TravelTips24 : Asia : Central Asia : Afghanistan : Northeast Afghanistan : Shamali Plain
Shamali Plain
Table of Contents
Regions / Cities / Other destinations / Culture and History / Talk / Travel to Shamali Plain, visa requirements / Get around / Shamali Plain attractions and sightseeing / Itineraries / City tours / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Shamali Plain nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Stay safe / Get outThe Shamali Plain (or Shomali Plain) is 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, Parvan province to Jabal os Saraj. Food production was largely stopped during the wars, but it is now beginning to recover. The Plain remains largely green during the long hot summer.
Regions
Cities
- Charikar the main city of the Parvan province, which covers most of the Shamali Plain.
- Jabal os Saraj is a small town at one end of the plain, at the foot of the Salang Pass.
Other destinations
- Panjshir Valley is at the northern end of the Shamali Plain. Famous as the base of the commander Ahmed Shah Massoud.
Culture and History
The Taliban destroyed the irrigation systems and it is only just beginning to recover. The local population suffered particularly badly under the Taliban and during the various wars. The Plain was the front line between waring factions during Afghanistan's many conflicts.
Talk
Travel to Shamali Plain & Visa Requirements
The main road heading north from Kabul passes through the plain. It has been reconstructed and is in good condition.
Tours & Getting around Shamali Plain
Shamali Plain attractions and sightseeing
The safest way to see the Plain is to drive north from Kabul. There are various viewpoints, with some of the best views from Jabal os Saraj.
Itineraries
Shamali Plain city tours
Shamali Plain Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive
Local produce such as grapes and other fruit are very good.
Shamali Plain nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs
Stay safe
The area was the scene of major battles during the various wars. Major routes have been demined. However, more remote areas can still pose a risk. Seek local advice and training.
Get out
Shamali Photo Gallery on Shamali's Website http://www.shamalionline.com/shamali/gallery/
This page was last edited at 05:41, on 13 September 2008 by Dave Stanley. Based on work by Wikitravel user(s) Cacahuate and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.
Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license