Afghanistan Expedition (in Spanish)

Day 2 – Full day in Kabul

• In the morning, we will head to Old Kabul, where we will spend the morning walking slowly through all the different bazaars, including the worldwide famous bird market, a photogenic bazaar where they sell different types of birds as pets, one of the top tourist attractions in Kabul.
• After a hearty meal, we will travel west of Kabul to visit Sakhi Shrine, a mini version of the Blue Mosque in Mazar and also one of the most stunning mosques in Afghanistan.
• Our day will be finished in Bibi Mahro Hills, the highest point in all of Kabul, from where you get a 360º view of the city, and whose center features the tallest flag pole in the country, today this flag being a massive Taliban flag.
• This place is always busy with locals for sunset, so it will be a great chance to interact with them too.
• Overnight in Kabul.

Day 3 – Bamyan

• At 8 am, we’ll hit the road towards Bamyan, the heartland of Hazara people, and the only sort of tourist-friendly place in all Afghanistan.
• It’s located at the heart of the Hindu Kush, in a stunningly beautiful area surrounded by mountains and lush, green fields, but also a region rich in ancient history.
• The journey by road takes around 3.5 hours but for the most part, it’s a truly scenic enjoyable drive. After checking in the hotel, we will have lunch and then we will pay a visit to the giant Buddhas that were carved from the rocks back in the 6th century, but unfortunately destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
• The big Buddha-shaped holes they left behind are impressive though, and the views from the top even more.
• We will finish the day on top of Shahr-e Gholghola, an ancient fortress from where you get jaw-dropping views of all Bamyan and surrounding mountains.
• Overnight in Bamyan.

Day 4 – Chehel Burj

• This is actual off-the-beaten-track Afghanistan.
• Day 4 is going to be a long driving day along the Hindu Kush valley, a journey along mesmerizing and absolutely unspoiled villages barely visited by travelers, all the way to Chehel Burj, a 40-tower fortress located in the middle of nowhere, with even more awesome valley views.
• While the journey takes a long time due to the road condition, the valley and things we see on the way has always been a highlight in all our expeditions.
• Overnight in Bamyan.

Day 5 – Band-e-Ameer National Park

• Band-e-Ameer is a UNESCO World Heritage and also the only National Park in all Afghanistan, a set of deep-blue lakes that are absolutely jaw-dropping.
• The best way to get an impression of its size is by walking around the lakes on foot, so we will do a 1-hour hike, while choosing the best spot for a picnic lunch.
• After lunch, we will head for Kabul.
• Overnight in Kabul.

Day 6 – Herat

• We will catch the 9am flight from Kabul to Herat, arriving around 10:30am.
• We’ll go straight to the hotel, followed by visiting Herat highlights, which include the Friday Mosque, the tile workshop, Herat’s Citadel, and the city’s bazaar.
• In the evening, we’ll go to an ice cream shop typically frequented by the Taliban.
• Overnight in Herat.

Day 7 – Journey to Kandahar

• At 7:30am, we’ll start driving towards Kandahar.
• It’s a 9 to 10-hour drive but the journey will take us across some of the most isolated provinces in Afghanistan, including Farah, Nimruz, and Helmand.
• These provinces have been controlled by the Taliban for many years already, way before the Taliban takeover in 2021, and they are the most affected by the Afghan war as well.
• Helmand is actually the province with the largest number of American casualties in all of Afghanistan, and probably in the whole world.
• Overnight in Kandahar.

Day 8 – Kandahar

• Kandahar is the heartland for the Pashtun people.
• Long-bearded men and women in burqa, but also dust, utterly hot summers, and an insane level of military security.
• Kandahar is like the Afghanistan we have been watching on TV, but it’s also rich in history, since it was actually founded by Alexander the Great himself in the 4th century BC.
• The city, however, is also infamous for being the place where the Taliban movement was founded, and the actual Taliban capital when they ruled the country from 1996 to 2001.
• We will visit the remains of the city founded by Alexander the Great but our visit will also have a big focus on the Taliban history, and that will include the mosque where Mullah Omar and Osama Bin Laden used to pray, as well as a Taliban school.
• Overnight in Kandahar.

Day 9 – Fly to Kabul

• We will catch the 11am flight from Kandahar to Kabul.
• We will check in at the hotel and after lunch, we’ll visit all the places we missed on day 2 of the tour, which can include the Maranjan Hills, the National Museum or Babur Gardens.
• Overnight in Kabul.

Day 10 – Departure

• In the morning, we’ll head to Chicken Street, the only place in Kabul where you can find actual souvenirs, ranging from fridge magnets to coffee mugs and the carpet bazaar.
• Airport transfers will be arranged accordingly.