Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Ready to defend her people
Princess Mishawaka statue
Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary Monument
Peary Monument
Photo of the Glacial Erratics
The Ice Age Erratics of Füssen
Gator Country
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Front face of Samy’s Curry Restaurant, from the carpark
Samy's Curry Restaurant
Dine beneath the metal ceiling and among the walls decorated with pieces of local history.
Griffith & Feil Soda Fountain
The warm exterior of Jim’s at night.
Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House
The nine-pound banana split sundae is best when shared.
The Poky Dot
Poolsmoor Prison Cantina
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
These Historic D.C. Spots Tell America’s Story
The Breathing Hole of the Earth, Found in South Dakota
The Mission, captured on film.
A Flight Attendant’s Philosophy
Wyoming, and What Happens When You Pull Over

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
All Afghanistan

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Afghanistan

16 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Afghanistan

Updated May 5, 2023
Email

Cities

Darul Aman Palace
Kabul
Qala Iktyaruddin (Persian: قلعه اختیارالدین‎)  - the Citadel of Herat
Herat
Attractions
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Afghanistan

The full mosque

Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan

Afghanistan's Blue Mosque

This magnificent blue mosque in Afghanistan is surrounded by thousands of white doves.
A closer look on the niche of the Great Buddha

Bamyan, Afghanistan

Site of the Bamiyan Buddhas

Once an impressive link to Afghanistan’s Buddhist past, now a sad reminder of intolerance towards other cultures.
The new bridge and the trench

Aybak, Afghanistan

Stupa of Takht-e Rostam

Highly unusual subterranean stupa and adjacent cave monastery.
Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

The lakes are known for their deep blue waters (Wikimedia Commons)

Yakawlang, Afghanistan

Band-e Amir Lakes

Splashes of blue in an otherwise monotonous lunar landscape.
Qala Iktyaruddin (Persian: قلعه اختیارالدین‎)  - the Citadel of Herat

Herat, Afghanistan

Herat National Museum

Despite a history of destruction, this former citadel survives to document Afghanistan's oft overlooked history.
Darul Aman Palace

Kabul, Afghanistan

Darul Aman Palace

What was once supposed to be the symbol of a shining Afghan future is now a bombed-out ruin.
Closer look at the stairs

Kandahar, Afghanistan

Chilzina and the Forty Steps of Kandahar

Rock-cut chamber at top of an outcroup, reached by a mountain stairway of forty steps.
See All 16 Things To Do in Afghanistan
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Afghanistan

Ruins 6
Monuments 3
Sacred Spaces 3
Museums 3
Abandoned 2
Architecture 2
Subterranean Sites 2
Architectural Oddities 2
Cultures And Civilizations 2
Ecosystems 2
Palaces 2
Animals 2
Lost Tribes 2
Zoos 1
Politics 1
Unesco 1
Dioramas 1
Geology 1
Cats 1
Collections 1

Afghanistan Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Tawsam
    4
  2. emdrichardson
    2
  3. Andrasta
    2
  4. PaperTiger
    1
  5. serflac
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Afghanistan.

Places Edited

  1. Rachel
    5
  2. Tawsam
    4
  3. Jacoblab1
    3
  4. MarkTimeTravel
    3
  5. atimian
    2

Places Visited

  1. hatmac
    13
  2. Ruchi Kumar
    10
  3. MikeUSA
    10
  4. PaulClammer
    8
  5. razvanbondalici
    7

Recent Afghanistan Activity

  • xsushisaiko

    wants to go to The Last Operating Synagogue in Afghanistan

  • xsushisaiko

    wants to go to Darul Aman Palace

  • xsushisaiko

    wants to go to Tajbeg Palace

  • MyloTiger

    wants to go to Tajbeg Palace

  • steld09

    wants to go to OMAR Mine Museum

Stories About Afghanistan

U.S. Marines stand guard in the Garmsir district of Helmand Province in 2009. The province was the site of the most deaths of American and British soldiers during the U.S./NATO–led occupation of the country.

The Harrowing Tale of Afghanistan’s ‘Haunted’ Outpost

Centuries-old culture and modern military psychology intertwined at Observation Point Rock.
by Tom Mutch
May 5, 2023
Hajjar Baban finds meaning and a sense of place in the spaces between her words.

Meet the Afghan Kurdish Poet Who Finds a Sense of Place in the ‘Silences’

Born in Pakistan and raised in Michigan, Hajjar Baban’s roots come through in her words—and the spaces between them.
by Gemma Tarlach
September 23, 2021
A field of northwestern Spain’s beloved grelos is just one of the many permutations of Brassica rapa.

The Deep Roots of the Vegetable That ‘Took Over the World’

A study digs up the origin of the single species that gives us turnips, bok choy, broccoli rabe, and more.
by Gemma Tarlach
June 11, 2021
Sabsina, 11, holds a bowl of grapes that were placed inside months earlier.

The Ancient Method That Keeps Afghanistan's Grapes Fresh All Winter

Kangina is simple but effective.
by Stefanie Glinski
March 25, 2021
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.