Journey #002: Afghanistan
Introducing Afghanistan:
From Kabul to Kandahar
Never far from the headlines, Afghanistan is at a crossroads. After 20 years of war, there is an uneasy peace and our short trip offers a window into the country for those who want to discover Afghanistan for themselves.
‘Introducing Afghanistan’ is a private tour lead by Safarāt’s Operations Manager Qudratullah Noory.
This is an abridged itinerary of our 14 Day “Past and Present” trip focusing on the country’s two most important cities with a side trip to visit the remains of the Buddhas of Bamiyan and the Band-E-Amir national park. Our guests will then return to Kabul by air or catch one of the growing numbers of international flights from Kandahar.
You’ll be joining Noory and one of our experienced and careful drivers on a 1-2-1 basis in a modern air conditioned car
Join us for 7 night trip through Afghanistan, rich in history, story and hospitality.
We recommend travelling this route in Spring and Autumn,
The cost of this trip is $2,240 USD for solo travellers and $3,600 USD for two travellers.
➤ Kabul – Ghazni – Bamiyan– Kandahar
➤ Kabul – Ghazni – Bamiyan– Kandahar
Itinerary
We understand that our travellers need to know where they will be visiting on our journeys, and broadly our tours stick to the routes published on our maps and on our website. What we don’t tend to do is publish our exact itineraries online for several reasons.
Firstly, and most importantly, this gives your guiding team the chance to make last minute changes to the itinerary based on seasonal opportunities or based on their decades of personal connections and relationships.
The focus of Safarāt is on experiencing Afghanistan with Afghans, and that means spending as much time in the countryside and experiencing village life. While we guarantee you won’t miss out on the Buddha’s of Bamiyan or Qala-E-Bost if you are visiting Helmand, it does mean that we don’t visit the same places on every tour or use the same hotels and guesthouses on every trip.
This also gives the chance for our travellers to play a more active part in the trip, by becoming involved in the planning process. We recently had a traveller with an interest in an Achaemenid site on the Amu Daryu River and as a group were able to spend a day trying (…and succeeding) in finding the site.
We may choose to extend our stay in a town to take part in a festival or visit a village that we’ve been researching. We may choose to avoid a certain mountain pass if there is late seasonal snow or reverse the whole route to avoid a sandstorm. All our itineraries are designed with one day of float built into them, to account for mechanical problems, broken bridges, or bad weather.
Day #001
After arriving on a morning flight from Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Istanbul you will be greeted by Noory and transferred to your Kabul guesthouse. Travellers arriving from Pakistan’s Torkham border will have arrived the day before on our free transfer.
If you aren’t too tired from your flight, we will visit the impressive Buddhist collection at Kabul Museum or one of the city’s surrounding Buddhist stupas. We’ll then move onto the old bazaar of Kabul to take a wonder round the city’s bird market.
Many travellers will take the opportunity to have a couple of sets of local clothes tailored for the journey ahead of them, it’s both fun and practical and prices start from as little as $20USD. We’ll also get the chance to change local money and pick up any last-minute supplies for the road ahead.
Accommodation at 3* equivalent hotel in Kabul
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Artefacts in the National Museum
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Kabul city wall walk.
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Vendor in the bird market.
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Kabul city view.
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Joe having dinner at one of the bustling restuarants in Shar-E-Naw
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Playing hide and seek with street kids in the old city on Kabul.
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Joe buying a 'karakuli' hat in Kabul's main bazaar
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![Partridges for sale in Kabul's bird market]()
Partridges for sale in Kabul's bird market
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At Babur's mausoleum with friends.
Day #002
An early morning start for you as we hike across the Shir-Darwaza wall walk across the roof of Kabul. The hike is a great way to burn off the jet lag and takes about 4 hours. This is our favourite Kabul site – it is an ancient wall connecting two incredible monuments to defeated empires. We will start our hike at the Mughal Emperor Babur’s Garden.
Our route will then take us to the Bala Hissar Fort, scene of the pivotal events of both Anglo-Afghan wars. It’s also a good chance to have a chat with members of the Taliban who will accompany us on the walk and take some photos of them hiking up the wall.
After lunch we will drive through Wardak province and over several mountain passes above 2,500m to arrive in the city of Bamiyan. We’ll arrive in the evening to visit one of the abandoned cities of Shahr-E-Zahak or Gholgala. Both are relics of Genghis Khan’s destructive quest to conquer the Bamiyan valley.
