AFGHANISTAN – The Trip

Afghanistan is a landlocked country of mountains and valleys in the heart of Asia.
Afghanistan has been the centre of many powerful empires for the past 2,000 years. However, in the last 40 years the country has been in chaos due to major wars—from the Soviet invasion of 1979 to their withdrawal in 1989 and from warlordism to the removal of the Taliban in 2001 and the ensuing US/NATO invasion. Economically, Afghanistan is considered poor compared to many other nations of the world. The country is going through a nationwide rebuilding process.
Afghanistan has been in the news since the late 1970s for all the wrong reasons. While visiting has not been advisable for several years, it has much to offer the intrepid traveller. But even the more adventurous should consider looking elsewhere for thrill-seeking.
Tourism is a small industry in Afghanistan due to security issues. 20,000 foreign tourists visited annually as of 2016. In particular an important region for domestic and international tourism is the picturesque Bamyan Valley, which includes lakes, canyons and historical sites, helped by the fact it is in a safe area away from insurgent activity. The Taliban destroyed most of the ancient 6th century Buddhist sculptures of Bamiyan in a cultural crime that outraged the world. Today, what remains in the Bamiyan valley is the silencing and still worthwhile sight of the empty niches. The salvaged pieces of what were once the largest statues of their kind in the world continue to provide a fascinating insight in the history of this place.
Smaller numbers visit and trek in regions such as the Wakhan Valley, which is also one of the world’s most remote communities. Ghazni, Bamyan, Herat, Kandahar, Balkh, and Zaranj are all very historic.
Band-e Amir National Park, with its six interlinked lakes, is perhaps the finest natural attraction. At an altitude of 2900 meters, the blue waters and sandy mountain sides. Near Bamiyan.
Excellent mosques are to be found all around, with particularly grand examples in Mazar-i-Sharif and in the rapidly developing Herat.
The Minaret of Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the Hari River valley, it is well off the beaten path – possible as a roundtrip from Herat or when traversing the Central Route from Herat to Kabul.
Since the Taliban took control in 2022, Afghanistan is now safer than ever. Travellers are travelling solo with no guides and going to places previously off-limits. You can cross the border from Tajikistan, Iran and Pakistan by land – Peshawar-Jalalabad (Torkham border), Tajikistan to Afghanistan (Sheer Khan Bander border), and Mashhad-Herat (Dogharon border). You can enter by flight from Iran (Tehran, Mashad), Turkey (Istanbul) and Dubai. You can get a visa in all those places, some require an invitation letter while some do not. There is not any restrictions or discrimination for any type of passport holders

Capital. Kabul 34°31′N 69°11′E
Languages. Pashto, Dari
Ethnic groups. 42% Pashtun, 27% Tajik, 9% Hazara, 9% Uzbek, 4% Aimaq, 3% Turkmen, 2% Baloch, 4% Others
Currency. Afghan afghani (AFN)
Population. 36.6 million (2020)
Country Code. +93
Ethnic Groups. 42% Pashtun, 27% Tajik, 9% Hazara, 9% Uzbek, 4% Aimaq, 3% Turkmen, 2% Baloch, 4% others.
Religion. 99% Islam (official), 1% other
Area. 652,867 km² (252,073 sq mi) (40th)
Population. 652,867^[19] km² (252,073 sq mi) (40th). Density 48.08/km² (124.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP). $81.007 billion. Per capita $2,459
GDP ( Nominal). $20.136 billion. Per capita $611
HDI. 0.478 low · 180th
Driving side. Right
Calling code. +63

English spellings of Afghan place names vary. For example, Q may replace K as in Qandahar or Qunduz. Kunduz will be seen spelled as Konduz, Qunduz, Qundoz, Qundoze and variations on these. Bamiyan is often spelled as Bamian or Bamyan. Khowst may be spelt as Khost.

SIM Roshan or Afghan Wireless. 
Climate. Temperatures in the central highlands are below freezing for most of the winter, and snow is common at higher elevations. Summertime highs in lower elevations (such as Jalalabad or Mazar-e Sharif) can exceed 50°C/120°F. In higher areas such as Kabul, summer temperatures can be 30°C/90°F and winter around 0°C/30°F. The most pleasant weather in Kabul is during April, May and September.
Terrain. Mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest. The Hindu Kush mountains run northeast to southwest, dividing the northern provinces from the rest of the country, with the highest peaks found in the northern Wakhan Corridor. South of Kandahar is desert.
The lowest point is Amu Darya at 258 m, and the highest is Nowshak at 7,485 m.
Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan to the south and east, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the north. There is a short border with China to the far northeast, but in extremely inaccessible terrain.

INFORMATION
Do your research and know the risks involved. Study the history. Read about the geopolitical situation. Make sure your money goes directly to the local people. It is a very difficult country to travel to. Many moments of boredom. Embrace that too. Afghans are used to this.
No women in photos. Since the TLB took over, many of their individual rights to employment, education, and public spaces were removed. Women in Afghanistan are supposed to stay home unless they are out with their husbands or with family or go to the bazaar. Sadly, the only ones encountered are beggars on the street. Except for those who work at the airport, Afghan women are not allowed to speak to strangers or be photographed. It’s a male-dominated society and many tourists do not interact with a single woman during their entire trip.
Most tourists have no issues with the TLB but make sure have the proper documentation in order, are always with a guide, and never go anywhere where your security would be at risk. Respect their religion and traditions – very conservative and once in Pashtun areas such as Helmand and Kandahar multiply that by ten. Keep political opinions to yourself, keep a very low profile, dress like a local, and asked for permission before taking photos. Most people avoid eastern Afghanistan (where the threat of ISIS-K is still large) and follow your guides’ advice. Whatever you do, don’t lose your passport!

VISA
Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. 80 USD (they give change) + $50 for a same day rush fee. Americans 210 US$. First thing in the morning, one easily gets an interview with the consul. Speak to the security guard, say you are a foreigner applying for a visa, and you will be escorted downstairs directly to the Consul’s office. You do not need a fixer. Visa two days later (or in the past 4-5 days), or same day if show your flight is same day. 2 passport photos. Show passport and flight ticket prior to entering the embassy. Make sure to check your passport number as they have been known to put the wrong one on the visa.
Mr. Saddam Hussein (+92 317 5031284) works at the embassy, will meet you at the front and walk through the process. Takes 3.5 hours even with arriving at the opening time of 9am. Phones are not allowed inside.
Peshawar: $100. Cheapest and fastest – can take 5 minutes. Don’t need a guide to help get your visa in Peshawar (at a fee).

TOURIST PERMITS
Ministry and Culture and Information in Kabul to secure permits (look up “Deh afghanan,zirzameni, ده افغانان، زیرزمینی” on Google maps.
Permits in the past could be obtained before arrival in the country by sending the guide a copy of your passport and Afghan visa (often just a day before arrival), so when you arrive in Kabul, all permits for the cities you plan to visit are done and you do not have to make any personal appearance. But this is no longer possible. According to Afghan Tour, all tourists now need to make a personal appearance at their offices.
They won’t issue a permit if you don’t have a guide. If you show up at Afghan Tour without a guide, they will ask you a lot of questions (why? etc.) and will put one of their guide’s names on the permit which you probably have to hire so it is best to bring your own.
If doing on your own, go to Afghan Tour, the department under the Ministry responsible for issuing all permits. Need a separate permit to visit every region in Afghanistan (except for Kabul). All permits cost 1000 AFS (US$ 12). For 5 different regions, 6000 AFS. The process is bureaucratic, so make sure you have a translator or a guide with you when you show up at Afghan Tour. Staff barely speak English. Guide does all the work while you wait – drafting the request for permit, stops in many offices, getting signatures, paying at the bank (they don’t accept cash at the ministry).
The permits need to have the name of your guide. If you are using a different guide for every city (which is highly recommended), it’s not a problem. You can initially put the name of the Kabul guide on all the permits and change the name when you arrive in a new city.
How long it will take to get the permits varies. You may have to go twice (once in the beginning of the trip, and another towards the end for a new permit for Bamiyan). The first time took a whole day (the head of Afghan Tour may want to interview you before giving the permits) and the second time it took three hours. Regardless, make sure you show up first thing in the morning. They are closed on Fridays.

