ADVENTURE TRAVELLING & HOLIDAYS IN AFGHANISTAN
14 days

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KabulKar Group offers bespoke tour package for trips to many of the unique and historical place in Afghanistan. Discover an extraordinary string of cities that lie spread across the landscape from Kabul to the Hindu Kush, visit the mountain caves of Bamiyan, the historic northern towns of Mazar-i-Sharif and Balkh and the famous Panjshir Valley. Then we will move on to Herat, the most architecturally complete city in Afghanistan, As well as a Trekking the remarkable Wakhan corridor Afghanistan . KKG & Travel uses specialist local guides throughout whose aim is to provide authentic and original experiences for all our guests. Please join us one of our itineraries below or contact us to arrange your custom made trips such as a holidays, hiking, trekking, research expeditions, atc..

Our Tour 14 Days Package Itineraries

Top Tips for Visiting Afghanistan

· The city walls & Moghul gardens of Kabul 

· Explore Herat

· Unseen Panjshir Valley

· Visit the Shrine of Ali in Mazar e Sharif

· See the lakes at Band e Amir

• • Starting Point Hotel - Kabul , Afghanistan
• Finishing Point Hotel - Kabul , Afghanistan

Day 1 - Tour starts in Kabul
Arrival and briefing. For those who arrive early, we will have time to take an afternoon tour of the city. This will include a visit to the Babur’s Gardens, and remains of Darulaman Palace and a visit to the Kabul Museum.

Day 2  Fly Kabul – Mazar e Sharif  :

A morning in Kabul to visit places such as the TV Mountain, Kolola pushta fort, British cemetery.
Then fly to Mazar e Sharif.
Overnight in Mazar e Sharif.

Day 3 – Mazar e Sharif – Visit Balkh

Full day in Mazar & Balkh

The central square of Mazar-i-Sharif is dominated by the mosque and shrine for which the city is named. According to local lore, this is the burial place of Hazrat Ali, and it is visited throughout the year by countless pilgrims. The shrine, contructed in 1481, is decorated in blue tile and is the most beautiful building in Afghanistan. As well as being an important religious centre, Mazar is famous for its rugs and carpets, which are sold in the shops around the shrine. A short distance from Mazar is the city of Balkh, which some authorities claim is the oldest city on earth. Zoroaster preached here some time between 1000-600 BC and Alexander the Great used it as the base for his operations between 329-327 BC. Under the Kushans, Buddhism flourished here, and when the Arabs arrived, bringing Islam with them, they called Balkh the “Mother of Cities”. The city was sacked by Ghengis Khan but enjoyed a revival under the Timurids. The ancient city walls are still intact. One building of note is the Masjid-i-No Gumbad (“Mosque of the Nine Domes”), constructed early in the 9^th century. Only a few examples of mosque architecture from this early period exist anywhere in the world.

Return to Mazar in the evening. Overnight in Mazar

Day 4 Mazar e Sharif – Samangan – Mazar e Sharif

The capital of the Samangan province. 2 km nearby is an important Buddhist site, dating to the 4th Century, locally known as Takhte Rustam (Rustam's Throne). Rustam, the hero of Firdausi's great epic, the Shahnama (Book of Kings), written in Ghazni around 1010, married the beautiful daughter of the king of Samangan, Tahmina. The stupa cave crowns the hill in front of the monastery which was most probably destroyed by Hephthalites, around 460 AD. 60 km north lies Tashkorghan (khulm) with one of the last traditional Central Asian Covered Bazars left in Afghanistan. A stroll through this bazar is a fascinating ethnographic adventure. The large domed Tim Bazar is of special interest. So are, the Bala Hissar, the charming palace of Amir Abdur Rahman (Baghe Jahan Numa) and the tomb of Qilich Ali Beg, the most notable ruler of khulm (1786-1817.
Overnight in Mazar e Sharif

Day 5 – Fly Mazar e Sharif – Kabul

Early morning flight from Mazar e Sharif to Kabul.
Day in Kabul to visit the Bala Hissar fort , Old city of shor Bazaar, Eid Gah mosque and the Mousoleum of Nadir shah.
Overnight in Kabul

