Travel to Herat in Afghanistan. Herat is a big, relatively wealthy city in western Afghanistan.Herat is the second largest city in Afghanistan, located in the north western part of Afghanistan. It is famous as Nagin Aseeya or Diamond of Asia in some literature.

The city has a history of more than 3000 years. History of this city is very eventful. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times. After the fall of the communist government in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, the city changed it’s face due to development by Ismail Khan (Amir Ismail Khan), a local Jihadi Commander who ruled Herat till the takeover by the Taliban. Ismail Khan became the governor of this province again after the fall of Taliban and the establishment of the Karzai Government. He has continued to build on his earlier works. The people are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners and are also more religious than people in Kabul.

Most of the young understand some English and occasionally other foreign languages. It is comparatively safer than some other provinces of Afghanistan.The Travel to Herat International Airport is situated 15km south of the city just east of the road towards Farah.

Border procedures are relatively straightforward.Overland travel by car can be both time-consuming and dangerous. The road from Kandahar has been rebuilt but is extremely dangerous as it passes through Helmand and Farah, both which are active war zones. The roads from Iran and Turkmenistan are both in good shape, the later one being tarred. However, expect a few craters here and there.

The Herat National Museum is located inside the Citadel and costs another 500 Afghanis to get in.Herat has a mixture of traditional and modern foods. While in Herat do not forget to try Kichiri Goshti and Chainaki.

Also Halwa Sohan Herat, Shipira Zafarani and Dashlama Herati are best sweets. Guesthouses are recommended for longer stays Herat is one of the safer cities in Afghanistan. However, there are sometimes small usually harmless explosions attributed to political parties which are trying to make a point or create the impression that the city is not safe. Shootings and gun battles between the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police happen rarely.

Be quiet, respectful and dress appropriately when visiting mosques and shrines. These are holy places of worship and should not be treated as tourist attractions. Be discreet with your camera. Chisht-i-Sharif is some 177 km from Herat city. As you approach it across a plateau, you can see the two famous domes of Chisht.

The town with its meandering bazaar street sits in the ravine between these plateaus. Winding down and up, you will find an avenue of pine trees leading directly to two ruined buildings now standing in the middle of an extensive graveyard. Experts argue as to the purpose of these buildings. Some speak of them as mausoleums. Others see them as parts of a grand complex of buildings. The mutilated molded terra cotta brick decoration can only speak softly their former magnificence.

Airport: HEA Herat Airport Cities in Afghanistan

Country: Afghanistan

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