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Best Tourist Places to Visit in Kandhahar, Afghanistan, Asia

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Kandhahar, Afghanistan, Asia

Kandhahar is the second largest city coming in Kandhahar province towards south of Afghanistan lying at an altitude of 3310 feet above sea level. Kandhahar lies close to river Arghandab and is well known for wool, cotton, silk, dry fruits and tobacco. Kandhahar is bound by Lashkar Gah, Herat in west, Ghazni and Kabul towards northeast and Tarinkot towards north and Quetta in Pakistan in south. It coordinates with 31.37’ degree North Latitude and 65.43’ degree East Longitude.

History of Kandhahar:

Alexander the Great ruled Kandhahar during 330 B.C. and became a part of Kabul Shahi between 565 A.D to 879 A.D. Kandhahar was rule by Seleucid dynasty during return of Alexander the Great and was later ruled by Chandragupta Maurya who introduced Buddhism to this region around 305 B.C. Aryans came to this place during 1700 A.D. and was ruling the city for some time followed by Safavids who ruled the place from 1510 A.D to 1709 A.D. Kandhahar saw the arrival of Mughals in 1501 A.D. followed by Timurids, Kurts, Ghaznivads and Saffarids who ruled this city from time to time. Kandhahar also came under Hotaki dynasty from 1709 A.D to 1738 A.D. and currently is a part of Islamic Republic from 2001 onwards till date.

Places of interest in and near Kandhahar:

Kandhahar Museum
Tomb of Ahmed Shah Durrani
Chilzina a rock cut chamber
Kandhahar Airport
Mausoleum of Mirwais Hotak
Shrine of Baba Wali
Arghandab River
Governor’s Mansion
Kandhahar University
Kandhahar Park
Kokaran Park
Baghi Pul Park

Culture, shopping and Food in Kandhahar:

The city of Kandhahar is rich in culture as Pashtuns form the majority of the population followed by Tajiks, Hazaras, Baloch and Uzbeks who form the other chunk of population respectively. The locals of Kandhahar mostly prefer non-veg dishes like mutton kurma, chicken kurma, biryani and menus prepared out of rice. Kandhahar is well known for shopping which has many indoor shopping centers and malls selling various items, products.

Climate in Kandhahar:

Kandhahar experiences subtropical climatic conditions and summers start in mid of May and last till late September followed by month of autumn from October to late November. Winters begin from December and continue till early February where the nights remain cool and chilly and at times the minimum temperature exceeds below -25 degrees.

Connectivity to Kandhahar in Afghanistan:

Kandhahar is well connected by road and air modes of transport. It is linked to Kabul and Herat by National Highways. Many Benz buses also ply from Kandhahar to Kabul, Herat and other important cities at regular intervals. Kandhahar is also networked by airways as many domestic and international airlines to various destinations operate from Kandhahar Airport. Besides taxis, autos and cabs form the basic modes of local transport.

Hotels in Kandhahar:

Kandhahar has some very good hotels providing good accommodation facilities to the tourists. The hotels show all the hospitality and warmth towards the tourists who have taken accommodation in such hotels. Tourists can book hotels for short stay as well as long term stay and they can select a hotel as per their choice, requirements and budget. They can also book hotels well in advance prior to visiting the place. List of some of the hotels located in Kandhahar are:

Hotel Continental Guest House
Hotel Armani
Hotel Kabul Darwaza
Hotel Le Kandhahar

Places to Visit in Faizabad, Afghanistan, Asia

Places to Visit in Faizabad, Afghanistan, Asia

Faizabad is located in Badakhshan Province and is one of the largest cities in this Province lying at an altitude of 3900 feet above sea level. Faizabad is largely inhabited by Tajiks, besides one can also find minority communities like Pashtuns, Uzbeks, Hazara and Turkmens settled in this city. The city of Faizabad is located near river Kokcha and it coordinates with 37.7’19” degree North Latitude and 70.35’0” degree East Longitude.

History of Faizabad:

Formerly Faizabad was called as Jauz Gun until the year in 1680 the name was changed to Faizabad meaning abode of divine bounty, blessing and charity.

