White mosque with two minarets in Kabul, with snow on the hills behind

Capital city guide

Kabul

Historic neighborhoods, modern cafes, and bustling local bazaars in one easy guide.

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What is a Kabul tour like?

Short answer

Kabul is Afghanistan's capital and the starting point of most trips, with the old city, Babur's Gardens and the National Museum. Al Hamid Tour and Travel runs three set Kabul tours, 2 to 4 days, from $300 to $880 per person, with an English-speaking guide, private transport and hotels with breakfast. The best season is spring to early autumn.

Kabul is the best place to start if you want city energy, history, and easy access to guided travel support.

Typical stay2 to 3 days
Best forCulture and city life
Best seasonSpring to early autumn
Kabul city skyline with autumn trees
Day 1 Kabul

Start with a relaxed city walk, local tea, and the old bazaars.

Terraced garden with a stone water channel and pavilion in Kabul
Day 2 Kabul

Mix museum visits, garden stops, and an evening cafe experience.

Rose garden and paths in Kabul
Day 3 Kabul

Keep it flexible for shopping, food, and a final scenic drive.

What do you see on a Kabul tour?

On a Kabul tour you see Babur's Gardens, the National Museum, Darul Aman Palace, Murad Khani, the old city, Chicken Street and Pul-e Khishti Mosque and the old bazaars. Each is described below.

Babur's Gardens

Terraced gardens laid out in the early 1500s by Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire, who asked to be buried here. His grave is at the top, beside a small white marble mosque built for Shah Jahan in the 1640s, with views over the city.

The National Museum

Opposite Darul Aman Palace, with finds from across the country's past, from Buddhist sculpture to Islamic metalwork. Much of the collection was looted or smashed in the 1990s and 2001; what the staff managed to hide is back on show.

Darul Aman Palace

The "Abode of Peace", a neoclassical palace built in the 1920s for King Amanullah Khan's planned new capital. Gutted in the civil war of the 1990s, it was restored for the hundredth anniversary of Afghan independence in 2019.

Murad Khani, the old city

Mud-brick houses and courtyards of the old city on the north bank of the Kabul River, restored by Turquoise Mountain, whose workshops teach calligraphy, woodwork, ceramics and jewellery.

Chicken Street

Kabul's best-known shopping street, for carpets, lapis lazuli, embroidered clothes and antiques. Bargaining is expected.

Pul-e Khishti Mosque and the old bazaars

One of the city's largest mosques, by the old bridge over the Kabul River, at the edge of the Mandawi bazaar, where the city buys its spices, dried fruit and cloth.

What is the history and culture of Kabul?

Kabul has been a settlement for more than 3,000 years: the Rigveda names its river, the Kubha. Its passes made it a crossroads between Central Asia and India, ruled in turn by the Kushans, the Hindu Shahis and the Ghaznavids. In 1504 Babur took the city and made it his base before he conquered northern India; he loved its gardens and is buried here.

Timur Shah Durrani made Kabul the capital of Afghanistan in 1776. In the 1920s King Amanullah Khan began to modernise it, and many of its avenues, palaces and parks date from then. The civil war of the 1990s destroyed much of the west of the city. Kabul is the country's largest city and its centre of trade, and its love of kite flying and of its bazaars has not changed.

What does a Kabul tour include?

Guides

English-speaking tour guides who know everything about the destination

Flights

Domestic and international air tickets, booked and ticketed for you. Airlines and fares

Transfers

From the airport to the hotels and all locations

Hotels

Comfortable accommodation, 2 people per room, breakfasts included

Which Kabul tours can you book?

You can book three set Kabul tours: the Kabul City Tour, the Kabul Heritage Walk and the Kabul Family Discovery, and six multi-city tours that pass through Kabul. They take 2 to 11 days and cost $300 to $2,420 per person, with a guide, private transport and hotels with breakfast.