REGISTRATION. Once you arrive in a new city (Kabul, Mazar, Bamyan, Herat, Kandahar), you have to register at the local Ministry of Culture and Information office. Do not skip this step, as you will be given an entirely new permit with signatures and only then will you be able to go around the region as a tourist. If you don’t register, you will be detained and not able to move.
Your guide should accompany you to this. It’s straightforward but time-consuming – Mazar 15 minutes, Herat 45 minutes. Depends on how busy the person in charge is. If you are using a new guide upon arrival in a city, make sure he comes with you so they can change the name. Friday closed.

ITINERARY
Day 1 Arrive from Peshawar.
ON Kyber Hotel
Day 2 Permits. See Kabul.
Bibi Mahru hill (view of entire city), Gardens of Babur, Chicken Street, Kabul Bird Market, Shah-e Doh Shamshira Mosque, Sakhi Shrine, National Museum.

NORTH
Day 3 Fly Kabul to Mazar e Sharif, the largest city in north Afghanistan ON Rahat: 1700 afs/night
Day 4 Ancient Balkh drive – the birthplace of Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism – and Rumi, the legendary Persian poet.
Haji Piyada Mosque, Tomb of Rabia Balkhi, a semi-legendary Persian author, Khoja Parsa Mosque, Bala Hisar, the ancient citadel built by Alexander the Great when he destroyed the Kurush Empire and crossed Amu Darya in 330. PM return to Mazar
Mazur. Mosque of Ali – spectacular blue mosque. Many locals believe this is the site of the tomb of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad.
ON Mazar
Day 5 Drive Mazar-e-Sharif – Samangan – Bamyan.
Stupa of Rustam, Haibak District, Samangan. 1500-year-old complex with a huge Buddhist stupa carved out of the bedrock + many Buddhist caves.
Cross Salang Pass, never-ending switchbacks built by the Soviets. Pass through Ghoband ON Bamyan Noor Band Qala hotel. Decent. 1,500 Af/night (across the river 5-minute walk from the bus station; Highland Hotel 900 Af/night; Golghola Hotel]

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
Day 6. Bamyan ethnic Hazara heartland and one of the most peaceful and progressive parts of the country.
Buddha Niches of Bamyan. Where the two great 6th-century Buddha statues used to stand and were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. Remnants and wall paintings remain>
City of Screams – 13^th century conquered by Genghis Khan after months of resistance.
Darre Ajdaha Dragon Valley. Bamyan bazaar.
Day 7 Band e Amir Lakes. Blue lakes in the country’s first NP. Six deep blue, lapis lazuli-coloured lakes separated by natural dams made of travertine. Can walk around the lakes, hike up to several viewpoints, and boat, and shisha lounges. Bamyan to Band-e-amir no bus, taxi 2000 AFN.
ON Band-e-mir
GH Guide Mazar/Bamiyan: Obaid Ullah Salar (WhatsApp +93778426816) – speaks English, Pashto and Persian
Day 8. Overland to Minaret of Jam. This mountainous road is usually closed until early May because of snow.
Past Ghor/Bamyan road is extremely remote and sparsely populated. It’s marked on lots of European maps etc, but it simply isn’t a route used for traffic. Road conditions are very very poor and you will be very very alone! Banditry is actually a concern in the central highlands.  The red route is for adventurous people who have an extreme amount of time.
Band e Amir to Mazar is not really a road!
Herat to Mazar – 70% asphalted highway but 30% in the middle from Qala e naw to Ghormach is bad as cross a desert.
Band-e-mir to Yakawlang. shared taxi?
Yakawlang to Lal. visit Chehel Burj (Forty Tower Fort) between the Baba Mountains and Betab Lake, a stark landscape. Road to Chaghcharan – very hard, unpaved for 700km. No local transportation. Hitchhike. Several mountain passes above 3500 meters – one day for 100km. Stuck countless times, beautiful. Lal ON chai khana. a tea house.
Lal to Chagcharan, capital of Ghor Province. Medium. Hitchhike. 4-hour Chagcharan ON chai khana.
Chakhcharan to Minaret of Jam. to the Minaret. Use daily minibuses going to Herat (20 hours), Very rough road, with no space to Herat, tiny minibus.
Day 9. Drive through the remote mountains of Ghor province for 10 hours to Minaret of Jam (easy, rough, no direct transportation, pay for the whole ride to Herat and get off at the Jam intersection). Built by Ghiyath ud-Din in the 12^th-13^th centuries. The Ghurids controlled Afghanistan, eastern Iran, Central Asia, northern India and parts of Pakistan. Victory tower declaring the power of Islam.
ON near minaret.
Day 10. Minaret of Jam to Herat. Worst road of trip, 10 hours until last hour
ON Herat. Amiri Hotel – new, good 2,000 Af / night. T+93 79 256 1515; Bustan Hotel; Esteqlal Hotel; Tejarat: 3500 afs/night
Guide Herat: Ehsan Rahmatian (WhatsApp +93796626164) – speaks English and Persian
Day 11. Herat. Tomb of Goharshad, Minarets of Herat, Musallah Complex (Mosque and Madrassa of Gawharshad dynamited by the British Indian Army in 1885 to prevent their use as a fortress if the Russian army tried to invade. Tomb and minarets still standing.
Shrine of Khoja Ansari at Gozar Gah, Herat Citadel reconstructed, Herat Bazaar. Lively old-style market Persian in culture, Friday Mosque.

SOUTH – PASHTUN HEARTLANDS
Day 12 Drive Herat to Kandahar. Drive south through the western desert, a Pashtun belt, through Nimroz and Farah provinces. Completely paved. See nomadic Kuchi settlements. 7-8 hours.
Kandahar bazaar
Mosque of the Cloak
Shrine of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of modern Afghanistan (these two are sacred representing the power of Islam / Pashtun and Afghanistan.
Day 13 Kandahar. Second largest city. Cultural home of Pashtun and Taliban movement.
Kandahar Museum. Rarely seen art, Shrine of Baba Durrani, Sarphosa Bazar, Mosque of the Cloak of the Prophet Mohammad. Cloak worn by him on his famous night journey. Locked away since 1996.
ON Kandahar
Day 14 Fly Kandahar / Kabul. If drive, pass through Zabol, Ghazni, and Maidan Wardak provinces. Ghazni great city with fort and 1000-year-old towers
ON Kabul

SAFETY
The Taliban are calm and friendly with foreigners, but they do not like the West, even Canada. Safe but are terrorizing people and causing serious issues in an otherwise peaceful country. Taliban are very reserved when interacting with women. Taliban seem to make up the rules as they go – so you may run into the wrong guy.
The Taliban feel hate and lack of respect for women. Leave your political opinions at home. Hard if not impossible to go from province to province without a local.
The evolution of risk and security is following a very similar pattern as the one that was in place before the Taliban took over. There are numerous foreigners in detention at one time. Cities: relatively safe. Countryside: relatively unsafe.
Southern Afghanistan – being a Taliban stronghold it was unsafe before but relatively safe now (e.g. Helmand) and is the safest area in the country right now. Totally reversed compared to 2 years ago and the only major change. The south is problematic for other reasons (Taliban-mafia-type issues) so you can easily get detained for a while and held without reason. The remote mountain areas of Nangarhar is where IS-K is known to operate.
Eastern Afghanistan: Was not ok (Jalalabad itself is fine but Kunar and Nangarhar provinces are where ISIS was the most active. In early 2024, ISIS has been well controlled and most have left the country.
North Afghanistan: it depends The Hazarajat is fine, as is most of the north and west.
Dress code: Men: local outfit is required (kameez). Women: abaya and hijab