Climate & Economy in Faizabad:

Faizabad experiences hot and humid subtropical climatic conditions during summers and cold moderate weather in winters. The temperature during summer crosses above 40 degrees and during winters the minimum temperature goes below -25 degrees celcius. The place receives 484.9 mm of rainfall annually. The city is well known for the cultivation of rice, barley and wheat which are grown in the nearby paddy fields. Besides, Faizabad is also famous for cotton goods, handicraft industries, gardens and orchards.

Connectivity to Faizabad in Afghanistan:

Faizabad is well connected by road and air modes of transport. Adequate bus services are available from Kabul and Ghazni to Faizabad at regular intervals. The nearest airport is Sheghnan Airport located 99 kms away from Faizabad where many domestic and international flights operate to various destinations.

Hotels in Faizabad:

The city of Faizabad has some good decent hotels providing excellent accommodation facilities to the tourists. Hotels range from 1 star to 5 star offering hosts of latest amenities and services like LCD monitors, room heaters, laundry services, undertake travel bookings, conduct package tours, saloon and spa facilities etc. Hereby is the list of hotels in Kabul which is the nearest city located near Faizabad:

Hotel Park Star
Hotel Maple Leaf Inn
Le Monde Guest House
Hotel The Baron
Hotel Diana Inn
Hotel InterContinental
Hotel Kabul Serena
Hotel Safi Landmark
Hotel Mustafa
Hotel Heetal Plaza
Hotel Capital Inn

Tourist Places to Visit in Herat, Afghanistan, Asia

Tourist Places to Visit in Herat, Afghanistan, Asia

Herat is located in Herat Province in Afghanistan and is the 3^rd largest city in Afghanistan located at an altitude of 3020 feet above sea level. Herat is well connected by highway 1 to Kandhahar and is also a major gateway to neighboring country Iran as it fetches the highest amount of revenue for the Govt. of Afghanistan by way of customs and excise. Heart coordinates with 34.20’31” degree North Latitude and 62.12’11” degree East Longitude.

History of Herat:

Herat is one of the ancient cities dating back to Avestan period which was known for its wine production. Herat came under the rule of Pashtuns in 1717 A.D. and it became a part of Hotaki dynasty in 1736 A.D. Herat was also ruled by Durrani Empire in 1747 A.D. and witnessed some actions taking place during Anglo-Afghan War during 19^th century.

Places of attraction in Herat:

Masjet-e-Jam:

This is one of the most prominent mosques located in Herat which is 800 years old which is otherwise called as Friday Mosque of Blue Mosque. The mosque is not only renowned for its architecture style but also is one of the sacred worshipping center in Herat. Many Muslims converge at the mosque during Friday namaz and during times of Id and Ramzan.

The Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din):

The citadel originally built by Alexander the Great was rebuilt by Malik Fakhruddin in 1305 A.D. which is known for Afghan architecture and style.

Mousallah Complex:

The complex has a collection of mosques, minarets and medressa which is jointly called as Mousallah complex built by queen Gaur Shad in 1411. There is also a tomb of Gowhar Shaw near the complex. There were 12 minarets in the complex, but due to passage of time nine of them have been destroyed and only three of them are remaining intact within the complex.

Gazar Gah:

Gazar Gah is about 5 kms from Herat known for the tomb of sufi saint Khoja Abdulla Ansari who breathed his last in 11^th century A.D. Other nearby attractions is Main Iwan (main court), Haft Qalam (seven pens), Khana Zarnegar (Pavilion adorned with gold) and Hauze Zamzam (Sacred water pond).

Other attractions in Herat are:

Chisht-i-Sharif
Tomb of Jami
Darwaze Khosh
Chaharsu
Howz-e-Karbas
Park-e Taraki
Herat Museum
Jihad Museum
Tomb of khaje Qaltan
Gazargah Sharif Mosque
Tomb of Queen Goharshad

Connectivity to Herat in Afghanistan:

The city of Herat is well networked by rail and air modes of transport. Work is in full progress for the 191 kms railway line from Khaf in Iran to Herat which will be duly completed in some time. Herat is also connected by airways where many domestic and charter flights operate from Herat Airport.