Day 6 Kabul – Panjshir 

We will visit the Panjshir Valley, described as the most beautiful place in Afghanistan by locals. 100km to the North East of Kabul lies the lush Panjshir valley leading up out of the plains up to the Hindu Kush mountains abd is regarded by many as the most beautiful part of Afghanistan. Panjshir means five lions, legend has it that the lions were 5 protectors who defended the valley for Mahmood of Ghazni in the 12th century. It is a famous emerald mining area and home to the largest concentration of ethnic Tajiks in Afghanistan. It was also the base of Ahmed Shah Massoud, the lion of the Panjshir. Probably the most famous mujahedin leader from the soviet war. His poster is seen over much of Afghanistan and is often mentioned as “our national hero”. His tomb is located at the beginning of the valley. as well as stopping off at a local fish restaurant on the banks of the Panjshir River.

Overnight in Kabul

Day 7 – Fly Kabul - Bamiyan  

When we arrive in Bamian we will have time to look at the hillsides containing many caves in which monasteries and Buddhist carvings were once situated. Later we will go to the Bazaar and see the local people.

Later in the afternoon, We will also visit the natural landscape of Darya Ajdahar –the Valley of the Dragon. Legend has it that many years ago, a dragon lived in this valley, terrorising the people of Bam-iyan, who placated him with a daily offering of two camels and a beautiful girl. The dragon's reign was ended by Hazrat Ali, who split him in two with his sword. The dragon-shaped rock that can be seen in the valley today is split with a 300m fissure, and from the “head”, the dragon's tears are still pouring out in the form of mineral springs. The groans of the dragon can be heard by placing an ear close to the fissure. 

Day 8 Bamiyan - Band- e Amir

Side trip to Band-i-Amir lakes. If the Bamiyan Buddhas represent one of man's great achievements, the lakes at Band-i-Amir provide the perfect complement – the calcite dams are a unique natural wonder. The five lakes have a rich mineral content, resulting in a deep sapphire blue colour, fading to turquoise at the edges, contrasting with the pink cliffs above.There are five lakes in all, surrounded by natural dams formed from the minerals in the water. The dam around the first lake, Band-i-Haibat (“Dam of Awe”) is 14m high. The lakes can be explored on foot or by boat. and in 2008 were declared the country's first national park.

Day 9 In Bamiyan 

we'll explore the citadel of Shari Zohak (the Red City) perched atop the red cliffs, poised to defend the Bamiyan valley from invasion. This mass of ruins was once a principle fortress, protecting the entrance to the city of Bamiyan during the reigns of the Shansabani Kings in the 12th and 13th century. It also fell victim to Genghis Khan's vengeance.

Afternoon visit to Shari Ghulghula (City of Screams), destroyed by Genghis Khan after a local princess out of jealousy gave away the secret entryway to this fortified city, and Kakrak Valley, location of hundreds of caves, sculptures and paintings on the walls of the valley made by the Buddhist inhabitants who dwelled in this valley centuries ago. Accommodation in a hotel on the hill overlooking the Buddhist site.

Day 10 Fly Bamiyan - Kabul 

We will fly back to Kabul, taking the opportunity to visit any sights we may have missed on the first day in the Afghan capital.

Day 11 – Fly Kabul – Herat 

Morning flight to Herat and on arrival transfer to Hotel
In the afternoon we shall make an orientation tour of the town – we shall make short stops at few points. We will begin our tour of Heart at the Takht-i-Safar (the Traveller’s Throne) for a panoramic view of the city at sunset. Accommodation in a hotel.

Day 12 – In Herat 

Full day touring of Herat- Herat, as it is known today, first appeared in history as Aria during the Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great. Perhaps no one has described this city more vividly than Nancy Hatch Dupree when she writes that it “reflects the cultures of Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan, for it is the pivot around which these areas spin. Many ethnic groups, Persian, Pushtun, Uzbek, Turkoman, Baluch and Hazara, mingle in the crowded bazaars which display the full range of their handicrafts. In addition to this richly mixed fabric of modern Afghanistan, Herat also contains superlative vestiges of a brilliant past when kings and queens, acknowledged suzerains from China’s borders to the Tigris River, lavished their loving attention on this city.” This statement is as true today as it was when she wrote it some thirty-five years ago. The city with its university and tree-lined boulevards maintains an air of independence, with a population of artisans and academics who are proud of its rich history.