GET IN
Immigration on arrival in Kabul: Fill in an arrival card and need a single passport photo.
Departure out of Kabul – traffic in Kabul is terrible so start your journey to the airport in good time. 4-5 baggage scans and 2 temperature checks.
Flights. From Islamabad on KAM air and out to Dubai on KAM air. 300 US$ each way.
Torkham border crossing from Peshwar. Open 7 days/week. Officially closes at 9 pm – the Pakistani side sometimes randomly closes a bit earlier.
Shared taxi from Peshawar bus station (University of Peshawar BRT Station #22 is closest to the hotel. Haji Camp Adda is the main bus station on the other side of Peshawar in the wrong direction) 1,000 Pakistani rupee. No issues getting to the border. Going from Torkham to Kabul 8-10 hours: may be questioned for two hours. 5+ checkpoints on the way to Kabul. Fewer hassles if you travel during the daytime and if you’re in a shared taxi/minibus. ISIS-K is present in this part of the country so travelling at night could be unsafe.

GET AROUND
If you take local transport, they check the papers of everyone on board.
Planes. Daily flights from Herat, Kandahar and Mazar to Kabul with Kam Air and Ariana. Price doesn’t vary based on demand or time of booking, and tickets rarely seem to sell out. Book through tourist agencies.
Shared taxis (faster but more likely to get stopped at checkpoints)
Buses. If doing everything by road, the infrastructure is so bad (potholes; traffic, roadblocks, checkpoints, more potholes), and flights reasonably cheap, that flying domestically is often best. The bus from Herat to Kandahar takes almost nine hours; Mazar to Herat by road takes almost 24 hours due to bad roads. The Northwestern Ring highway, in particular, is very bad. It is very uncomfortable, and you arrive at your destination tired. You have less time to see things.
Use taxis and private car hire for Mazar. In Herat everything is walkable. For trips to Helmand and Kandahar, your guide may have his own car.

Money. No issues changing US$/EUR in the cities. Prefer new 100 US$ bills, but 50 US$ bills are OK, but the rate changes. Struggle with smaller denominations. Credit cards don’t work.
Costs. Depends on if using local flights or share taxis and buses. As little as 80 US$/day to 400US$/day with Untamed Borders.
Accommodation. Price and quality of hotels vary a lot, and the two aren’t necessarily correlated. A lot of hotels mentioned online are also impossible to find on Google Maps, don’t have contact details listed and/or have shut down.
Couchsurfing works well to find locals, check people’s references, many locals use Couchsurfing as a way to get themselves known not as a place to stay.
Food. Good in Kabul and Mazar. chicken kebab, vegetarian dishes. Coffee is hard to find so bring a jar of instant. On long drives, food is not always available to buy on the side of the road.
Juma (Friday). All governmental offices close. Plan your registration on a Wednesday in case something goes wrong as they close at 12 on Thursdays.
Cameras. No Cameras at the two main blue shrines in Kabul and Mazar. The Taliban hold cameras. Use a tiny camera so as not to attract attention, for example, a Fuji x100v.

GUIDES
1. Local Guides. To focus on food, photography, and conversations with locals, go with a different guide for every city – get expert knowledge of each place from someone who lives there and knows their city/province well. Save on costs because the guides do not need to fly around the country with you, and don’t need to pay for their accommodation. Not stuck with a horrible guide for the duration of your stay. A lot more interesting, since you forge a connection and money goes directly to the guide. Many guides are paid very little by tour companies or middlemen even if they are the ones doing all the work.
When planning your trip, speak to the guides directly. Get references. Speak to other travellers. Many people are scammed. Local guides will completely understand what you want, make everything easier, and become friends.
Travelling independently without a guide is not recommended – TLB checkpoints are everywhere, and absolutely no way you can communicate with the soldiers. Throughout the country, you will struggle to find anyone who speaks English. Hire a guide. This is a very poor country, and that money can go a long way for them, and you will have a more enriching experience. Some trips are best experienced with locals, and this is one of them.
The standard rate is US$50-75 per day plus you pay for their meals and transport and accommodation and flights (if you’re spending the night outside of their home base).
Mazar/Bamiyan: Obaid Ullah Salar (WhatsApp +93778426816) – speaks English, Pashto and Persian
Helmand/Kandahar: Ehsan Khan (WhatsApp +93706950059) – speaks English, Pashto and Urdu
Herat: Ehsan Rahmatian (WhatsApp +93796626164) – speaks English and Persian

2.. Kausar Hussain has excellent recommendations. See more than just places – but, the ‘real’ Afghanistan, its people. (WA: +923176852226). Nawruz Q may do the guiding (WA: +93795541855).
3. Mzungu Expeditions and Safi Usmani to visit Wakhan. Safi lives in Ishkashim.
4. Sardar Samim from Let’s Be Friends Afghanistan. Good recommendations.
$2375 each, including all internal flights, hotels, and most meals.
5. Untamed Borders (Note; to be discouraged as they use a “middle man” that charges astronomical amounts – and then they quote $2,800-$4,200 for 10 days! Many of these guides are “owned” by those who don’t speak fluent Pashto and are themselves afraid of interacting with the Taliban. They may be unfamiliar with certain areas, especially Kandahar and Helmand. A photographer was charged over $4k and was then told after arriving he would only be allowed to use his phone to take photos.
a. Afghanistan In 9 Days $2800
A 9-day trip to the highlights of Afghanistan. Starting and finishing in Kabul this trip includes:
Bamian in the Central Highlands of Afghanistan, home of the remains of the destroyed Buddha niches and the lakes of Band e Amir.
North – the ancient city of Balkh and the new city of Mazar e Sharif with its impressive and photogenic blue shrine of Hazrat Ali – Witness the pilgrims at the shrine
Winter – try to watch Buzkashi, the Afghan sport played on horseback with a dead goat as a ball.
Cross Salang Sass back to Kabul. A great introduction to the country.
Start Point: Islamabad, Pakistan. End Point:  Kabul. Maximum number of people: 10
b. Afghanistan Central Route. $4500
An immersive exploration of Central and Southern Afghanistan. This 2000km road trip gives the visitor an insight into both the rural life of the Central highlands of Afghanistan and the rarely visited Pashtun heartlands of the south of the country.
Start in Kabul before taking the bone-jarring Central route to Herat. En route stop at Bamian to see the remains of the Buddhas, the lakes of Band e Amir and camp under the iconic Minaret of Jam. Pause in Herat, the most architecturally complete city in Afghanistan. Then we follow the southern road to explore the Pashtun heartlands of Ghazni, Kandahar and Helmand – stopping at the ancient city of Bost in Helmand, the ancient Afghan capital of Kandahar and the great city of Ghazni with its fort and 1000-year-old towers.
The majority of these regions have been impossible to visit for two decades due to security concerns.
Start Point: Islamabad, Pakistan. End Point: Kabul. Maximum number of people: 10

