the MTP website. You can also get a $100 discount off the entry price, using the code – JAMES100MTP.

If you’re interested in travel to East Africa, we organise group trips to Mogadishu, South Sudan, Puntland, Djibouti & Somaliland, plus offer private guiding in other nearby nations.

Untamed Borders in the media

A few months ago we guided award winning photographer and journalist, Simon Urwin, around Syria. Simon was among the first tourists to travel with Untamed Borders to the country since the new government came to power, after the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime. His experience in Syria with us has been turned into an excellent 12-page article in the latest edition of Wanderlust Magazine, which is out in shops now or you can buy a copy here. An e-version of the Syria article is due to land on the Wanderlust website, next month.

Some of our talented local guides were also the focus of a piece in Wired For Adventure, which told the story of guiding in challenging destinations. It was great to be able to shine a light on the dedicated work our local experts do in their home nations. Make sure to grab your copy of the magazine here.

This month we also featured in Forbes, where a few of our new 2027 eclipse trips were included in a list of the most unique places to watch the natural phenomenon next summer. You can read the piece here.

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If you would like to talk about anything mentioned in this newsletter then please get in touch.

We hope to see you all on an adventure with Untamed Borders very soon.

The Untamed Borders Team

August 2025