Afghanistan Tours
Group & Private Afghanistan Tours
2021 / 2022
We organise both private and group Afghanistan tours. Whether you’re looking for a bespoke 4 day arrangement or a scheduled group tour – we’ve got you covered.
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A tour to Afghanistan offers the opportunity to visit a place that has been shunned by mass tourism for 40 years. It offers a chance to interact with people and places that very few will ever go. Afghanistan offers incredible ancient history, fascinating modern history and a local population that are amongst the world’s most hospitable.
We constantly monitor the situation on the ground with our partners in Kabul. Tour itineraries are subject to last minute changes depending on the security situation. Your local guide/fixer has the last say.
Kabul - Bamyan - Band e Amir - Herat - Mazar e Sharif - Balkh - Kandahar - Wakhan Valley.
Unsure of where to go? Check out our Sample Itinerary below. Our Afghanistan tours can be tailored around your interests. The above places are generally considered safe.
You can travel to Afghanistan on any dates but the summer is best avoided due to the heat.
The national sport of buzkashi is mainly played on Fridays in the winter months. It's the perfect spectacle to plan your tour dates around.
In most cases the Afghanistan visa must be obtained in your home country or country of residency.
We will provide you with an invitation letter to assist in the application process. Exact requirements vary depending on the embassy location.
COVID-19 Update
Day 1 - Kabul
- Airport pick up in Kabul.
- Meet your guide and receive a short briefing about travelling in Afghanistan. Visit a local tailor to choose an outfit that will help you blend into society.
- Check into your central hotel and start your Kabul city tour.
- Kabul National Museum. It’s collection was once one of the most important in Central Asia, with over 100,000 items dating back several millennia. At the start of the civil war, in 1992, the museum was looted numerous times, resulting in the loss of 70% of the collection. Since 2007, a number of international organisations have helped the Afghan
government recover more than 8,000 artefacts. - Visit Darulaman Palace
- Sakhi Shrine
- Babur’s Gardens
- Dinner and overnight in Kabul
Day 2 - Kabul - Bamyan
- Early morning we will head the airport for our flight to Bamyan.
- From Bamyan airport, we will journey out to the famous ancient buddhist complex. The Buddhas of Bamyan were two monumental statues carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley in the 6th century. These massive World Heritage-listed statues, situated in the peaceful Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan, were deliberately dynamited and destroyed by the Taliban in March 2001 at a great cultural loss to all humanity. The area is still an extraordinary historic site to explore. After lunch we will visit Shahr-e Gholghola also known as the City of Screams, the ruins of a 12th century (and possibly much older) city near the town of Bamyan. We will also journey out to Shahr-e Zuhak, also known as The Red City.
- Evening tea on our hotel rooftop before heading into town for dinner.
- Overnight in Bamyan
Day 3 - Bamyan & Band e Amir
- Short walk through Bamyan where we will visit the wonderfully colorful local market. The area is very safe and you can enjoy free time here.
- Visit the six deep blue lakes of Band-e-Amir. The lakes are separated by natural dams made of travertine, a mineral deposit. This area is dominated by ethnic Hazaras, who make up around 23% of Afghanistan’s population. Band-e Amir was to become Afghanistan’s first National Park in the 1960s but this was delayed due to successive political crises and decades of war. In 2004, Band-e Amir was submitted for recognition as a World Heritage site, and in 2009, it was finally declared as such. Since 2013 it has become a popular destination for both Afghan and international visitors. After visiting the national park, journey back to our hotel in Bamyan for the night.
- Dinner & overnight in Bamyan.
Day 4 - Bamyan - Kabul - Herat
- Catch the early flight back to Kabul where we will have tea and some time to
have a look around the famous bazaar on Chicken Street. - Visit the Western Cemetery which was a British military camp and the site of the
1879 “Siege of the Sherpur Cantonment” in the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The
cemetery is home to many memorials and graves for the fallen western soldiers and Kabul residents
who have fought in various conflicts throughout the history of Kabul. It is well
looked after by an Afghan father and son. - We will then catch our flight to Herat later in the afternoon.
- Transfer to the hotel, dinner and overnight in Herat.