INFORMATION
1. Emma Witters spent 2 months in total in Afghanistan on 3 separate trips from August to November 2022 and is now not sure how comfortable she would feel walking around Kabul alone as she did then. https://youtube.com/playlist…
2. https://www.afintl.com/en/202303072339
3. https://www.palladiummag.com/…/the-west-lives-on-in…/
The West Lives On in the Taliban’s Afghanistan
4. Arabnews.com https://www.arabnews.com/node/2265201/amp.
5. FB groups:

SOME SAMPLE TRIPS
1. Itinerary
Fly Islamabad to Kabul
Day 1-2: Kabul. Golden Star Hotel: good quality, spacious, central, friendly staff speak English. Price: 3,000 Af. Location and contact details on Google Maps is correct
Day 3: Fly Kabul – Mar-e-Sharif. Visit Balkh. Overnight in Mazar
Day 3: Overland Mazar-e-Sharif – Samangan – Bamyan
Drive to Bamiyan. October or later, pack winter clothes. there was snow on the ground on the way to Band-e-ir. Minaret of jam too much snow at this time of the year.
Day 4-6: Bamiyan & Band-e-Amir. Bamiyan: Noor Band Qala hotel. Decent. 1,500 Af/night for a single room. Across the river 5 5-minute walk from the bus station. Google Maps is correct. Highland Hotel 900 Af/night
Day 7: Overland to Kabul
Day 7-8: Kabul
Day 9: Fly to Herat. Hotel: Amiri Hotel – new hotel, comfortable, good location, friendly staff, 2,000 Af / night +93 79 256 1515
Day 10: Herat-Kandahar. Drive on good highway.
Day 11: Kandahar. Hotel: few good options. Etimad hotel opposite the Noor Jahan hotel. Bad value for money at 2,000 Af / 24 hours. Try couchsurfing.
Day 12: Kandahar – Kabul. Overnight in Kabul
Day 13: Fly out

2. Kit Reyes – Three weeks in Afghanistan Feb-March 2023. Kabul – Mazar-i-Sharif – Herat – Helmand – Kandahar – Bamiyan – all using internal flights except for a public bus from Herat to Kandahar and a car hire to Bamiyan from Kabul
1850 USD for 20 days, solo traveler. Stayed in hotels and guest houses, and ate well. Used a different local guide for every Afghan city/region. Beautiful photos.

3, Wakhan Corridor is spectacular especially the Kyrgyz people high in the mountains a highlight. 4×4 drive all the way to Lake Chaqmatin. The guide recommended is the ‘super pro’ for the Wakhan, Malang Darya from ‘Big and Little Parmir Travel’ (+93 79 476 6067). He is the first Afghan to climb the country’s highest mountain, he is hugely loved and respected in the area and travelling with him with no doubt opened doors. Bring all the cash you need as ATMs are rare. An absolute minimum is 8 days otherwise just drive back and forth and for acclimatization. If you need ‘basic comforts’, this may not be the right destination, for adventurers heaven on earth. The weather was perfect bright blue skies in the daytime, a bit of light snowfall here& there, and nights cool but not uncomfortably cold. we drove with

STORIES
1. In August 2022, a Brit went with a local outside Kabul and was taking photos of something, apparently enough to raise suspicion and was detained by the Taliban. Originally there was worry that ISIS had him, but it was the Taliban. Miles became known for going to “dangerous” places on his own for fun and certainly would not have gone with a tour agency. He spoke a few weeks before of planning to hike from Afghanistan to China “which hasn’t been done since 1947” in his own words. He posts regularly on his Twitter account @real_lord_miles
He was always going off doing crazy things alone. All the UK newspapers criticized him as the army had to rescue him.
2. Kabul and Bamyan. No issues and felt safe the whole time. Just arrived to Balkh, this is where both blasts occurred last week, there does seem to be additional security and checkpoints vs before according to my guide, but life seems to be going on normal. I’ve attended Friday prayer and the Buzkashi game, with big crowds in both locations.
3. 8 days Bamyan, Bandar lake, Mazar Sharif and Balkh. Felt very safe with extra security in Balkh. Took pictures with the Taliban, had conversations, and some even asked me my Facebook contact. People are very friendly and welcoming. Never had any issue. Wearing local clothes all the time, being careful. and respectful to local people. The many checkpoints guarantee extra safety to all.
4. Three weeks with zero issues, felt safe, and had a great time. Made sure I had trustworthy, vetted guides with me all the time, secured the proper documentation, and never ventured anywhere considered high-risk.

Experiences
Experience Buzkashi is a Central Asian sport in which horse-mounted players attempt to place a goat or calf carcass in a goal. Similar games are known as kokpar, kupkari, and ulak tartysh in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, and as kökbörü and gökbörü in Turkey, where it is played mainly by communities originally from Central Asia.
Jeshyn-Afghan Day, Afghanistan’s Independence Day is not a typical commemoration of freedom from a colonial power. Instead, this day is celebrated every year on August 19 to observe the Treaty of Rawalpindi which was signed in 1919 between Britain and Afghanistan. The treaty restored complete sovereignty to the country. The presidential address to the nation, the military parade, and a display of the country’s national costumes are some of the activities that mark the celebrations of Independence Day.
Play/hear rubab is a lute-like musical instrument originating from Afghanistan and a national musical instrument inhabited by the Pashtun and Baloch people. It proliferated throughout West, Central, South and Southeast Asia. It derives its name from the Arabicrebab ‘played with a bow’; in Central Asia, however, the instrument is plucked and is distinctly different in construction.

NORTHEAST (Kabul, Nuristan, Badakhshan, Takhar, Parwan)

