Afghanistan's beauties have been swamped by tyranny and war.
Friendly, beautiful Afghanistan was once well known on the backpacking circuit as the place to stop for unparalleled hospitality, fantastic food, great hiking and...um...OK, we'll say it, that legendary hashish.
Things, sadly, have changed a lot.
WEATHER OVERVIEW
Afghanistan's mostly mountainous geography makes for varying degrees of harshness depending on the altitude. Most of the country experiences a harsh winter from December to February where 8°C (47°F) is a warm day and -8°C (18°F) a very cold night. A light to moderate wet season occurs from October to May with March and April being the only particularly wet months. Between June and September it is quite dry with average highs of 30-32°C (86-89°F) and apart from the arid winds along the Iranian border it can be quite pleasant. However May and September to October provide particularly comfortable mid 20°C (around 80°F) days and a little more moisture. Afghanistan's lower areas have slightly warmer winters with the only significant rain for the year and summer days bake with an average high around 39°C (104°F) in July.
The five lakes of Band-e-Amir (Dam of the King) are hidden in the Koh-e-Baba at an altitude of 2900m (9512ft). The deep-blue waters glitter like jewels, in stark contrast to the dusty mountains. The most accessible of the lakes is Band-e-Haibat - the suitably named Dam of Awe. The lakes' high mineral content gives them their colour.
Minaret of Jam
Ancient Mystery
Dating from the 12th century, this fabulous monument sits in the remote valleys of the Koh-e-Baba - its existence was only revealed to the outside world in the 1940s. Three tapering cylindrical shafts reach a dizzying height of 65m (213ft).
Panjshir Valley
The lush green of the Panjshir Valley is the spiritual home of the Northern Alliance. The valley stretches for 100km (62mi) to the Anjoman Pass and offers great potential for trekking. Ahmad Shah Massoud, the formidable mujaheddin leader, is buried here in a small green-domed mausoleum, which has stunning views over the valley.
FAST FACTS
Full Name
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Area
652000 sq km
Population
31056997
Languages
Persian (official)
Belonging to the Persian subranch, 'Dari' is an Indo-European language closely related to Farsi, Tajik and Pashto. Dari is the most widely spoken language throughout Afghanistan.
Pashto (official)
Closely related to Dari, Pashto is spoken by 12 million Pashtun Afghanis.
Uzbek (other)
Spoken by 1.5 million Afghanis, mostly among the Uzbek minority in the far north.
Currency
Afghani
Electricity
220V
Electric Plug Details
European plug with two circular metal pins
British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade
