Afghanistan holidays
| country: | Afghanistan |
| trip type: | Potentially dangerous. Click here to check Foreign & Commonwealth office advice |
| departures: | 2009: 25 Sep |
| price: | From £3585 (17 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Afghan Explorer
Afghanistan - it hardly needs introduction, just the name is enough to have most politicians panicking, journalists packing and travellers salivating with expectation. News, time and again over the centuries, has focused on this most extraordinary arid and mountainous country in middle-Asia and now as always its place at the heart of world affairs is as poignant as ever.
Of course it is a land of stunning scenery and a hugely diverse culture but above all it is a place where you will encounter some of the most hospitable, interesting and proud people you are ever likely to meet.
Slowly down the Oxus, from the mountains and onto the plains, most of our tours to Afghanistan follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo. Not only that but this area is archaeologically the richest in the country. This was the centre of the Greek Bactrian kingdom, founded by Alexander the Great, that flourished between 330 BC and 148 BC, when it fell to nomad invaders from the steppes.
It has left its most spectacular trace at Ai Khanoum, the only Greek city to have been excavated in Central Asia . One can still see Corinthian column heads lying in the dust and the remains of a Greek theatre. We know from the remains of an enormous palace that the city was a royal one and almost certainly Alexandria-on-the-Oxus.
From Kabul to the foothills of the Hindu Kush, we visit the northern towns of Afghanistan in the middle-Oxus valley. In medieval times, this was part of the great Muslim civilisation of Central Asia . The northern towns are Kunduz, Taloqan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Balkh . These places are largely unspoiled by the twentieth century, where there are few cars and most transport is by horse or donkey.
Afghan 60s Road Trip
In the 60s and early 70s, the Waz, a small 4WD truck imported from the Soviet Union proliferated in Afghanistan and intrepid travellers began to make exploratory journeys to the remoter parts of the Hazarajat in the centre of the country and Badghis, Faryab and Jozjan in the northwest near the border with what is now Turkmenistan.
Back then, travellers were cautioned about the need for a stout vehicle and advised not to attempt the journey during the winter.
The existence of the Minaret of Jam was first announced in 1943 but it was not until 1957, when Ahmad Ali Kohzad President of the Afghan Historical Society visited the monument, that its full significance was appreciated. Only the Qutb Minar in Delhi, directly inspired by the Minaret of Jam, stands higher than this 65-metre minaret. Jam should be the highlight of the first part of our journey.
Afghanistan - it hardly needs introduction, just the name is enough to have most politicians panicking, journalists packing and travellers salivating with expectation. News, time and again over the centuries, has focused on this most extraordinary arid and mountainous country in middle-Asia and now as always its place at the heart of world affairs is as poignant as ever.
Of course it is a land of stunning scenery and a hugely diverse culture but above all it is a place where you will encounter some of the most hospitable, interesting and proud people you are ever likely to meet.
Slowly down the Oxus, from the mountains and onto the plains, most of our tours to Afghanistan follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo. Not only that but this area is archaeologically the richest in the country. This was the centre of the Greek Bactrian kingdom, founded by Alexander the Great, that flourished between 330 BC and 148 BC, when it fell to nomad invaders from the steppes.
It has left its most spectacular trace at Ai Khanoum, the only Greek city to have been excavated in Central Asia . One can still see Corinthian column heads lying in the dust and the remains of a Greek theatre. We know from the remains of an enormous palace that the city was a royal one and almost certainly Alexandria-on-the-Oxus.
From Kabul to the foothills of the Hindu Kush, we visit the northern towns of Afghanistan in the middle-Oxus valley. In medieval times, this was part of the great Muslim civilisation of Central Asia . The northern towns are Kunduz, Taloqan, Mazar-i-Sharif and Balkh . These places are largely unspoiled by the twentieth century, where there are few cars and most transport is by horse or donkey.
Afghan 60s Road Trip In the 60s and early 70s, the Waz, a small 4WD truck imported from the Soviet Union proliferated in Afghanistan and intrepid travellers began to make exploratory journeys to the remoter parts of the Hazarajat in the centre of the country and Badghis, Faryab and Jozjan in the northwest near the border with what is now Turkmenistan.