Cities of Asia and Oceania
JALALABAD. In the east, between Kabul and the Khyber Pass
TALOQAN  
KABUL
Kabul has been the capital of Afghanistan since about 1776. The city was badly damaged during the various 1979–2001 wars, particularly its western parts. For a few years, Kabul has been going through a period of reconstruction and development, with some modern-style tower blocks and a handful of glitzy shopping malls appearing. Many roads, particularly the main feeder routes, have been reconstructed and upgraded. However, in outlying areas, roads and other infrastructure remain in poor condition. Electricity supplies in Kabul are now quite reliable.
Seeing downtown Kabul is relatively compact and walkable – a good option in the spring and fall – summers bring intolerable heat and dust, whilst winters bring snow and mud. Pavements are few, and you need to keep your wits about you when crossing roads.
Wazar Akbar Khan and Taimani (to a restaurant, etc.) is fine day or night. Central Kabul at night is walkable but be sure you know where you are going, and how to get back to your guesthouse. Given the volatile security situation always be aware of any demonstrations, gathering crowds, etc., which could spiral out of control quickly. Keep a low profile, wear simple clothes and (for women), cover your hair with a scarf or shawl. It is also wise to vary your routes frequently to reduce the threat of kidnapping. People are generally helpful and polite if you ask for directions.
Be wary walking around traditional residential areas (e.g., near the city wall). Conservative Afghans are suspicious of anyone snooping around their house, and children may throw stones or set their dog on you.
Kabul Airport (KBL)
Bagh-e Babur. Tentative WHS (02/11/2009). (Garden of Babur) is a historic park in Kabul and the final resting place of the first Mughal emperor Babur. The garden is thought to have been developed around 1528 AD (935 AH) when Babur gave orders for the construction of an “avenue garden” in Kabul, described in some detail in his memoirs, the Baburnama.
It was the tradition of Mughal princes to develop sites for recreation and pleasure. In 1607 AD, all gardens in Kabul had walls. A prayer platform was laid in front of Babur’s grave, and an inscribed headstone was placed at its head. Shah Jahan in 1638 built a mosque and a stone water channel that ran between an avenue of trees from the terrace below the mosque, with pools at certain intervals.
Historically, the gardens have been visited by Afghans for picnics and lazy afternoons. There is a swimming pool, a small mosque for prayers and a small museum.
National Museum of Afghanistan. (Several miles from the city centre, across from Darulaman Palace). It once housed one of the greatest collections of Central Asian artifacts in the world. A large percentage was looted in the 1990s during Taliban rule after the upper floors of the museum were bombed. Many of the early Buddhist treasures were destroyed by the Taliban at the same time as the Bamiyan Buddhas. Looted items still turn up around the world at auctions. The museum is open once again, with far more modest, but still impressive, displays of early Buddhist and Islamic artifacts. 
OMAR Mine Museum. 
Darul Aman Palace (at the end of Daral Aman Rd, south of the city, next to the Kabul Museum). Built as King Amanullah’s Palace in the 1920s, it has been destroyed and rebuilt a few times over. By 2019, restoration works had been largely completed on the palace, which suffered massive damage during the 1990s civil war.
Tajbeg Palace. Not to be confused with Darul Aman, this palace was also built in 1920 to house the Royal family. 
Abdul Rahman Mosque
Shah-e Doh Shamshira Mosque
Kabul Zoo. Very popular with Afghans, with over 100 animals in relatively poor condition. China was once one of the main donors of animals in the zoo, but after the death of a few animals to disease and malnutrition, China has announced that there will be no donations until living conditions improve. 
Bacha Broot. Kabul’s oldest restaurant serves delicious chainaki — traditional lamb stew — for over 70 years. Named after the original owner who had peculiar facial hair, is from the Dari, meaning “boy with a mustache.” Very little has changed inside. The claustrophobic stairs, the sparse interior, the tiny door easily missed in the maze-like bazaar. Chainaki — lamb on the bone, split peas, and onions cooked for four hours in tiny teapots.
To get to Bacha Broot, one must first walk past the old Pul e Khishti mosque. After the mosque, the bird cages appear. Take a right by the man selling roosters the size of a four-year-old child, step into a narrow lane, and enter a different world. The bazaar is an assault on all five senses and is packed at any time of the day. After the carpet shops, there is a tiny blue doorway, with a sign reading: “The best chainaki from goat meat.” Climb stairs, two rooms: one for women and one for men. Faridoon Bacha Broot, 37, one of the three brothers now in charge of their father’s business.
We make about two hundred servings of chainaki every day,” Wahidullah says. “We cut the meat, cook it, and distribute it in these teapots, naan, a traditional flatbread, and doogh, a savory yogurt drink.
Ka Faroshi Bird Market – Where Bacha Broot is. 
Pul-e Khishti Bazaar – there are many markets near the mosque – Bird Market, Kabul Market and Pashtun Market.
Chicken Street. The one street that’s a must-see – only two blocks long, this shabby lane full of competing aromas, lined with shops selling jewelry, antiques, knickknacks, artworks and, especially, Oriental rugs, has been a magnet for generations of foreign visitors looking for Afghan exotica. For decades, the only thing missing has been chickens.
Now it is also missing foreigners. Customers of any sort are thin on the ground. On some days it’s so bad, that even the beggars don’t bother to come to work, and the touts scarcely stir from their stoops. As with so much in Kabul today, the security situation is to blame. A steady spate of ever-worsening suicide bombings, a lack of faith in a corrupt police force, kidnappers, and rampant crime have done to Chicken Street what a Russian invasion, decades of civil war and even urban combat could not do — driven shoppers away.
Most foreign employers have banned their employees from shopping there. Security issues are causing many businesses to close. The range of merchandise remains eclectic and sometimes disturbing. Snow leopard pelt, flintlock rifles, camel saddlebags, kilims, suzanis, chain mail shirts and Tartar helmets. Almost anything can be found carved from lapis lazuli, a semiprecious, deep blue gemstone native to Afghanistan.
Outside, the mouthwatering smell of kebabs grilling mingles with the odour of raw waste running down open sewers. Chicken Street’s boom occurred right after the American-led invasion in 2001 and many tiny shops were replaced with multistoried emporiums, homes to dozens of shops each. But they didn’t build new sewers.

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CENTRAL AFGHANISTAN (Bamiyan, Sari Pol, Ghor, Dai Kundy, Uruzgan, Wardak)

Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley. World Heritage Site. From the 1st to the 13th centuries, the Gandhara school of Buddhist art developed in ancient Bakhtria with Indian, Hellenistic, Roman, Sasanian and Islamic influences. The area contains numerous Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries and fortified edifices from the Islamic period. The site is also testimony to the tragic destruction by the Taliban of the two standing Buddha statues, which shook the world in March 2001.
Enclosed between the high mountains of the Hindu Kush in the central highlands of Afghanistan, the Bamiyan Valley opens out into a large basin bordered to the north by a long, high stretch of rocky cliffs. Eight separate sites exist.
1. Carved into the Bamiyan Cliffs are the two niches of the giant Buddha statues (55m and 38m high) destroyed by the Taliban in 2001, and numerous caves forming a large ensemble of Buddhist monasteries, chapels and sanctuaries along the foothills of the valley dating from the 3rd to the 5th century C.E. In several of the caves and niches, often linked by galleries, there are remains of wall paintings and seated Buddha figures.
2. Kakrak Valley Caves, some 3km south-east of the Bamiyan Cliffs where among the more than one hundred caves dating from the 6th to 13th centuries are fragments of a 10m tall standing Buddha figure and a sanctuary with painted decorations from the Sasanian period..
3. Along the Fuladi valley around 2km southwest of the Bamiyan Cliffs are the caves of Qoul-i Akram and 4. Lalai Ghami also contains decorative features.
5. Shahr-i Ghulghulah. In the centre of the valley basin to the south of the great cliff are the remains of this fortress. Dating from the 6th to 10th centuries CE, this marks the original settlement of Bamiyan as a stopping place on the branch of the Silk Route, which linked China and India via ancient Bactria.
6. Further to the east along the Bamiyan Valley are the remains of fortification walls and settlements, dating from the 6th to 8th centuries at Qallai Kaphari A and B
7. Further east still (around 15km east of the Bamiyan Cliffs) at Shahr-i Zuhak, where the earlier remains are overlaid by developments of the 10th to 13th centuries under the rule of the Islamic Ghaznavid and Ghorid dynasties.

Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam. World Heritage Site. The 65m-tall Minaret of Jam is a graceful, soaring structure, dating back to the 12th century. Covered in elaborate brickwork with a blue tile inscription at the top, it is noteworthy for the quality of its architecture and decoration, which represent the culmination of an architectural and artistic tradition in this region. Its impact is heightened by its dramatic setting, a deep river valley between towering mountains in the heart of the Ghur province.

At 1,900 m above sea level and far from any town, the Minaret of Jam rises within a rugged valley along the Hari-rud River at its junction with the river Jam around 215 km east of Herat. Rising to 65m from a 9m diameter octagonal base, its four superimposed, tapering cylindrical shafts are constructed from fired bricks. The Minaret is completely covered with geometric decoration in relief enhanced with a Kufic inscription in turquoise tiles. Built-in 1194 by the great Ghurid Sultan Ghiyas-od-din (1153-1203), its emplacement probably marks the site of the ancient city of Firuzkuh, believed to have been the summer capital of the Ghurid dynasty.
Surrounding remains include a group of stones with Hebrew inscriptions from the 11th to 12th centuries on the Kushkak hill, and vestiges of castles and towers of the Ghurid settlements on the banks of the Hari River as well as to the east of the Minaret.

