A Definitive Guide for Planning a Safe Trip to Afghanistan
The Ultimate Dependable Guide for Making Travelling Plans
Due to the political instability and the non-ending civil war in Afghanistan, most people fear to visit the country. Tourists who are curious about vacationing in this country are advised to make their vacation plans since it’s still a possible feat to travel safely in Afghanistan successfully. To aid tourists in making plans, below are the tips for planning an undisrupted vacation to Afghanistan.
All about Afghan Tourism: How Safe are Tourists?
Despite the fact that it is not completely safe to go on trips around the entire country, with adequate safety measures, tourists can still make traveling plans to some of the country’s safe provinces. Not long ago, the Afghan president designated the Tourism Ministry. This designation by the President rekindled the hopefulness that the government was actually making effort to develop the tourism sector in the country.
Undeniably, the curiosity and interest showed by tourists towards Afghanistan as a traveling destination was surprising to most people. In spite of the unending insecurity and the devastation caused to numerous historical sites by the ongoing civil unrest, tourists were still willing to book trips to the country. For some of the tourists who still have interest in traveling to Afghanistan, this article will be of great help to their trip planning.
The Geographical Location of Afghanistan
Found in the continent of Asia, Afghanistan is about 652,000 square kilometers in size. The country’s population is 30 million people. The country’s topographical location is among the biggest reasons why it has experienced constant invasion for quite some time now.
The country has 34 provinces, and due to its size, there’s a lot that tourists can see. However, due to the insecurity in the country, about only 6 of the 34 provinces are safe for visitation by tourists. Even so, in these 6 provinces, not all places are safe for visitation due to the invasion by insurgents such as the Taliban group.
How to Get to Afghanistan using Flights
Currently, numerous airlines offer flights to Afghanistan. Nevertheless, a majority of these airlines do not offer direct airlifts into the airports in Afghanistan. For instance, most of the flights that are from the US and Europe have stopovers in cities such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi. From there, tourists can then get connecting flights that go to Afghanistan.
How to Pack for a Trip to Afghanistan
In packing for a trip to Afghanistan, here are a few of the essential necessities that a tourist should never forget to carry:
- Mosquito net or mosquito repellent: It is advisable to carry either a mosquito repellent or mosquito net to avoid contracting Malaria during the trip.
- A water purifier: If a tourist has to consume tap water during the trip, it is strongly recommended first to purify the water since a considerable portion of the water is from wells, which is not suitable for consumption. Alternatively, one can drink only bottled mineral water from retail stores.
- Comfortable pairs of shoes: The country’s infrastructure, especially roads, is pretty bad. It is advisable to carry comfortable pairs of shoes.
- Modest clothing: The country is conservative. It is recommended for tourists to dress modestly and keep off from revealing clothing, to avoid attracting the unwanted attention of the locals.
- Sunscreen: Most of the parts in this country are sunny and dry. Therefore, sunscreen is an essential item when packing for a trip to this country.
- Hydrating lotion: The country is landlocked and mountainous. Since it’s dry in Afghanistan, it’s a great idea for tourists to carry hydrating lotion.
The Languages Spoken in Afghanistan
It is extremely difficult to come across someone capable of speaking fluent English in the remote areas of the country. Afghanistan has numerous tribes, but the Tajiks and Pashtuns are the major two. To communicate effectively with the locals, tourists should have a way of getting Pashto to English translation. Also, learning basic Pashto words and phrases would be significantly helpful to tourists.
That being said, despite the issues of insecurity due to the Taliban invasion, a trip to Afghanistan is worthwhile. Curious tourists are, however, advised to be extremely careful when making plans and traveling in the country.