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All Afghanistan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Afghanistan

17 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Afghanistan

Updated May 5, 2023

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Cities

OMAR Mine Museum.
Kabul
Qala Iktyaruddin (Persian: قلعه اختیارالدین‎)  - the Citadel of Herat
Herat
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Stories

Unusual Attractions in Afghanistan

The full mosque

Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Blue Mosque

This magnificent blue mosque in Afghanistan is surrounded by thousands of white doves.
A closer look on the niche of the Great Buddha

Bamyan, Afghanistan

Site of the Bamiyan Buddhas

Once an impressive link to Afghanistan’s Buddhist past, now a sad reminder of intolerance towards other cultures.
The new bridge and the trench

Aybak, Afghanistan

Stupa of Takht-e Rostam

Highly unusual subterranean stupa and adjacent cave monastery.
The lakes are known for their deep blue waters (Wikimedia Commons)

Yakawlang, Afghanistan

Band-e Amir Lakes

Splashes of blue in an otherwise monotonous lunar landscape.
Qala Iktyaruddin (Persian: قلعه اختیارالدین‎)  - the Citadel of Herat

Herat, Afghanistan

Herat National Museum

Despite a history of destruction, this former citadel survives to document Afghanistan's oft overlooked history.
OMAR Mine Museum.

Kabul, Afghanistan

OMAR Mine Museum

A sobering museum dedicated to landmines and the personnel working to remove them from Afghanistan.
Darul Aman Palace

Kabul, Afghanistan

Darul Aman Palace

What was once supposed to be the symbol of a shining Afghan future is now a bombed-out ruin.
Closer look at the stairs

Kandahar, Afghanistan

Chilzina and the Forty Steps of Kandahar

Rock-cut chamber at top of an outcroup, reached by a mountain stairway of forty steps.
See All 17 Things To Do in Afghanistan
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Afghanistan

Ruins 6
Sacred Spaces 3
Monuments 3
Museums And Collections 2
Lost Tribes 2
Architectural Oddities 2
Subterranean Sites 2
Cultures And Civilizations 2
Military 2
Abandoned 2
Ecosystems 2
Animals 2

Afghanistan Leaderboard

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Places Edited

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    wants to go to The Last Operating Synagogue in Afghanistan

Stories About Afghanistan

U.S. Marines stand guard in the Garmsir district of Helmand Province in 2009. The province was the site of the most deaths of American and British soldiers during the U.S./NATO–led occupation of the country.

The Harrowing Tale of Afghanistan’s ‘Haunted’ Outpost

Centuries-old culture and modern military psychology intertwined at Observation Point Rock.
by Tom Mutch
May 5, 2023
Hajjar Baban finds meaning and a sense of place in the spaces between her words.

Meet the Afghan Kurdish Poet Who Finds a Sense of Place in the ‘Silences’

Born in Pakistan and raised in Michigan, Hajjar Baban’s roots come through in her words—and the spaces between them.
by Gemma Tarlach
September 23, 2021
A field of northwestern Spain's beloved grelos is just one of the many permutations of Brassica rapa.

The Deep Roots of the Vegetable That ‘Took Over the World’

A study digs up the origin of the single species that gives us turnips, bok choy, broccoli rabe, and more.
by Gemma Tarlach
June 11, 2021
Sabsina, 11, holds a bowl of grapes that were placed inside months earlier.

The Ancient Method That Keeps Afghanistan's Grapes Fresh All Winter

Kangina is simple but effective.
by Stefanie Glinski
March 25, 2021

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