Band-E-Amir National Park. Tentative WHS: (08/09/2004). Is the first national park of Afghanistan. It is a stunning group of five turquoise lakes in the Eastern zone of the country, in Bamyan Province. It sits high in the Hindu Kush at an altitude of 2900m, and about 6,000 local tourists visit the site each year. Very remote and desolate, they are most easily visited from Bamiyan. Shared minivans leave in the high season on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning and cost 150 Af. Otherwise, take a minivan towards Yakawlang (200 Af) and get off at the turn-off to the lakes. From there it’s a 3-hour hot walk… bring some water.
Private hire minivans are also available (3 hours) and should cost 2000-2500 Af, but you will have to bargain very hard for this price. You could also negotiate an overnight stay into the price for a little extra. Don’t be shy to ask them to stop for pics en route to the lakes, the scenery is stunning.
All services at the lakes close up around mid-November and reopen around March. Walking is pretty much the only way to get around the area once you arrive
If staying overnight, try to be up on the road at the top of Band-e Haibat at sunrise (in October the ideal time was 06:00) for some great views and, if the water is calm, some gorgeous reflections of the surrounding mountains in the lake. A trail from behind Hotel de Reves leads up the hill, and a 20-minute walk brings you to some stunning views of 2 more of the lakes.
The small mosque-like tomb of Amir looks over Band-e Haibat, and unfortunately, there are 5 tacky swans, peddle boats available for rent here… a good opportunity to ruin the beautiful reflections in the lake.
Behind the tomb of Amir is a women’s beach, with a hut built half into the water, allowing women to enjoy a bath in the lake covered by curious views. Taking a bath in the lake is said to cure diseases (though a lot of rubbish in and around the lake may lead one to fear the opposite).
Hotel de Reves (dream hotel). ambitiously named, has 3 very basic dirty rooms. A more private room is also just mats on the floor, most people prefer the much warmer main room at Dir.
Land mines used to be prevalent around this area, especially along the road that leads in from Bamiyan. Most have been cleared, but to be safe anyway, stick to well-worn paths, and don’t stray more than a couple of feet from the main access road.

OTHER DESTINATIONS
Shahr-i-Zuhak. Vestiges of the Past. (Zuhak City or the Red City), is a historic city ruin (foundations dating back to the 6th century) in Bamyan which was once home to 3,000 people. This city used to be a primary defence for the basin. The citadel was destroyed by Genghis Khan. Built by the Ghorids, they stand on f. Genghis Khan’s grandson was killed here, bringing down his murderous fury on the whole Bamiyan valley as a result.
The imposing ruins guard the entrance to the Bamiyan valley, perched high on the cliffs at the confluence of the Bamiyan and Kalu rivers. The towers of the citadel are some of the most dramatic in Afghanistan. Made of mud-brick on stone foundations, they wrap around the side of the cliff, with geometric patterns built into their crenellations for decoration. The towers had no doors but were accessed by ladders that the defenders pulled up behind them. Passing the towers, a path leads up through a rock tunnel and the main gateway of the fortress, before switching back up the hill, past ruined barracks and storerooms. A rusting anti-aircraft gun and abandoned soldier’s post-market the summit. The views over the confluence of the two rivers are awesome, with their thin strips of cultivated green providing a stark contrast to the dry pink and tan of the mountains. The location’s strategic value is immediately apparent, and the heights are seemingly impregnable to all except Genghis.
Shahr-e Zohak is around 9km from Bamiyan. To get there take any westbound transport out of Bamiyan. As the confluence of the Bamiyan and Kalu rivers is where the roads from the Shibar and Hajigak Passes meet, any transport should be able to drop you there. Ask to be let out at Tupchi village (Afg40, 25 minutes) or the checkpoint at Shashpul half a kilometre after it, which is next to the confluence. The soldiers here will check you have a ticket from the Director of Information and Culture in Bamiyan. From here, walk about 1km following the Kalu, until you can see a simple wood-and-earth bridge, roughly level with the last of the citadel’s towers (if your vehicle is going in the Hajigak Pass direction – the nearest villages to ask for are Dahane Khushkak, Paymuri or Sawzaw – you can be dropped at this point). A short walk along the edge of a field brings you to a pass leading up to the towers.
Qarah Khaval: Bande Pitaw Wildlife Refuge
Bamyan province south ‘panhandle’ (Waras). M@P
Hazaras. Indigenous Peoples. Possibly of Mongol descent living primarily in mountainous central Afghanistan, with smaller numbers in neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. The exact number of Ḥazāra is unknown—estimates vary wildly—but likely exceeds several million.
Western Ḥazāra inhabits the northern foothills of the Sefīd Kūh (Paropamisus) Mountains and a group on the border of Iran—known as Ḥazāra in Iran and as Taimuri, or Timuri, in Afghanistan. The Western Ḥazāra are Sunni Muslims and speak dialects of Persian. Many of them were still nomadic or seminomadic in the late 20th century. Some spend their summers in felt-covered conical tents.
Eastern Ḥazāra, inhabit Hazārajāt with communities in Iran and Baluchistan (Pakistan). Although Ḥazārajāt is located in the heart of the country, its high mountains and poor communication facilities make it the most isolated part of Afghanistan.
They speak an eastern variety of Persian called Hazaragi with many Mongolian and Turkic words. Most of them are Shiʿi Muslims of the Twelver faith. They live in fortified villages of flat-roofed houses of stone or mud built wall-to-wall around a central courtyard, overlooking the narrow valleys in which they cultivate rotating crops of barley, wheat, and legumes as well as various fruits and cucumbers. The vast treeless mountains that dominate the landscape are used chiefly for pasturing sheep.
The Ḥazāra were largely autonomous until the 1890s when they were forcefully and brutally integrated into the Afghan state by the armies of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Khān. Since then they have faced significant marginalization, persecution, and displacement.
Because of the scarcity of land, however, many have migrated to other parts of the country.
The music of the Ḥazāras includes vocal effects produced by striking the throat while singing, causing a break in the sound, and Balochi music also features a broken-voice style.…++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

City of Balkh (antique Bactria) Tentative WHS (17/08/2004). Comprises a large urban site of 11 square kilometres, west of Mazar I Sharif, and about 46 miles south of the Amu Darya (Oxus) river whose course ran close to the city in antiquity.
The foundation of the city of Paktra, later known as Bactria is ascribed to Kaiomars, and at an early date it was said to have rivalled urban centres such as Babylon. For a long period, Bactria was the spiritual centre for the Zoroastrian religion, as well as having a rich temple to the goddess Anahita. Accounts of visitors in the 7th century AD indicate the existence of a significant number of Buddhist monasteries, stupas and other monuments in the city. Subsequent accounts from the 10th century AD indicate that the city was ringed with earthen walls, with six gates, within which was a fine citadel and a mosque. The city became a centre for education, and in 980 AD the philosopher-scientist Ibn Sina was born in Balkh, as was the poet Ferdowsi. Its reputation as a place of learning persisted, judging by accounts of travellers in the 12th century AD, who describe a range of educational establishments, as well as its importance as a trading centre for the region, with links to India and China. Despite the fact that the city was sacked by Jenghiz Khan in 1220, when the inhabitants were said to have been slaughtered and all buildings levelled, and again by Timur in the 14th century, the traveller Marco Polo described Balkh a century later as a “noble city and great”.
Today, the traces of Balkh’s earthen walls can still be seen over a length of some 10 kilometres, to the north of which lies a secondary fortified area, the Balu Hisar. Remains that survive within this walled enclosure include Tepe Zargaran, an artificial mound with levels dating from at least the 2nd century AD, the tiled Timurid shrine of Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa, which dates from 1460/1 and the 17th-century Madrasa of Sayyid Sudhan Quli Khan, of which one iwan with tiled decoration survives.
Outside of the walled city enclosure, buildings of the Buddhist period seem to have proved more durable than those of the Islamic era, with the remains of Tahkti-Rustam, the ruins of a Buddhist monastery of Nau Bahar and the associated stupa of Tepe Rustam, of which an earth-brick base of some 40 metres in diameter survives. To the north-east lie traces of extensive gardens, in which there was a large caravanserai.
Some 3 kilometres to the south lies the mosque of Haji Piyada, a Samanid-style building dating from the second half of the 9th century. The remains of the building show a small structure of nine equal bays, each of which had a brick dome, all of which have collapsed. The piers and springing of the arches that once supported the domes, retain fine decorated brick and stucco work, which is stylistically similar to Abbasid decorative work found in Mesopotamia.
Masjid Sabz (Green Mosque), Balkh.

Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge. A road and rail bridge across the river Amu Darya, connecting the town of Hairatan in the northern Balkh province of Afghanistan with Termez Uzbekistan. The bridge was built by the Soviet Union and opened in 1982 to supply its forces who were based in Afghanistan at the time. It is used today for trade and travel purposes between the two countries.
It is the only fixed link across the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan border, located some 75 km north of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The nearest other bridge across the Amu Darya is some 120 kilometres (74.5 mi) to the west, a pipeline bridge crossing the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan border from/to the Lebap Region.
The bridge was closed in May 1997 when Taliban forces attacked the city of Mazar-i-Sharif and reopened in 2001. The railway to Mazar-i-Sharif, which was completed in 2010.
Salang Tunnel. A 2.67-kilometre-long (1.66 mi) tunnel located at the Salang Pass in the Hindu Kush mountains, between the Parwan and Baghlan provinces of Afghanistan, about 60 miles north of Kabul. It was completed by the Soviet Union in 1964 and has been used to connect northern Afghanistan with the capital, Kabul, and southern parts of the country. The Salang Tunnel is the only pass going in a north–south direction to remain in use throughout the year. It often gets closed during the cold winters due to excess snowfall.
Starting in 1989 the tunnel fell out of maintenance, and it was almost destroyed amid the Afghan civil war in 1998. After the overthrow of the Taliban, the NATO-led coalition and Russia helped repair the tunnel. Between seven and ten thousand vehicles currently pass through the tunnel each day.
It is known for a deadly fire which occurred in November 1982, and several avalanche incidents. A series of avalanches led to the deaths of as many as 172 people in February 2010 either as a direct result of the avalanche or through being trapped.
Tajik-Afghan Friendship Bridge connects the two banks of the Darvaz region across the Panj River (further downstream known under the name Amu Darya) separating Tajikistan and Afghanistan, at the town of Qal’ai Khumb. It was opened in 2004. Built for USD $500,000 by the Aga Khan Development Network. The Amu Darya begins at the junction of the Panj River and the Vakhsh River.)
The 135-metre-long suspension bridge has a single track 3.5 meters wide and a carrying capacity of 25 metric tonnes. It carries both commercial and passenger traffic and represents a permanent overland link between the two countries.
Ajar Valley Nature Reserve

Cities
KUNDUZ (pop 269,000). A city in northern Afghanistan and the capital of Kunduz Province. Kunduz is located in the historical Tokharistan region of Bactria, near the confluence of the Kunduz River with the Khanabad River. Kunduz is linked by highways with Kabul to the south, Mazar-i-Sharif to the west, and Badakhshan to the east. Kunduz is also linked with Dushanbe in Tajikistan to the north, via the Afghan dry port of Sherkhan Bandar.

MAZAR-I-SHARIF  (pop 427,000). The fourth-largest city of Afghanistan and the capital of Balkh province, it is linked by highways with Kunduz in the east, Kabul in the southeast, Herat in the southwest and Termez in Uzbekistan in the north. It is about 55 km (34 mi) from the Uzbek border. The city also serves as one of the many tourist attractions because of its famous shrines and the Islamic and Hellenistic archeological sites. The ancient city of Balkh is also nearby.
The region around Mazar-i-Sharif has been historically part of Greater Khorasan and was controlled by the Tahirids followed by the Saffarids, Samanids, Ghaznavids, Ghurids, Ilkhanates, Timurids, and Khanate of Bukhara until the mid-18th century when it became part of the Durrani Empire.
Mazar-i-Sharif is the regional hub of northern Afghanistan, located close to both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It is also home to an international airport. 357 metres (1,171 ft) above sea level. The city was spared of the devastation that occurred in the country’s other large cities during the Soviet–Afghan War and subsequent civil war and is today regarded as one of the safest cities in the country.
Mazar-i-Sharif Airport (MZR)
Qala-i-Jangi
Shrine of Ali (The Blue Mosque). The name Mazar-i-Sharif means “Tomb of the Prince”, a reference to the large, blue-tiled sanctuary and mosque in the center of the city known as the Shrine of Ali or the Blue Mosque. Some people believe that the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, is at this mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif after Ali’s remains were transferred to Mazar-i-Sharif as per request of Ja’far as-Sadiq. This is however rejected by other Muslims, as the majority believe he is buried in Najaf, Iraq.

Afghanistan – North (Mazar, Faryab, Kunduz, Baghlan, Samangan)

CITY OF BALKH (antique Bactria) Tentative WHS (17/08/2004)
Religious Temples: Balkh: Masjid Sabz (Green Mosque)
KUNDUZ
MAYMANA
PULI KHUMRI
SHEBERGHAN
MAZAR-I-SHARIF World Cities and Popular Towns
Airports: Mazar-i-Sharif (MZR)
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Mazar-i-Sharif: Qala-i-Jangi
Religious Temples: Mazari Sharif: Shrine of Ali (The Blue Mosque)
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels: Tunnel – Salang Tunnel
World of Nature: Ajar Valley Nature Reserve
Rivers: Amu Darya, Murghab River, Pyandzh River
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WEST AFGHANISTAN (Herat, Farah, Badgis)
City of Herat Tentative WHS: (17/08/2004). The city of Herat, currently the capital of western Afghanistan, has long been of strategic, commercial and cultural significance to the wider region. It is unique in that it has largely retained its historical footprint, and many significant Islamic monuments have survived.
Established around 500 BC as the ancient Persian town of Artacoana or Aria, in the fertile plain beside the Hari Rud river. Captured by Alexander the Great in 330 BC during his war against the Achaemenids, the town was developed and a citadel was built. The site retained its strategic importance, and was an important asset for the Seleucids, Parthians and Hephthalites, before becoming the western bastion of the Abbasid caliphate at the end of the 8th century AD. By the time of its capture by the Ghorids in 1175 AD, Herat had become renowned for the production of metalwork, especially decorated or inlaid bronze. After destruction at the hands of both the Mongols and Genghis Khan, Herat saw something of a renaissance in the late 14th century AD, under the rule of the son of Timur, Shah Rukh, who began an extensive programme of building. This was followed by extensive development ordered by Queen Gawharshad during the 15th century AD, which resulted in a remarkable and unique ensemble of monuments in the Timurid style.
One of the oldest extant structures in the historic core of Herat is Qala e Ikhtyaruddin, built on the site of an ancient citadel thought to have been established by Alexander in around 330BC. The layout of battlements and towers that survive is thought to date from the early 14th century AD, when the Karts re-built a fortress that had been destroyed by the Mongols. Situated at the northern edge of the square-plan old city, the citadel was during the 15th and 16th centuries AD the seat of the Timurid rulers and was part of the architectural works undertaken by Shah Rukh, who commissioned the tilework that can still be seen on several towers. The citadel underwent conservation in the 1970s.
Perhaps the largest historic architectural ensemble that survives in the region today is the
The mausoleum complex of Khwaja Abdulla Ansari in Gozargah, which dates from the Timurid period contains Ansari’s grave, a 16th-century structure that retains some fine Timurid tilework, and is where the unique black marble Haft Qalam sarcophagus, dating from the reign of Sultan Husain Baiqara (1468-1506) is situated. Other surviving parts of the complex are the late 15th century AD Zarnegar pavilion, whose interior has fine painted decoration on plaster, and a 17th century AD Namakdan, a decagonal building with vaulted balconies, overlooking the Timurid garden.
The residential quarters of Herat were developed in a manner that responds to the specific climatic and social needs of the inhabitants. A complex network of alleys leads to fine houses built around open courtyards, or small gardens, or to the many mosques, synagogues, schools, public baths, or reservoirs that dot the urban fabric.
Apart from its architectural heritage, Herat has long been an important centre for the arts and sciences, with a rich tradition of music, calligraphy and painting, astronomy, mathematics and philosophy.

