AFGHANISTAN

Morning: Transfer to Bamiyan, one of the most fascinating and culturally rich regions of Afghanistan from both a landscape and historical perspective. In 2001, the two colossal Buddha statues of Bamiyan, dating back to the 4th–5th centuries, were destroyed. Despite the loss of this invaluable artistic heritage, the huge rock-carved niches where the Buddhas once stood remain an impressive sight.

Afternoon: Visit to the ruins of Shahr-e Zuhak, a fortress that, according to legend, owes its red color to the blood shed by Genghis Khan’s armies during the siege of Bamiyan, hence the nickname “Red City.” The same fate befell Shahr-e Gholghola, known as the “City of Screams,” destroyed by the Mongols despite its reputation as an impregnable fortress. Visit to Dara-e Ajdahar, the beautiful “Valley of Dragons,” famous for its spectacular fault cutting through a striking desert landscape.

Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Bamiyan

Morning: Day dedicated to visiting Band-e Amir, the first, and one of the most spectacular, national parks in Afghanistan. Six lakes, with shades ranging from cobalt blue to lapis lazuli, lie among imposing travertine cliffs that act as natural dams.

Afternoon: Continuation of the visit to the Band-e Amir lakes, from the towering rock walls of Band-e Haibat to the extraordinary turquoise waters of Band-e Zulfiqar, passing through the lush shores of Band-e Pudina, a sort of oasis where the green of the vegetation, the blue of the water and sky, and the pinkish ochre of the mountains create an incredible palette of colors. Inside the park it may also be possible to meet small groups of Afghan tourists trying to live a normal life despite the instability the country has experienced in recent decades. Arrival at a homestay in Band-e Amir.

Evening: Dinner and overnight stay hosted by local families in Band-e Amir

DAY 5: Departure by 4×4 vehicle for a long journey through the central valleys of wild Afghanistan, crossing remote mountainous regions of rugged beauty. Local guides will ensure a safe journey in private vehicles through these rarely visited areas of the country. After a full day of intense overland travel, with possible visits to rural villages in central Afghanistan, arrival and overnight stay in Chaghcharan, hosted by local families.

DAY 6: Continuation of the overland itinerary toward Herat. Along the route, visit to the magnificent Minaret of Jam, the second tallest brick minaret in the world at 65 meters, dating back to the 12th–13th century. Entirely built of bricks and glazed tiles, it is famous for its intricate decorations featuring alternating bands of Kufic and Naskh calligraphy, geometric patterns, and verses from the Quran. Continuation of the journey and arrival in Herat in the evening, followed by hotel check-in.

Morning: Full day dedicated to visiting Herat. Visit to the magnificent Friday Mosque, dating back to the 13th century and built on the site of an ancient Zoroastrian temple, and to the Citadel of Herat, built on the Kuhandazh hill north of the old city and already standing in the time of Alexander the Great, who conquered the city during his campaigns in Central Asia.

Afternoon: Continuation of the visit to Herat, among chaotic bazaars and precious religious sites, such as the Guzargah Mausoleum, which houses the shrine of Khodja Abdullah Ansari. Visit to the Tomb of Gowhar Shad Begum, Persian queen and wife of Shah Rukh, Timurid emperor of Herat, and to the complex of minarets and madrasas of Musallah.

Evening: Dinner and evening in Herat

Morning: Transfer to Herat airport for the flight to Kabul. Arrival in the capital of Afghanistan and hotel check-in.

Afternoon: Visit to the mine museum, which displays 51 of the 53 types of mines used during the conflict of the 1980s, and highlights the work carried out by the Afghanistan Mine Action and Rehabilitation Organization (OMAR). Free time on Chicken Street and at the Ka Faroshi bird market, which winds through a maze of narrow alleys full of locals bargaining.

Evening: Dinner and evening in Kabul

Morning: Morning flight from Kabul to Mazar and day dedicated to visiting Mazar-i-Sharif, especially its heart: the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, which rises magnificently in the center of the city. Built in 1100, destroyed by Genghis Khan and rebuilt in 1481, the shrine is one of the most recognizable monuments in all of Afghanistan, thanks to its turquoise domes and finely decorated walls.

Afternoon: Afternoon dedicated to visiting Balkh, a few kilometers west of Mazar-i-Sharif, near where Bactra once stood, the historic capital of Bactria and an important eastern outpost of the great Persian Empire, of which the ruins of the ancient fortress can still be admired today. Visit to the Khodja Parsa mausoleum, in the heart of the city, tomb of the spiritual leader of the same name who lived in the 15th century. Return to the hotel in Mazar in the late afternoon.

Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Mazar-i Sharif

Morning: Continuation of the overland journey, heading south from Mazar-i-Sharif along the main road connecting northern Afghanistan to Kabul. Along the way, visit to Takht-e Rostam, a stupa built between the 3rd and 4th centuries and carved directly into the rock. After the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan by the Taliban, Takht-e Rostam remains the most important pre-Islamic site in the country.

Afternoon: The overland journey continues at increasingly high altitudes among the often snow-capped peaks of the Hindu Kush, up to the infamous Salang Tunnel. Built by the Soviets in the 1960s, abandoned and partially destroyed during Taliban rule in the 1990s, and later rebuilt in 2002, the Salang Tunnel is the backbone of the country’s communications and at the same time a “trap,” scene of tragic events ranging from deadly avalanches to Mujahideen ambushes against the Soviets. Arrival in Kabul.

Evening: Dinner and overnight stay in Kabul

Morning: early departure for Kabul airport. Connecting flight back to Italy, arrival on day 13… And see you on the next adventure!