Thrill-seeking Brits will be able to vacation in Iraq next summer – for the first time in more than two decades.
A UK company has launched the ‘Iraq Challenge’ offering motor biking tours of the north of the country in what is believed to be the first tourism offering in the region since 1990.
The company, TrailRidingUK.com, is run by Steve Askin, a former soldier who has worked in Iraq for the past six years as a private security consultant for the allied forces, following the fall of Saddam Hussein.
He now plans to bring his love of biking to the region and hopes to provide the world’s most unique and demanding off road experience.
Mr Askin plans to give up to ten bikers the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit a part of the world unfamiliar to most westerners. Bookings are being taken on the company’s website with tours costing £3,000 for a one week tour.
In just six days the group will ride more than 1500km through the country’s demanding terrain, guarding against bandits, dangerous wildlife and extreme weather conditions.
In addition, each day the riders can expect a special test section, where they will leave the hard behind and take on the extra hard, biking up to 300km before their next stop.
Mr Askin will draw upon almost two decades of security experience to ensure the trip goes without any hitches.
He said: “For the past six years I’ve been working for a personal security firm in Iraq looking after US engineers on various assignments. I’m hoping that the experience I’ve gained during my current job and my 12 years in the army will enable me to assemble a cracking team capable of looking after our groups.
“I’ve already managed to get a couple of Iraqi police officers on board to keep away local bandits as well as some ‘fixers’ who I’ve worked with before and would trust with my life. Their role is going to be securing the route along the way and looking after the group whilst we sleep.
“The team will have a range of weapons with them including AK-47s, M4s and Glock pistols, but these are precautionary and it goes without saying we’d hope never to have to use them.
“We’re going to be biking through the north of Iraq, starting in Erbil which is a lot less hostile than other areas, but over here things can change quickly and it’s important to always remain vigilant. Everything here has its price and sometimes you have to have people watching the people who are supposed to be looking after you.
“There will be a conclusive safety briefing before the start the ride, which will be reinforced on a daily basis throughout the week.”
Mr Askin, a self-confessed adrenaline junkie, says the trip isn’t not for the faint hearted.
He said: “We’ll be covering some serious distances in scorching temperatures so this is going to be an extreme physical challenge.
“Biking through the Iraqi mountains will be exhausting and each day I’m going to throw in an additional trial to push the group to their limits. It really will be a ride like no other.
“People will say I’m crazy but I’ve lived in this country for years and I can’t wait to show other foreigners just how beautiful it is. Nobody has holidayed here for nearly a decade and I’m really excited about the prospect of changing that.
“Biking through the mountains we’ll witness some truly breath-taking views and I can’t think of a trip anywhere else in the world that can top it.
“I can just imagine the response when people are asked, ‘Where are you going on holiday this year’ to be greeted with the response, ‘Iraq’.”
Sounds to me like he's bigging up the danger a bit too much.
Some of my mates were working up there and said it was brilliant, they were out go-karting and partying every night.
Personally I've never been that far north but the lads that have reckon you've got more chance of finding trouble going out in the UK any week night.
There were some guys that decided to do tours following a succesful trip last year into Afghanistan IIRC, unfortunately one of them was killed in a motorcycle accident (elsewhere)
Looks like a beautiful place but I like it rougher and meaner so mid wales it is
I don't understand, in what way is he bigging up the danger? He says that he will be armed because things can change at short notice. He also says that sometimes you have to watch the people who are meant to be looking after you. Wouldn't any sensible security provider do that? Does taking sensible precautions make him a 'flapper'? I only ask as I live in Baghdad and 'my mates' up North (who incidentally lost a bloke a few months ago thanks to a suicide vehicle borne IED) say that it they haven't even seen a go-kart nor go on the lash. They operate in Kirkuk, Erbil and Mosul. North, in a word.
A banker, a Daily Mail reader and a benefit claimant are sitting at a table sharing 12 biscuits. The banker takes 11 and says to the Mail reader, 'Watch out for that claimant, he wants your biscuit.'
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I don't understand, in what way is he bigging up the danger? He says that he will be armed because things can change at short notice. He also says that sometimes you have to watch the people who are meant to be looking after you. Wouldn't any sensible security provider do that? Does taking sensible precautions make him a 'flapper'? I only ask as I live in Baghdad and 'my mates' up North (who incidentally lost a bloke a few months ago thanks to a suicide vehicle borne IED) say that it they haven't even seen a go-kart nor go on the lash. They operate in Kirkuk, Erbil and Mosul. North, in a word.
Ride safely and don't forget your tourniquets.
Sprint
Furthest north I've been is Kirkuk and Tikrit, its not somewhere I'd chose to hang out but each to their own I suppose.
My area of ops was mainly southern Iraq.
I never said anyone was a 'flapper' I'm just saying that based on the conversations I've had with blokes based up there its very safe.
My mate Pete reckoned the Kurdish controlled parts of northen Iraq were about as safe as walking round London. I didn't say they were "on the lash", but he said they were out most nights enjoying themselves and were regulars at the local go-kart track.
Originally Posted by Tomcat
Sounds to me less like a holiday and more about bragging rights.
Thats probably a better way of putting it than I did.
This bloke sounds like he is appealing to all the wannabes out there who fancy themselves as mavericks.
I would imagine the sort of people you'll get on a trip like that are likely to be clowns who have read too many Andy McNab books and like the idea of riding around Iraq with a weapons system strapped to their motorcycle...incidentily (and unfortunately) a lot of these types of people also decide to become 'security consultants'.
Having said that I do a lot of flying in Afghanistan and some of the area looks amazing for bike exploration, there is a huge red desert just outside of Kandahar that looks at least as good as anything I've ever ridden in Qatar/Saudi/UAE. And the mountains around Kabul, Sharana, etc look incredible. I was out in Sharana and some of the scenery was breathtaking.
I was never really inspired by the topography in Iraq, but Afghanistan is a whole different kettle of fish.
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Originally Posted by God
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