Not 7 years ago the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria were running amok within the region, while simultaneously ferrying the world at large. It was in what is now known as Rojava and Kurdistan where their full weight was felt. And yes, while there was help from western planes, for the most part it […]

Can you visit Rojava in 2024? It is indeed possible to visit Rojava in 2024, that is though not to say that it is easy. As a rule, tourists are not permitted to travel here, with the only visitors being NGOs, journalists and cultural exchanges. Should you manage to come here though, it is generally […]

In 2011, the first sparks of uprising were felt in Syria, soon to explode into an apocalyptic war of dozens of competing factions, ending hundreds of thousands of lives and eventually simmering down to a broken, fragmented country where the Syrian government controls the south, a Turkish-backed opposition controls the north-west and a completely different […]

In a must win match DPR Korea beat Syria 1-0 courtesy of a Jong Il Gwan goal in the dying minutes of the match. This was a must win for DPRK Korea as they sit in third place of Group B in the second round of qualification. DPR Korea beat Syria – How do things […]

Within the travel community, there is a lot of debate about the hardest countries to travel to, which is largely based on the mobility awarded to Western passport holders compared to the world’s weakest passport. But what about the easiest countries to travel to? Where can the people with the weakest passports travel to? The […]

The country of Lebanon is one of the most diverse and ancient countries in the Middle East and the world.  In Lebanon, the true spectrum of human history can be seen. From ancient Phoenician ports, to religious diversity, and to remnants of its brutal civil war, Lebanon has so many fascinating sides to its story.  GROUP […]

We’ve recently had Facebook comments over trips we’ve operated in Nagorno-Karabakh and most recently to Northern Cyprus. They came from those that had a pro-Azeri view in the former and a pro-Greek view in the later. We quite simply replied that there are always two sides to every story and that we practise political neutrality […]

Having survived a brutal civil war that saw ISIS literally on their doorsteps, Damascus has slowly recovered to a place that is welcoming tourists again. Things might not be exactly back to normal yet, with it still occasionally (and recently) getting bombed, but that does not take away from the wonder of the  city. This […]

I take my best bar lists very seriously and have given my opinion in many a country and city. What though is the best bar in Damascus? I have opted of rthe Barber Shop, and the reasons might surprise you. To read 21 reasons to go to Syria click here. What at is the bar […]

28th October 2023 As part of our security protocol Young Pioneer Tours employs the services of 3rd party security consultants for advice on our destinations. With this in mind and following advice we have decided to temporarily suspend our tours to Mainland Yemen. Travel update: We have resumed tours to Mainland Yemen. Reason for mainland […]