Afghanistan Travel Guide: Band-e Amir, Bamiyan, Herat and FCDO Advice

T By Thomas · Updated 21 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Kabul International (KBL); Herat (HEA); Mazar-i-Sharif (MZR)

Flight time

no direct flights; usually 10-14h from London with one stop

Best time to go

May-June and September-October

Currency

Afghan afghani (AFN)

Afghanistan sits at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, where the Silk Road once brought Buddhist monks, Persian poets and Mughal emperors through the passes of the Hindu Kush. Its landscapes are on a heroic scale, from the snowy peaks of the Wakhan Corridor to the startlingly blue lakes of Band-e Amir, and its cities hold minarets, shrines and gardens that have survived centuries of conflict.

The FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan, even as part of an organised tour group. It describes the security situation as volatile, warns of a high risk of British nationals being detained or kidnapped, and notes that detained Britons could face months or years in prison. Terrorists often target places frequented by foreigners, tensions with Pakistan have led to border clashes, and FCDO support in person is not possible. Travelling against this advice is likely to invalidate your insurance. Read the GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Afghanistan. For the wider region, see our Asia guide and neighbouring Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Why go (when it is safe)

• Band-e Amir: Afghanistan's first national park, a chain of deep blue lakes held back by natural travertine dams.
• Bamiyan: a green valley lined with caves, where the giant Buddha statues stood until their destruction in 2001; the valley is a UNESCO site.
• Herat: the Friday Mosque with its blue tilework, the Citadel and the leaning minarets of the Musalla complex.
• Mazar-i-Sharif: the Blue Mosque (Shrine of Hazrat Ali), famous for its tiles and white pigeons.
• Minaret of Jam: a remote 12th-century minaret in a mountain gorge, on the UNESCO list.
• Kabul: the Babur Gardens, the National Museum and the old city.
• Wakhan Corridor: a remote high valley between Tajikistan and Pakistan, historically a trekking destination.

Where to stay

• Kabul: guarded hotels and guesthouses, historically used by aid workers and journalists.
• Herat: city hotels close to the Friday Mosque and the Citadel.
• Bamiyan: simple guesthouses overlooking the valley.

Getting there

There are no direct flights between the UK and Afghanistan. Some airlines fly to Kabul from regional hubs such as Dubai and Istanbul, and a number of land border crossings are closed. None of this changes the FCDO advice against all travel. The UK does not have an embassy operating in Afghanistan, and help is only available remotely.

Good to know

• Culture: Afghanistan is a deeply conservative Muslim society, and under Taliban rule strict codes govern dress, behaviour and the lives of women and girls.
• Peoples and languages: Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks are among the largest groups; Dari and Pashto are the main languages.
• Food: kabuli pulao (rice with lamb, carrots and raisins), mantu dumplings, bolani flatbreads and endless cups of green tea.
• Heritage at risk: many sites, from Bamiyan to the Minaret of Jam, are threatened by conflict, neglect and looting, and international organisations work to record them.
• If you are already there: the FCDO says its ability to help is extremely limited; keep its 24-hour number, +44 (0)20 7008 5000, to hand.

Best time to visit

When travel becomes possible, late spring (May and June) and early autumn (September and October) bring the most settled weather. Summers are hot in the lowlands and pleasant in the mountains, and winters are harsh, with heavy snow closing high passes.

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