ERITREA: They Told Me Not to Go 🇪🇷
Phils Guide to the World!
177,898 views
Travel to Asmara, Eritrea in 2026 and you'll find one of the least visited and most misunderstood countries in the world. The media often calls it the “North Korea of Africa,” but I came here to SEE FOR MYSELF what life is actually like beyond the headlines.
For three days, I traveled through Asmara and Keren, Eritrea — completely offline, with no WiFi — and what I found surprised me at every turn.
In Asmara, time feels frozen in the Italian era. I wandered past art-deco architecture, stepped into old movie houses from the 1930s, and drank some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. Coffee actually originated from this region of Africa, and I had the chance to witness a traditional Eritrean coffee ceremony.
I also visited the famous Tank Graveyard in Asmara — a haunting reminder of Eritrea’s long struggle for independence from Ethiopia — and attended Friday Mosque prayers, witnessing firsthand how important faith is in daily life.
Christianity is also important in Eritrea and on my last day I went to a church to attend a traditional Eritrean wedding that completely blew me away.
➤ Book your accommodation and experiences:
Crystal Hotel Asmara: https://trip.tpk.mx/AzNWygOc
From Asmara: Eritrean Classic Adventure 4 Days/3 Nights: https://getyourguide.tpk.mx/XOrvLFeA
Best of Eritrean Adventure 8-Day Safari: https://getyourguide.tpk.mx/ak7TIlqR
Traveling to Keren, Eritrea in 2025 is also easy. All you need is a $7 permit from the tourism office in Asmara. While in Keren, I explored the bustling camel market and went inside of a baobab tree to check out the Mariam Dearit Shrine at the Mariam Dearit Monastery.
This trip showed me a side of Eritrea the world rarely sees: warm people, rich traditions, and everyday life in one of the most secretive countries on earth.
This is Eritrea travel — beyond the headlines, and through the eyes of the people who live here.
___________
If you enjoy this video, please ✅ SUBSCRIBE (https://bit.ly/3BqGnIz) to follow along as I travel to EVERY COUNTRY in the WORLD!
DON'T TRUST THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA 100%...
❤️ It's my goal to see the world NOT thru the eyes of the media, but through my own eyes. Therefore, I show you countries the MEDIA shines in a bad light. In these countries I've found the MOST FRIENDLY PEOPLE! Please take a look at my full series:
🇵🇰 Pakistan: https://bit.ly/43a89ZC
🇩🇿 Algeria: https://bit.ly/4hUJYTV
🇮🇷 Iran: https://shorturl.at/mndto
😊 Syria: https://bit.ly/4gyRfb6
🇦🇫 Afghanistan: https://shorturl.at/eTsIr
🇱🇾 Libya: https://bit.ly/3QZEDzn
🇮🇶 Iraq: https://bit.ly/3KhayYa
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: https://shorturl.at/OL0AW
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: http://bit.ly/3KoHPUD
😍 Thanks so much for your support and subscription (https://bit.ly/3BqGnIz). It inspires me to continue making POSITIVE VIDEOS :). Cheers, Phil
_______
🎥 LIKE MY VIDEO STYLE?
🚗 Car footage I use INSTA360 X5 (https://amzn.to/4mwQvGY)
✈️ Drone footage I use the DJI MAVIC MINI 4 PRO (https://amzn.to/43hReVa)
🎵 Awesome MUSIC: I use EPIDEMIC SOUND https://www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
I highly recommend them all!
⚠️Disclaimer: I accept no liability for loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.
Copyright 2025, Phil's Guide to the World!
20 Comments
Asmara, Eritrea, will always be part of who I am. I pray that God will one day bring peace, healing, and renewed closeness to all our people. Until then, it brings me great joy to know how everyone is doing and to cherish the ties that still make us one family.
ERITREA: They Told Me Not to Go 🇪🇷
Phils Guide to the World!
177,898 views
Travel to Asmara, Eritrea in 2026 and you'll find one of the least visited and most misunderstood countries in the world. The media often calls it the “North Korea of Africa,” but I came here to SEE FOR MYSELF what life is actually like beyond the headlines.
For three days, I traveled through Asmara and Keren, Eritrea — completely offline, with no WiFi — and what I found surprised me at every turn.
In Asmara, time feels frozen in the Italian era. I wandered past art-deco architecture, stepped into old movie houses from the 1930s, and drank some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. Coffee actually originated from this region of Africa, and I had the chance to witness a traditional Eritrean coffee ceremony.
I also visited the famous Tank Graveyard in Asmara — a haunting reminder of Eritrea’s long struggle for independence from Ethiopia — and attended Friday Mosque prayers, witnessing firsthand how important faith is in daily life.
Christianity is also important in Eritrea and on my last day I went to a church to attend a traditional Eritrean wedding that completely blew me away.
➤ Book your accommodation and experiences:
Crystal Hotel Asmara: https://trip.tpk.mx/AzNWygOc
From Asmara: Eritrean Classic Adventure 4 Days/3 Nights: https://getyourguide.tpk.mx/XOrvLFeA
Best of Eritrean Adventure 8-Day Safari: https://getyourguide.tpk.mx/ak7TIlqR
Traveling to Keren, Eritrea in 2025 is also easy. All you need is a $7 permit from the tourism office in Asmara. While in Keren, I explored the bustling camel market and went inside of a baobab tree to check out the Mariam Dearit Shrine at the Mariam Dearit Monastery.
This trip showed me a side of Eritrea the world rarely sees: warm people, rich traditions, and everyday life in one of the most secretive countries on earth.
This is Eritrea travel — beyond the headlines, and through the eyes of the people who live here.
___________
If you enjoy this video, please ✅ SUBSCRIBE (https://bit.ly/3BqGnIz) to follow along as I travel to EVERY COUNTRY in the WORLD!
DON'T TRUST THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA 100%...
❤️ It's my goal to see the world NOT thru the eyes of the media, but through my own eyes. Therefore, I show you countries the MEDIA shines in a bad light. In these countries I've found the MOST FRIENDLY PEOPLE! Please take a look at my full series:
🇵🇰 Pakistan: https://bit.ly/43a89ZC
🇩🇿 Algeria: https://bit.ly/4hUJYTV
🇮🇷 Iran: https://shorturl.at/mndto
😊 Syria: https://bit.ly/4gyRfb6
🇦🇫 Afghanistan: https://shorturl.at/eTsIr
🇱🇾 Libya: https://bit.ly/3QZEDzn
🇮🇶 Iraq: https://bit.ly/3KhayYa
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: https://shorturl.at/OL0AW
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: http://bit.ly/3KoHPUD
😍 Thanks so much for your support and subscription (https://bit.ly/3BqGnIz). It inspires me to continue making POSITIVE VIDEOS :). Cheers, Phil
_______
🎥 LIKE MY VIDEO STYLE?
🚗 Car footage I use INSTA360 X5 (https://amzn.to/4mwQvGY)
✈️ Drone footage I use the DJI MAVIC MINI 4 PRO (https://amzn.to/43hReVa)
🎵 Awesome MUSIC: I use EPIDEMIC SOUND https://www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
I highly recommend them all!
⚠️Disclaimer: I accept no liability for loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your research.
Copyright 2025, Phil's Guide to the World!