Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Pakistan to the south and east, Iran to the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to the north. There is a short border with China to the far northeast, but in an extremely inaccessible region.

Afghanistan has been a poor country for some while now. Years of war -- from the Soviet invasion of 1979, through warlordism and general chaos after their withdrawal in 1989, to the rise of Taliban who imposed order with draconian measures, to the US-led invasion -- have left this one of the poorest countries in the world. However, as of 2001, the country is slowly recovering.

Regions

• West Afghanistan

• East Afghanistan

• Northwest Afghanistan

• Northeast Afghanistan

• South Afghanistan

English spellings of Afghan place names vary. For example, Q may replace K as in Qandahar or Qunduz. Konduz will be seen spelt as Qunduz, Qundoz, Qundoze and variations on these. Bamiyan is often spelled as Bamian or Bamyan. Khowst may be spelt as Khost.

Cities

There are six major cities, each the center of its region:

• Kabul - in the east, the capital city
• Ghazni - in the south-east, between Kabul and Kandahar
• Herat - in the west
• Jalalabad - in the east, between Kabul and the Khyber Pass
• Kandahar - in the south, Taliban influenced
• Mazar-e Sharif - in the north

Each of these cities is connected by road to a neighboring country, and many are influenced by their neighbors. Iranian influence is strong in Herat, while Kandahar, Jalalabad and Mazar-e Sharif all have many citizens from ethnic and linguistic groups that are also common in neighboring countries.

Other centers include:

• Bagram
• Balkh
• Faizabad
• Konduz
• Pol-e Khomri
• Sheberghan
• Taloqan

Other destinations

• Bamiyan - The remains of the Buddhas. Once considered one of the wonders of the world, these tall stone carvings were destroyed by the Taliban in a notorious act of cultural vandalism.

• Band-e Amir - 5 stunningly turqouise lakes in a remote and beautiful setting, not far from Bamiyan.

• Shamali Plain north of Kabul. Shamali, meaning 'windy', is a green plain which produced a lot of the food for central Afghanistan. From Kabul it extends north through Charikar, Parwan province to Jabal os Saraj. The Taliban destroyed the irrigation systems and it is only just beginning to recover.

• Panjshir Valley - a beautiful trekking area, leading to the famous Anjuman Pass.

• The Salang Pass is a high mountain pass and tunnel linking Kabul to the north.

• Mazar-e Sharif is home to the impressively tiled Blue Mosque. From here visit nearby Balkh or the Qaila Jangi fortress where Taliban prisoners attempted a breakout.

• The Khyber Pass is the Gateway to India, an historic route of invasion and trade.

• The Minaret of Jam is well off the beaten path but some say worth the journey - possible as a roundtrip from Herat or when traversing the Central Route from Herat to Kabul.

Culture and History

Afghanistan has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons. While travel to this country has not been advisable for several years, it is a place which has much to offer the intrepid traveller. That said, the intrepid traveller should look elsewhere for thrill-seeking at the moment, since stability and safety still do not exist in much of the country.

• Afghan Scene magazine [1]

Climate

Arid to semi-arid; cold winters and hot summers.

Temperatures in the north can be below freezing for most of the winter. Snow in the higher elevations is common. Summer-time highs can exceed 140 deg F (60 C) with daytime temps of 120 deg F (50 C) being common.

Terrain

Mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest. The Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan Corridor). Hindu Kush translates as "killer of Hindus".

South of Kandahar is desert.

Ethnic groups

Afghanistan is a very diverse country ethnically. Tribal or local allegiances are strong, which complicates national politics immensely.

The two largest linguistic groups speak Pashto and Dari (Afghan Persian). Pashto speakers predominate in the South and East, Dari in North and central Afghanistan.

About 11% of the population have Turkic languages, Uzbek or Turkmen, as their first language. Many of them are in the North, near Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Baluchi tribesmen, still largely nomadic, can be found anywhere between Quetta in Pakistan and Mashad in Iran, including much of Western Afghanistan. They make marvellous, if often somewhat simple, rugs.

There are about 30,000 to 150,000 Hindus and Sikhs living in different cities but mostly in Jalalabad, Kabul, and Kandahar who belong to the Punjabi, Sindhi, Kabuli, and Kandhari ethnic groups.

Hazaras in the Central mountains look much more Asiatic than other Afghans. They are descended from Ghengis Khan's soldiers.

History

Afghanistan was created as a nation in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, with its capital at Kandahar. The country or region has a long history of warfare, both among Afghans and against invaders from Alexander of Macedon, to the Mongol hordes, to the British empire. Its recent history is no exception.

The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, to support a local socialist government. They were forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting subsequently continued among the various mujahidin fractions, giving rise to a state of warlordism.

