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 An overview of Kabul during the cold winter. Kabul has been the capital of Afghanistan since about 1776. The city has been badly damaged during the various 1979 to 2001 wars, particularly its western parts. Kabul is currently going through a period of renovation and development, with some modern style tower blocks and a handful of glitzy shopping malls appearing over the last few years. However, roads and other infrastructure remain in poor condition, and electricity is spotty even in the downtown areas.
[edit] Understand
[edit] Get in
[edit] By plane
 Passengers boarding plane at Kabul Airport. Kabul International Airport (Template:IATA), +93 9251-61001, is a short drive east of the city center. Airport facilities include banking, buffet, restaurant, post office and car parking (all very basic). Taxis are available to the city center, but it is safer to be met by someone who is known to you. Alternatively, Afghan Logistics (+93-777 443311, see below in Get Around) offers an airport pick-up for about $25. Compared to international standards, the existing airport is not very good, despite some refurbishment in 2007. A new international terminal is under construction next to the existing terminal, which is scheduled to be completed during 2008.
[edit] By car
- The highway from Kandahar has been rebuilt, but is very dangerous because of the Taliban.
- The highway from Mazar-e Sharif and the North via the Salang Pass is open, although care is needed during winter months.
- The newly rebuilt highway from Jalalabad is open which has reduced the journey time to 2-3 hours.
- From Bamiyan it is currently advisable to take the longer northern route, as the southern route is of questionable safety.
[edit] By bus
Private operators serve most destinations in fairly comfortable Mercedes buses. Safety can be a problem with frequent accidents. On August 9th, 2005, twenty people died on the Kabul - Kandahar road when two buses collided. It is debateably safer to take slightly more expensive shared taxis (Toyota Corollas) or private hire vehicles.
[edit] Get around
- Millie Bus operates many routes around Kabul, but it is faster and more comfortable to use taxis.
- Taxis are plentiful and to hire the whole car should cost around 30 to 50 Afg depending on destination and bargaining skills.
- Afghan Logistics & Tours [1] 700 277 408, 700 288 668, 700 479 435, 799 391 462. Catering mostly to expats they are probably the safest way to get around town. 24 hour minicabs are available as well as airport pickups and dropoffs. $5-7 around town, $15 to airport, $20 from airport.
 Inside Babur Gardens during winter.  Lake Qargha at the outskirts of Kabul City  Inside the Afghan National Museum in 2005. - <see name="Babur Gardens" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="10 Af for locals, 100 Af for foreigners" url="">The gardens surround the tomb of the first Mughal Emperor Babur. Though he had wished to be buried here, he was originally buried in Agra, and later moved to this spot. It's a popular park with Afghans for picnics and lazy afternoons.</see>
- Bagh-e Zanana (Women Park), park dedicated for women only, renovated and nice place to enjoy the outdoors.
- <see name="Lake Qargha" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">described as Kabul's lake district is 9km from the city. Spojmai restaurant provides international cuisine. Swimming and boating are popular on the lake with plans for water skiing and jet-skis in the future.</see>
- <see name="Bagh-e Bala" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">Another famous park in the city.</see>
- <see name="Kabul Zoo" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="6AM-6PM daily" price="10 Af for locals, 100 Af for foreigners" url="">The zoo is very popular with Afghans, and houses over 100 animals in relatively poor condition. China was once one of the main animal donors, but has announced no further donations until conditions improve, after the death of a couple of their animals to disease and malnutrition. Marjan the lion was blinded by a grenade and was the main draw, but succumbed to old age recently.</see>
- <see name="Afghan National Museum" alt="" address="" directions="several miles from the city center, across from Darulaman Palace" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">The Afghan National Museum once housed one of the greatest collections of Central Asian artifacts in the world. A large percentage of the previous collection was looted in the 90's during Taliban rule after the upper floors of the museum were bombed. Many of the early Buddhist treasures were destroyed by the Taliban at the same time as the Bamiyan Buddhas. Looted items still turn up around the world at auctions. The museum is open once again, with far more modest displays of early Buddhist and Islamic artifacts.</see>
 The destroyed and abandoned Darul Aman Palace - <see name="Darul Aman Palace" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">Originally built as King Amanullah's Palace, it's been destroyed and rebuilt a few times over. Plans were unveiled a few years ago to renovate it once again though it's still in a state of crumbling disrepair on the verge of collapsing.</see>
- <see name="Ariana Cinema" alt="" address="Pashtunistan Square" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">Primarily shows Bollywood or trashy action flicks, and the occasional American blockbuster.</see>
Read about the culture, history and people before your visit. Kabul is a maze of a city with lots of interesting historical places.
Just like every city you should take precautions and find out about the current political climate of the country.
The Share-e Naw area has some shops.
- Kabul City Center next to the park has some very smart shops.
- Roshan Plaza has some quite respectable clothes shops.
- Chicken Street is famed for its tourist fare (carpets, carvings, knives etc) and pirated CD/DVD's.
- Chelsea Supermarket sells many types of western foods and products.
