{"id":28444,"date":"2021-08-19T17:51:28","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T15:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/?p=28444"},"modified":"2026-03-10T13:27:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T11:27:51","slug":"photos-beauty-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/photos-beauty-afghanistan\/","title":{"rendered":"50 Photos that will show you the beauty of Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Wanna travel to <\/strong>Afghanistan with Against the Compass?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Afghanistan on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 18th to September 1st, 2026<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In August 2021, the Taliban took over Kabul, initiating a new episode in Afghanistan’s 40 years of conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation can’t be worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I see those images and videos from Kabul, Kandahar<\/strong><\/a>, or Herat, I still can’t believe that, less than two months ago, I was strolling and rambling those streets serenely and, personally, I really don\u2019t know how to feel about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the one hand, I feel privileged, and also lucky, that I was within the last bunch of travelers who witnessed the beauty of Afghanistan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, I am not sure if this is a right approach, or the right thing to think about right now, since I also feel terribly sad for all the people I met in Afghanistan, beautiful people and friends who are living the nightmare of losing their freedom and living in the most absolute darkness, especially Afghan women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undoubtedly, Afghanistan is one of the best countries I have ever been to, a country home to not only the most kind-hearted and hospitable human beings, but also unspoiled landscapes and dazzling valleys, once part of the historical Silk Road<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Alexander the Great’s footprints to a large Buddhist legacy and mind-blowing historical mosques, few countries have so much history to tell and so much to offer the traveler. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I really don’t know when we will all be able to travel to Afghanistan again but in this post, I wanted to show you the beauty of Afghanistan in photos, so you can understand what the Afghans are fighting for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

50 Photos to show you the beauty of Afghanistan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Located only 65km northeast of Kabul, Panjshir Valley is a natural fortress and pretty much the only place in Afghanistan which has never been taken by anyone, during the last 40 years of conflict at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Panjshir is not only a jaw-dropping valley, but it\u2019s the last anti-Taliban stronghold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Overlooking the valley, sitting on a Soviet tank, a legacy from the Afghan-Soviet war (1979-89). Panjshir Valley was a place of big resistance against the Soviets as well<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Beautiful Panjshir Valley<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kabul has always had security issues but life goes on. It was also my favorite city in Afghanistan, a bustling, chaotic metropolis where there is always something going on. It is one of the most photogenic cities I have ever been to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kabul skyline is actually impressive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In most cities, you will find a bird market, the most epic and popular one, being the one located in the heart of Kabul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bird market had always been one of the safest and most relaxed places to visit in Kabul. Currently wondering how this place will be affected now that Taliban are ruling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Men laughing and hanging out in the bird market of Kabul<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A bird seller<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This shrine was my favorite building in Kabul:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Its name is Sakhi Shah e-Mardan Shrine. It is mostly frequented by the Hazaras, the Afghan Shia community, the reason why this shrine has been a target for suicide bombers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The shrine from the inside<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More scenes of daily life in Kabul:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A manual Ferris wheel. Kids just want to have fun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A carpet seller in Kabul<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Young Afghans hanging out<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Kids buying birds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Preparing chanaki, typical stew from Kabul<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the most incredible places to visit in Afghanistan is Bamyan. Home to a large Buddhist heritage and some of the most epic mountains in Central Asia<\/strong><\/a>, Bamyan used to be one of the safest places in Afghanistan<\/strong><\/a>, but that’s not the case anymore, since it also fell into Taliban hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dreamy Bamyan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Bamyan is where those giant Buddhas were blown up during Taliban rule, back in 1996-2001. The big wall behind this little girl is where those Buddhas used to be<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Bamyan is the native land of Hazaras, a distinct ethnic group in Afghanistan that represent nearly 10% of the population. They are Shia Muslims, the reason there have always been a Talib target<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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But some Pashtuns also live in Bamyan, and they are very kind too<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Bamyan landscapes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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And the roads are… <3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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That’s \ud83d\ude2e<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Unspoiled…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Can you see the fortress composed of a few dozen towers? This is Chehel Burj, which literally means 40 towers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In Bamyan, you can also visit Bander e Mir National Park. Epic.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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At 3000 meters above see level, this is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a series of 6 deep blue lakes separated by natural dams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The area receives a significant amount of local tourism that comes from Kabul <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In Bamyan, we also went trekking, reaching over 4000 meters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you like visiting mosques, it doesn’t get any better than in Mazar-i-Sheriff<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is Hazrat Ali Mosque, the Blue Mosque. Muslims believe it contains the tomb of Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Rightly Guided Caliph (Prophet Mohammed Successor).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Praying time<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Just WOW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Blue Mosque Mazar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Woman in burqa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Blue Mosque<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Woman in burqa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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It’s actually pretty big, with many different buildings and domes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the west side of the country, very close to the border with Iran, you have Herat, the cultural capital of Afghanistan, and where you find the oldest caravanserais, mosques, fortresses and madrassas. They are culturally close to their neighbours of Iran<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is the Grand Mosque of Herat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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As you can see, it has many similarities with the mosques you find in Uzbekistan<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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I also visited the workshop where they make the mosque’s tiles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Herat Grand Mosque<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A man reading the Quran, in the mosque<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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A burqa seller in Herat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This is the fortress where Taliban celebrated their conquest of Herat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And last, the city of Kandahar, infamous for being the place where the Taliban movement was created, but also a historically-rich city founded by Alexander the Great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Views from Old Kandahar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Old Kandahar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Mausoleum of Mirwas Khan Hotak, who ruled in the 18th century. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The inside of the mausoleum is gorgeous<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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People in Kandahar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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This isn’t a beautiful photo but the characters you meet in Kandahar are something else<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Same guys, they were actually anti-Taliban fighters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for so many beautiful moments, Afghanistan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More information for visiting Kandahar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udce2 In my Travel Resources Page<\/strong><\/a> you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t forget to check our Afghanistan Travel Guide<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well as all our Afghanistan article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n