Things to do in Afghanistan

25 things to do in Afghanistan

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Watch sunrise over the sapphire lakes of Band-e-Amir

  Arrive early at Afghanistan’s first national park to see dawn light ignite the six deep-blue travertine lakes, framed by stark Hindu Kush cliffs.

  Bamiyan

• Explore the ruins of the ancient city of Balkh

  Wander among crumbling mud-brick walls and the remnants of a once-great Silk Road capital known as the ‘Mother of Cities’.

  Balkh

• Visit the glittering Shrine of Ali (Blue Mosque) in Mazar-i-Sharif

  Admire the vast turquoise domes and courtyards of this 15th-century mosque, where thousands of white doves gather in the central plaza.

  Mazar-i-Sharif

• Hike into the Panjshir Valley’s side canyons

  Trek past village terraces and mulberry orchards into narrow gorges shadowed by the peaks where Ahmad Shah Massoud made his last stand.

  Panjshir

• Stand before the isolated Minaret of Jam

  Journey deep into the Hari Rud valley to see this 65-metre 12th-century brick minaret, intricately carved with Kufic inscriptions and set against a towering gorge.

  Shahrak District, Ghor

• Gaze up at the giant empty niches of the Buddhas of Bamiyan

  Contemplate the cliffside alcoves that once housed the world’s tallest standing Buddha statues, destroyed in 2001, now a haunting UNESCO World Heritage site.

  Bamiyan

• Sip saffron tea in a chaikhana in Herat’s old city

  Settle onto a carpeted platform in a traditional teahouse near the Masjid Jami, sipping golden tea infused with locally grown saffron.

  Herat

• Marvel at the Friday Mosque of Herat’s mosaic courtyard

  Walk through the vast Seljuk-era mosque, its iwans covered in brilliant blue and turquoise tilework that glows at sunset.

  Herat

• Trek through the Wakhan Corridor to the roof of the world

  Follow ancient caravan trails past yurt camps and glaciers in this remote panhandle, with the Pamir and Hindu Kush ranges closing in on both sides.

  Wakhan, Badakhshan

• Haggle for handwoven carpets on Kabul’s Chicken Street

  Sift through piles of Turkmen, Baluchi and Hazara rugs in this iconic market lane, once a mandatory stop on the hippie trail.

  Kabul

• Discover pre-Islamic treasures at the National Museum of Afghanistan

  See the legendary Bactrian gold and ivories from Tillya Tepe, alongside Gandharan sculptures, in the museum rising from decades of war.

  Kabul

• Drive the dizzying switchbacks of the Salang Pass

  Cross the Hindu Kush at 3,878 metres via the Soviet-built tunnel and high-mountain road, with staggering views and a palpable sense of history.

  Parwan

• Attend the Nauroz spring festival at the Blue Mosque

  Join crowds on 21 March for Afghanistan’s biggest celebration of the Persian New Year, with music, buzkashi and the raising of the janda (banner).

  Mazar-i-Sharif

• Climb the ramparts of the Citadel of Herat

  Scale the massive baked-brick fortress built by Alexander and rebuilt by the Ghurids, looking out over the old city’s rooftops and minarets.

  Herat

• Picnic beside the azure pools of Band-e-Amir’s Haibat Lake

  Spread a cushion on the travertine shore where the deepest of the lakes reflects the surrounding apricot-coloured cliffs, and watch local families paddle rented swan boats.

  Bamiyan

• Seek out the hidden Ajar Valley Wildlife Reserve

  Journey into a remote Himalayan valley in the Hindu Kush to spot ibex, urial sheep and possibly snow leopards in a pristine, seldom-visited landscape.

  Bamyan Province

• Savour fragrant Kabuli pulao at Sufi Restaurant in Shahr-e Naw

  Dig into Afghanistan’s national dish – heaped plates of raisin-topped rice with tender lamb – in a bustling, no-frills eatery beloved by locals and visitors.

  Kabul

• Explore the ruined fortress of Qala-e-Bost near Lashkargah

  Walk beneath the soaring 11th-century mud-brick arch that rises from the Helmand River, all that remains of a once-mighty Ghaznavid winter capital.

  Lashkargah, Helmand

• Gaze down the turquoise Panjshir River from a mountain road above Bazarak

  Stop on the winding road to take in the startling blue-green ribbon cutting through the valley floor, backed by snow-dusted peaks.

  Panjshir

• Stroll through the serene Gardens of Babur in Kabul

  Relax on the terraced lawns of the Mughal emperor’s tomb garden, with marble headstones, trickling channels and views over the city’s rooftops.

  Kabul

• Ski the pristine slopes of the Koh-e Baba range above Bamiyan

  Carve turns on untouched powder with the giant Buddha niches in sight; a handful of local operators now offer backcountry ski trips in this alpine valley.

  Bamiyan

• Experience the night bazaar in Mazar-i-Sharif’s old city

  Wander under strings of bulbs past stalls selling grilled meats, sweets and prayer beads after evening prayers, a rare after-dark social scene.

  Mazar-i-Sharif

• Watch a dust-raising buzkashi match on the plains of Mazar-i-Sharif

  Stand at the edge of a chaotic field as horsemen fight over a goat carcass in Afghanistan’s wild national sport, often played on Fridays.

  Mazar-i-Sharif

• Visit the ancient Buddhist complex of Takht-i-Rustam

  Climb the hilltop stupa-carved monastery near Samangan, a remarkable relic of pre-Islamic Afghanistan with a subterranean meditation chamber.

  Samangan

• Admire the twin emerald domes of Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque

  Pause on the Kabul River bridge to see the 1920s mosque’s unusual Italianate balconies and green onion domes, a striking architectural mashup.

  Kabul