Hotels in Kabul

Kabul: Capital at 1,800 Metres

Kabul sits in a narrow valley along the Kabul River, ringed by the Hindu Kush foothills at an elevation of roughly 1,800 metres. Founded over 3,500 years ago, the city served as the Mughal emperor Babur's base in the early 16th century — his garden tomb, Bagh-e Babur, built around 1528, remains one of the most visited historical sites. The old city quarter of Murad Khani preserves courtyard houses and the 19th-century Asheqan wa Arefan shrine. Chicken Street in the Shahr-e Naw district has long been the centre of craft trade, selling lapis lazuli, carpets, and embroidered textiles.

Who Visits and Why

Most arrivals today are aid workers, journalists, and diplomatic staff rather than leisure travellers, given the security environment since August 2021. A smaller number of regional traders and Afghan diaspora visitors return for family and business. Hotels cluster in Shahr-e Naw and the Wazir Akbar Khan diplomatic quarter.

Practical Tips

• Altitude: At 1,800 m, temperatures drop sharply after sunset — pack warm layers even in summer.
• Currency: The Afghan afghani (AFN) is the local currency; card acceptance is very limited.
• Entry: All visitors require a valid visa obtained in advance; check current embassy advisories before travel.
• Transport: Hamid Karzai International Airport is 16 km from Shahr-e Naw.