Caught by Taliban, iron ore train ride: Why travellers love extreme travel

When Bhuvani Dharan, a travel influencer known as @tamiltrekker on Instagram, began his journey on the platform, it was about more than just making Reels. For him, it was a way to “create fresh content from a Tamilian perspective”. So when, in October 2022, he decided to visit Afghanistan – a year after the Taliban formed an ‘interim government’ – he never anticipated his trip would take an “unexpected turn” on the very first day in Kabul.
The ‘unexpected turn’ Bhuvani referred to was about the time when he was blindfolded, hand-tied, and pushed into a car by four Taliban men. Their destination? A cell where he and his friend were later locked up. The reason? Bhuvani had been filming content for his YouTube channel while waiting for a new SIM card at a local shop.
“They covered my face and my friend’s too. At that point, I didn’t know what to do. My mind was racing with panic and confusion. I kept thinking, ‘What the hell is happening?’ The fear of the unknown was overwhelming. I couldn’t run or resist; I was terrified they might shoot me if I tried anything,” he recalls.
Long story short, he and his friend were released 30 minutes later, after the guard reviewed all the photos and videos he had taken and found nothing “problematic”.
“I understood then that they didn’t want anyone filming in Kabul, and I reassured him I wouldn’t record videos there again,” says Bhuvani. After that promise, they were let go.
Now, two years later, Bhuvani says even though this was a ‘crazy experience’, he would still love to visit Afghanistan again, given the opportunity.
“It was an incredible experience. I travelled to Jalalabad, Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Kandahar. After Kandahar, I flew back to Kabul and eventually returned to Dubai within 20 days,” he says.
Extreme travel (and well, jail time) is no stranger to Bhuvani and other travel influencers like him who like to live on the edge. In fact, in May 2022, five months before his Afghanistan trip, Bhuvani was jailed and nearly deported from Somalia because ‘he had only visited 20 countries, not 195 like the others’. And again, in Mongolia, he wanted to spend 10 days living like a nomad, without electricity, gas, and the Internet and experience temperatures as low as minus 45 degrees Celsius (which he did).
Bhuvani’s knack for adventure, shared by other influencers like him, has contributed to the rise of a specific type of tourism known as extreme tourism, a travel trend gaining popularity even in India.
Extreme tourism, sometimes referred to as masochistic travel, involves visiting destinations or engaging in activities that push physical, mental, or emotional boundaries. It could range from scaling the world’s highest peaks to exploring the depths of uncharted caves or diving with sharks.
Another similar example of extreme travel is the ‘Iron Ore Train experience’, which is growing popular amongst travellers who want to do ‘adventure’.
For Tom aka ‘Travelling Tom’, a micro-travel influencer, who has travelled to more than 100 countries, this ‘adventure’ (as he calls it)’ is one of the reasons why he boarded the iron ore train, which he documented in one of his YouTube vlogs.
The “adventure” that Tom refers to in his vlog is a train ride, which isn’t a simple one. It’s the notorious ‘iron ore’ train in Mauritania, often called one of the most dangerous journeys on rail.

To embark on this experience, one must first land in Mauritania, in western Africa, and hop aboard the iron ore train for a gruelling 700-kilometre journey. As the train snakes through the vast desert, passengers are exposed to some of the most remote and desolate landscapes on Earth; endless dunes, rocky outcrops, small desert villages, and the mighty Sahara.
The journey offers no seats and no protection from the elements (so you need to carry your own travel essentials). By day, you’ll battle the blistering Saharan sun; by night, freezing winds. The trip takes anywhere from 16 to 20 hours, depending on the train’s schedule. By the end of it, passengers are often covered in a fine layer of iron dust.
It’s a raw, unfiltered experience, where you’re likely to be covered in a fine layer of iron dust by the time you reach the end of the line.
If you think this journey is crazy, well, Tom is not the only one who has boarded ‘The Snake of the Desert’. A lot of influencers and people are interested in ‘adventures’ which are high risk and are what people call ‘playing with death’.
Iron ore is one such experience. Standing right above an active volcano is another. Swimming with sharks? Yes. Going to the ‘ends’ of the world and leaving the world behind? A big yes.
There are various reasons why people are drawn to these experiences as they offer a rare mix of thrill, risk, and a sense of achievement.
Ankita Kumar is one such Indian travel influencer who is often known for ‘extreme tourism’ Reels on Instagram, from ‘diving at an underwater active volcano’ to swimming with the sharks.
A recent video, which went viral on her Instagram shows her boarding an iron ore train (yes, the one that Tom also took). Her captions read, “People say I’m crazy. I say thank you.”
Humans are travelling more than ever. Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, this need and desire to travel has only increased. A lot of these travellers want ‘adventure’.
Dinh Thi Thu Hang, the director of Indochine Charm Tours, who has spent more than three decades in the travel and tourism sector and often organises these extreme trips, says, “Travellers hold a relentless desire to attain feats that are beyond their mental and physical sight. There is something inherently human about being willing to overcome challenges head-on. As humans, we are bound to mitigate obstacles and have a lot of unique memories to take back home.”
She says this number has gone up because of multiple factors. One such reason is that people long for unique extreme experiences to cite the stories to their peers and loved ones and how it was different from the traditionally mundane itinerary-based travel.

The British Antarctic Expedition of 1907-1909 is one of the most notable ventures in the history of polar exploration. Photo: Unsplash

The second reason, according to Dinh, is that witnessing other people experiencing thrilling adventures through social media also fuels them with the desire to experience them too.
Experts say this has created what he calls a ‘bucket list’ culture, where more people are drawn to extreme tourism. Bollywood movies and pop culture have further reinforced the need for adventure. Films like ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ showed Indian audiences that they can push their limits and embrace adventure while travelling. This marked a shift in the narrative from typical trips to Goa (remember ‘Dil Chahta Hai’?).

Bhuvani says he also does ‘extreme travel’ because he enjoys the adrenaline rush and the sense of achievement that comes with completing these trips.
“Whether it’s navigating tough terrain or handling unexpected situations, every challenge makes me grow as a traveller and a person. Each journey leaves me with memories and stories that I’ll carry for life, and that’s something you can’t put a price on,” he adds.
Extreme travel, though thrilling, also comes with major risks. In October 2023, a New Zealand company was found guilty of not “minimising risk” during a trip to Whakaari/White Island, an active volcano.
This volcano, which has been active since 2011, was showing signs of unrest, but the company, Whakaari Management, did not take the necessary precautions, which ended up killing 22 people, 17 of whom were tourists.
Another incident occurred in June 2023, driven by the curiosity to travel to extreme ends and explore the unknown: the infamous “Titanic submarine incident”. Often referred to as the ‘Titan’, the submersible imploded during an expedition to Titanic’s resting place in the North Atlantic.
The incident killed all five people on board, including two billionaires, Hamish Harding and Shahzada Dawood.

At the time of the eruption, there were 47 people on the island, including tourists and guides. Photo: Unsplash

Dinh says that while extremes are exciting, they must be guarded with a safety net to fall back on.
“Adventure and extreme tourism are exciting, yet they come with unknown risks. It’s hence crucial to maintain the right balance between excitement and safety,” says Dinh.
So, the next time you want to explore the ends of the Earth, dive into an ocean filled with sharks, or take the iron ore train to tick an ‘adventure’ off your bucket list, make sure you are well-prepared, informed about the risks, and working with experienced and local guides.
“I’ve always believed that travel is not just about exploring new places, but about pushing oneself to gain new perspectives and create memories, all while returning home safe and satisfied. Adventure should be a journey of self-growth, not one that puts life at needless risk,” Dinh concludes.