Visit Afghanistan, the graveyard of empires!
Inaccessibility during the past three decades has only helped improve Afghanistan’s attraction, as noted by literature and romantics alike. After the Taliban was overthrown, a fresh start was promised, but Afghanistan’s emergence as a young democracy has been, at best, formidable. Afghanistan is a wounded but beautiful nation, and its people continue to face challenges that make it difficult for them to heal. Despite initial optimism, stability has proven to be elusive due to patchwork reconstruction and the country’s south is particularly suffering from a long-standing insurgency. However, prior to all of this tragedy, Afghanistan was the original overland hippie trail.
Its huge mountain ranges, many cultures, and the Afghan people themselves allured travellers with their charm and friendliness. Afghanistan has been separated and adjusted by many civilisations at the crossroads of south and central Asia. Neolithic tribes from the Indus Valley came here in prehistoric times, and the ancient Persian dynasties ruled out Alexander the Great phalanxes that struck the Hindu Kush, the giant phalanx of mountains. Then there were the Middle Eastern Muslim Arabs, who faced off against Genghis’ invincible army, and the list goes on and on and includes the Mughals, the Soviets, the British imperialists, and many more.
The fabric of this enormous nation in the heart of Asia is a palimpsest reflecting its turbulent past: Ancient trade arteries pass opium fields, stunning madrasahs radiate through the cities of Mazar-e Sharif and Kandahar, and the arid desert gives way to snow-capped mountains and alpine glaciers. Despite its turbulent past, Afghanistan has a lot to offer but our top picks will enable you to see some of the country’s most popular tourist attractions. Take a look.
Table of Contents
Kabul
An epicentre of Zoroastrianism and Buddhism formerly existed in Kabul. Hindus eventually arrived, as did Alexander the Great. If you think it is safe to enter, you can explore this rich past today at the Kabul Museum. Since the Taliban were defeated in 2001, Kabul has advanced significantly. The city, which was formerly a station on the old hippy route to India before being destroyed by the civil war, has recently experienced a boom, with countless new buildings being built, upscale restaurants and bustling bazaars.
Balkh
The ancient town of Balkh hailed as the historical epicentre of the Bactrian Empire has nearly four thousand years old past! Buddhism and Zoroastrianism took root in these regions here, high up in the crevices of the northern ridges of the Hindu Kush. The town was wrecked by Genghis Khan and rebuilt numerous times, by the time the Venetian explorer Marco Polo arrived in the 1300s but, memories of its enormous fortress walls are still alive. Although the town is no longer the regal capital it once was, there is still a sense of its past among the bustling bazaars and the emerald-coloured Green Mosque.
Kandahar
The esteemed location of the Mosque of the Sacred Cloak and a city rich in history, Kandahar is situated at the intersection of the southern and central mountains of Afghanistan. During the reign of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the traditional Pashtun centre of authority served as the final Afghan empire’s capital. The area is now crowded with mosques, shrines, and mausoleums dedicated to national heroes, and tourists flock there to view the intriguing inscriptions left by the great Mughal invader Babur on the Chilzina View, which is situated just outside the city.
Herat
Herat, the third-largest city in Afghanistan, is known for having a strong Persian influence because the town lies close to the Iranian border and was formerly the seat of the Timurid kingdom, a bloodline that welded elements of Persian, Turkic and Mongol culture in their time. The Friday Mosque is the city’s main point of resistance. It’s estimated that this beautiful monument, with its turquoise-tipped minarets and sparkling tiles, is almost eight centuries old. The Herat Citadel and the graves of renowned Sufi poets are also worth visiting.
Mazar-e Sharif
The monumental Blue Mosque’s blue domes, which shine white-hot under the sweltering Balkh heat, tower over Mazar-e Sharif’s cityscape. It is a stunning collection of arabesque and south Asian architecture, complete with turquoise-blue domes and gold-peppered minarets, and is famous for being the burial place of Ali bin Talib, the cousin of the Prophet Mohammad himself. Mazar-e Sharif is home to several Greek artefacts that arrived with the arrival of Alexander’s forces in the 3rd century BC, hence Muslim history is just one element of this city.
Jalalabad
Jalalabad, a city founded by the emperor Akbar like so many others in this region, is a location where the passing of time is almost tangible. Imagine how the Mughal soldiers must have felt as they gazed upon the snow-capped peaks of the Safid Mountain Range back in the 1500s. Citrus orchards and lush parks are conceivable due to the temperature, something Jalalabad is recognised for. You can also visit the mausoleum of King Amanullah Khan, play cricket with the locals, or just relax in the well-kept gardens.
Samangan
While the village of Samangan was formerly an important halt for caravans travelling along the old Silk Road, its main attraction isn’t that fact. That distinction belongs to the enigmatic Takht I Rostam cave complexes, which pierce the adjacent, dusty mountain ridges. These are believed to have been constructed during the fourth and fifth century AD, and they are beautifully decorated with Buddhist lotus leaf inlays that centre on an interior mud-brick stupa, providing an engaging window into a nearly forgotten, pre-Muslim history.
Bamiyan
Before the Muslim conquest, Bamiyan flourished with craftsmen, monasteries, and sculptures in the eras when it was known as a centre for Hindu-Buddhist worship. In truth, the two enormous sculptures of the Buddha that stood here are among the most exquisite works of Asian woodcarving from the fourth and fifth centuries. However, the Taliban demolished these impressive effigies in March 2001, which sparked anger around the world and even prompted UNESCO to tag their remains to stop further destruction.
Faizabad
Faizabad is a secluded outpost of the northern Afghan mountains, backed by the massive Hindu Kush’s shattered and carved passages. The town is characterised by its location, which gives it a rural, small-town atmosphere. Galumphing donkeys can be seen strutting the streets, while sheepherders with beards can be seen strolling the bazaars. Local highlanders who have hiked the huge Wakhan Corridor’s paths on their feet will be encountered. In addition to being able to explore the stunning mountain valleys of the Kokcha River, you’ll also encounter stew huts that smell like spices.
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass unquestionably belongs to the broad group of sites in Afghanistan that are currently off-limits to tourists; since at least 2007, Taliban terrorists have controlled the whole region, primarily targeting western assistance and military convoys. However, this elevated area in the Spin Ghar’s heights will undoubtedly be worthwhile to visit once the tensions decrease because troops and traders have resided there for millennia. They arrived along the Silk Road from China and the east, or they arrived in the form of fearsome generals like Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great.
