Traditional rituals, homemade food and mountain rails. The Pankisi Valley in Georgia has already been associated with Bin Laden. Now it’s a tourist spot not to lose.
It all started in the 2000s, when the Your Vale de bank It was shelter for the Chechens who took refuge from the war with Russia.
Among the civil refugees were some militants and old soldiers. Now, the place was associated with terrorism, and it was even speculated that they were also there Membros gives the qaedaincluding your own leader – nothing less than Osama Bin Laden.
Under pressure from Russia and the US, the Georgian government launched operations Anti -terrorists In the region, marginalized and with serious economic problems of the population.
But, as pointed out, the so -called “pankisi crisis” eventually slowed and most of the chechenus refugees left the valley toward central and western Europe.
But the relationship with the Islamic State had its real fund: between 2010 and 2016, about 50 to 200 people left the Pankisi Valley towards Syria, attracted by the messages of Isis. The most famous was Abu Omar Al-Shishani, one of the organization’s main commanders.
The reputation was installed, and the place became one of the most feared in Europe. Until…
From terror to tourist zone
In 2020, the Ministry of Immigration mentioned in a report that “there is no high crime rate in Pankisi. The region is very calm.” Since then, the locality has attracted hundreds of visitors due to its history — e beauty natural.
Darkly, it can reach the Vale from the capital of Georgia, Tiblissi. Arrived there, settle in a typical pension and participate in Dhikr ceremonies-the local kists are sufista Muslims, with different traditions from the most orthodox population of Georgia-in the former Mosque of the Duisi village. If you are a lover of nature, do hiking in the Batsara Nature Reserve.
“When I joined the university in Tbilisi, my colleagues still had these stereotypes that Pankisi was not safe,” he tells BBC Fatima, who works as a tour guide when he is in Duisi. “I had to explain to you that this time is already there. This is a very peaceful place. That’s what I love in him. ”
“People here love the Outdoor life. In summer, we picniques on the mountain or ride horses in the hills, ”he says.“ I think I could never live in the city, coming from a place like this ”.
“Tourism has played an important role in breaking the negative stereotypes surrounding the valley“, Says the tourist guide Emily Lush, which emphasizes the hospitality and genuineness of the local population.” Most importantly, tourism has given people the opportunity to speak for themselves. “
