News, Updates and Blog

Is Winter a Good Time to Visit Afghanistan?
Joe Sheffer Joe Sheffer

Is Winter a Good Time to Visit Afghanistan?

The peak Autumn shoulder season will soon be over in Afghanistan -  it is the most popular time of year to travel for good reason. But should you consider visiting Afghanistan in the winter?

For me there is nothing more exciting than stepping off a plane early in the morning at Kabul International airport on a crisp winter morning. The Hindu Kush mountains dusted with snow frame the city, and you’re immediately hit by the smell of wood smoke in the air. The atmosphere immediately feels different and in an increasingly homogenous, boring world you know that you’ve arrived somewhere deeply special.

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Hosting Ready for Road
Joe Sheffer Joe Sheffer

Hosting Ready for Road

We continue to pride ourselves on being Afghanistan’s leading DMC or destination management company, operating for half a dozen international travel businesses.

We were delighted to welcome a truly fantastic group of travellers this September from Ready For Road a small boutique travel company who specialise in offering journeys through Pakistan.

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Visiting the HALO Trust in Afghanistan
Joe Sheffer Joe Sheffer

Visiting the HALO Trust in Afghanistan

Our original vision for Safarat was to meld our experience and passion for Afghanistan with our contacts and connections from our careers in journalism.  We hoped that we would be able to tell the country’s story better, blending tourism with a shot of realism.

Too many tour operators offering journeys through “difficult” places in the world gloss over the ongoing suffering around them – they often proudly share reviews from their clients riddled with cliches about media bias and perception.

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Announcement on visas by Taliban MFA
Joe Sheffer Joe Sheffer

Announcement on visas by Taliban MFA

A further note published by the Taliban Ministry of Affairs confirms a tweet made by Minister Balkhi last year suggesting that the IEA will no longer be accepting visas issued by European and other embassies still under the control of the former government.

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Carpet making in Aqcha – the home of the Kilim
Joe Sheffer Joe Sheffer

Carpet making in Aqcha – the home of the Kilim

Safarāt travellers were recently invited inside the factory that the Turqouise Mountain Foundation are assisting in Aqcha, Afghanistan on order to see how some of the world’s best kilim rugs are produced by Turkmen craftsman.

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How to watch Buzkashi on your visit to Afghanistan?
Joe Sheffer Joe Sheffer

How to watch Buzkashi on your visit to Afghanistan?

One of the most common questions we get asked about our “Road to Oxiana” journey and from travellers on their way to Mazar-E-Sharif in Afghanistan’s north is how to watch the game of Buzkashi as part of their tour.

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Travelling in Nuristan
Joe Sheffer Joe Sheffer

Travelling in Nuristan

We’ll be launching the first commercial tour of Nuristan in 2024 after spending time in the remote province this summer on an exploratory trip.

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