48 hours in Kabul

Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, situated on the banks of river Kabul has been a mysterious city for most. Though the city has been war-struck and has had its damage, it has renovated and has come back to normal sooner than expected. Kabul has been a trade and culture center in the country and has some stunning sights for the tourists who come in every year.

Summers in Kabul are usually hot and dry. The best time to visit Kabul is from April to early June that is in the spring and autumn.

Some of the sight-seeing places in Kabul are:

Gardens of Babur, are beautiful gardens with a swimming pool, famous for picnics and relaxation. The tomb of Mughal emperor Babur is an important attraction for the tourists.

Garden of Babur (Photo Courtesy: http://www.akdn.org)

Bagh-e-Zanana is a very interesting market and it is only for Women and children. It was designed for women where they can sell their own products directly without any male or external interference and because women in Afghanistan cannot deal directly with men who are not relatives. 

Bagh-e-Zanana (Photo Courtesy: http://www.pajhwok.com)

Kabul Zoo is another major attraction of the city, with a wide variety of animals.

Kabul Zoo (Photo Courtesy: http://forums.islamicawakening.com)

National gallery of Afghanistan is a gallery carefully restored in a beautiful old Kabul house. Though many of the paintings and sculptures have been looted or destroyed, the place still serves as an historical attraction for the tourists.

British Cemetery is a place where foreigners are buried in Kabul. There also are memorial of the people in forces who lost their lives during last few years.

British Cemetery (Photo Courtesy: http://www.smh.com.au)

Paghman Gardens is a very well managed place with greenery and Afghanistan’s Independence gate is situated right in front of the Garden. 

Paghman Gardens (Photo Courtesy: http://rugsofwar.wordpress.com)

A place called Qargha offers canoeing, biking and hiking facilities for the adventure lovers.

Qargha (Photo Courtesy: http://www.afghanforums.com)

Under the best places to shop in Kabul comes the Galleria. A beautifully designed shopping centre with everything one would want to find like art, craft, jewellery, clothes and a lot more.  It also includes a garden, restaurant, ice-cream and juice centres and a very humble staff to look after the customers.

There also is Turquoise mountain- best for art, crafts and jewelleries, Istalif gallery for furniture and carpets, Chicken Street and Precious Gemstones for beautiful stones. While you are in Kabul, you should definitely buy artifacts as souvenirs, carpets and precious stones.

Turquoise Mountain (Photo Courtesy: http://chuckdavid.photoshelter.com)

When it comes to food, Kabul has a list of good places to eat. It ranges from street food to the best restaurants. The cuisines are also of a wide variety and the quality is always assured no matter how big or small the place is. Afghani food is a must try.

Kabul flights connect Kabul to all major destinations. The main airport is called the Kabul
International airport and is much organised, security packed and safe.