DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

Development Work

Untamed Borders is extremely attached to the regions we work in. We have firm responsible travel commitments to ensure our guests leave a positive impression. In addition we use our experience and knowledge to assist various projects and events in the regions and communities we work in. Check out the links to some of the events, training and development projects we have been involved with.

Women Rocking the Pamirs

We have assisted with the training of Tajikistan’s first female trekking guides. Guides join our fixed date trips in Tajikistan each year to learn from our experienced trekking guides.

Afghan Guide Training

We have been asked to implement a training program for trekking guides in the Wakhan region of Afghanistan. Teaching first aid, campsite best practice, guest management and environmental protection skills.

Iraq Ski Rally and Choman Winter Festival

Untamed Borders helps organise the Choman Winter Festival and Iraq Ski Rally. The festival, which started in 1952 but was stopped under Saddam, now restarted, includes a fun ski touring race designed for people of mixed abilities. You can read more about the rally in this blog post from a guest who joined us for the same trip in 2019. If you want to join us for our next fixed date trip to the Iraq Ski Rally, you can find out more here or get in touch with a member of the team.

Afghan Ski Challenge

We have been running trips to Afghanistan since 2006 and ski trips to Afghanistan since 2011. Since 2013 we have been asked by the organisers of the Afghan Ski Challenge to run packages for that event too.

As such our founder James Willcox was given a letter of commendation in 2013 from Dr Sarobi, the governor of Bamian province, to thank him for his work developing winter tourism in Afghanistan.

Somaliland & Afghanistan Marathons

Untamed Borders is a partner in both the Somaliland and Afghanistan Marathons. Both events are the only mixed gender sporting events in their respective countries. Check out this article in The Guardian about the first ever Marathon of Afghanistan and this article by Rachel Jones about her experience of joining us for the Somaliland marathon.

Free To Run

James Willcox, one of the founders of Untamed Borders sits on the board of Free to Run, an organisation which helps create safe spaces and opportunities for women to take part in sports in post-conflict countries.