The Taliban grew out of this chaos, providing a ruthless solution to what was by this time a civil war. Backed by foreign sponsors, and inspired by a conservative sect of Islam, Taliban developed as a political force and eventually seized power. They captured most of the country, aside from ununified warlords in the northeast. The separation was partly along ethnic lines, with Taliban strength primarily in Pushtu areas.

After the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US, Taliban refused to give up the Al Quaeda people in Afghanistan. The US and allies therefore took military action with the support of the opposition, causing Taliban's downfall.

In late 2001, major leaders from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001. The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002, and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land mines.

Electricity

Officially 220V 50Hz. Electricity supplies are erratic but slowly improving in major cities. Voltage can drop to below 150V in some places. The Afghans' enthusiasm for homemade generators or modifying low quality ones means that the frequency and voltage can also vary wildly.

There are three types of electrical outlets likely to be found in Afghanistan. They are the old British standard BS-546, the newer British standard BS-1363 and the European standard CEE-7/7 "Schukostecker" or "Schuko". There is no single recognized standard. Hence, you may encounter any or all of these outlet types there. Generally speaking, U.S. and Canadian travelers should pack adapters for these outlets if they plan to use North American electrical equipment in Afghanistan.

Read

• A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby - a hilarious account of pioneer trekking in Nuristan in the 1950's

Travel to Afghanistan, visa requirements

Flights to Afghanistan, airtickets

Kabul International Airport (IATA: KBL) in Kabul is open but in poor condition. Expect long delays at immigration and baggage claim. Near the old terminal, a new modern-style terminal is under construction by Japan and is scheduled to be completed by 2008.

The national carrier, Ariana Afghan Airlines, is flying with a small fleet of about 14 Airbuses and Boeings (plus Antonovs). Ariana is banned from European air space for safety reasons. They have daily flights from Dubai, and periodic flights from Islamabad, Delhi, Istanbul, Baku and Tehran. Ariana is particularly bad at keeping to schedules, flights can be cancelled or delayed without notice.

A far better option is the independent operator Kam Air, which has twice daily flights from Dubai, twice weekly flights from Delhi and weekly flight from Almaty, Istanbul and Mashad. Some of the flights on the Dubai to Kabul route stop in Herat if you'd prefer to enter the country there. Pamir Airways is a new private airline that offers daily flights between Kabul and Dubai ($330 inbound, $210 outbound), some stopping in Herat.

Air Arabia flies 4 times per week from Sharjah - however they have currently suspended operations. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flies 4 times per week from Islamabad and 1 time per week from Peshawar to Kabul. Another route in may be via through Tehran or Mashad in Iran. Iran Air has periodic flights from Tehran to Kabul. Air India operates two flights a week from Delhi to Kabul.

Flights to other cities such as Mazar-e Sharif may be available if you can hook up with the charter company 'PacTec' however seating is very limited.

By car

From Peshawar, Pakistan via the Khyber Pass to Jalalabad and then proceeding to Kabul. From Quetta, Pakistan to Kandahar. From Mashad, Iran to Herat. From Uzbekistan to Mazar-e Sharif and from Tajikistan to Konduz. Travelling any of these routes should not be considered safe, especially Quetta to Kandahar.

Buses to Afghanistan

Buses run regularly between Jalalabad and Peshawar, Pakistan. Also, between Herat and Mashad, Iran. Afghani buses are thouroughly checked by Iranian border police for possible drugs, so expect delays.

Get around

Tour agencies

• Afghan Logistics & Tours [2] #106 Ansari Square, Street No 1, Shar-e Now, Kabul. +93 (0)70 277 408, +93 (0)70 288 668, +93 (0)799 391462. One of the first and biggest travel companies in Afghanistan, with a South-East Asia branch office in Singapore.

• The Great Game Travel Company (Afghanistan) [3] Street 3/1 House 2 Proje Taimani, Kabul. +93-799-489-120 (Kabul) or +93-799-686-686 (Kabul) +44 (0)28-9091-3001 (UK) offers high security tours in central and northern Afghanistan.

Flights to Afghanistan, airtickets

Planes fly between Kabul and the major cities (Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-e Sharif) at varying frequency.

By car

There is a growing network of public transportation between the country's cities. Buses ply some routes and Toyota vehicles have a near monopoly on minivan (HiAce) and taxi (Corolla) transportation.

• Jeeps and Land Cruisers are available for hire along with drivers who speak some English. There are tour operators in Kabul that will provide a car and a guide. Links to some of these companies are at the bottom of the page. Petrol stations are scarce in the country side and fuel is expensive.