Back then, travellers were cautioned about the need for a stout vehicle and advised not to attempt the journey during the winter.
The existence of the Minaret of Jam was first announced in 1943 but it was not until 1957, when Ahmad Ali Kohzad President of the Afghan Historical Society visited the monument, that its full significance was appreciated. Only the Qutb Minar in Delhi, directly inspired by the Minaret of Jam, stands higher than this 65-metre minaret. Jam should be the highlight of the first part of our journey.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Kabul. On arrival in Kabul you will be taken to your guesthouse. We spend the afternoon resting or exploring some of the sites of this fascinating city. Since the recent war and the fall of the Taliban there has been substantial investment in this unique city but many of the old interesting areas including the destroyed street of Jadi Maywan, the curiosity shops of Chicken Street and the ruined Bala Hazar fort remain. In the evening you will have dinner at the Guest House. (Overnight in Hotel) |
| Day 2: | Fly Kabul – Herat. On arrival at Herat at approx 1100 hrs, we will transfer to our guesthouse and have lunch. We suggest spending the afternoon on an orientation tour including the Citadel (Qala-I-Ikhtiyaruddin). Once it cools down and the light becomes better, we make a late afternoon visit to the Friday Mosque (Masjid-I-Jami). This is one of the finest examples of Ghorid and Timurid tiling to be found anywhere in the world – arguably the most stunning mosque in the world, though the inhabitants of Mazar-i-Sharif and Samarqand might disagree. There is an opportunity to see a famous 14th Century bronze cauldron, alleged to be Tamurlane’s sherbet bowl, in the courtyard. You will also be able to see the tile factory, which claims to be the oldest in the world and probably dates back to the 12th century, where tiles are still made in the traditional manner. (Overnight in Guest House) |
| Day 3: | Herat. For the early risers, there will be a visit to the old town to explore the bazaar. The rest of the morning will be spent visiting the 15th century Musalla complex that includes the Minarets of Gohar Shad and her Mausoleum. Gohar Shad was the wife of Shah Rukh, son of Tamurlane. Herat is a great place to go carpet shopping. There are opportunities to purchase both new and antique carpets from a number of different establishments including a large building filled entirely by carpet sellers. For most Afghans, carpets are a major purchase; equivalent to a westerner buying a car and the negotiation may take a number of visits. In the late afternoon we will visit the tomb of the two princes, Qasim and Abdullah (Shazar Dahar) followed by a picnic dinner at Gazagah. (Overnight in Herat Guest House) |
| Day 4: | Fly Herat – Kabul. For the keen photographers, we recommend an early morning visit to the Friday Mosque before a midday flight to Kabul. On arrival in Kabul we will return to the our guesthouse. In the afternoon we will visit the Sandy Gall Afghanistan Appeal centre. (Overnight Hotel) |
| Day 5: | Kabul – Charikar – Bamiyan. After an early morning departure from Kabul we drive north across the Shomali Plains, through the vineyards to Charikar where we will have an early lunch in a Chaikhana. After lunch we drive over the Shibar pass (3285m), the watershed of the Indus and Oxus river systems, and then down to Bamiyan, which is approximately an 8-hour drive. (Overnight in local guesthouse) |
| Day 6: | Bamiyan. The early risers may want to use this opportunity to take some photographs of the Hindu Kush, the remains of the Buddhas and the early morning activities of the inhabitants of Bamiyan. After breakfast we will visit the Buddhas; and if we are still able, explore the surrounding cliffs that are riddled with caves that contain carvings and frescos. Unfortunately the Taliban destroyed almost all of this. We then drive a short distance to the base of the Shahr-i-Golgola, which was destroyed by Genghis Khan in 1221. Genghis had destroyed Balkh and sent his teenage grandson with an army to capture Bamiyan. The people of Bamiyan resisted and Genghis’s grandson was killed. Genghis besieged and destroyed Golgola in revenge. If we do not explore the Shar-i-Zohak on the way to Bamiyan we hike up it, too. After lunch in the new Bazaar, we drive off to the Valley of the Dragon (Darya Ajdhahar). This massive rock formation is alleged to be the remains of a dragon that persecuted the villagers until Hazrat Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed, killed it. The story is reminiscent of St George and the Dragon. In the late afternoon you will return to Bamiyan (Overnight in local guesthouse) |
| Day 7: | Bamiyan – Band-I-Amir – Bamiyan. You will have another early start before a 3-hour journey that takes us to the extraordinary chain of lakes at Band-I-Amir. They are astonishingly beautiful – the water varies in colour from turquoise to deep blue-black from lake to lake. Don’t assume that photographs of the lakes have had their colour touched up - they really are these colours, tinted by the mineral salts in the springs that feed the lakes. In the late afternoon we will return to Bamiyan (Overnight local guesthouse) |
| Day 8: | Bamiyan – Pul-I-Kumri. Today we drive east following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great until we join the main road north of the Salang Pass at Doshi and then on to Pul-I-Kumri. Here we will stay in the Zadran hotel, unless we are invited to stay with the local commander. |
| Day 9: | Pul-I-Kumri - Mazar-I-Sharif. We continue our journey and drive to Mazar-I-Sharif, which means ‘Tomb of the Exalted’ and is believed to be the burial place of the prophet’s son-in-law Ali. The tomb is in a magnificent tiled building surrounded by flocks of white doves. If a grey one joins them, it is said, it will become white in a month. Mazar is not only a centre of carpet production in Afghanistan but also one of the centres of the Central Asian carpet trade, and the most beautiful carpets from all over Central Asia can be found in the bazaars. (Hotel) |
| Day 10: | Mazar-I-Sharif. Today we will spend all day exploring this northern stronghold giving us have plenty of time to see the famous mosque and other sights nearby. (Hotel) |
| Day 11: | Mazar-I-Sharif – Balkh – Mazar-I-Sharif. We spend the morning exploring the nearby city of Balkh before returning to spend the late afternoon in town. (Hotel) |
| Day 12: | Mazar-I-Sharif – Kabul. We will leave early and drive south to cross the Hindu Kush via the 3363m high Salang Tunnel. This tunnel was built by the Soviets from 1958 and opened in 1964. In 1979 they used it to transport their tanks over the Hindu Kush before the advance on Kabul. A vital strategic prize in the civil war, the tunnel has now been repaired and allows an easy crossing back into Southern Afghanistan. We then drive part of the way across the Shomali plain to Charikar and back to Kabul (Hotel) |
| Day 13-14: | Kabul – Pul-I-Sayot – Panishir. This morning we will be up at first light drive back up into the Panjshir Valley, the legendary stronghold of Commander Amhed Shah Massoood. When Afghanistan was on the tourist trail, Panishir’s proximity to Kabul combined with its astonishing natural beauty made it most people’s first destination in the country. It was also conveniently accessed from Pakistan by journalists covering the Russian and Taliban wars when its geographical situation, and the brilliance of its mujihadeen commander, the great Ahmed Shah Massoud, made it unconquerable. Massoud defeated the Russians here fifteen times, and so comprehensively that they stopped trying to capture it. Most of the television footage of the war shown in the West was shot here. The river has a narrow and extremely fertile flood plain and is famous for its fruit. However the sides are steep mountains, which is why it is so defensible. In the spring, watered by the melting snow these mountainsides are dark green giving an impression of overwhelming fertility. We will visit Massoud’s grave and his headquarters at Astana returning to spend two nights in the village of Pul-i-Sayot giving us plenty of time to explore. (Guesthouse) |
| Day 15: | Pul-I-Sayot – Istalift – Kabul. After a leisurely start, we visit Istalif before driving back to Kabul and spending the night at the hotel. |
| Day 16: | Kabul. All day to enjoy the Afghan capital – we will visit the museum, the royal palace and Chicken Street – before enjoying a farewell dinner. (Hotel) |
| Day 17: | Kabul. Tour ends after breakfast. |
what this trip includes
Trips are on full board basis, and include transport as outlined in itinerary, twin-share accommodation, mineral water and entrance fees. how this holiday makes a difference
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Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
We support the Adopt-A-Minefield project, an NGO that saves and improves lives by raising funds to clear landmines and help landmine survivors in Afghanistan, and around the world. For further details please visit