Accommodation at ATO Guesthouse in Bamiyan
Day #003
A dawn walk through the remains of the Buddha’s of Bamiyan is one of the greatest ways to start the day and they are only a short walk across farmland from the hotel. The Buddhist niches are far more impressive than pictures suggest. The site is several kilometres long and most people will enjoy a couple of hour walking around them before wondering round the bazaar. Bamiyan is one of Afghanistan’s friendliest cities and local people are always desperate to chat and test their English.
In the afternoon we will make our way to Yawkawlang and onto the remains of Chehil Burj, via the famous lakes at Band-E-Amir. Our host will join us for a traditional Hazara dinner under the mulberry trees.
Accommodation at homestay/camping at Chehil Burj or another local village
Members of the Taliban hanging around the remains of Bamyan's famous buddha.
Pedalos are parked at the bottom of the Band-E-Amir national park
A close up of the remains of "Shah Mama" the female buddha at the East of the Bamyan city complex.
The journey to Bamyan through Kabul takes us through stunning mountain scenery rising to over 2000m in places.
Day #004
A long day’s drive south through Wardak province on our way to the city of Ghazni. The city is one of Afghanistan’s most ethnically diverse, with a rich and bloody history to match.
Accommodation at 2* equivalent hotel in Ghazni or village homestay in Khwaja Umari
Day #005
An early morning start in Ghazni to visit the city’s incredible citadel, the famous minarets of Ghazni and the Buddhist site of Tepe Sadar. We will then have another long drive through Zabul province to Kandahar, which will take us across the Pashtun ethnic belt.
Accommodation in 3* equivalent hotel in Kandahar
Day #006
After spending a couple hours visiting the site of “Old Kandahar” where Alexander the Great is said to have established the city, we will have the chance to explore the rich green Arghandab valley, which experienced some of Afghanistan’s most intense fighting against foreign forces.
The river basin is the birthplace of Mullah Omar and the spiritual heartland of the Taliban. We will be able to sit eating mantu dumplings in the orchards with our hosts, talk about the new Afghanistan and hear about the past from them. We will finish the day with the opportunity to swim in the cool waters of the Dahla dam before camping under the pomegranate trees of a village.
Accommodation in Arghanadab Homestay
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Sham's shows off one of our standard vehicles.
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A typical hotel room at the Rahat hotel in Mazar-e-Sharif.
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Typical homestay provision in Ghazni.
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Our head driver Shamuldeen Sarai.
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A typical bathroom in an an Afghan hotel.
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The interior of one of our vehicles, showing how you will travel.
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Homestay shower provided by our host.
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Homestay Breakfast
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Fitting snow chains in the mountains
Day #007
We will spend the day in Kandahar which is Afghanistan’s de-facto new capital. There will be lots of time to waltz through the the old city’s bazaar, eating Shir-Yakh ice cream, visiting the home of the ‘father’ of the Afghan state Ahmed Shah Baba and end the evening climbing the famous 40 steps of the city as the sun sets.
Accommodation in 3* equivalent hotel in Kandahar
Day #008
This morning we will head to the airport to jump on a flight back to Kabul. We hope that your Safarāt journey will have contributed a small part to a return to these happier times in Afghan history.
Most flights to Dubai, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Delhi and Doha leave Kabul after lunchtime.
What’s Included:
- All accommodation: based on 2 guests sharing a room.
- Breakfast: is provided by our guesthouses. If we are required to make an early start you will be taken for Bolani and Sheer Chai in a local cafe.
- Private Transport: in your own air conditioned 2 wheel drive car
- Guiding by Noory Qudratullah
-Local Travel Permits and Photography Permissions
- Visa support and invitation
What’s Not:
- Lunch: Noory will be happy to recommend restaurants to fit all budgets in Kabul and Bamiyan.
- Dinner is not included for single person tours
-Snacks and Water
- Visa Fee: Please see our FAQ below on how to get your visa.
- International Flights
- Entrance fees: There is currently a charge to enter Kabul Museum, Babur Gardens and a shared ticket for the sites of Bamyan.
Your Guide
Qudratullah NooryQua
Safarāt was founded to offer a window into a closed world. We understand that in choosing to join us on our journey, you are trusting us with your safety and security.
Qudratullah Noory is a former producer and ‘fixer’ with a wide range of experience working with international broadcasters including CNN and still active as a media-fixer and produce in Afghanistan. He is a native of Kabul, whose family originate in Wardak. He is fluent in Pashto, Dari and
To better understand our experience, the way we operate, our safety and security plans and the realities of traveling in Afghanistan, we have written the following guides.
