Afghanistan holidays
| country: | Afghanistan |
| trip type: | Potentially dangerous. Click here to check Foreign & Commonwealth office advice |
| departures: | 2009: 24 Sep |
| price: | From £3585 (18-26 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Afghan Explorer (18 days)
Departure: 31 Jul 2008
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 (26 days)
Departure: 02 Aug 2007
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.
Departure: 31 Jul 2008
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 (26 days) Departure: 02 Aug 2007
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.
what this trip includes
Trips are on full board basis, and include international flights if mentioned in the price details, 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 work with independent Afghan nationals who provide our vehicles and guides. Many of our guides and drivers were forced to live in Pakistan and Iran during the Taliban era, but now they have returned we work closely alongside them having become close friends. We visit them in their village on the Shomali plain and (for our smaller groups) we stay in their family run guesthouse in Kabul. In Ajar we stay with the Shikari – the former King’s hunting guide who remained in the Valley throughout the troubles, and when in the Panjshir we visit Astana and stay in Ahmed Shah Masoud’s guesthouse. The Jamshadi family are ethnically Tajik, from the Shomali plain. By incorporating home-stays, locally owned hotels, restaurants and the services of guides into our itineraries, we ensure that money goes directly into the local economy and local communities benefit from tourism.