{"id":44535,"date":"2023-06-17T10:04:37","date_gmt":"2023-06-17T08:04:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/?p=44535"},"modified":"2026-03-10T13:28:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T11:28:03","slug":"jam-minaret","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/jam-minaret\/","title":{"rendered":"Overlanding from Kabul to Herat via Minaret of Jam by local transportation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Minaret-of-Jam.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Minaret-of-Jam.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Minaret-of-Jam.jpg\" alt=\"Minaret of Jam\" class=\"wp-image-44546\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group atc-info-box is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center m-0 has-white-color has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Wanna travel to <\/strong>Afghanistan <strong>with Against the Compass?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns px-5 mb-0 is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-normal-font-size\">Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Afghanistan on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-atc-primary-green-color has-text-color has-link-color has-normal-font-size wp-elements-8935b6dc849dc0340d55490d3404507e\"><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>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<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/expeditions.againstthecompass.com\/tours\/afghanistan-wakhan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2023, I visited <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/is-afghanistan-safe\/\"><strong>Afghanistan<\/strong><\/a> for the second time, traveling from the border with <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/pakistan-travel-guide-backpacking\/\"><strong>Pakistan<\/strong><\/a> at Khyber Pass to Kabul, all the way to Herat via the Minaret of Jam.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a 1100km journey, 700km of which were through a pretty rough Jeep track, and which I did with a combination of hitchhiking, minibuses, local shared taxis, taxi motorbikes and random taxis when needed as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one of the best trips I have ever taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This post contains all the practical information for you to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#eaeaea\">For practical information on the country: <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-afghanistan\/\"><strong>Afghanistan travel guide<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Backpacking-Afghanistan-Pinterest-740x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Backpacking-Afghanistan-Pinterest-740x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Backpacking-Afghanistan-Pinterest-740x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Backpacking Afghanistan\" class=\"wp-image-44584\" style=\"width:482px;height:auto\"><\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Here, you will find:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group table-of-contents is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><p class=\"table-of-contents__title\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Table of Contents<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#1\">Introduction<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#2\">How many days?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#3\">Permits needed<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#5\">Day by day itinerary<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#6\">Day 1 &#8211; Peshawar to Kabul<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#7\">Day 2 \u2013 Kabul (sorting out permits)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#8\">Day 3 \u2013 Kabul to Bamyan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#9\">Day 4 \u2013 Bamyan to Lal<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#10\">Day 5 \u2013 Lal to Chagcharan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#11\">Day 6 \u2013 Chakhcharan to Derreh-Ye Takht with the Minaret of Jam<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#12\">Day 7 \u2013 Derreh-Ye Takht to Herat<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group atc-info-box is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center m-0 has-black-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fe9900\">our recommended travel insurance for Afghanistan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:20px\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.com\/en-eu\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=minaret_jam_travelguide_en_text\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">IATI Insurance<\/a><\/strong> is one of the very few that covers travel in Afghanistan<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-text-align-center has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iatitravelinsurance.com\/en-eu\/?r=30867932099453&amp;cmp=minaret_jam_travelguide_en_text\" style=\"border-radius:11px;background-color:#fe9900;font-size:16px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\">GET 5% DISCOUNT HERE<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1\">Introduction: why visit the Minaret of Jam independently<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first time I visited <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/country\/afghanistan\/\"><strong>Afghanistan<\/strong><\/a> was back in 2021, shortly before the Taliban took over the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By that time, safety was still a major issue, and traveling by road between cities was extremely discouraged, and dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I really enjoyed it but I wasn\u2019t 100% satisfied with the trip since all those security concerns meant that I had to take 6 domestic flights, missing all the things between the major towns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had always wanted to visit the Minaret of Jam, a 1000-year old and imposing 62-meter minaret located in one of the remotest areas of Afghanistan, and a UNESCO World Heritage site as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, by that time, it wasn\u2019t possible to visit it, since all the surrounding regions were controlled by the Taliban, so there had never been a way through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After that trip, I promised myself that I\u2019d never go back to Afghanistan until overlanding became possible again, and that\u2019s the reason of my second visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The war in Afghanistan is over and whether we like it or not, travelers must acknowledge that now that the Taliban are ruling, safety across the country has dramatically improved, making it possible to travel all around independently, including visiting the Minaret of Jam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Jam-Minaret-Afghanistan-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Jam-Minaret-Afghanistan-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Jam-Minaret-Afghanistan-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Jam Minaret, Afghanistan\" class=\"wp-image-44548\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The objective of our trip: The Minaret of Jam!