Book Now
‘Introducing Afghanistan’ is a private tour lead by Safarāt’s Operations Manager Qudratullah Noory.
This is an abridged itinerary of our 14 Day “Past and Present” trip focusing on the country’s two most important cities with a side trip to visit the remains of the Buddhas of Bamiyan and the Band-E-Amir national park. Our guests will then return to Kabul by air or catch one of the growing numbers of international flights from Kandahar.
You’ll be joining Noory and one of our experienced and careful drivers on a 1-2-1 basis in a modern air conditioned car
Join us for a 6 or 7 night trip through Afghanistan, rich in history, story and hospitality.
We recommend travelling this route in Spring and Autumn,
The cost of this trip starts from $1,920 USD for solo travellers and $3,600USD for two travellers for 6 nights.
This is a 25% deposit for the full price of the trip of up to $2,240. As per our terms and conditions full payment is due 60 days before the scheduled start of the trip. We will be in contact you within 72 hours of your booking to discuss plans for your visa, your plan for arriving in Afghanistan and other details.
Highlights
1. Listen to the chorus in Kabul’s famous bird market. Fighting partridges, song birds and doves all throng for your attention in this packed but narrow alley.
Located in the centre of the city’s bazaar, the bird market is as much a social meeting place as it is one for trade. It’s the perfect location for us to start talking to Afghans about what they really think of the new Afghanistan.
2. Experience the hospitality of pashtunwali in Kandahar. The country’s de facto capital, and the spiritual home of the Taliban.
We’ll be visiting the farms and villages surrounding the city to feast on seasonal produce, and begin to understand what life was like during 20 years of fighting between foreign and Taliban forces.
3. Wonder through Ghazni’s ancient citadel. Steeped in history in one of the country’s most ethnically diverse cities.
The city of Ghazni is a neglected by the few tourists who find their way to Afghanistan and is dominated by the remains of empires that hurriedly left. Home to the remains of a 3rd Century Buddhist monastery, an enormous pair of 12th century minarets and the remains of the the British camp from the First Anglo Afghan war, it could become one of Afghanistan’s real historical attractions.
4. Hike through the stunning landscape of Band-E-Amir national park in Bamiyan province, before hearing the powerful story of how Afghanistan lost its famous buddhas.
Little is left of the lives and billions of dollars lost here, apart from bleached concrete blast walls, abandoned runways and roads pockmarked by thousands of mines between villages.
Journey #002: Introducing Afghanistan
From Kabul to Kandahar
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To book your trip please get in touch here or if you can’t wait to chat, then send us a whatsapp on +447458611911
This trip is a private itinerary with Qudratullah Noory, but we do not recommend travelling in the summer season in the South of the country. Please email us for dates and availability.
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It’s a legal requirement that all of our guests travel with at least basic medical and insurance and we appreciate that finding a suitable insurance policy can be difficult.
You should be very careful if you have an annual worldwide travel policy in place, to make sure that you are covered for travel to Afghanistan as it is excluded by most general travel insurers.
The cost of insurance varies hugely based on where you’re resident, where you’re from and the time of year along with a number of other variables.
As an example, residents of the UK are able to get suitable cover from High Risk Voyager for around $100USD for a 4 day trip to Afghanistan and we have a good and personal relationship with the company. That means they understand our business, who we are and what we do, and vice versa.
Many of our travelers have bought insurance successfully from IATI, although reviews online are far more mixed.
Travellers on our trips are required to have a minimum of $300,000 USD cover for medical emergencies and an additional $300,000 USD cover for emergency evacuation.
You must have Afghanistan specifically named as a location you are covered for on your insurance. Normal travel insurance does not typically cover traveling in Afghanistan.
For more information about out insurance requirements, please have a look at out our latest terms and conditions.
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There are now daily flights between Kabul and Tashkent, Islamabad, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh/Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Istanbul and Ankara via multiple airlines including - Turkish Airlines, Air Arabia, Ariana, Kamair and Fly Dubai.
There are now limited international flights operating from Kandahar to the UAE, and we recommend for this trip departing or arriving in Kandahar using one of these flights.If you are struggling to pay for your flights via Kamair’s website, we recommend that you use their app which seems to work better with foreign credit cards.
To book a flight on Ariana please use their website. Their flights do not show up on google flights .