HERAT  (pop 575,000). The third-largest city of Afghanistan, it is situated in the fertile valley of the Hari River in the western part of the country. It is linked with Kandahar, Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif via Highway 1 or the ring road. It is further linked to the city of Mashhad in neighbouring Iran through the border town of Islam Qala, and to Mary in Turkmenistan to the north through the border town of Torghundi.
Herat dates back to Avestan times and was traditionally known for its wine. The city has a number of historic sites, including the Herat Citadel and the Musalla Complex. During the Middle Ages Herat became one of the important cities of Khorasan, as it was known as the Pearl of Khorasan. After the conquest of Tamerlane, the city became an important center of intellectual and artistic life in the Islamic world. Under the rule of Shah Rukh, the city served as the focal point of the Timurid Renaissance, whose glory matched Florence of the Italian Renaissance as the center of a cultural rebirth.
After the fall of the Timurid Empire, Herat has been governed by various Afghan rulers since the early 18th century.
Herat lies on the ancient trade routes of the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and today is a regional hub in western Afghanistan. The roads from Herat to Iran, Turkmenistan, and other parts of Afghanistan are still strategically important. As the gateway to Iran, it collects a high amount of customs revenue for Afghanistan. It also has an international airport (HEA). The city has high residential density clustered around the core of the city. Today the city is considered to be relatively safe.
Jihad Museum
Herat Citadel
Musalla Complex. Built in the early 15th century under the direction of Queen Gawharshad. Described as “the most beautiful example in colour in architecture ever devised by man to the glory of his God and himself” today comprises a mosque, the mausoleum of Gawharshad, five minarets and the remains of the madrasa of Hussein Baiqara. Although damaged during fighting in the early 1990s, the mausoleum of Gawharshad retains its ribbed tiled dome, which is set above a high drum covered in tiled decoration, both with Koranic inscriptions and abstract patterns. The interior of the structure, where the tombstones of the Queen, her son Baisunghur and other members of the family survive, has important painted and stucco ornamentation. Only one minaret, which is badly damaged and is being stabilized, remains of the entrance to a madrasa complex that was associated with the musalla, which had a total of four minarets, and represents the zenith of Timurid architectural achievement.
The Masjid-e Jami dates from an original 10th-century AD Ghorid mosque, which has been extended and renovated through the ages. A unique Ghorid portal with tiled calligraphic and geometric decoration survives south of the existing main entrance of the mosque, which follows a typical four-iwan pattern, with a huge central courtyard. Fragments of both Timurid and Ghorid decorative work survive in the main iwan of the complex, but these are now under threat from ill-conceived “improvements”, as it the traditional earth-plastered roof, that has been recently replaced with a cement finish.
Herat bazaar
Soviet Tank Monument

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SOUTHEAST AFGHANISTAN (Kandahar, Helmand, Nimruz, Ghazni, Zabul, Khost)
Museum of Islamic Art, Ghazni.
Khost Mosque, Khost.

KANDAHAR  (pop 615,000, elevation 3,310′). Located in the south on the Arghandab River, it is Afghanistan’s second-largest city after Kabul. In 1709, Mirwais Hotak made the region an independent kingdom and turned Kandahar into the capital of the Hotak dynasty. In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the Durrani dynasty, made Kandahar the capital of the Afghan Empire.
Kandahar is one of the most culturally significant cities of the Pashtuns and has been their traditional seat of power for more than 300 years. It is a major trading centre for sheep, wool, cotton, silk, felt, food grains, fresh and dried fruit, and tobacco. The region produces fine fruits, especially pomegranates and grapes, and the city has plants for canning, drying, and packing fruit, and is a major source of marijuana and hashish.
The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known human settlements. A major fortified city existed at the site of Kandahar, probably as early as c. 1000–750 BC, and it became an important outpost of the Achaemenid (Persian) Empire in the 6th century BC. Alexander the Great had laid out the foundation of what is now Old Kandahar in the 4th century BC and gave it the Ancient Greek name (Alexandria of Arachosia). Many empires have long fought over the city due to its strategic location along the trade routes of southern, central and western Asia.
Kandahar Airport (KDH)
Red Mosque
Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani and Friday Mosque
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AFGHANISTAN – CENTRAL (Bamiyan, Sari Pol, Ghor, Dai Kundy, Uruzgan, Wardak)
M@P: Afghanistan – Bamyan province south ‘panhandle’ (Waras)
World Heritage Sites
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley
Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam
Tentative WHS: Band-E-Amir (08/09/2004)
Vestiges of the Past
Bamiyan Buddhas Ruins
Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam
Shahr-i-Zuhak
World of Nature
Band-e Amir
Qarah Khaval: Bande Pitaw Wildlife Refuge
Lakes: Band-e Amir National Park Lakes
Rivers: Harirud River
Indigenous Peoples: Hazaras

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AFGHANISTAN – NORTH (Mazar, Faryab, Kunduz, Baghlan, Samangan)
Tentative WHS: City of Balkh (antique Bactria) (17/08/2004)
Roads, Road Bridges and Tunnels
Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge
Salang Tunnel
Tajik-Afghan Friendship Bridge
Religious Temples: Balkh: Masjid Sabz (Green Mosque)
World of Nature: Ajar Valley Nature Reserve
Rivers
Amu Darya
Murghab River
Pyandzh River

Cities of Asia and Oceania
KUNDUZ
MAZAR-I-SHARIF  World Cities and Popular Towns
Airports: Mazar-i-Sharif (MZR)
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Mazar-i-Sharif: Qala-i-Jangi
Religious Temples: Mazari Sharif: Shrine of Ali (The Blue Mosque)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++AFGHANISTAN – WEST (Herat, Farah, Badgis)
Tentative WHS: City of Herat (17/08/2004)
Rivers
Harirud River
Kushk River

Cities of Asia and Oceania
HERAT  World Cities and Popular Towns
Airports: Herat (HEA)
Museums: Jihad Museum
Castles, Palaces, Forts: Herat Citadel
Vestiges of the Past: Musalla Complex
Religious Temples: Jama Masjid
Markets: Herat bazaar
Monuments: Soviet Tank Monument
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AFGHANISTAN – SOUTHEAST (Kandahar, Helmand, Nimruz, Ghazni, Zabul, Khost)
Museums: Ghazni: Museum of Islamic Art
Religious Temples: Khost: Khost Mosque
Rivers: Helmand River

Cities of Asia and Oceania
KANDAHAR  World Cities and Popular Towns
XL:  Kandahar
Airports: Kandahar (KDH)
Religious Temples
Red Mosque
Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani and Friday Mosque