DISCOVER
AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan's far northeastern province reaches from the Kokcha basin toward the Wakhan Corridor.

Landscape: High Hindu Kush and Pamir valleys, river corridors and remote uplands.

Places in this guide: Wakhan Corridor · Fayzabad · Sar-e Sang region

A northwestern province centered on Qala-i-Naw, between Herat and the northern plains.

Landscape: Dry uplands, seasonal river valleys and steppe landscapes.

A northern province linking Kabul's approaches with the plains beyond the Hindu Kush.

Landscape: River valleys, cultivated plains and mountain approaches.

Balkh Province includes Mazar-e-Sharif and the extensive archaeological landscape of ancient Balkh.

Landscape: Northern plains at the edge of Afghanistan's historic routes toward Central Asia.

Places in this guide: Mazar-e-Sharif Shrine Complex · Ancient Balkh

A central highland province known for the UNESCO-listed cultural landscape of the Bamyan Valley and the lakes of Band-e-Amir.

Landscape: Broad highland valleys, red-rock fortress sites, mountain passes and travertine lakes.

Places in this guide: Bamyan Cliffs & Niches · Shahr-e Gholghola · Shahr-e Zuhak · Band-e-Amir

A central highland province whose administrative center is Nili.

Landscape: Mountain valleys, high passes and dispersed rural settlements.

A western province centered on Farah city and extending toward Afghanistan's arid southwest.

Landscape: River-fed settlements, dry plains and desert margins.

A northwestern province centered on Maymana, between Badghis and Jowzjan.

Landscape: Rolling uplands, cultivated valleys and northern steppe.

A highland province centered on the historic city of Ghazni, south of Kabul.

Landscape: High plateau, agricultural valleys and mountain corridors.

Places in this guide: Ghazni Citadel

A mountainous west-central province containing the UNESCO-listed Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam.

Landscape: Rugged highlands and deep river valleys, including the Hari Rud and Jam Rud confluence.

Places in this guide: Minaret of Jam

A large southern province centered on Lashkar Gah and shaped by the Helmand River system.

Landscape: Irrigated river corridors bordered by extensive dry plains and desert.

Herat is the principal province of western Afghanistan and its capital retains an important historic urban footprint.

Landscape: The Hari Rud valley, irrigated plains and dry uplands close to Afghanistan's western frontier.

Places in this guide: Herat Citadel · Friday Mosque · Musalla Complex · Herat Old City

A northern province centered on Sheberghan, west of Balkh.

Landscape: Broad northern plains and dry steppe landscapes.

Kabul Province contains Afghanistan's capital, set in a high basin framed by mountain ridges.

Landscape: A high urban basin, surrounding ridges and valleys at the meeting point of central and eastern routes.

Places in this guide: National Museum of Afghanistan · Babur Gardens · Darul Aman Palace · TV Hill · Kabul Old City / markets

A southern province centered on Kandahar, one of Afghanistan's major historic cities.

Landscape: Dry plains and irrigated valleys around the Arghandab basin.

Places in this guide: Historic Kandahar

A compact province northeast of Kabul, centered on Mahmud-i Raqi.

Landscape: Cultivated valleys and lower Hindu Kush foothills.

A southeastern province centered on Khost city in a mountain-ringed basin.

Landscape: A broad basin enclosed by mountain ranges and passes.

An eastern border province centered on Asadabad and aligned with the Kunar River valley.

Landscape: Steep mountain valleys, river corridors and forested slopes.

A northern province centered on Kunduz city between Baghlan, Takhar and the Amu Darya frontier.

Landscape: River-fed agricultural plains and lowland routes.

An eastern province centered on Mehtar Lam between Kabul's mountain approaches and Nangarhar.

Landscape: River valleys, cultivated terraces and mountain foothills.

A province immediately south of Kabul, centered on Pul-e Alam.

Landscape: High valleys and agricultural plains on routes toward Ghazni and Paktia.

Places in this guide: Mes Aynak

An eastern province centered on Jalalabad, linking Kabul's approaches with the Khyber region.

Landscape: Lower-elevation river valleys, irrigated fields and mountain edges.

Places in this guide: Jalalabad

Afghanistan's far southwestern province, centered on Zaranj.

Landscape: Desert plains, the lower Helmand basin and seasonal wetland environments.

A mountainous eastern province centered on Parun and composed of steep, remote valleys.

Landscape: Forested slopes, fast rivers and high Hindu Kush valleys.

Places in this guide: Parun Valley

A southeastern province centered on Gardez.

Landscape: Mountain basins, passes and cultivated valleys.

A large southeastern province centered on Sharana.

Landscape: High plateaus, dry valleys and mountain borderlands.

A narrow northeastern province organized along the Panjshir River valley.

Landscape: A steep mountain corridor with riverside settlements and high side valleys.

Places in this guide: Panjshir Valley

A central province north of Kabul, centered on Charikar and the approaches to major Hindu Kush routes.

Landscape: The Shomali plain, mountain valleys and high-pass approaches.

A northern province centered on Aybak between Baghlan and Balkh.

Landscape: Dry hills, cultivated valleys and routes toward the northern plains.

A northern province centered on Sar-e Pol between Jowzjan, Balkh and the central highlands.

Landscape: Rolling uplands, river valleys and dry northern plains.

A northeastern province centered on Taloqan between Kunduz and Badakhshan.

Landscape: Cultivated valleys, northern plains and mountain foothills.

A south-central province centered on Tarinkot.

Landscape: Rugged uplands and river valleys between the central highlands and Kandahar basin.

A central province immediately west of Kabul, officially named Maidan Wardak and centered on Maidan Shar.

Landscape: High valleys and routes connecting Kabul with Bamyan and Ghazni.

A southern province centered on Qalat between Kandahar and Ghazni.

Landscape: Dry mountain ranges, high valleys and major north-south routes.