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No specialist equipment is required for this trip, but you’ll be passing through passes of over 2000m in the mountains of Bamiyan and many of our travellers have been surprised how cold the province can be even in the summer. Sturdy footwear is a must and some travellers prefer to bring trekking poles to explore the unmade and steep paths we’ll be walking through.
Both men and women are required to dress conservatively in Afghanistan. That means both men and women will need to wear long sleeve shirts and trousers.
Women will need to wear a headscarf from the point of arrival in Kabul airport. You can read more about travelling as a woman in Afghanistan here.
You will need to bring between $300-500USD for spending money, food, water, drinks etc. Please only crisp and fresh $100 bills to exchange for local currency in Afghanistan.
Smaller denominations, old issues or damaged notes will attract a poorer exchange rate. It is possible to exchange Euros in some places – the minimum denomination is 50, but dollars are highly preferred. There are a few ATMs in Kabul, but they are often out of order and Afghanistan is still a country where cash is king.
We strongly strongly recommend carrying a mastercard/visa credit card with you in case of a medical emergency that needs funding before your medical insurance kicks in.
There are lots of opportunities to buy nice crafts, souvenirs, carpets and textiles so leave some space in your bags.
Simcards are available to hire from Noory directly for $30 USD for the trip with unlimited data.
Please do not bring a drone with you to Kabul - it will be confiscated upon arrival and it will create a huge headache for us.
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This is one of the most common questions we get asked from our potential travellers. There are two answers.
The Short Answer: Yes there will be times where you can can walk around especially in Kabul without Noory.
The Long Answer: .There is no specific threat to foreigners in Kabul, but miscommunication and misunderstandings are common and although more and more international tourists are visiting Afghanistan you will still stick out like a sore thumb. Getting round the city is complicated and trying to use publics transport is fairly baffling.
In Bamiyan the situation is a little bit different and there is probably more opportunity to get yourself lunch alone in the bazaar and have a chat with local people. Noory understands foreign tourists well!
Generally speaking we try and pack as much into our tours as possible, which makes it difficult for lots of people to do lots of different things.
We always try to accommodate all our travelers though and understand if you need an afternoon off from the tour.
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The situation with Afghan Consulates around the world is currently confused due to the change in regime in Kabul in August 2021. Whilst some Afghan embassies (Doha for example) are directly controlled by the new Taliban government in Kabul, most other Afghan embassies in European capitals are still controlled by the remnants of the old internationally recognised government.
This makes for a confusing and sometimes varying set of rules to get a tourist visa for the country, with each embassy having their own set of procedures. Some embassies have stopped issuing tourist visas all together (Geneva is one of these places), some embassies are still pretending to communicate with the Ministry of Foreign affairs and some are issuing visas to anyone with enough cash
The best places for our tourists to get a visa at the moment are Peshawar in Pakistan, Dubai and Abu Dhabi both of which offer visas quickly on a same day basis.
As part of every Safarāt tour we offer a free shuttle from the Torkham border with Pakistan to Kabul for the start of the trip. This enables you to get your visa in Peshawar in the morning and arrive in Kabul the same day. An additional nights accommodation is payable directly to the guesthouse.
For more up-to date information on the ever changing Afghan visa situation please check this page.
Please contact us directly if you have any questions about visas at hello@safarat.co
For travellers starting their journeys from the UAE we have a relationship with a visa agent in Abu Dhabi who can collect and process your visa application for approximately $130USD within 24-hours.
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Please find our full terms and conditions here.
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The posted itinerary is only a guide and based upon weather
At A Glance
All Meals, Entry Fees, Permits, Guide, Accommodation.
Included
Not Included
Visas,
International Flights
Medical Insurance
Modern 4X4
Vehicles
Fitness Req.
Low-Moderate.
Some optional hiking.
Transport
7 Nights including at least 1 night camping or in a homestay.
Group Size
Maximum Eight
Accomodation
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Sunset over Kabul.
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Taliban Fighters loiter round the base of the famous buddhas of Bamiyan.
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Joe and his dog on a walk round Qali-Fatullah in 2014
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![Women shopping in central Kandahar.]()
Women shopping in central Kandahar.
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Fighting Partridges for sale in Kabul's bird market.
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The classic shot of the buddhas of Bamiyan. A highlight of the trip.
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Band-E-Amir national park in Bamyan.
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Another view of one of Ghazni's famous minarets.
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An old snap of Joe buying a karakuli had in Kabul bazaar.
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Posing for portraits with a handsome moustache.
