Walk Through the Layered City: Gardens, Palaces and Walls
Start in the oldest neighbourhoods—Bala Hisar, Deh Afghanan, Murad Khani—where the weight of Kabul's three millennia presses into narrow streets and reconstructed courtyards. The city sits at 1,791 metres in a narrow Hindu Kush valley, ringed by mountains that frame every view, and the brick and tile work here speaks to centuries of rule by Persian, Greco-Bactrian, Mughal and Durrani dynasties.
Walk the Old City Wall, which runs west-east for about three kilometres from Babur Gardens across to Bala Hissar fortress. Ask staff at Babur Gardens for directions; the wall offers rewarding views over the city, though locals advise caution further into the mountains. Bala Hissar itself, an ancient fortress first constructed in the 5th century AD, is currently closed to visitors, but the perimeter walk gives you the scale of it.
Two palaces anchor the city's modern history. Darul Aman Palace, built in the 1920s as King Amanullah's residence at the south end of Daral Aman Road, was heavily damaged during the 1990s civil war but underwent restoration work completed by 2019. Tajbeg Palace, also built in the 1920s to house the Royal family, stands separately. Both speak to an era when Kabul rivalled European capitals for cosmopolitan ambition.
Bagh-e Bala, constructed in the late 19th century as a summer palace for Amir Abdur Rahman, preserves much of its original interior and has become a large park; it was under renovation as of 2026. The Mausoleum of Nadir Shah and Zahir Shah at Teppe Maranjan, restored in 2012 after wartime damage, sits on a steep hill and offers city views alongside its historical weight.
The Gardens Where Empires Left Their Mark
Bagh-e Babur surrounds the tomb of Babur, the first Mughal Emperor. Though he wished to be buried here, he was originally interred in Agra and later moved to this spot. The gardens have long drawn Afghans for picnics and afternoons of rest. A swimming pool, small mosque and small museum sit within the grounds. As of 2026 the tomb is padlocked and entrance fees—10 Afs for locals, 350 Afs for foreigners, plus 150 Afs for camera use—may not reflect the current state of upkeep.
Lake Qargha, nine kilometres from the city, is described as Kabul's lake district and offers escape into water and open air.
Museums: What Remains and What Was Lost
The National Museum of Afghanistan, several miles from downtown across from Darulaman Palace, houses what survives of one of Central Asia's greatest collections. The upper floors were bombed during Taliban rule in the 1990s, and many early Buddhist treasures were destroyed at the same time as the Bamiyan Buddhas. Looted items still surface at world auctions. The museum reopened with more modest but still impressive displays of early Buddhist and Islamic artifacts. Hours are 10:00–16:00 weekdays and 09:00–noon Fridays. Entrance is 100 Afs, with 200 Afs for camera use.
The National Gallery of Afghanistan on Asamayi Watt occupies a carefully restored old-Kabul house. The collection once held 820 paintings and portraits; fifty percent have been looted or destroyed, including 210 portraits the director stated the Taliban destroyed. Most works are European and Afghan landscapes, portraits of famous Afghan writers and kings, and a portrait of the French writer Victor Hugo. Hours run roughly 08:00–16:00, closed Fridays and possibly restricted Thursday afternoons. Entrance is 250 Afs.
The National Archives of Afghanistan on Salang Wat Road contains historic documents with a small museum display.
Mosques, Shrines and the Rhythms of Faith
Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque, built during Amanullah Khan's reign in the 1920s, stands out for its Italian decorative stucco—unusual compared to other regional mosques. The Id Gah Mosque, Afghanistan's cardinal mosque and Kabul's second largest, draws up to a million people during Eid prayers. It was the site where Amanullah Khan announced Afghanistan's independence on August 19th, 1919.
Sakhi Shrine (the Blue Mosque) on Karte Sakhi displays glazed tiles in neo-Safavid Persian style, with decorative texts including Qurʾanic excerpts, prayers, hadith and poetry. It is believed to mark the spot where the cloak of Muhammad was kept en route to the Shrine of the Cloak in Kandahar.
Markets: Old Kabul in the Mandawi Bazaar
The Mandawi Bazaar offers a glimpse of old Kabul through crowded lanes and bustling stalls. Within its maze, two specialized markets merit attention.
- The Gun market displays rifles and occasional sewing machines. Dealers openly allow visitors to pose with weapons and photograph them.
- Ka Faroshi, the Bird market, is a centuries-old alleyway lined with cages of songbirds, fighting birds and occasional animals. Branching corridors lead to dilapidated courtyards where chickens are slaughtered by hand. It is not for animal lovers or the fainthearted.
Views From Above and Sports in the City
TV Mount, a hill topped with television masts, delivers expansive views across the city. The Kabul Zoo, open daily 06:00–18:00, houses over 100 animals and is popular with Afghan families, though conditions remain difficult; China, once a main animal donor, suspended contributions until living conditions improve. Entrance is 10 Afs for locals and 100 Afs for foreigners.
Amani High School sports field opens to the public on Tuesday afternoons and Fridays for football with local Afghan players, frisbee with expat communities, and access to a 400-metre running track in relatively green surroundings—free to join. Ghazi Stadium (National Stadium) is home to the Afghan football team; nearby hills are dotted with hundreds of men and boys flying kites on holidays. The Kabul National Cricket Stadium hosts the Afghan cricket team. The Kabul Golf Club on Qargha Road, a 9-hole course that reopened in 2004 after 25 years' closure, charges 750 Afs (roughly US$15) for greens fees and bills itself as "extreme golf with an attitude."
Start your planning now: Kabul's history runs deeper than its current condition, and the city rewards those who move slowly through its neighbourhoods and gardens, reading layers of empire and loss in stone, tile and open sky.