The tour of Herat will include visits to the citadel, minarets and mausoleum of Gawhar Shad, Masjid-i-Jami (Friday Mosque) and tile workshop, Musalla complex, Sufi Shrine of Gazar Gah, and the old city. We will also spend time exploring the city's bazaars full of handicrafts, antiques and the famed local hand-blown blue glass.

Day 13 Fly Herat – Kabul 

We will fly back to Kabul and ensure that you get to see anything you may have missed on our earlier visits as well as ensuring we take a trip to Chicken Street to pick up any last souvenirs.

Day 14 Tour ends in Kabul  

We will ensure that you are taken to the airport to catch your flight.

The trip includes:

· All accommodation

· Breakfast

· Transport/transfers

· Guiding

· 6 internal flights within Afghanistan (Kabul-Mazar/Mazar-Kabul, Kabul-Herat/Herat-Kabul & Kabul-Bamian/Bamian-Kabul)

The trip does not include:

· Any necessary visas

· Insurance

· Flights to Afghanistan

· Entrance fees

· Lunch

· Dinner

· Drinks

· Tips

· Any additional flights needed in Afghanistan that may be necessary due to security concerns.

Cost – US$4450
A deposit of US$400 is required to reserve your place on this trip.

Flights:
We do not directly arrange international flights to Afghanistan. We can suggest routes and operators.
You can also contact the KabulKar Group & Tours dedicated team at Flight Centre for suggested routes.
Mail: info@akl-logisticstours.com
Phone: +93(0) 793507031

Visas:
We do not arrange Afghanistan visas directly. We will provide visa support in the form of letters of invitation to assist in your Afghanistan visa application.

Food:
With the exception of breakfast, meals are not included as part of the trip. In our experience people sometimes want to eat different things in different places at different times. We know some great places and will also happily show you some of our favourite restaurants and tea houses. Some are luxurious, some are earthier, but all have character. However, we do not pretend to be the arbiters of good taste and are equally happy for you to go off and find your own favourites.

Accommodation:
We do not and cannot offer a uniform accommodation standard on our itineraries. We consider comfort, location, design, character, historical interest and whether the money we spend will go into the pockets of the local community when we make our choices of where to stay.
The accommodation will be based on 2 people sharing.

Transport:
In Afghanistan, we take at least 2 vehicles when driving between towns if there is a big group, for safety reasons. If there is a breakdown we will not be left stranded. When we choose our vehicles and drivers we take into consideration the road conditions, the length of journey and the competence of the man behind the wheel (not a laughing matter in a country that should be the setting for a live action version of the Wacky races). Your comfort and enjoyment of the journey is the first priority.

Guides:
On this trip, you will be accompanied by 2 team leaders from Untamed Borders. This allows for greater security and means that there will always be someone on hand to help or assist you even if the other team leader is busy arranging something.
Sometimes we also hire local guides. If we are a large group, we may wish to split into smaller groups for city tours to allow greater flexibility and keep a lower profile. An extra local guide allows us to do that.

Security:
Trips to Afghanistan do create dangers all of their own and whilst we want you to have as much freedom as possible we must state that the tour leader has the final word with regards to changes in the itinerary for safety reasons. Whilst the route we have chosen passes through areas that we consider to be stable things can change and we may have to alter the route or cancel sections of the trip at short notice.
If there is an extra expense incurred due to the change of itinerary then you may be asked to bear part of that cost. For example, if we have to fly between cities rather than drive.

How to Book:

In order to confirm your booking we need to have a completed signed booking form for each client together with a $400 deposit per person*. You can either return your booking form to us by post or by booking online at www.akl-logisticstours.com

You can contact the office by email to info@akl-logisticstours.com or we are very happy to take your call on + 93 (0) 793507031.