Accommodation facilities in Herat:

Herat has some fine hotels providing excellent accommodation facilities to the tourists visiting the city. The hotels range from 1 star to 5 star and allow the tourists to stay for short and long term duration. Besides providing good accommodation facilities, the hotels also serve authentic Afghan cuisines and recipes which are famous for their aroma and taste. List of hotels located in Herat are

Hotel Serena (Upcoming)
Hotel Diamond
Hotel Marcopolo

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Ghazni, Afghanistan, Asia

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Ghazni, Afghanistan, Asia

Ghazni is a city located in central-east Afghanistan situated at a height of 7280 feet above sea level. Ghazni is bound by Kandhahar towards southwest, Kabul to the northeast, Gardez and Khost towards the east. Ghazni coordinates with 33.33’ degree North Latitude and 68.25’ degree East Longitude.

History of Ghazni:

Ghazni was under the Persian rule during 6^th century when the town was invaded by Achaemenid king, Cyrus II. Initially Ghazni used to be a thriving Buddhist center until the 7^th century which brought Islam into the region when it was seized by Yaqub Saffari in 9^th century. In the later part of the century, Ghazni became the capital of Ghaznivad Empire who ruled the parts of north India, Persia and Central Asia. Ghazni was under the rule of Khwarezmid Empire between 1215 A.D. to 1221 A.D until it came under the Mongol invasion.

Places of interest in and near Ghazni:

Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud:

This is the place where the Sultan of Ghazni was buried under the tomb. All the credit must go to the Sultan Mahmud who turned this place from a provincial city to a rich wealthy capital. The tomb is majestically carved using Afghan marble which displays a fine example of Afghan style of architecture.

Palace of Sultan Mas’ud III:

This is one of the prolific structures in Ghazni built by Sultan Masud in the year 112 A.D. The Palace exhibit fine display of Afghan style of architecture and include a throne room, living quarters for soldiers, govt. offices and a mosque. The mosque also has tall minarets and surrounded by well laid gardens.

The Citadel:

The Citadel was one of the most prominent structures located in Ghazni which was destroyed during First Anglo Afghan War. Presently the tourists can only see the ruins of the Citadel.

The Minarets:

The Minarets were constructed by Sultan Masud III between 1099 A.D to 1114 A.D that was inspired by Qutub Minar in New Delhi. The interiors of the Minarets are beautifully adorned with scripts and the ceilings are decorated with floral paintings and various geometric designs.

Museum of Islamic Art:

The museum has vast collection of objects dating back to 16^th century from Ghaznivad period. Besides the museum also have large collection of artifacts, statues, manuscripts, paintings, bronze articles and glass wares. Many tourists visit the museum throughout the year.

Tapa Sardar Excavations:

This site was well known for stupa which were located atop a hill which were found after a excavations were carried out between 1959 to 1962. The excavations came up with a 18 meter long statue of lord Buddha in a reclining posture.

When to visit Ghazni in Afghanistan?

Ghazni can be visited all year round but the most ideal time to visit the place would be during month of March to May as the weather stays clear and favorable for the tourists to visit the place. Winters are very cold and chilly in Ghazni and at times the minimum temperature drops to -25 degrees.

How to reach Ghazni in Afghanistan?

Ghazni is well connected by roadways and airways as several highways pass through this region making it easily accessible by road. Kabul is approx 143 kms and Kandhahar is at a distance of 353 kms from Ghazni. A new international airport is being proposed at Ghazni which will become operational from the mid 2013. Bus services are available from Ghazni to Kabul at regular intervals. The nearest airport is Kabul International Airport located about 143 kms from Ghazni.

Hotels in Ghazni:

Ghazni being one of the most frequently tourist spots in Afghanistan have several multi class hotels offering latest amenities and authentic food and cuisines. The hotels show good hospitality towards the visitors and treat them as their own family member. Some of the facilities provided by the hotel include broadband connection with Wi-Fi, room heaters, LCD and 3D monitors, provision for hot and cold water, laundry services, multi gym with saloon and spa, conference halls, airport pickup and drop, doctors on call, emergency relief measures etc. List of hotels in Kabul about 143 kms away from Ghazni is as follows: