Afghanistan is a travel destination in Southern Asia. Its capital is Kabul. October and September are its two best months to visit, ranked on 1991–2020 climate averages.
Top places to visit in Afghanistan
Band-e Amir National Park (natural, Bamyan) — Afghanistan's first national park — six deep-blue crater lakes separated by natural travertine dams in the Hindu Kush at 3,000 m elevation.
Bamiyan Valley (landmark, Bamyan) — UNESCO World Heritage site — giant niches where colossal 6th-century Buddha statues once stood, surrounded by dramatic multi-coloured cliffs.
Blue Mosque Mazar-i-Sharif (landmark, Balkh) — Magnificent 15th-century shrine covered in turquoise and white glazed tiles — said to house the tomb of Hazrat Ali, fourth Caliph of Islam.
Kabul Old City (Murad Khane) (city, Kabul) — Historic walled quarter of Kabul — traditional courtyard houses, bazaars, Babur's Garden, and the Kabul Museum with pre-Islamic artefacts.
Minaret of Jam (landmark, Ghor) — UNESCO-listed 65 m minaret (1194 AD) rising from a remote gorge — intricate glazed brick geometry: one of Afghanistan's finest medieval monuments.
Panjshir Valley (natural, Panjshir) — River valley flanked by snow-capped peaks — legendary resistance stronghold, brilliant-cut emerald mines, and deep blue river pools.
Herat Old City (city, Herat) — One of Central Asia's great medieval cities — Friday Mosque with glittering tile mosaics, covered bazaars, 15th-century citadel.
Wakhan Corridor (natural, Badakhshan) — Remote Pamir mountain corridor — glaciers, yak herders, ancient Silk Road forts, and the confluence of the Panj and Wakhan rivers.
Buddhas of Bamiyan Niches (landmark, Bamyan) — Two enormous empty rock-cut niches where 55 m and 38 m Buddhas stood — an evocative pilgrimage to a World Heritage site of tragic history.
Kandahar Citadel (landmark, Kandahar) — Ancient mud-brick citadel on the edge of Afghanistan's second city — layers of Achaemenid, Macedonian, and Mughal history.