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2\">How many days you need to complete this journey?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It depends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We completed this journey in only 7-9 days but you need to bear in mind that I had already visited Afghanistan for 3 weeks back in 2021 so, on this second trip, I didn\u2019t spend time sightseeing in Kabul, Bamyan or Herat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you wanted to hit the major touristic sites, you should be adding a minimum of 5 days to the below itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note that this itinerary doesn\u2019t include Panjshir Valley, Mazar el Sharif or <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/visiting-kandahar\/\"><strong>Kandahar<\/strong><\/a>, places for which you\u2019d need several more days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is how we organized our trip, approximately:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Day 1<\/strong> &#8211; Peshawar -Khyber Pass &#8211; Torkham border crossing &#8211; Kabul<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 2<\/strong> &#8211; Full day in Kabul sorting out permits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 3<\/strong> &#8211; Still sorting out permits in Kabul &#8211; Bamyan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 4<\/strong> &#8211; Bamyan &#8211; Jakawlang &#8211; Lal<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 5<\/strong> &#8211; Lal &#8211; Chagcharan<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 6<\/strong> &#8211; Chagcharan &#8211; Minaret of Jam &#8211; Keminj &#8211; Derreh-Ye Takht<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 7<\/strong> &#8211; Derreh-Ye Takht &#8211; Herat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 8<\/strong> &#8211; Herat &#8211; Kabul (by flight)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Day 9<\/strong> &#8211; Departure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3\">Permits needed for visiting the Minaret of Jam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#eaeaea\">Getting a valid permit for traveling around Afghanistan is a must, something Taliban will ask for at some checkpoints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For traveling around Afghanistan, a permit must be pre-arranged in Kabul, and you need to get permission for each province you plan to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For that, you just need to state the provinces you want to spend time in, and then pay the respective fee, which is 1000 AFN per province, around 12 USD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, permits are only required for those provinces where you are planning to stay, but not for those you are just going through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, for going from Kabul to Herat, you\u2019ll pass by Wardak, Bamyan, Ghor and Herat provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wardak is a province squeezed between Kabul and Bamyan so, as per the previously shared itinerary, you\u2019ll be going through only, so a permit isn\u2019t necessarily needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, permits are only issued in Kabul so, if you are entering Afghanistan at Khyber Pass, a permit won\u2019t be be needed for visiting all the provinces between Torkham and Kabul, assuming you are just driving through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get a permit for Afghanistan?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Please check the <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/travel-afghanistan\/#5\"><strong>permit section<\/strong><\/a> of my <em>Afghanistan travel guide<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5\">Torkham to Herat via Minaret of Jam: day by day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-vivid-red-color has-text-color\">Overlanding itinerary: map<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=1i9UTYQVKN0rAjC89WxqTkNhEBHjDKkc&#038;ehbc=2E312F\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6\">Day 1 &#8211; Peshawar to Kabul<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This day splits into different sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Peshawar to Khyber Pass <em>(1 hour and 30 minutes)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-background wp-element-button\"><strong>Difficulty: Easy<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In Peshawar, you must take a taxi to Karkhano terminal, the station for vehicles going to Torkham, located 10km from the city center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A taxi should cost no more than 200 PKR, and you may wave at any random taxi in the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is <a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/mGwNjs2QuPcjemxs8?coh=178571&amp;entry=tt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>the location<\/strong><\/a> of the terminal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Karkhano, local shared taxis depart to the border with Afghanistan, and they cost around 1000 PKR per passenger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Border crossing at Torkham.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-red-background-color has-background wp-element-button\"><strong>Difficulty: Hard<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Why is it so hard?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, with over 6 million of Afghan refugees, this is busiest and most chaotic border I have ever crossed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have crossed other borders in Africa which could possibly be as chaotic &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/egypt-sudan-border-overland\/\"><strong>Egypt-Sudan<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; but in Torkham, there was a lot of violence as well, Pakistani authorities treating Afghans like shit, whipping them with leather belts and stuff like that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We even saw a poor Afghan getting slapped in his face, and another one whose ears were pulled off by the Afghan authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2\"><strong>One piece of advice:<\/strong> Do use your passport privilege and try to speak to the Pakistani authorities to see if you can skip the line, otherwise, expect to be there for the whole day. We pretended to be lost and sort of afraid so eventually, we were allowed to jump over the fence after the third try. Later we also learned that Afghans who can afford it also bribe their way in by paying the equivalent of $4 to the Pakistani authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Torkham to Kabul <em>(4 hours)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color has-background wp-element-button\">Difficulty: Very easy<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you cross the border, you won\u2019t have issues finding a local shared taxi to Kabul, for which you\u2019ll pay around 1000 AFN per passenger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Khyber-pass.