• Paved roads are the exception...not the rule. Even those roads are in poor repair. Once outside the major cities expect dirt roads (which turn to mud during rain or snow melt). A major highway connects Kabul to Peshawar via the Khyber pass. The highway to Kabul from Bagram is dominated by military convoys and "jingle trucks". Get out of the way of military convoys! They travel fast and are heavily armed.

A new highway now links Kabul to Kandahar. The highway is in good condition but should not be considered safe because of the frequent attacks by anti-government forces such as the Taliban and the poor standard of driving. The trip will take a minimum of 5 hours.

Talk

Languages

Dari, very similar to Persian, is the native language of half the population, Pashto of 35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) of 11%. There are also 30 minor languages such as Balochi. Dari is the historical lingua franca, but in the South and East Pashto is more common. Most people speak more than one language. You'll find a few people in Kabul who speak a little English but otherwise it isn't widely understood.

Afghanistan nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

Being an Islamic country, alcohol consumption is illegal. It is however tolerated, for non-Afghans, in western restaurants in Kabul.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

There are at least five international standard hotels in Kabul. Two of which are 5-star, while the rest are in the 4-star catagory. A Marriott Hotel is under construction and is scheduled to be opened by the middle of 2007. Guesthouses and small hotels are also available in all major cities, and while maybe not meeting international standards are usually friendly and reliable.

Learn

Work

Many foreigners are finding well paid work in Afghanistan as part of the reconstruction efforts. Often with the UN or other non governmental organisations. Most of these jobs are within Kabul. Local wages are very low, especially outside of Kabul. However, everyone should read and understand the travel advice published by their respective governments or in the Stay safe section below. You will need a work visa if you are planning on working on a US military base.

Stay safe

Afghanistan is a volatile country, and downright dangerous in the southern and eastern areas. An increase in Taliban insurgence there has led some NATO officials to believe that the Taliban has regained control of roughly half the country. Unecessary travel to Afghanistan is strongly discouraged since the only way to stay safe in Afghanistan is by not going. Foreigners, including journalists, are still potential targets for kidnapping.

While the northern part of the country is generally considered to be a lot safer than the south and east, occasional incidents still can occur anywhere and a seemingly safe place can become the opposite in an instant. The October 2006 Kabul bombings and murder of 2 German journalists while asleep in their tent en route to Bamiyan has many people on edge.

Land mines remain bad news in the country as well, as this is one of the most mined countries in Southwest Asia.

If after considering the risks you still choose to travel in Afghanistan, hiring an armed escort or travelling with an experienced guide are ways to decrease the risks. For more info also refer to the individual pages for the destinations you plan to visit.

See also: War zone safety

Stay healthy

• Afghanistan is one of the least healthy countries on the planet. Respiratory diseases and food related illness are common. Malaria is a risk in many parts of the country. TB is also common. Dust is a serious problem in most parts of the country, including the major cities. Pollution from diesel engines and heaters can also make life unpleasant.
• Afghanistan is infested with flies because of the poor sanitation and piles of rubbish everywhere. Winter brings some relief, but as soon as warm weather returns in April, so do the flies.
• Locally grown food does not meet western standards. Locals eat from a common bowl where hands are the only utensil.
• There is no sewer system in most of the country and squat toilets are the norm.
• Drink only bottled water and carry antibacterial wipes or lotion.

Respect

• Many women in all parts of Afghanistan still wear the bhurka or chadori. Western women are highly encouraged to wear a head scarf (especially outside Kabul).
• Showing the bottom of the foot is considered offensive.
• The further south you go the more conservative the people are.

Contact

Fixed line service is available in major cities (digital in Kabul) and mobile phones in most cities. SIM cards are available and international calls to Europe/US typically cost less than $0.5/minute. Outside of major cities your options are limited to a satellite phone.

Mobile phones

• Roshan [4] +93 (0) 79 997 1333. The most reliable service with the widest coverage. SMS is possible to most countries. SIM cards cost $5, local calls are 5Af/minute (10 cents/min).

• Afghan Wireless [5] Owned by the government, is is questionably reliable and serves fewer destinations than Roshan. SMS is available to some countries. SIM cards cost $15, local alls are 10Af/minute.

• Areeba [6] +93 (0) 77 222 2777. The newest cell service, and also the cheapest, offers the least coverage. SIM cards cost $10, local calls are 5.5Af/minute.

• Etisalat [7] - A large network provider from the UAE, they should be rolling out a new GSM network in Afghanistan in early 2007.

Satellite phones

• Thuraya [8] is the most reliable.

Featured articles
China travel tips: Language / pensions culture in Barcelona / cheap youth hostels singapore / hotels and hostels in Trastevere in Rome / Major Morocco tourist attractions / South Africa political attractions / Vancouver visitors guide, culture & youth hostels / Las Vegas hotels, top casinos, tours and shows . .