Day 5 - Herat
- First thing this morning we will visit the Masjidi Jami or Friday Mosque, originally built by the Ghurid ruler, Ghiyas ad-Din Ghori, in 1200AD (597 AH). After his death,
the building was completed by his brother and successor Muhammad of Ghor. After falling into ruin and then being destroyed by an earthquake, the current mosque was completed in 1446AD. - We will continue on to see the adjoining tile factory of Herat.
- After lunch we will tour the Herat citadel, which dates back to 330 BC When
Alexander the Great and his army arrived in Afghanistan, after the Battle of Gaugamela. This battle was Alexander’s decisive battle in his invasion and conquest of the ancient Persian Achaeminid Empire. Many empires have since used it as their headquarters over the last 2,000 years. It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. - After we will look around the Herat Bazaar.
- Dinner and overnight in Herat.
Day 6 - Herat - Kabul
- In the morning visit the tomb of Goharshad and the Minarets of Herat, part of what was originally a much larger complex: the Mosque and Madrassa of Gawharshad. Unfortunately, much of the complex was dynamited and destroyed by officers of the British Indian Army in 1885 to prevent it’s use as a fortress, as they feared a Russian invasion of India. The tomb and minarets are thankfully still standing, and are amongst the most famous landmarks in Herat.
- In the afternoon you will visit the Guzargah Mosque and Puli Malaan, a fine old 22-
arched bridge, believed to have been constructed by the Seljuks in the early 12th century. Locals believe it was built by two sisters, named Bibi Hur and Bibi Noor. - Herat Glass factory (if open)
- We will fly to Kabul in the late afternoon.
- Dinner in Kabul and overnight.
Day 7 - Kabul - Mazar-e Sharif
- This morning we will visit an old turquoise-tiled mosque named Sakhi Shrine in the
west of Kabul. This place is very sacred to Shia Muslims, who believe it to be the
final resting-place of Hazrati Ali, the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. - We will then make the short trip out to visit Qargha Lake, a popular local scenic spot, before heading to the airport to catch the afternoon flight to Mazar-e-Sharif.
- Transfer to our hotel.
- Dinner and overnight in Mazar-e Sharif.
Day 8 - Mazar - Balkh - Kabul
- We will start the day to visit the iconic Blue Mosque and the shrine of Hazrat Ali.
This is one of the most famous, and most beautiful sacred sites in the Islamic
world. The exquisitely-patterned decoration of the shrine, is set in an expansive white marble courtyard. Add the great flocks of white doves, and a dazzling blue sky, and you have one of the best photo locations in all of Central Asia. - Journey to Charkent to see the 12th century gate from the time of Genghis Khan who was supposed to attack this area but the people of Charkent responded and built a massive gate to stop the Mongols.
This gate didn’t just stop the Mongols but later in 1988 it stopped the Soviets from entering Charkent and later in 1998 it also stopped the Taliban. - We will take an evening flight back to Kabul.
- Dinner and overnight in Kabul
Day 9 - Kabul
- Airport dropoff and end of tour.
Afghanistan Tours - FAQs
Most frequent questions and answers for our tours in Afghanistan.
In general Afghanistan cannot be considered a safe country to visit.
However there are secure cities and regions where foreigners can travel to safely.
Our local guides and fixers have over 10 years experience in Afghan security consultation. This has allowed them government permission to issue visa invitations to tourists.
We only visit areas that are approved by them. These areas change frequently so get in touch for the latest info.
You will need to visit your nearest Afghan embassy to apply. We will supply you with a visa invitation letter to allow you to get the visa without any issues.
For flights into Kabul – Istanbul and Dubai are the main gateways.
USD and Euro are both accepted in currency exchanges. Make sure to bring cash.
On our group tours it is no more than 6.
We use standard low key hotels. No major chains that would attract attention. Each hotel has multiple layers of security.
For ladies, you need to keep hair covered and dress conservatively (cover shoulders and ankles) – similar to what is expected in Iran.
For men it is advised to wear the local Afghan outfit in order to blend in more with your surroundings.
One of our first stops will be to a tailor to try on both styles for men and women.
Choose your dates
365 days a year
Choose where to start
Fly into Kabul or Mazar e Sharif
Choose your itinerary
It's up to you
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