Silk Road Highlights — Small Group

Day 1: Arrival in Kabul

• Arrive at Kabul International Airport, where our team will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel.
• Check-in and freshen up before visiting a local tailor to get measured for traditional Afghan outfits.
• Explore Kabul’s old town and the vibrant Bird Market, where you’ll also encounter blacksmiths, carpenters, and other artisans.
• Visit the iconic Sakhi Mosque, adorned with turquoise tiles and sacred to Shia Muslims as the believed resting place of Hazrati Ali.
• Tour the historic Darulaman Palace and stroll through the serene Babur’s Gardens.
• Enjoy a traditional Afghan dinner and overnight stay in Kabul.

  

Day 2: Kabul to Bamyan

• Begin your road trip to Bamyan, a scenic drive through central Afghanistan.
• Visit the ancient Buddhist complex of the Buddhas of Bamyan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and learn about their cultural significance before their destruction in 2001.
• Explore Shahr-e Gholghola (City of Screams), the ruins of a 12th-century city, and Shahr-e Zuhak (The Red City).
• Stop by colorful, painted ex-Soviet tanks for a unique photo opportunity.
• Dinner and overnight stay in Bamyan.

  

Day 3: Band-e-Amir National Park

• Discover the stunning Band-e-Amir National Park, home to six deep blue travertine lakes surrounded by breathtaking landscapes.
• Learn about the Hazarajat region’s cultural heritage and its importance as Afghanistan’s first national park.
• After exploring the park, return to Bamyan for dinner and an overnight stay.

  

Day 4: Bamyan to Mazar-e-Sharif via Samangan

• Depart early for a scenic drive through the Salang Pass to Mazar-e-Sharif.
• Stop at Samangan to visit ancient Buddhist stupas and temples carved into the rock.
• Arrive in Mazar-e-Sharif in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay.

  

Day 5: Mazar-e-Sharif and Balkh

• Visit the iconic Blue Mosque, known for its intricate blue-tiled decorations and sacred to Hazrat Ali.
• Travel to Charkent to see the legendary 12th-century gate that repelled Mongols, Soviets, and the Taliban.
• Explore Balkh, the oldest city in Afghanistan, and visit its ancient walls and Afghanistan’s first mosque.
• Return to Mazar-e-Sharif for dinner a nd overnight stay.

  

Day 6: Return to Kabul

• Catch an early flight back to Kabul.
• Stroll through the famous Chicken Street bazaar for shopping and cultural souvenirs.
• Visit the Western Cemetery, a historical site tied to the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
• Meet Haji Mirzaman, an Afghan box photographer, and get your portrait taken (extra cost).
• Dinner and overnight stay in Kabul.

Day 7: Kabul to Herat

• Fly to Herat and transfer to your hotel.
• Visit the historic Friday Mosque (Masjid-i Jami) and its adjoining tile workshop.
• Wander through the bustling Herat Bazaar.
• Dinner and overnight stay in Herat.

  

Day 8: Exploring Herat

• Tour the Herat Citadel, built during the time of Alexander the Great and used by empires for over 2,000 years.
• Visit Guzargah Mosque and the Puli Malaan, a 12th-century Seljuk-era bridge.
• Explore the Herat Glass Factory (subject to availability).
• Dinner and overnight stay in Herat.

Day 9: Herat to Kabul

• Visit the Minarets of Herat and the Tomb of Goharshad, remnants of a once-grand complex destroyed in the 19th century.
• Fly back to Kabul in the afternoon.
• Enjoy last-minute shopping on Chicken Street and a farewell dinner.
• Overnight stay in Kabul.

  

Day 10: Departure from Kabul

• Depending on your flight schedule, visit any remaining Kabul sights or enjoy some leisure time.
• Transfer to the airport for your departure.