AFGHANISTAN HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

Pick up by the tour guide and driver. Hotel check-in and a short briefing of the tour by the guide. Breakfast or lunch if needed.

Money exchange and going to a tailor shop for the local outfit/shirt.

Touring Kabul depending on what time remains: First of all, we will take you to BiBi Mahroo hill (the big flag) to have a bird’s eye view of Kabul city.

Visiting the oldest market, Mandawi bazaar and the Bird market. Walking around Pul-e-Khishti Mosque (1793-1800), Nadir Pushtun Wat, Chahar Chatta bazaar and Pul-e-Bagh-e-Omumi to catch the atmosphere of Kabul. Visiting Mandawi Bazaar in Kabul, is an experience as it is not only a market but an amazing insight into life here – you will find blacksmiths, many street traders, butchers, bakeries, Banjara, fresh and dried fruits. You will visit the little Afghanistan there.

Walking around Morad Khani area, the old part of Kabul.

Visiting the Shah-Do-Shamshira Mosque (1544) relates to an early legend concerning the arrival of Islam in Kabul.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Kabul

Towards Herat by a flight and registration at the provincial Afghan Tour Department.

Visiting the Musallah Complex, designed and built (1417) under Queen Gawhar Shad, wife of Shah Rukh, son of Amir Taimur (Taimur Lang), artistic director. Most of these great works of art were irretrievably demolished under the direction of Amir Abdurahman and British troops in 1885 and some of them were subsequently downed by earthquakes. Only three examples remain:  1- Queen Gawhar Shad’s mausoleum, (inside are the tombstones of the Queen 1457, her son Baisunghur and various grandsons and great-grandsons), 2- the mausoleum of Mir Ali Sher Nawai (died in 1501), the prime minister of Sultan Husain Baiqara (1468-1506), last of the Timurid rulers in Herat. 3- The 5 minarets out of a total of 20 minarets, (4 of them stood at the four corners of a Madrassa built by Sultan Husain Baiqara).

Visiting the Masjid-e-Jami or Friday Mosque. The form in which it stands today was originally laid out on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasuddin (died 1202). His unadorned tomb lies under a dome situated behind the north iwan (portal). Today’s restoration of the mosque continues a tradition of architectural decoration of Timurid (15th century).

There is a Madrasa (Islamic school) inside the mosque where students continue a tradition active in the mosque since the 10th century.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Herat

We start our day visiting the Citadel of Alexander the Great 330 B.C. and built in its present form by the Kart Malik Fakhruddin in 1305 A.D. Genghis Khan and Amir Timur (Timuri Lang) fought beneath its walls and it was the heart of the Timurid Empire for a hundred years (1405-1506) after that fighting.

Walking around the old city of Herat. The four main bazaars of the old city come together at a center square called the Chahrsuq or Four Bazaar. In addition to the old shops lining the streets there are several covered bazaars in the vicinity. covered bazaars are now rarely to be seen outside of Herat and visitors are encouraged to include a visit to a a few of these bazaars.

You will visit the neighborhood of Jewish Afghans who were forced to leave their country years ago and their Synagogues and bath.

Visiting the Caravanserais located on Silk Road around Chahrsuq.

Visiting the Malan bridge 1100AD.

A visit to the Shrine of Khwaja Abdullah Ansari, the celebrated Sufi poet and philosopher who was born in Herat in 1006 and died here in 1088. Here Shah Rukh built many buildings which were lavishly decorated with brilliant tilework. Work began in 1425. Inside the shrine there is a most remarkable and must see sarcophagus, called the Haft Qalam Stone (Seven Pens) which is fashioned of black marble and dates from the reign of Sultan Husain Baiqara (1468-1506).

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Herat

Departing Kabul towards Mazar-e-Sharif by a flight.

Registration at the Afghan tour department and Hotel check-in.

