Hieronder de orginele reisbeschrijving van mijn reis naar Afghanistan. Hinterland Travel is Engels en de reisbeschrijving dus ook.
De Pakistan optie was niet beschikbaar. We zijn van Herat naar Mazar gevlogen en van daar in twee dagen heen en weer gereden naar Maimana. Het gedeelte Herat-Maimana is gevaarlijk. De Afghanen rijden de route eens per week in konvooi. De laatste drie dagen hebben we doorgebracht in Kaboel.
Central and North Afghanistan
Expected Schedule 26th July 2014
We begin the tour now in Kabul due to the continued closure of the Khyber Pass to foreign traffic and as you will see from the following schedule keeping our options open with a flexible schedule. Travel in Afghanistan is all about flexibility. We are still offering our Pakistan option at the end of the tour but this will require a flight to Islamabad or Peshawar from Kabul.
Day 1 London or International flight departure to Dubai.
Day 2 Dubai to Kabul arrival a.m. Overnight Kabul.
Day 3 Kabul excursions – city tour.
Day 4 Full day drive to Bamiyan. Overnight Bamiyan.
Day 5 Bamiyan Valley excursions.
Day 6 Bamiyan.
Day 7-11 Through the Centre via the lakes of Bandir a Mir, Chakcharan, Minaret of Djam, Chist, to Herat. Overnight Herat. A tough but beautiful journey. Overnight in Chai Khanas.
Day 12/13 Herat –walking tour of city, excursion to Gazegharh. Overnight Herat hotel.
Now we have our possible changes due to the possible security situation.
But this is ideally what we hope to do:
Day 14-16 Drive on tough but scenic road to Maimana via Qalat Naw, Bala Murgab.
Day 17 Overnight Maimana.
Day 18 Drive to Mazar Sherif.
Day 19 Excursion to Balkh. Overnight Mazar.
Day 20 Drive to Kabul via Samangan and Salang Tunnel. Overnight Kabul.
Day 21 In Kabul- optional half day excursion.
Day 22 Normally we would have now taken our drive through Kabul Gorge and Khyber Pass to Peshawar with our Pakistan option. But the Khyber Pass is closed to all but local traffic.
Most likely changes as per last year
Day 14 Flight Herat to Kabul. Overnight Kabul.
Day 15 Early morning flight to Mazar Sherif. Overnight Mazar.
Day 16 Excursion to Balkh. Overnight Mazar.
Day 17 Drive to Daulatabad or Maimana. Overnight one or other.
Day 18 Drive to Maimana. Overnight Maimana.
Day 19 Return to Mazar Sherif. Overnight Mazar.
Day 20 Drive via Samangan and Salang Tunnel to Kabul. Overnight Kabul.
Day 21 In Kabul. Overnight Kabul.
Day 22 Depart Kabul for an International flight or stay Kabul longer if required.
Pakistan Option (if available)
Day 22 Flight from Kabul to Islamabad and Peshawar. Overnight Peshawar.
Day 23 Peshawar –markets –Overnight Peshawar.
Day 24 Peshawar. Overnight Peshawar.
Day 25 Early morning drive to Islamabad – Departure from International airport early afternoon.
Any client taking this option can obviously travel where they wish and stay as long as they wish.
Note. The schedule is an outline only. Time will be lost in places and/or gained in others. The transport will be a selection of hired local transport of various sorts and accommodation outside of the major cities will often be Tea houses (chai khanas). The journey is rough at times, the food, at times, a little miserable. The day to day company, both local and your travelling companions, often superb. There is a feast of carpets to look over, many tribal trinkets to examine, all in all an unforgettable experience.
Kopfoto uit eigen werk.