April 2024 Update

Hey guys! I know the last time I sent out one of these was clear back in January and I said I was going to try to be more consistent about writing these updates but that was a lie. An unintentional lie, but something that I didn’t keep up with nonetheless (insert shock and surprise)…

So I wanted to give a quick update about where I’ve been, what’s been going on, and what’s coming up in the near (and distant) future.

A Recce to Lebanon & Syria

I just wrapped up an awesome recce trip to both Lebanon and Syria earlier this month to meet my new (and amazing) local partners, build a network across the two countries, and scout exciting locations to begin offering expeditions here.

Needless to say, it went pretty seamlessly and we’re in the works of finalizing our itinerary for a (late) May 2025 expedition that combines some of the best of what Syria and Lebanon have to offer. If this is of interest, drop your email in the form below to get updates on the expedition as we set the final dates and itinerary.

Rejected from Iran & Stranded in Turkey

After wrapping up Syria and Lebanon I headed up to Istanbul to catch a flight back to Iran (despite the mayhem unfolding in the Middle East/Levant region). Only to (long story short) be rejected from Iran and stuck in Turkey.

I would have stayed, but seeing that my plans were foiled and I did have shit to get done back in the US before the chaos of summer ensues, so I found a cheap ticket back home and left, without my luggage of course, because good ol’ Pegasus Airlines lost my checked bag somewhere between Lebanon and Iran (two weeks later it’s still MIA, and in the year 2024, how in the fuck?). My bags go missing quite a bit but I’ve always gotten them back. Should I invest in one of those AirTags? Yes. Have I? Still no.

Surprise, I’m in South Carolina

An impromptu invite to renovate a house in South Carolina came up, so that’s where I’m writing this from, on pretty much my first foray on the East Coast (aside from a quick trip to NYC for my 27th birthday).

Ultimately, I had a dental contract fall through that would have seen me working through the month of May in Colorado, so here I am. For how long? Who knows (well at least until June at the latest, that’s the only parameter)?

Tajikistan Expeditions in June & July

Lake Alovaddin, Fann Mountains, Tajikistan

On June 8, I’m headed back to Tajikistan to run my back-to-back expeditions to trek the Fann Mountains and the epic road trip along the Pamir Highway. Both trips still have space available, so if you’re interested, click the above links to check out the itineraries. If you would like to combine both itineraries, you can opt to book the 25 day Tajikistan Expedition.

As always, I’m stoked to be leading both of these trips and sharing some of my favorite destinations in the country again since I’m going on almost a decade of travels in Tajikistan.

Once the Pamir Highway expedition wraps up in Osh, Kyrgyzstan in early July I’ll have a bit of free time. I probably will end up back in Tajikistan eventually but will likely take some time to play around in Kyrgyzstan since I’ve neglected the country for a while.

Turkmenistan

In late October 2024, I’m organizing a Turkmenistan Expedition to take in and share all the weird in one of the world’s strangest nations with a small group. You can click the link above to see the itinerary and details (and to book if you feel so inclined already), but if not, you can always leave your email below for updates.

2025 Plans

So far for 2025, I have a few things already in the works.

Socotra & Mainland Yemen

Shibam, Wadi Hadhramaut, Hadhramaut, Yemen

In April 2025 we plan to organize a group for a 14 day Socotra & Mainland Yemen Expedition. This is one of the departures I’ve run several times in the past and still is a favorite. I have also included the cost of the flights from Cairo-Socotra-Yemen-Cairo in the trip cost too (so you will see that the $1160 cost already rolled in there, I know most companies do not include that).

Depending on the situation in Socotra, I hope to organize the Outer Islands Expedition once again in February or March 2025.

Syria & Lebanon

As mentioned at the beginning of the post, we are organizing our first Syria and Lebanon Expedition after the recce trip in May 2025. Since I’ve already given a glimpse of the trip at the beginning of the post, I’ll save you the repetition but if interested do leave your email in the box below.

Albania

The Albania Expedition is one of the most fun we have on our roster and are excited to offer it in 2025. It’s tentatively set for June 2025, but it may move up into early May or late April.

So if you’re interested in beautiful landscapes, fascinating history, bunkers, and great food, leave your email in the signup box.