Trip summary
Number of Days: 1 (day trip)
Group Size: 4-10
Highlights:Nadir Shah Mausoleum, visiting the destruction of the civil war, lunch in a local home in the Old City
Most Prominent Landmark: Television mountain, in the center of the city
Route
The tour beginss at the mausoleum of Nadir Shah. This stands on a hill above the stadium, offering a panoramic view of the Kabul River and the old city, ringed by the mountains. There is a clear view of the Bala Hissar, Kabul's fortress, which stands about 1 Km away on another hilltop. Babur, founder of the Mogul Empire in India, lived in the Bala Hissar in the 16th century, and wrote poetry extolling its commanding view. The fortress was sacked by the British in 1880 during the second Anglo-Afghan war.
From the mausoleum, we descend into the old city and the Shor Bazaar. This part of the city was heavily shelled during the 1990s, but between the ruins of the surrounding buildings, the bazaar has sprung back to life and the streets are full of oriental bustle. We follow the Kabul River, stopping to see the Mausoleum of Timur Shah and the two-storied Shahdo-Shamshira Mosque, then continuing to the ruins of Darulaman Palace. Built by King Amanullah in 1923, Darulaman was intended to be the new political centre of Kabul, but today the palace is an empty shell. To one side is the Kabul Museum. Once hailed as one of the most impressive collections in Asia; war, looting and the Taliban have left the museum impoverished. Some of the stolen exhibits have been recovered and fresh archaeological finds are slowly rebuilding the collection - there are some Greek/Bactrian and Buddhist artefacts worth seeing.
Heading back towards the old city, we will stop by Gardens of Babur, just outside the ancient city walls. The Mogul Emperor so loved his garden that he asked to be buried in it and after his death in Agra in 1530, his body was returned here. Another of his wishes, that nothing should cover his grave so that the rain and sun could beat upon it, was honoured until the reign of Nadir Shah, who built a small pavilion over it. Recently the gardens have been restored to their former glory, following the 16th century layout as faithfully as possible. The Gardens of Babur are once again a beautiful and peaceful oasis in the centre of the city.
One of the highlights of the tour is a sumptuous lunch in a local Afghan home.
Price Quotation
Normally we include the following services in our quotation:
- Vehicles and drivers
- English-speaking guide/interpreter. (Please enquire for languages other than English)
- Lunch
Map
[coming soon]
