Day 9 – Herat to Kabul

Our flight from Herat to Kabul was bumped up by 2 hours, which meant we got less time in Herat and more in Kabul. After breakfast at the hotel in Herat, we headed to the airport to catch the Ariana Afghan Airlines for a 1.5 hour flight to Kabul.

Upon reaching Kabul, we headed to the city center to check-in to our hotel (Safi Landmark Hotel), and explore more of Kabul.

Kabul

First stop was the most famous photographer of Afghanistan – Haji Mirzaman.

In a small shop located in the quiet streets of Kabul, Haji Mirzaman sits with his century-old “Kamra-e-Faoree”, or instant camera, that was once the principal tool of street photographers across Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of India.

Before the Taliban banned photography of living beings in the 1990s, Haji was among the many street photographers in Afghanistan who took portraits, primarily for identification documents. During the period of Western occupation, Kamra-e-Faoree photographers gradually resurfaced, encouraged by the presence of foreign journalists and the reduced influence of the Taliban.

Over time, however, digital cameras and smartphones became widespread, and by the time the Taliban returned to power in 2021, box-camera photography had already become antiquated, surviving mainly through hobbyists and museum collections.

Box cameras in Afghanistan date back to the 19th century. A unique system of creating photos in one machine, they work by first making a paper negative and then by photographing the negative to make a positive image. The camera acts as both a camera and dark room combined.

It costs AFN 2000 to get a photograph clicked from Haji Mirzaman.

 
Next stop was the tallest flagpole in Afghanistan at Wazir Akbar Khan Hill. Standing at 207 feet (63 meters), this has the largest flag (97 x 65 feet) in Afghanistan. But our luck would have it, there was no wind and the flag didn’t furl at all!

The compound also hosts the Mosque which features a distinctive design that resembles the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

The views of Kabul from the hill are spectacular.

Known as the OMAR Mine Museum, an interesting collection of rockets, surface-to air-missiles, and aircraft including helicopter gunships and an MiG fighter are displayed in the grounds of the museum. Whereas the main building displays 51 of the 53 types of landmines used in Afghanistan. It also houses a variety of other military hardware from wars fought in the country in recent decades.

The Organization for Mine Clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation (OMAR) was formed in 1990 to help combat the issue of the buried weapons claiming the lives of far too many curious children. Its team of about 500 people performs the rather stressful job of removing landmines from the earth within Afghanistan. A plain white brick building in Kabul houses their findings.

Besides landmines, the museum also holds cluster bombs, rockets, unexploded ordnance, and airdrop bombs. There are even Russian “butterfly” mines, which children often mistook for plastic toys because they were made in a wide range of vibrant colors.

After a day of sightseeing in Kabul, we had dinner at the hotel (Safi Landmark Hotel) and called an early night.

Afghanistan story highlights on Instagram This trip report can also be seen on our story highlights on Instagram account @travelonthedollar. Click the image on left to go directly to Afghanistan Highlights, or visit our Instagram profile and under ‘Highlights’, scroll to the right and click on ‘Afghanistan’.

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Mazar-i-Sharif
The breathtaking facade of the Blue Mosque showcases the pinnacle of Timurid architecture with its mesmerizing, sea-of-blue tilework.

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Sakhi Shrine, Kabul
The stunning blue tilework and domes of the Sakhi Shrine (Ziyarat-e Sakhi) stand beautifully against the setting sun.

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Bamiyan
A golden-domed mosque stands in the foreground of the towering empty niche of the Great Buddha carved into the sandstone cliffs behind it.

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Band-e-Amir National Park
The towering limestone cliffs of Band-e-Amir reflect perfectly in the deep, sapphire-blue waters of Afghanistan’s first national park.

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Takht-e-Rustam
The ancient, rock-cut Buddhist stupa carved directly into the Samangan landscape remains a powerful testament to Afghanistan’s pre-Islamic heritage.

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Minaret of Jam
The towering, 12th-century Minaret of Jam stands as a lonely, intricate sentinel amidst the rugged and sun-drenched mountains of Ghor.

Round Flag Sticker
Old Flag Round Sticker
Cut to the exact shape. Removable, low-tack adhesive that peels clean with no residue. Available in matte white, glossy white, or glossy transparent vinyl. Printed with solvent inks: fade-proof, waterproof, and scratch-resistant.

Round Flag Sticker
New Flag Round Sticker
Cut to the exact shape. Removable, low-tack adhesive that peels clean with no residue. Available in matte white, glossy white, or glossy transparent vinyl. Printed with solvent inks: fade-proof, waterproof, and scratch-resistant.

Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = AFN 67 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult. Note that the expenses do not include international flights to and from Afghanistan.
 

 
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