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Khyber-pass.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Khyber-pass.jpg\" alt=\"Khyber Pass\" class=\"wp-image-44550\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The legendary Khyber Pass, border between Afghanistan and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/country\/pakistan\/\">Pakistan<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7\">Day 2 &#8211; Kabul (sorting out permits)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-red-background-color has-background wp-element-button\">Difficulty: Hard<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We spent the entire day &#8211; no time for sightseeing &#8211; going from office to office trying to get our permits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, check the permit section of my Afghanistan travel guide to know more about how to get the permit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to stayed? <a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/te1N2cBVMW77qND8A?coh=178571&amp;entry=tt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Cedar House<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Permits-for-traveling-in-Afghanistan.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Permits-for-traveling-in-Afghanistan.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Permits-for-traveling-in-Afghanistan.jpg\" alt=\"Permits for traveling in Afghanistan\" class=\"wp-image-44552\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">With our permits, next to the maximum Taliban authorities within the Ministry of Tourism<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8\">Day 3 &#8211; Kabul to Bamyan <em>(3 hours)<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color has-background wp-element-button\">Difficulty: Very easy<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We got our permits around 11am, and then we were ready for going to Bamyan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The station for local shared taxis going to Bamyan is located 10km outside of Kabul, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/X9sb3bJwTpRWitx49\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">somewhere here<\/a><\/strong>. You should first take a random taxi to take you here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once there, we didn\u2019t have to wait for more than 10 minutes for the car to be full. Interesting to mention is that before the Taliban took over, for going to Bamyan you had to take the longer road through Parwan but now, you can finally go through Wardak, which is much more scenic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Wardak-Province-1024x768.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Wardak-Province-1024x768.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Wardak-Province-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Wardak Province\" class=\"wp-image-44554\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The driver of our shared taxi, on the way to Bamyan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9\">Day 4 &#8211; Bamyan to Lal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From an independent traveler perspective, this was the most challenging day of the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bamyan to Yakawlang <em>(1 hour)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-background wp-element-button\"><strong>Difficulty: Easy<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Around 5am, we went to the station in Bamyan to see if there were any cars going in Herat\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To our surprise, local transportation going in that direction departs from Kabul and doesn\u2019t go through Bamyan but another road, so all we found was a shared taxi to the town of Yakawlang for 500 AFN per passenger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to stayed?<\/strong> Noor band Qala Hotel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Yakawlang to Lal <em>(9 hours)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background wp-element-button\" style=\"background-color:#a31414\">Difficulty: Very Hard<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>After Yakawlang, the road becomes unpaved for pretty much the remaining 700km until Herat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This specific section was the hardest of the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There wasn\u2019t any local transportation. We tried to hitch a ride but there wasn\u2019t any car going in that direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We didn\u2019t feel like going back to the main road, so we hired a random car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What we didn\u2019t know however is that that secondary road would go through several mountain passes above 3500 meters and, to our surprise, the driver didn\u2019t know about that either, but then it was too late for him to go back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It took us the whole day to do 100km, and he only charged the equivalent of $70.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We got stuck countless times, and had to push the car all the time. The car\u2019s front bumper fell apart, but the road was extremely beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to stay?<\/strong> In Lal, you may stay in a chai khana. A chai khana is basically a tea house, where you can spend the night but you\u2019ll probably stay in the same room and on the same carpet where people have tea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Roads-Afghanistan-1024x684.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Roads-Afghanistan-1024x684.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Roads-Afghanistan-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Roads Afghanistan\" class=\"wp-image-44556\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This truck was about to roll over<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"10\">Day 5 &#8211; Lal to Chagcharan <em>(4 hours)<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-background wp-element-button\">Difficulty: Medium<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Chagcharan is the capital of Ghor province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The road between Lal and Chagcharan is unpaved but it\u2019s mostly flat and finding a car for the whole ride shouldn\u2019t be that difficult since there\u2019s not much in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We hitched a ride with a random guy who was going in that direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem however was that the guy we hitchhiked with was a serious junkie who was extremely high and would stop every X time minutes for getting stoned on opium. We had to deal with his abrupt mood changes and paranoia but there\u2019s nothing we could do about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This could be a separate story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite its remote location, Chagcharan is a proper town, quite small, but still, feels like you came back to civilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to stay?