Afghanistan is a country in Central Asia that has borders with Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Also, the country has a very short border with China that has resulted from quite a strange deal between the British and the Russian Empires in the 19th century. Throughout the 1970s Afghanistan used to be quite a popular destination as the hippies would travel to India more than ever. Kabul, the Afghan capital city used to be a very hip place to hang out and party back in that period. Things have dramatically changed for the Afghan tourist since then.
Everything started in 1979 when the Soviet Union invaded and occupied the country. Ten years later the Soviet army was forced to leave Afghanistan as the anti-communist Mujahidin forces, which were supplied and trained by the United States, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and others. The Islamic Taliban movement has taken over most of the country and there is continuous violence among the various Mujahidin factions. Also, besides all the political problems the Afghan population is also confronting with continuous civil strife, enormous poverty, poor infrastructure and widespread live mines.
All these make Afghanistan an unpopular tourist destination and only the brave and the adventurous tourists venture outside Kabul or the main cities. On the other hand, the Afghan population is not particularly fond of foreigners, thus tourists are not very much welcome inside the country. Most tourists who choose to visit Afghanistan are attracted towards crossing the Khyber Pass from Pakistan and go on to Jalalabad. It is important to note that the Jalalabad city is quite safe, but the border is a little more dangerous as it is Taliban country. Once here you can go on the road that leads to Kabul, but you have to keep in mind that it is quite dangerous to venture by yourself and that attacks on foreigners have very much increased since 2003. You can however choose to travel escorted by armed Afghan people who offer their services for protection. A safe way to visit the country is to fly to Kabul and visit all the other cities by air. It is not recommended to wander around the country and the cities in the South and East should be avoided. However, cities like Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Heart and a few others in the North-West area are considered to be relatively safe for visitors. Please take into consideration the fact that many governments declared that traveling to Afghanistan is not safe, although it is an enchanting country with exciting culture and history.
Kabul is the capital city and is located in the center of the country. The city is considered to be Afghanistans major tourist attraction due to its day and night life, culture and sites. It is definitely the best choice to explore as, although it is considered a dangerous city in a dangerous country, the safety rates are quite high in comparison with the rest of the country. Some of the biggest attractions here is the Kabul Museum and the famous Garden of Babur. Also, the Valley of Paghman is a very beautiful place to visit, but beware that there are no busses to take you there.
Herat is another tourist attraction in Afghanistan and it is very close to the Iranian border, being the second biggest city in the country. It has always been considered a relatively safe place for travelers. Even though the Irano-Afghan relations have dropped to an all-time you can still cross the border from Iran. You will need valid passports and visas, though a visit to the State of Israel will prevent you from entering Iran. The tourist attractions in Herat are the huge defensive walls and earthworks that have been preserved since ancient times. The Friday Mosque is dating since the 10th century BC and the Gazergah monastery and mausoleum is about one thousand years old. One very interesting thing about Herat is the fact that it hosts the first women only university world wide. Today, Herat is the most important Afghan industrial center and it is also considered to be the safest city in the country.
Mazar-i-Sharif is another major tourist attraction in Afghanistan. The translation of the citys name is something like Tomb of the Chosen One and it comes from the fact that the city is hosting the tomb of Hazrat Ali, a very close relative of the prophet Mohammad. The Blue Mosque is also another tourist attraction in this city.