Visiting the Blue Mosque of Mazar-e-Sharif, built in 1136 by the great Seljuk Sultan, Sanjar. Genghis Khan destroyed it in 1221, having heard there was great treasure beneath its pillars. The reign of the Timurid Sultan Husain Baiqara rebuilt it in 1481.

Walking around the city center and Bazaars. Walking around  Banjara Bazaar to see the people and their daily life, culture and lifestyle.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Mazar

Balkh, is a town of prodigious antiquity where Zoroaster preached sometime between 1000 and 600 B.C. Under the Kushans, when Buddhism was practiced throughout Afghanistan, many holy Buddhist temples flourished in Balkh. The Arabs, the bearers of Islam, called Balkh the Mother of Towns, so impressed were they with its magnificence but in 1220 Genghis Khan left it utterly devastated. Balkh was abandoned for Mazar-e-Sharif in 1866

A short drive to Balkh District.

Visiting Masjid-e-Haji Piyada or Nuh Gunbad Mosque, 9th century A.D.

A visit to Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa Mosque and to the tomb of Rabia Balkhi The first woman of the Islamic period to compose poems in Persian

A visit to the ruins of Bala Hisar-e-Balkh built by Alexander the Great 329-327 B.C.

Visiting the ruins of the Mawlana Jalaluddin Balkhi (known in the west as Rumi) abbey. Rumi was born in Balkh in 1207. Perhaps the most eminent sufi poet of all time.

Visiting Burj-e-Ayaran tower (the city wall).

Drive back to Mazar e Sharif.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Mazar

This is a 12-hour drive passing through Salang Tunnel (Hindu Kush mountains). Altitude of 3363 m: 11034 ft. and 2,7 km: 1,7 mi. long, built in 1964 by Soviet Union.

We will drive through another fascinating road, Dara-e-Ghurband, through the Shibar Pass. It winds along beside the Ghorband River.

We will pass Sia Gird district and many local bazaars and markets.

Many stops on the way for photography and lunch

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Bamyan

Registration with the provincial Afghan Tour department.

Visiting the UNISCO Heritage Sites, the ruins of Buddha Statues (once tallest standing Buddhas in the world), the Large Buddha, 55 m: 180 ft high (late 5th to the early 7th centuries A.D.). The Small Buddha, 38 m: 125 feet high (the 3rd or very early 4th centuries A.D.). Both were demolished by the Taliban in 2001.

Visiting the ruins of Gholghula City (The City of Screams). Build by Ghaznavids (977-1186) and demolished by Genghis Khan in 1221.

A visit to the ruins of Zuhak City (Red City) on our way. The fortress is believed to have been founded between 500-600 A.D. by the Hephthalites, around the same time as the Buddhas of Bamyan were created and demolished by Genghis Khan in 1221.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Bamyan

After breakfast, we will head to Band-e-Amir Blue Lakes. Hiking and sightseeing. Altitude: 2916 m: 9567 ft. There are five lakes in all.

On the way back to Bamyan, we will drive to Dragon valley for Bamyan’s landscape.

Walking at bazaars and city to visit people and their daily life and culture.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Bamyan

After breakfast, we will leave Bamyan for Kabul. This is a 4-hour beautiful drive, traveling through the fascinating Hajigak Pass (3700 m: 12,140 ft.), with stops at picturesque rest areas to refresh and take unforgettable photos.

After lunch in Kabul, a visit to the iconic Babur Garden built by the Mughal Emperor Babur Shah, 1528 CE.

Visiting Bala Hisar fortress.

Our last visit today, Ziarat-e-Sakhi or Sakhi Shrine built in 18th century.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Overnight: Kabul

We will take you to Chicken Street (antique market). You will find all kinds of handicrafts, Afghan handmade Rugs, gemstones, calligraphy, glass miniatures and oil paintings, antique and ornamental works in Chicken Street.

Visiting more of Kabul depends on what time remains.

Finally, after a 10-day tour to Afghanistan with lots of unique experiences and heart touching stories we will drop you at the Kabul airport for your flight back home.
Brdakfast and lunch

End of the tour.