Afghanistan Itinerary: How to Plan 4, 7, 11 or 15 Days
Afghanistan is a big country with slow roads, and the right itinerary depends less on what you want to see than on how many days you have. These are the routes we run most, from a long weekend in Kabul and Herat to two weeks on the Silk Road, with what each one costs.
Plan at least 6 days for a first trip: Kabul, the drive to Bamyan and a day at Band-e Amir. With 4 days, fly from Kabul to Herat; with 8, add the Salang Pass to Mazar-e-Sharif; with 11, see Kabul, Bamyan, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat; with 15, follow the Silk Road to Badakhshan. Our private tours cost $150 to $220 per person per day, plus domestic flights.
How many days do you need in Afghanistan?
Six to eleven days is the sweet spot. Kabul alone needs two days; Bamyan is a long day's drive each way, about 180 km and four to six hours, and is worth at least two nights; Mazar-e-Sharif is seven to nine hours by road over the Salang Pass; and Herat is best reached by a one-hour flight. Add a day's margin for flights, which are sometimes moved.
Which itinerary fits your days?
| Days | Route | Tour | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Kabul and Herat, by air | Gardens and Minarets | $600–$880 + flights |
| 5 | Kabul, Ghazni and Kandahar | Three Capitals Road | $750–$1,100 + flights |
| 6 | Kabul, Bamyan and Band-e Amir, by road | Buddhas and Blue Lakes | $900–$1,320 |
| 7 | Kabul, Bamyan, Band-e Amir and Herat | Cliffs and Citadels | $1,050–$1,540 + flights |
| 8 | Kabul, Bamyan, Band-e Amir and Mazar-e-Sharif | Hindu Kush Crossing | $1,200–$1,760 + flight |
| 11 | Kabul, Bamyan, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat | Heart of Asia Grand Tour | $1,650–$2,420 + flights |
| 15 | Kabul, Bamyan, Herat, Balkh and Badakhshan | Afghanistan Silk Road Journey | $2,300–$3,400 |
What is the best first-time itinerary?
Buddhas and Blue Lakes, in six days: Kabul, the drive over the central highlands to Bamyan, a day at the Buddha niches and Shahr-e Gholghola, a day at the six lakes of Band-e Amir, and the road back by Shahr-e Zuhak. It needs no domestic flight, so it is the least likely to change, and it shows the two sides of Afghanistan most visitors come for: the capital and the mountains.
What can you see in one week?
In seven or eight days you add one more region to Kabul and Bamyan. Cliffs and Citadels flies on to Herat for its Great Mosque, its citadel and its glass-blowers; Hindu Kush Crossing drives north over the Salang Pass to the Blue Mosque of Mazar-e-Sharif and the ruins of Balkh, and flies back.
What about 11 or 15 days?
The Heart of Asia Grand Tour, eleven days, is the full circuit: Kabul, Bamyan and Band-e Amir, the Salang to Mazar-e-Sharif and Balkh, then flights to Herat and back to Kabul. The 15-day Afghanistan Silk Road Journey adds Badakhshan in the far north-east. For the Wakhan Corridor, plan two weeks or more on its own.
When should you go?
May, June, September and October suit every route. Bamyan and Band-e Amir are at their best from May to October; Herat and Kandahar are very hot in July and August; and in winter snow can close the Salang Pass, so trips to the north fly. Winter has its own reason to go: the buzkashi season in Mazar-e-Sharif, on our five-day Buzkashi Season Tour.
How do you make an itinerary work?
- Land in Kabul by midday on day one if you can: the travel letter for your provinces is issued on your first working day.
- Keep Fridays in mind: government offices close, so the permits are planned for other days.
- Put domestic flights in the middle of the trip, not on your last day, in case one is moved.
- Every route can be changed: drop a stop, add a night, or swap Herat for Mazar-e-Sharif. Send us your dates and we send a day-by-day plan.
Next, read the best time to visit Afghanistan and what tours in Afghanistan cost, or compare all our tours.
Sources: our own routes, day plans and prices (October 2026), and road times from our drivers.
Questions about planning an Afghanistan itinerary
How many days do you need in Afghanistan?
At least six for a first trip: Kabul, Bamyan and Band-e Amir. Eight days add Mazar-e-Sharif, eleven add Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat, and fifteen follow the Silk Road to Badakhshan.
Can you see Afghanistan in 4 days?
You can see two cities. Al Hamid Tour and Travel's Gardens and Minarets tour spends 4 days in Kabul and Herat, with a one-hour flight each way, for $600 to $880 per person plus flights.
What is the best Afghanistan itinerary for a first trip?
Kabul, Bamyan and Band-e Amir in six days, all by road: Al Hamid Tour and Travel's Buddhas and Blue Lakes tour, $900 to $1,320 per person.
How much does a 10-day trip to Afghanistan cost?
With Al Hamid Tour and Travel a private tour costs $150 to $220 per person per day, so 10 days is about $1,500 to $2,200, plus domestic flights. The 11-day Heart of Asia Grand Tour costs $1,650 to $2,420.
Can you change the itinerary?
Yes. Every tour is private, so the stops, nights and dates can be changed. Send your dates and we send a day-by-day plan and a written price.
Planning a trip? Talk to our Kabul team — we reply fast on WhatsApp.
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