Places / Asia / Afghanistan
Kabul
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The UK Foreign Office currently advises against travel to all or parts of Afghanistan. This guide is for a safer time. Check the latest travel advice.
At a glance
- Country
- Afghanistan
- Region
- Kabul Province
- Population
- 4.5 million
- Best time to go
- April to June, September to October
- Main airport
- Kabul International (KBL)
- Coordinates
- 34.56°N, 69.21°E
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Overview
Kabul sits in a high bowl ringed by bare mountains, at around 1,800 metres, and has been a crossroads for traders, armies and empires for more than three thousand years. Mughal gardens, Soviet-era blocks and crowded bazaars sit side by side.
This guide is written for a future, safer time. When travel is possible again, the city's real draws are its history, its food and the warmth of everyday hospitality, with the mountains never far from view.
Things to see
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Photo: Danial f4, CC BY-SA 4.0 Gardens of Babur
Terraced walled gardens laid out for the first Mughal emperor, who chose to be buried here, carefully restored with orchards and water channels.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: Babak Fakhamzadeh, CC BY 2.0 National Museum of Afghanistan
A museum that has survived looting and war, with pieces from Buddhist, Islamic and ancient Greek periods of Afghan history.
Tickets and tours -
Photo: ВАДИМ ЧУПРИНА, CC BY-SA 4.0 Darul Aman Palace
A grand European-style palace from the 1920s on the city's south-western edge, long a symbol of the country's fortunes.
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Photo: Masoud Akbari, CC BY-SA 3.0 Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque
An unusual yellow mosque with a Baroque-looking façade, standing beside the Kabul River in the old centre.
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Photo: John Burke, Public domain Bala Hissar
The ancient citadel on the hill above the old city, with views over the rooftops to the surrounding peaks.
Things to do
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Browse Chicken Street
The city's best-known shopping street for carpets, lapis lazuli, embroidered textiles and antiques of varying authenticity.
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Photo: Jost Wagner, CC BY-SA 1.0 Eat Kabuli pulao
Afghanistan's national dish of rice with lamb, carrots and raisins, best eaten in a simple local restaurant.
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Photo: Aryob Zazai from Pekhawar, Afghanistan, CC BY 2.0 Picnic at Qargha Reservoir
A lake in the hills west of the city where Kabul families come at weekends to escape the dust.
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Photo: Wagma, CC BY-SA 4.0 Day trip to Paghman
A cooler valley town in the foothills, once the royal summer retreat, known for its gardens and orchards.
Where to stay
Shahr-e Naw
The central commercial district, with most of the city's hotels and restaurants close together.
Hotels in Shahr-e NawWazir Akbar Khan
A quieter residential area with wider streets, traditionally home to embassies and guesthouses.
Hotels in Wazir Akbar Khan
Getting around
Taxis are the usual way to get about; agree the fare first and use a driver recommended by your hotel. Traffic is heavy and walking long distances is not practical.
The airport is about 5 km north-east of the centre, around 20 minutes by car depending on traffic.
When to go
Spring and autumn are mild and clear. Summers are hot and dusty, and winters are cold with regular snow, which can bring smog when people burn fuel for heat.
Plan your trip to Kabul
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.