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INDUS CARAVAN

Afghanistan Central Route

Traveling from Islamabad to Herat by Land

Afghanistan

11 Days

Jul - Oct

Please contact us
This is an adventure trip along the central route of Afghanistan, through its unexplored regions. The road is rough and the accommodation is simple, but the scenery and the people you meet along the way will be exactly like the Afghanistan you imagined in your mind. From Islamabad to Herat, you will travel entirely overland, passing through the Indian cultural region, Central Asia, and the Persian cultural region. This will be a journey that will remain with you all your life.

>> Click here for blog about the Khyber Pass.
>> Click here for blog about Bamiyan & Band-e Amir.
>> Click here for blog about Minaret of Jam.

Itinerary

00
Arrive in Islamabad & obtain your Afghan visa (Mon-Thu)
01
From Islamabad to Peshawar. On the way, visit the World Heritage Site of Takht-i-Bahi.
02
From Peshawar, cross the Khyber Pass/Torkham border into Afghanistan. Drive along the Kabul River to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, at an altitude of 1,800 meters.
03
A Full day visit of Kabul city visit Kabul city. See the National Museum, Babur's Garden, Mausoleum of King Nadir Shah, Sha-do-Shamshira Mosque, and the bazaar area.
04
From Kabul, cross the Shibar Pass to Bamiyan. On the way, visit the Topdara Buddhist site and see stupa on the Shomali Plain. At the entrance to the Bamiyan Valley, you’ll have a view of Shahr-i-zohak.
05
A full-day visit to the Bamiyan Valley. Includes the Western and Eastern Great Buddhas of Bamiyan Caves, Foladi Cave, Shahr-i-Gholghola, Kakrak Caves, and the Valley of the Dragon).
06
Visit Band-e Amir National Park. You’ll be taken to a vista (reachable only by 4WD) that looks over a beautiful group of lakes. Enjoy a picnic by the lakeside. Then, head to Yakawlang.
07
From Yakawlang, drive along the unpaved Central Route to Chaghcharan. You may encounter nomads along the way.
08
Drive along the rough road to the World Heritage Site - the Minaret of Jam. After visiting the site, drive along the Hari Rud River to Chishti Sharif.
09
Head straight to Herat.
10
Visit Herat, a city influenced by Iranian culture and the legacy of the Timurid dynasty. See the Friday Mosque, Citadel, Musalla Complex, Gawhar Shad’s Mausoleum, Mausoleum of Khawaja Abdul Anzari, and Chahar Souq.
11
Fly back to Kabul. Get sent off on your international flight. For those travelling overland from Herat to Iran, we will arrange a vehicle to take you to the border.
* To see a more detailed itinerary, please contact us.

Information

Best time to visit
July to October

Itinerary
＊This is an adventure trip that will take you through the unexplored regions of Afghanistan. If the road is bad, it will take a long time to reach our destination. Note that the lodgings in these areas are in the local style, and can be very simple. We ask that you keep this in mind prior to participating.
＊If you are planning to travel from Herat to Iran, please obtain a visa in advance.

Tour Price
Please contact us. We will provide you with a quote based on your requirements, such as number of days, itinerary, number of people, accommodations, etc.

Other Notes
＊In Afghanistan today, you need to obtain advance permission to visit archaeological sites. Even the places listed in the itinerary may suddenly become off-limits. In 2024, there was a temporary restriction on women visiting Bande-e-Amir. Prior to your tour, we ask that you stay aware of the various circumstances that may arise in the area.
＊Some parts of the Central Route, such as the area around Chaghcharan and the Minaret of Jam, are areas that are easily affected by rain. In the past, the road has collapsed due to rain, and the route had to be changed. We ask that you be aware of these circumstances in advance.

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