18 days in Kabul, Samangan, Chaghcharan
( + Minaret of Jam), Badakhshan, Panjshir,
Kunar, Nuristan, Jalalabad, Kunduz (15
provinces)
From 6500 USD per person
An 18-day expedition into Afghanistan’s remote and less-travelled regions. Starting in Bamiyan, cross into the wild central highlands and Turquoise Mountain to reach the Minaret of Jam. Continue north to Badakhshan and Panjsher, before journeying east to Kunar, Nuristan, and Jalalabad.
Adventurous and exploratory, with rugged drives, homestays, and cultural encounters in valleys rarely seen by outsiders.
This 18-day journey is designed for travellers who want to see Afghanistan beyond the capital and the classic “highlights”, combining historic sites with remote valleys, quiet provincial towns, and some of the country’s most striking mountain landscapes.
Fly into Kabul and explore the city before heading straight into the highlands in Bamiyan. The road climbs through stark mountain scenery with many chances to stop for tea, snacks, and, depending on the season, fresh honey and raw rhubarb.
From Bamiyan, you will head west into increasingly remote territory, crossing the Bakkak Pass and Sarjangal towards Firozhoh (Chaghcharan), capital of Ghor Province.
Firozhoh, set on the Hari River and ringed by open sky and mountains, serves as a staging point for reaching one of Afghanistan’s most important historical sites. The Minaret of Jam.
Reaching Jam is a genuine accomplishment and is considered by many Afghans as a pilgrimage. You follow the river valley to this 12th-century brick minaret, a UNESCO World Heritage Site decorated with Kufic inscriptions and geometric brickwork, standing alone in a narrow gorge.
Here we will camp by the river, with a private cook team, and have time simply to sit, walk, and take in the setting after the effort of the journey.
The route then swings north. We travel by road to Kunduz, a day of high passes, dust, and long views broken by tea stops in roadside chaikhanas and simple mountain lunches. From here, the journey continues into Badakhshan, one of Afghanistan’s most scenic and least visited regions.
The drive crosses the Erganak Desert and passes through Takhar before the terrain softens into green valleys and bright rivers. Badakhshan will be your base for several days, allowing time to explore Faizabad, venture towards Ishkashim on the edge of the Wakhan, and get a feel for everyday life in this Pamir region.
You will have the chance to sample yak meat, visit local markets, and, if conditions allow, drive out to Lake Shiva, as well as see the landscapes linked to Badakhshan’s long history of lapis lazuli mining and honey production.
Leaving Badakhshan, the tour turns south and west into the Panjshir Valley, a place strongly associated with Ahmad Shah Massoud and modern Afghan history. The approach involves another full day of mountain roads, moving from remote upland villages to the green riverbanks and terraced fields of Panjshir.
The final section of the tour focuses on eastern Afghanistan as we travel to Kunar, a province of forested mountains and fast-flowing rivers along the Kunar (Chitral) River, then continue on rougher tracks to Nuristan, with its wooden houses, distinctive languages, and rich local folklore.
A full day in Nuristan includes time in Parun and a 3-5 hour hike through terraced fields and forested slopes, offering rare access to one of Afghanistan’s most culturally unique regions.
Descending from Nuristan, you reach Jalalabad, a city of gardens and orange groves at the junction of the Kabul and Kunar rivers. Once a Mughal and Afghan winter capital, it provides a softer end to the overland section of the journey, with time to explore the city and reflect on how strongly climate and geography shape Afghan life.
Our tour concludes with one of the country’s most dramatic drives. The Kabul–Jalalabad Highway (NH08), following the Kabul River through gorges, past dams and cliff faces, back to the capital.
Across these 18 days, you will stay in a mix of guesthouses, simple local hotels, camping spots, and a night in ‘the finest hotel in Kabul’, the historic Intercontinental Hotel - once a flagship international property, now a faded but still atmospheric landmark overlooking the city.
You will cross a wide range of landscapes from the central plateau to the Pamir foothills, and visit some of Afghanistan’s most historically significant and least visited regions.
It is a compact but in-depth overland journey for those who want to go far beyond the standard Kabul–Bamiyan circuit and experience Afghanistan’s highlands, valleys, and eastern provinces in detail.
This tour is part 2 of our epic ‘Afghanistan Mega Tour’ which travels to over 15 provinces in Afghanistan over 30 days. It is rugged, raw, and requires an adventurous spirit as we travel to rural locations, camp, and stay in local-style guesthouses and hotels.
If you want a more standard tour to Afghanistan in the summer, covering the highlights and popular tourist destinations.
Check out our Travel Afghanistan Summer Tour here.
Or, if you want to visit all the highlights and get off the beaten path, spend a month in Afghanistan for our full Travel Afghanistan Mega Tour.
The safety of both our tour participants and the local guides we are working with is our number one priority. We have taken all the relevant safety precautions to create this trip and are constantly in contact with local partners. Below you can find a sample itinerary that does not include precise dates and does not have a complete list of all activities.
Please contact us for more information. Upon booking confirmation, you will be provided with a PDF of the complete itinerary including all activities and dates, as well as a detailed booklet on pre-tour information and guidance.
It is mandatory to attend an online/in-person pre-tour briefing for this tour and the itinerary is subject to change depending on safety and availability.
This tour is limited to 8 participants only and will give priority to those who have travelled with us before.
The weather during this trip will generally be very hot. Be prepared for hot, humid weather. It has been designed around visiting high-altitude areas available to visit only during the summer months.
At the start of the first day in every new province, we must take a trip to the local ministry to get travel permits. This can be a few minutes or a couple of hours. The duration of this may affect our itinerary items.
Due to the nature of this trip, being particularly adventurous, combined with the nature of travel in Afghanistan, all itinerary items are subject to availability. This tour contains a lot of driving. In the more rural regions, there may be no accesible western style toilet for both during the drives and at the accommodations, and there may be limited food options (meat, rice, bread are always available). The accommodations on this trip range from 4* hotels to local style ‘tea houses’, homestays, and camping. For the camping it will be on a twin share / 3-person share basis.
Be prepared for an adventure!
Please contact us for more information and the itinerary at [email protected].
After contacting us and confirming your spot on the tour, you can book through our website.
Upon booking confirmation, you will be provided with a PDF of the complete itinerary including all activities and dates. Before the tour, you will be given a detailed booklet on pre-tour information and guidance.
Note: It is mandatory to attend a pre-tour briefing for this tour and the itinerary is subject to change depending on safety and availability.
Please apply by 1st July, 2026.
My next tour will be to:
[email protected] | + 86 10 6416 7544
WhatsApp (message only): +44 7822 014058