Places to Visit

Afghanistan’s location at the crossroads of great civilizations in history has created a stunning diversity in food, arts, languages, and traditions. This diversity is demonstrated in each city of Afghanistan.

Kabul

In Afghan folklore it is said that “everything comes to Kabul,” Nothing could be truer of Afghanistan’s bustling capital city. Proud of its heritage as a major trading city between the East and West, today it is still the central marketplace for all Afghanistan. Although change with tall modern buildings and busy traffic has come rapidly to Kabul, the bazaars and other landmarks of the old city are still the center of life.

Baghi Balah, (Upper Garden), which is located inside Kabul on top of the hill and behind the Intercontinental Hotel, is the place where people go for sightseeing and swimming. From this hill, Kabul city is clearly visible. Qargha is another nice place for a sightseeing which is a 35 minute drive from center of the city. Qargha offers canoeing, biking and hiking facilities. There are many hostels and Chai khanas (tea houses) around for families and people to go in a group.

The best time for visiting must-sees places in Kabul is Friday because it is the weekend in Afghanistan. Places to visit in Kabul include:

  • TV Tower Hill
  • Darulaman Palace
  • Kabul Museum
  • King Nadir Shah’s Tomb
  • Money Market
  • Chicken Street
  • Kabul Zoo
  • Shamali
  • Istalif, 50 minutes drive out of Kabul
  • Paghman, is a valley 25km west of Kabul.

Country Life, A Major Characteristic of Afghanistan

Since 80% of Afghanistan’s economy is agrarian, rural life is still the center of the country’s socio-economic activities. Even as Afghan agriculture has been improved with modern technology, one gets the feeling that the land and the people who work it are still in perfect harmony.

Mazar Sharif – Balkh

Every year thousands of pilgrims come to Marzar Sharif to pay homage to the Shrine of Ali, the Fourth Caliph of Islam. Festivities are held on Now Ruz, the Afghan New Year, observed on March 21st – the beginning of spring. Mazare is also a major market place for karakul and traditional Afghan carpets.

Balkh

Referred to by the ancients as the “Mother of Cities,” today it is a small town near Mazare that is overshadowed by memories of past glory. Here, Zoroaster first preached, and it was at or near Balkh that Alexandra made this headquarters for two years. The city was also the capital of the Bactrian Empire. Later the Timurid dynasty built a college and an impressive shrine at Balkh. Nearby stand the remains of one of the oldest mosques of the Islamic world, the Masjide Haji Piyada.

Herat

Few cities have as diverse a past as Herat. Within Heart’s city walls Alexander built a mighty fortress; today a citadel, although altered many times, still stands on the same spot. In the centuries that followed, Herat was the pivot around which cultural influence from Iran, Central Asia, and Afghanistan converged. Ghenghis Khan and Tamerlane each wreaked havoc upon the city, but Herat persevered to live a period of unequaled splendor during the reign of the Timurid Kings.

Today, Herat’s minarets, mosques, shrines, and monuments testify to the glory of that period, when art, literature, and refinement attained high degrees of perfection.

Kandahar

The birthplace of modern Afghanistan, Kandahar is thriving commercial and industrial center. Excepting its modern share Nau (New City), Kandahar still remains substantially unchanged from the city that Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the state of Afghanistan, built two hundred years ago. It is famous for its fruits and intricate embroidery work.

Ghazni

Although today it appears to be only a small town, Ghazni was once the capital of the powerful Ghaznavid Empire, which stretched from Persia to India. Two star-shaped minarets, a palace, a mausoleum, and a museum only suggest the glory of Ghazni’s past.

Chai-Khana

The most typical characteristic of Afghan society are the Chai Khanas, or tea houses, which abound everywhere in the country. Often beautifully decorated, the Chai Khanas are the central gathering place for every town and village in Afghanistan. In them, one can enjoy a nourishing Afghan meal, such as palaw, chalaw, kabab, a pot of green or black tea, and just sit and relax in the exotic atmosphere.

Nouristan

The people of this remote region, once called Kafirs, or unbelievers, were converted to Islam only 70 years ago. Now called Nouristanis – “People of Light” – they are still unique in all Afghanistan. In legend, the people of Nouristan claim the Greek god Dionysus as their patron.

Bande Amir

Without fail, visitors to Afghanistan have marveled at the country’s natural beauty. The formidable Hindu Kush, the vast expanse of the Turkestan plains, and the seclusion of the Southern desert have impressed travelers from Alexander the Great to Marco Polo. In fact, it is the raw, unspoiled natural beauty that forms the visitor’s first and most enduring impression of the country. But of all the natural wonders of Afghanistan, the lakes of Bande Amir are perhaps the most outstanding. Situated in the mountainous Hazarajat at an altitude of almost 3000m., and 75 km from Bamiyan, these majestic blue lakes are of legendary beauty.

Bamiyan

Seven hours by car and one hour by plane from Kabul, this beautiful valley is undoubtedly one of Afghanistan’s foremost attractions. There are also extensive ruins of ancient towns and fortresses – one being the Red City – which flourished until the onslaught of Ghenghis Khan in the thirteenth century.

Map

Follow this link to an interactive map: http://www.intercontinentalkabul.com/Local%20guide.htm