Set Kabul tours with Al Hamid Tour and Travel. Prices are per person, in US dollars, and include a guide, private transport and hotels with breakfast.
TourLengthPrice per personFocus
Kabul City Tour3 days · 2 nights$450–$660City rhythm
Kabul Heritage Walk2 days · 1 night$300–$440History first
Kabul Family Discovery4 days · 3 nights$600–$880Family-friendly
Buddhas and Blue Lakes6 days · 5 nights$900–$1,320Highlands and blue lakes
Gardens and Minarets4 days · 3 nights$600–$880Two historic cities
Three Capitals Road5 days · 4 nights$750–$1,100Ghaznavid and Durrani capitals
Cliffs and Citadels7 days · 6 nights$1,050–$1,540Highlands and Timurid Herat
Hindu Kush Crossing8 days · 7 nights$1,200–$1,760Highlands, the Salang and the north
Heart of Asia Grand Tour11 days · 10 nights$1,650–$2,420The best of Afghanistan

Kabul tour questions

How many days do I need in Kabul?

Most travelers spend 2 to 3 days in Kabul. Our packages here run from 2 to 4 days, and any of them can be shortened or extended around your flights.

How much does a Kabul tour cost?

Kabul trips start from $200 per person. Al Hamid Tour and Travel's set Kabul packages cost $300 to $880 per person: Kabul City Tour, 3 days, $450–$660; Kabul Heritage Walk, 2 days, $300–$440; Kabul Family Discovery, 4 days, $600–$880. The exact figure depends on group size and travel dates — send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will quote it.

When is the best time to visit Kabul?

Spring to early autumn. That is when Kabul is at its best, and when we run most departures there.

How do I get to Kabul?

Kabul is where most trips through Afghanistan begin. We meet you at Kabul airport; airport pick-up and drop-off are included in every package.

Can I visit Kabul as part of the Afghanistan Silk Road Journey?

Yes. Kabul is days 1 to 2 of Al Hamid Tour and Travel's 15-day Afghanistan Silk Road Journey, which runs through Kabul, Bamyan, Herat, Balkh and Badakhshan and costs $2,300 to $3,400 per person.

Can I visit Kabul as part of the Buzkashi Season Tour?

Yes. Kabul is days 1 to 2 of Al Hamid Tour and Travel's 5-day Buzkashi Season Tour, which runs through Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif and costs $750 to $1,100 per person.

Who is a Kabul tour best for?

Culture and city life. Ideal for first-time visitors who want a mix of history, comfort, and a straightforward travel plan.

What is included in a Kabul tour?

An English-speaking guide who knows the region; private vehicle and driver, including airport transfers; hotels with breakfast, two people per room; help with the visa invitation letter and the provincial permits. Not included: international and domestic flights (we book and ticket both for you), lunch and dinner, and the visa fee.

Is it safe to travel to Kabul with a guide?

Conditions differ from province to province and change over time, so Al Hamid Tour and Travel does not give a blanket answer. Every trip has a registered guide and a private driver, the visa letter and any provincial permits are arranged before you travel, and the road and local conditions are checked before each departure. If they are not right for your dates, we change the route or the date. Our safety guide explains the wider picture.

Do you arrange the visa and permits for Kabul?

Yes. Al Hamid Tour and Travel issues the invitation letter for every guest and walks you through the application, whether you use the online e-Visa or an embassy, and handles the provincial travel permits for Kabul once you land. The visa fee itself is paid by you.

More about Kabul: read our Kabul city guide.

Kabul is also days 1–2 of our 15-day Afghanistan Silk Road Journey.

Kabul is also days 1–2 of our 5-day Buzkashi Season Tour.

Planning a trip to Kabul: Afghanistan visa & permits · Afghanistan travel permits · Is Afghanistan safe to visit? · Tour prices explained · Money and payments in Afghanistan · Best time to visit · Flights to Afghanistan · What to wear in Afghanistan · Afghanistan for women travellers · Afghan food guide

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Other packages in Kabul

Choose a package that matches your pace, then open booking with the details already prepared.

See every private Afghanistan tour, with its price

Kabul City Tour 3 days

City rhythm

Kabul City Tour

Old city lanes, bazaars, gardens, and easy cafe time for a balanced city break.

Duration 3 days From $450–$660
Plan This Tour: Kabul City Tour
Kabul Heritage Walk 2 days

History first

Kabul Heritage Walk

A shorter route with museums, old streets, and clear sightseeing without rushing.

Duration 2 days From $300–$440
Plan This Tour: Kabul Heritage Walk
Kabul Family Discovery 4 days

Family-friendly

Kabul Family Discovery

More time for food, shopping, and relaxed city planning for family travelers.

Duration 4 days From $600–$880
Plan This Tour: Kabul Family Discovery