Afghanistan

The first travel guidebook to Afghanistan from a mainstream publisher in almost 20 years.

Afghanistan is a paradox: a nation so well-known internationally, yet one so infrequently explored that it has been effectively untouched by tourism since being a key stop on the hippie trail four decades ago. The Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, China and the ex-USSR 'stans collide in this remarkable country. It is both the graveyard of empires and one of the world's most hospitable nations. From the searing deserts of the south to the high peaks of the Hindu Kush, any trip here is challenging—but one that is now eminently possible with the right preparation and expert guidance.

Written by an adventure-tourism specialist and a prolific guidebook-writer, this Bradt guide covers all the practicalities needed to travel securely and rewardingly—from how female travellers can best enjoy the country to where to stay in Kabul, the sprawling capital. Visit iconic locations such as the Khyber Pass, the Minaret of Jam (14 hours' drive from the nearest paved road!) or the Buddha Niches of Bamian. Go trekking with Kyrgyz nomads in the Pamir mountains, watch buzkashi on the vast steppe, or stay in chaikhanas—communal tea houses that have changed little since the time of Silk Road traders. Explore Herat's Timurid architectural gems, visit the shrine of Hazrat Ali in Mazar e Sharif, and experience Band e Amir, the country's first national park, with its lapis lazuli blue lakes.

Even the most well-travelled visitor will find their soul stirred by spending time in Afghanistan. Follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo in the Wakhan Corridor, hike among the forested peaks of Nuristan where non-Afghan visitors so rarely tread, or take a swan-shaped pedalo across pristine waters. With Bradt's Afghanistan to inform and inspire you, the off-beat holiday of a lifetime beckons.