Young Pioneer Tours
Blog
Welcome to the Young Pioneer Tours Blog, the place where we we keep you informed about everything YPT, from current tours, to future tours and a whole lot of eclectic stuff in between.
YPT first started blogging in 2008 and are considered the best North Korean Travel blog that there is.
But, as Young Pioneer Tours have expanded our locations, so have we expanded our blog. Now we have one of the best travel blogs in the world!
And while most of our content is about the numerous destinations we go, including travel guides and what to pack, we also delve into more serious subjects such as the safety of certain destinations, as well as how LGTBQ+ friendly the places we visit are.
While the vast majority of our content is produced in-house, we are always on the look-out for guest bloggers and writers. Want to write for us? Then simply get in touch.
You can also check out our sister publication YPT Life.
Search For A Topic Here:
Check out and subscribe to the YPT Blog and travel magazine
The story of Ghana cocoa, from a top secret experience to a colossal chocolate empire
21 June 2025 / by Morgan Bourven
Ghana cocoa changed the fate of this West African country, turning it into one of the world’s largest cocoa producers and a backbone of the global chocolate industry. It all started with a single act of defiance and a pocketful of seeds. This is the st …
The Epic History of the Panjshir Valley Afghanistan and Travel in 2025
21 June 2025 / by Caitlin Graham
The Panjshir Valley, nestled in the northeastern part of Afghanistan, is an incredibly beautiful region known for its immaculate landscapes and deep historical roots. This narrow, mountainous gorge stretches about 100 kilometers and is surrounded by th …
Exploring the Napoleonic sites of Saint Helena: a complete guide
20 June 2025 / by Morgan Bourven
When most people hear the name Saint Helena, they think of one man: Napoleon Bonaparte. This remote British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean served as the final chapter in the life of the French Emperor after his defeat at Waterloo in 181 …
The Strange Tale of Malcolm Caldwell
20 June 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Malcolm Caldwell was a British Marxist intellectual and academic who became one of the few Western voices openly sympathetic to revolutionary regimes during the Cold War. Born in 1931, he spent much of his career critiquing Western imperialism and advo …
How to Fund Your Travels with Travelpayouts (Without Becoming a Crypto Bro)
20 June 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Travel costs money, believe it, or not! Which means whether you are hopping on a flight to Pyongyang (one day), chasing Soviet ruins in Central Asia (with us), or just trying to escape the chaos of the western world by riding a battered minibus in West …
Laas Geel, the most beautiful archaeological site you’ve never heard of
20 June 2025 / by Morgan Bourven
Located in Somaliland, about an hour’s drive from Hargeisa, lies one of the most astonishing archaeological discoveries in East Africa: Laas Geel. Virtually unknown to the wider world until the 21st century, this remote site contains some of the best-p …
City 404 – The Nuclear City That Doesn’t Exist
19 June 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Hidden in the barren expanses of the Gobi Desert in Gansu Province lies a city so secret it didn’t appear on Chinese maps for decades. Its official name is unknown to most, but it has become widely known as City 404. Built during the Cold War, this was …
The Ultimate Sihanoukville Guide 2025
18 June 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Sihanoukville Guide 2025 brings you into one of the most bizarre and beach-battered corners of Cambodia. Towering casinos loom over motorbike repair shops, islands shimmer just offshore, and the smell of fried squid wafts through construction dust. It …