<\/strong> We stayed in a chai khana <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/ruTCTBgvXeTMjDcm8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">somewhere here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Lal-village-Afghanistan-768x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Lal-village-Afghanistan-768x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Lal-village-Afghanistan-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Lal village, Afghanistan\" class=\"wp-image-44558\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The remote and very rural village of Lal, in Ghor province<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"11\">Day 6 &#8211; Chakhcharan to Derreh-Ye Takht with the Minaret of Jam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chagcharan to the Minaret of Jam <em>(5 hours)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-background wp-element-button\"><strong>Difficulty: Easy<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This was easy, but the journey was pretty rough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There isn\u2019t any direct transportation to the minaret but there are daily minibuses going to Herat (20 hours), so you\u2019ll have to pay for the whole ride to Herat and get off at the Jam intersection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very rough road and extremely tiny minibus with no space four heads and legs &#8211; we had the back seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Minaret of Jam is a 10-minute walk from the intersection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Transportation-from-Herat-to-Chagcharan-884x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Transportation-from-Herat-to-Chagcharan-884x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Transportation-from-Herat-to-Chagcharan-884x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Transportation from Herat to Chagcharan\" class=\"wp-image-44560\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The minibuses that run from Chagcharan to Herat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Minaret of Jam<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Our final goal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reaching this jaw-dropping minaret by our own means was one of the best travel experiences ever and the minaret itself is as spectacular as it sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is guarded by a bunch of Talibans who live in a shack close by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Minaret of Jam to Kamenj <em>(45 minutes)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-background wp-element-button\">Difficulty: Medium<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Taliban guarding the Minaret of Jam helped us find 2 taxi motorbikes to the nearby village of Kamenj, a nearly 1-hour ride<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Taliban-guarding-the-Minaret-of-Jam-900x1024.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Taliban-guarding-the-Minaret-of-Jam-900x1024.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Taliban-guarding-the-Minaret-of-Jam-900x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Taliban guarding the Minaret of Jam\" class=\"wp-image-44562\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Taliban guards, posing with a Taliban flag<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kamenj to Derreh-Ye Takht <em>(3 hours)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-atc-primary-green-background-color has-background wp-element-button\"><strong>Difficulty: Easy<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>From Kamenj, there are buses going to Herat (14-16 hours).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You pay for the whole ride but I got off after 3 hours in what seemed a larger settlement named Derreh-Ye Takht.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to stay?<\/strong> No hotels but only a chai khana full of truck drivers. Not very pleasant. In the end, we stayed in a pharmacy, hosted by a very kind pharmacist. Very random.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"12\">Day 7 &#8211; Derreh-Ye Takht to Herat <em>(12 hours)<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-background wp-element-button\">Difficulty: Medium<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>From Derreh-Ye Takht thereare minubuses to Herat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, expect to wait there for hours for the minibus to fill up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At 7am, there weren\u2019t any passengers yet and after days of no shower, I decided to pay for the whole minivan, which was pretty cheap anyways, the equivalent of $60 for a nearly 12-hour ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From Herat, you may fly back to Kabul or by road via Helmand and Kandahar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to stay?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/g5STDQzQqdtdBNkM9?coh=178571&amp;entry=tt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><strong>Esteqlal Hotel<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/People-from-Derreh-Ye-Takht-1024x768.avif\" type=\"image\/avif\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/People-from-Derreh-Ye-Takht-1024x768.jpg\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/People-from-Derreh-Ye-Takht-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"People from Derreh-Ye Takht\" class=\"wp-image-44564\"><\/picture><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Watching party, when departing to Herat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wanna travel to Afghanistan with Against the Compass? Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Afghanistan on: August 18th to September 1st, 2026 In 2023, I visited Afghanistan for the second time, traveling from the border with Pakistan at Khyber Pass to Kabul, all the way to Herat via the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44546,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[305,208],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-afghanistan","category-central-asia"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44535"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44535\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57314,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44535\/revisions\/57314"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/againstthecompass.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}