Afghanistan

Places in Afghanistan

• Bagram

  There is not much reason for a traveler to visit Bagram, and it is probably not the safest place to be either. The article explicitly advises against attempting to stop near military facilities and observes that interest in military operations may be viewed differently by others given the volatile situation in Afghanistan.

  Atlas entry

• Balkh

  Atlas entry

• Bamiyan

  Bamiyan is Afghanistan's premier tourist destination, centered on the ruins of two colossal 6th-century Buddha statues that once dominated the valley. Despite their destruction by the Taliban in 2001, the cliff-face niches, surrounding caves with fresco remains, and UNESCO-listed cultural landscape make this a compelling destination.

  Atlas entry

• Ghazni

  Ghazni is a small city and provincial capital in south-central Afghanistan, historically significant as the capital of the Ghaznavid Empire. The city preserves remarkable architectural monuments from that era, including elaborately decorated minarets nearly a thousand years old.

  Atlas entry

• Herat

  Herat is the third largest city in Afghanistan and one of its wealthier provinces, located close to the Iranian border. Known as the 'Diamond of Asia' in some literature, the city has over 3,000 years of history and was rebuilt many times after destruction, most notably by Tamerlane in the 1300s.

  Atlas entry

• Jalalabad

  Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan, located next to the Kabul and Kunar rivers near the Khyber Pass. The city is famous for its abundant orange and palm trees, earning it a reputation as one of Afghanistan's most beautiful cities.

  Atlas entry

• Kabul

  Kabul has served as Afghanistan's capital since the late eighteenth century. Historical sites give a heritage focus to this busy urban setting.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$54

  Best months

  Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov

• Kandahar

  Kandahar is Afghanistan's second-largest city and was the nation's capital before Kabul in 1776. It remains the political and economic heart of southern Afghanistan, producing many of the country's most influential leaders—from Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of modern Afghanistan, to former President Hamid Karzai.

  Atlas entry

• Kunduz

  Kunduz is a major city in the North of Afghanistan, serving as an important regional center. Most visitors pass through en route to other destinations in Northeast Afghanistan or use it as a stopping point on the rebuilt road from Pol-e Khomri.

  Atlas entry

• Lashkargah

  Lashkargah serves as the capital of Helmand Province in South Afghanistan. The city offers access to historic Islamic architecture including the Lashkargah Mosque and smaller neighborhood mosques.

  Atlas entry

• Mazar-e Sharif

  Mazar-e Sharif is Afghanistan's 4th largest city and the most open and liberal urban center after Kabul, drawing visitors primarily to the luminous Blue Mosque, said to shelter the tomb of Ali bin Talib, the Prophet's cousin. The city sits at a historic crossroads of trade, giving it ethnic diversity rare elsewhere in Afghanistan, and serves as a transit hub for overland routes to Central Asia.

  Atlas entry

• Sultan Eshkashim

  Sultan Eshkashim is a remote border bazaar town in Northeast Afghanistan where the Wakhan Valley meets Tajikistan. It offers a rare glimpse into Afghan border town life—a functioning market where locals trade goods for daily needs, with craftsmen and textile vendors present.

  Atlas entry