- Supreme Supermarket on the Jalalabad road (near the British military base) has western products, but currently no alcohol available. It is not open to Afghans. A little further down the road is Ciano, an Italian commissary. There is frequently a security alert on the Jalalabad road.
- <listing name="Shah M Book Co" alt="" directions="across from Mustafa Hotel" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="">The best bookstore in the city, it's the place to head for your next novel, and also has a good selection of coffee table books and books about Afghanistan. The owner was the subject for the recent book The Bookseller of Kabul. Prices are high, but you'll appreciate his selection.</listing>
ATMs are available in Kabul.
- Standard Chartered Bank [2] is in Wazir Akbar Khan.
- Afghanistan International Bank (AIB) [3] has few machines around Kabul, including one inside the Kabul City Center shopping mall. They dispense in US dollars and Afghanis, however they are often reluctant to part with any cash and sometimes dispense old, ripped notes.
- Kabul Bank [4]
- Azizi Bank [5]
- Habib Bank
- National Bank of Pakistan
- Punjab National Bank
- Western Union [6] has many offices throughout the city.
- Money ChangersMany prefer to exchange their dollars for Afghanis through the local money changers that stand on the road. Your fixer can tell you where you will get the best deal. There is no fee to exchange money this way, and more interesting than an ATM!
Be aware: it is most unlikely that your credit card will be accepted (or work) anywhere in Kabul.
[edit] Budget
 The Cafe inside Kabul City Center.  A street food stall in Old Kabul - Cafe in the basement of Kabul City Center, Share-e Naw. Burger and banana drink for less than $3.
- Afghan Fried Chicken clean westernized fast-food restaurant in Kabul City.
- Street stalls abound, and good ones can be found around Shahr-e Naw Park and near the Pul-e Khisti bridge in the old town. Hygiene may be questionable, particularly in the summer.
[edit] Mid-range
[edit] Splurge
At one time alcohol was available at the Military P/X shops (Supreme, Blue and Ciano's) however it is no longer available to anyone. Beer and wine can be found sporadically on the black market in local shops on Flower Street. Most expat restaurants offer beer, wine and spirits but it is unknown how long this will last given current conditions.
[edit] Budget
- Mustafa Hotel [7]. Has a restaurant, Internet cafe and billiards. Single rooms from $30/night.
- Salsal Guesthouse, Zarghona Maidan, Shar-e Naw Park, (located between the park and the Chelsea Supermarket, and is signed in English), +93 (0) 799 734 202. Reasonably clean, shared bathrooms, friendly manager (Bashir) speaks English. Single rooms from $10/night, includes cable TV and a fan. Double rooms from $20/night.
[edit] Mid-range
- Le Monde Guest House Kabul, 7 Herati Mosque Street, Shar-e Naw Park, and Flower street.
- Park Residence Hotel, Ansari Square, Shahr-e Naw Park, +93 799 373 780, reasonable rooms with cable TV and Internet access. Internet cafe is now shifted inside the hotel near the reception (this was the site of the 2005 internet cafe suicide bombing). Single, double and triple rooms from $55/night including breakfast. Dinner buffet is $6.
- UNICA Guest House, Shar-i-Naw, Ansari Wat. Rooms starting at $25 per night--majority of rooms are $48 and $50. Facility is nice by Kabul standards and includes nice common gardens, swimming pool and Bar. Dinner buffet is $6.
[edit] Splurge
 A night view at the Kabul InterContinental Hotel in 2005. - Golden Star Hotel [8]. A clean and modern 4-star hotel, with restaurant and conference hall.
- Heetal Plaza Hotel, +93 799 167 824, [9]. A nice, quiet, relaxing and cozy place. Single room from $85/night.
- Intercontinental Hotel, Bagh-e Bala Rd, +93 20 220 1321, [10]. A great 5-star hotel with nice restaurants and a swimming pool. Single room from $90/night.
- Kabul Serena Hotel [11]. A clean and modern 5-star hotel with 3 great restaurants. Certainly the best hotel in the city, single room from $132/night. The hotel was attacked on 14th January 2008. A large explosion killed at least 7 people. The Taliban has claimed responsibility.
- Safi Landmark Hotel & Suites, Shar-e Naw Park (top 6 floors of the Kabul City Center shopping mall), +93 20 220 3131, [12]. Large conference hall, restaurant and gym area, apartments also available. Single room from $80/night.
[edit] Contact
[edit] Internet
- There are numerous internet cafes around the city, so getting access should not be too hard.
- Assa II Net Cafe, Muslim St. On the ground floor of Assa II Guesthouse, they have several computers with semi-reliable connections. 25 Afs. or $1 per hour.
[edit] Cell phones
- The cellular telephone system in Kabul is excellent. American and European phones do work on the local system.
[edit] Stay safe
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Read the Scene magazine for restaurant reviews and all sorts of useful info. It is free, although expect street sellers to charge for it. There are many FM radio stations. However, the only widely available English language broadcast is from the BBC World Service on 101.6MHz.
[edit] Get out
Most expats take any opportunity they can to leave Kabul. A weekend in Dubai, day trip to the north (Shamali Plain, Salang Pass and Jabal os Saraj), Qargha Reservoir etc.
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