Would you go on a tourist trip to Afghanistan?
No?
Well, you’re missing out according to intrepid traveller Jannis M, who visited the country this year and tells Mailonline Travel that it was a ‘great experience’.
The 23-year-old traveller from Germany, who has so far been to 93 countries, says: ‘I loved Afghanistan and felt very safe. I was treated very well. Afghan people are among the most hospitable people in the world. I was greeted so many times and the people were curious [about] where I was from.
‘I was invited into homes, to have dinner with locals and to have tea together. Even the Taliban treated me very well. The Taliban want tourists to come, so they assure you that you are safe all the time.’
His message for people who don’t think tourists should visit Afghanistan is clear. Jannis says: ‘These people will never see the world for themselves and never broaden their horizons.
‘I know many people do not think that visiting Afghanistan is a good idea, but I can reassure you that it helps your personal development and your own point of view of certain things. It creates memories you would never create if you stay home.’
Jannis shared his experiences in Afghanistan in videos posted to his TikTok account – @jannistravels. In one video, he films from a boat on a lake in Band e Amir National Park, saying: ‘I’ve never in my life seen water this blue. It’s so nice and the landscape is breathtaking.’ Separately, Jannis tells MailOnline that the lakes were his favourite place in Afghanistan, describing them as a ‘dream’.
Jannis travelled to Afghanistan for a holiday. He tells MailOnline it was a ‘great experience’. LEFT: He’s pictured with a member of the Taliban. RIGHT: Jannis says his favourite spot in Afghanistan was Band e Amir National Park, where he’s pictured with a friend
Jannis also visited Kabul’s bird market, where he explains in a video that it’s possible to ‘buy pretty much any type of bird that you want’, adding that the market is an ‘interesting’ but ‘sad’ place due to the creatures being caged.
In Kabul, Jannis even had his photo taken by one of the city’s last professional box-camera photographers, Haji Mirzaman. Jannis explains on Instagram: ‘It was an honour to meet him and definitely an interesting experience.’
The traveller also journeyed to historic Bamiyan, where the 6th-century Buddha statues used to stand before the Taliban destroyed them in 2001, describing it as an ‘impressive’ place despite the destruction.
It’s undoubtedly an unusual choice of holiday destination, so what made Jannis want to travel to Afghanistan in the first place?
Jannis had his photo taken by one of Kabul’s last professional box-camera photographers, Haji Mirzaman
On the left is a Kabul night scene that Jannis snapped, while on the right is the bird market. Jannis described the latter as ‘interesting’ but ‘sad’
LEFT: Jannis in Bamiyan, where the 6th-century Buddha statues used to stand before the Taliban destroyed them in 2001. RIGHT: Jannis with a friend at the Sakhi Shrine in Kabul
Jannis says Afghanistan ‘has an interesting history, culture, amazing people and great food’. The traveller is hoping to visit every country in the world. Pictured left and right is Kabul
He explains to MailOnline: ‘I would like to visit every country in the world and as I was travelling to Tajikistan close by, I thought I could combine the countries in one trip as Afghanistan is just around the corner. I had heard a lot of things about Afghanistan and wanted to make my own image of the country.
‘It has an interesting history, culture, amazing people and great food and this is what I wanted to see and experience for myself.’
So, how did he plan his trip to Afghanistan?
Jannis explains: ‘I needed to get a visa. Through a friend I knew that there were possibilities of getting it in Dubai, Peshawar in Pakistan or at the Tajik border, which is what I did. A friend of mine went to Afghanistan with a guide and so I asked for his contact details.’
The adventurer adds that travelling with a guide was the only extra precaution he took to stay safe in Afghanistan.
But despite his positive experience, Jannis does only recommend Afghanistan as a destination for experienced travellers, explaining that it ‘might be a bit shocking for beginners as some [aspects] like hygiene are in poor condition’.
