AFGHANISTAN

Morning: move to Bamiyan, some of the most fascinating and richly scenic and cultural territory in Afghanistan. In 2001 the 2 colossal Bamiyan Buddha statues dating from the 4th-5th centuries were destroyed: despite the loss of priceless artistic heritage, the large niches carved into the rock in which the Buddhas stood remain an impressive sight

Afternoon: visit the remains of Shahr-e Zuhak, a fortress that, according to myth, owes its red color to the blood spilled by Genghis Khan’s armies during the siege of Bamiyan (hence the nickname “red city”). The same fate was suffered by 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,” with its spectacular fault line in a beautiful desert setting

Evening: dinner and overnight in Bamiyan

Morning: day devoted to a visit to Band-e Amir, the first as well as among the most spectacular national parks in Afghanistan. As many as six lakes, in a riot of blue from cobalt to lapis lazuli, are nestled between towering travertine peaks, which act as veritable natural dams

Afternoon: continuation of the visit to the lakes of Band-e Amir, from the imposing sheer walls of Band-e Haibat to the incredible turquoise waters of Band-e Zulfiqar, passing through the lush shores of Band-e Pudina, a kind of oasis where the green of the wild vegetation, the blue of the waters and sky and the pinkish ochre of the mountains create a fabulous color play. In Band-e Amir Park it will also be possible to meet scattered groups of Afghan tourists trying to live a normal life in the extremely precarious environment of Afghanistan in recent decades. Arrival at the homestay in Band-e Amir

Evening: dinner and overnight guests of local families in Band-e Amir

DAY 5: depart by 4×4 for a long journey into the central valleys of wild Afghanistan, through remote, mountainous regions of rugged beauty. Our local guides will ensure safe travel in private vehicles through these little-traveled moors of Afghanistan. After a day of intense on-the-road travel, with possible visits to rural villages in central Afghanistan, arrival and overnight in Chaghcharan, guests in the homes of local families

DAY 6: Continuation of the on-the-road itinerary to Herat. En route, visit the magnificent Jam minaret, the second tallest brick minaret in the world at 65 meters, dating back to the 12th/13th century. Entirely built of bricks and glazed glass tiles, it is famous for its intricate decoration of alternating strips of Kūfī and Naskhī calligraphy, geometric designs and verses from the Quran. Continuation of the itinerary, arrival in the evening in Herat and check-in at the hotel.

Morning: full day dedicated to visiting Herat. Visit the magnificent 13th-century Friday Mosque, built on an ancient temple of the Zoroastrian cult, and the Herat Citadel, built on Kuhandazh Hill north of the old city, which was already there in the time of Alexander the Great, who conquered the city during his incredible campaigns in Central Asia

Afternoon: continued tour of Herat, including chaotic bazaars and precious places of worship, such as the Guzargah Mausoleum, which houses the shrine of Khodja Abdullah Ansari. Visit the Tomb of Gowhar Shad Begum Persian queen and wife of Shah Rukh, Timurid emperor of Herat, and the complex of minarets and madrasas of Musallah

Evening: dinner and evening in Herat

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

Afternoon: visit to the Mine Museum, which displays 51 of the 53 types of mines used in the 1980s conflict, and highlights the work performed by the Afghanistan Mine Clearance and Rehabilitation Organization (OMAR). Free time at Chicken Street and the Ka Faroshi bird market, which unfolds in a maze of small alleys filled with locals intent on haggling

Evening: dinner and evening in Kabul

Morning: morning flight from Kabul to Mazar and day dedicated to visiting Mazar-i Sharif and especially its heart, the shrine of Hazrat Ali, which towers marvelously exactly 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 devoted to a visit to Balkh, a few kilometers west of Mazar-i Shari, in whose vicinity stood Bactra, the historic capital of Bactria and an important eastern outpost of Greater Persia, whose ancient fort ruins can still be seen today. Visit 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 hotel in Mazar in the late afternoon.

Evening: dinner and overnight in Mazar-i Sharif

Morning: continuation of the on-the-road journey, veering south from Mazar-i Sharif along the main road connecting northern Afghanistan to Kabul. En route, visit Takht-e Rostam, a Buddhist stupa built in the 3-4th century, embedded in the rock. After the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban, Takht-e Rostam remains the most important pre-Islamic site in the country

Afternoon: continue on the road at increasingly higher altitudes among the often snow-capped peaks of the Hindu Kush, to the infamous Salang Tunnel: built by the Soviets in the 1960s, abandoned and semi-destroyed during Taliban rule in the 1990s, then rebuilt in 2002, the Salang Tunnel is the backbone of the country’s communications, and at the same time a “trap” scene of sinister events, from multiple deadly avalanches to Mujahideen ambushes against the Soviets. Arrival in Kabul

Evening: dinner and overnight in Kabul

DAY 11: flight to Abu Dhabi, check in at the hotel and free time to relax

DAY 12: check out in the morning and it’s time to go again. We bid farewell to our fellow travelers and hope to see you again on the next trip!