Current situation
Afghanistan is kept here for reference only. The information below is the most recent available record and predates the situation described above; figures such as population reflect the last data gathered before the current crisis and may no longer describe Afghanistan today.
Overview
Afghanistan sits landlocked at the crossroads of Central and South Asia, a country defined by mountain ranges, high plateaux and a scatter of cities that have long served as staging posts along overland routes between regions.
The capital, Kabul, sits roughly in the centre-east, but the country's major cities are spread widely: Herāt in the west, Mazār-e Sharīf and Kunduz in the north, Kandahār and Lashkar Gāh in the south, Jalālābād and Asadābād towards the east, and smaller centres such as Ghazni, Gardez, Khōst, Taloqan, Charikar, Fayzabad and Bāzārak filling out the map in between. Bāmyān lies among the central highlands.
This is a guide built around those major cities and the broad compass directions of north, south and interior Afghanistan, since it is those settlements — not resort towns or coastal strips — that structure any journey through the country.
Key facts
| Country | Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Currency | AFN |
Regions and major cities
Kabul, the capital, anchors the centre of the country and is the natural starting and finishing point for most journeys, given its position relative to the other major cities. To its north, across the mountains, lie Charikar and Bāzārak, gateways into the northern approaches, followed by the larger northern hub of Mazār-e Sharīf and, further east along the north, Kunduz and Taloqan, with Fayzabad lying further into the north-east.
The south of the country is represented by Kandahār and Lashkar Gāh, historically significant cities that anchor the southern interior. The east is marked by Jalālābād, which sits along the route towards the Pakistani border, and Asadābād, further into the eastern hills. Khōst and Gardez lie in the south-east, while Ghazni sits on the route between Kabul and Kandahār, making it a natural staging point on any south-bound journey.
In the centre-west, Herāt stands as the major city closest to the Iranian border, while Bāmyān occupies a distinct position in the central highlands, separated from the other major cities by mountainous terrain. Together these cities give Afghanistan four broad travel zones to think in: the capital region, the north, the south, and the east, with Herāt and Bāmyān each representing routes further west and into the central mountains respectively.
Costs and money
The local currency is the Afghani (AFN), and it is the currency used for everyday transactions in Kabul and across the other major cities. As with many countries where the currency is not widely traded internationally, it is worth arranging money in AFN through proper channels rather than assuming it can be sourced easily once travelling between smaller cities such as Gardez, Khōst or Fayzabad, where facilities are likely to be more limited than in Kabul, Herāt or Mazār-e Sharīf.
Costs across the country will vary between the capital and provincial cities, and between road and air travel when moving between regions, so it is worth budgeting with some flexibility for the longer overland or flight legs that connect the north, south, east and centre.
Language and etiquette
Having a few basic phrases in Persian in particular will be useful given its wide currency across the cities covered in this guide.
Regions & places
Common questions
- Is Bāmyān easy to combine with the other major cities?
- Bāmyān sits in the central highlands, somewhat apart from the main north–south and east–west road links between the other major cities, so it's best treated as its own leg of a trip rather than an easy add-on.
- What languages will I encounter travelling around Afghanistan?
- Persian and Uzbek are the languages associated with the country, and Persian in particular will be widely useful across the major cities covered in this guide.
- What currency should I use in Afghanistan?
- The Afghani (AFN) is the local currency, used throughout Kabul and the country's other major cities.
Sources & method
- GeoNames country — currency, languages, capital · retrieved 2026-08-12T15:10:01+00:00
- Imagery — Wikimedia Commons
Data compiled 2026-08-15 · editorial checks: passed. See our methodology for how Head Your Way sources and reviews travel data.