Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Afghanistan Passport and Visa entry requirements

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Afghanistan Passport and Visa entry requirements
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One




Passports:

To visit Afghanistan, a passport valid for at least six months is required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.
Visas:

Visas are required by all visitors to Afghanistan referred to in the chart above, except travellers holding a re-entry permit issued by Afghanistan.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements

Types of Visas and the validity period
Tourist Visa
Tourist visa is issued for foreign nationals who are interested to travel to Afghanistan individually or with a group for the purpose of visiting Afghanistan or their relatives. This type of visa is issued by the Afghan Missions aboard. The validity of this type of visa is for one month, which can be extended only once by the Ministry of Interior with the agreement of the Afghan Tourism Organization.
Entry Visa for Work Permit
Entry visa for work permit is issued for business, economic, commercial, cultural, industrial purposes and working for the governmental or non governmental organizations. This type of visa can be obtained from the Consulate Section of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your employer or sponsor should contact the concerned department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs directly. However, this type of visa can be extended through the Ministry of Interior.
Resident Visa
This type of visa is issued by the Ministry of Interior to the foreign nationals holding ordinary passport, who have already entered Afghanistan with a proper visa. The validity of this type of visa is from one month to six months and can be extended.
Transit Visa
This type of visa is issued by the Afghan Missions aboard to those foreign nationals who pass through Afghanistan to a third country. The validity of this type of visa is for 72 hours for air passengers and six days for those who travel by land.
Double Entry Visa
This type of visa is issued to the foreign nationals who have a stay visa and the validity of the visa can be extended.
Diplomatic Visa
This visa is issued for holders of diplomatic passports who intend to travel to Afghanistan. Diplomatic passport holders can obtain this type of visa from the Afghan Missions aboard. However, they must contact the Section of Diplomatic passport and Diplomatic Visa of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs directly through their mission in Kabul.
Service Visa
This type of visa is issued by the Afghan Missions abroad to the foreign nationals who hold service or special passports.
Student Visa
This type of visa is issued by the Afghan Missions aboard to the foreign students who intend to study in Afghanistan. The relevant university/academic institution must contact the Cultural Relations Department of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs directly.
Exit Visa
This type of visa is issued to the foreign nationals who have entered the country with entry work permit visa. The validity of this type of visa is one to six days; in some circumstances this can be extended.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Famous Places in Afghanistan For Your Holiday

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Famous Places in Afghanistan For Your Holiday
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One




Afghanistan may well be one of the areas that will be on the final part of the spots list. The state has encountered a rough historical past especially during the Taliban routine. But behind the bad impressions that many individuals have, there are quite a few factors to accomplish in Afghanistan and there are many must-visit spots that were opened following the Taliban regime.

Kabul will be the cash of Afghanistan. It offers many sights that tourists will really like. The city also houses some of the historical web-sites on the planet and it is in addition one of the oldest cities in the planet. The very first spot to travel to in Kabul would be the Baghi Balah, which offers a bird's eye view from the entire metropolis. Other areas on this cash that holidaymakers should check out are Darulaman Palace, King Nadir Shah's Tomb, along with the Kabul Museum.

You will find two historical sites in Afghanistan: the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam along with the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Stays on the Bamyan Valley. The Minaret of Jam is a 65-m high minaret built through the 12th century inside province of Ghur. The minaret would be the second highest minaret in the world and is known for the remarkable architecture. The artistic and religious developments in the land on the 1st century to the 13th hundred years are represented through the Bamiyan Valley. There are Buddhist monasteries, shrines, and buildings on the Islamic period in this region.

An additional tourist attraction could be the town of Kandahar that was founded in 330 BC by Alexander the Good. The spots to become visited within this town are Kandahar Museum, mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani, as well as the village of Sher Surkh.

Since Afghanistan is definitely an Islamic state, tourists should be conscious of alcohol intake is illegal. As for their lifestyle, women wear burqa. Western ladies are anticipated to wear head scarf as a sign of respect to their traditions. The southern and eastern places of the country are viewed to become dangerous so travelers are told to avoid these areas.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Free Guide Kabul City

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Free Guide Kabul City
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One


Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan and has been since the late 1700s. While the town has been constantly hit by problems like damage that is certainly brought on by wars and strife, towering buildings and modern shopping malls have actually been seen being built in this usually war-torn country. It is possible to simply see that the city of Kabul is undergoing plenty of renovation and development with these new buildings popping up, mixing in with the old buildings that give the city its uniqueness and charm.


To get to Kabul, you can fly in via the Kabul International Airport. You'll find several airlines that now fly to Kabul and these consist of international and regional airlines. Travelling around Kabul is quick using the many taxis it is possible to get through the airport and through the city's center. The one thing you must remember about these cabs is that they don't have meters and you may possibly need to set the price of your trip prior to you get on. These cabs are colored yellow and you are able to even locate some of them going around like buses, picking up passengers along the way and dropping them off.

When that you are trying to locate some of the ideal locations to go to in Kabul, there are a few which you need to never forget to comprise in your list. Some on the should see places inside the city include the Old British Fort, the Kabul Museum, the Palace that is proper throughout from this museum, TV Tower Hill and the Ariana Graveyard. If you're into shopping for souvenirs and looking for bargains, you may wish to go to Da Afghanistan Bazaar where it is possible to get a great deal of items for quite low prices. Carpets, turbans, vests and even gold is extremely quick to discover in this bazaar and bargaining is expected so you can try and get costs to go lower once you find something you like.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Money Exchange for Afghanistan -Services - Money

http://travel-to-afghanistan.blogspot.com/2011/10/money-exchange-for-afghanistan-services.html
Money Exchange for Afghanistan -Services - Money
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One




Currency information:

Afghani (AFN) = 100 puls. Notes are in denominations of AFN1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. The US Dollar is also widely accepted.
Credit cards:

Not accepted. There are several ATMs in Kabul that dispense US Dollars and Afghanis but many are located in military camps where access is limited. The Intercontinental Hotel has an ATM that accepts Visa credit and debit cards between 0830-1900 daily. It is recommended that visitors carry sufficient funds in US Dollars.
ATM:

There are several ATMs in Kabul that dispense US Dollars and Afghanis but many are located in military camps where access is limited. The Intercontinental Hotel has an ATM that accepts Visa credit and debit cards between 0830-1900 daily.
Travellers cheques:

It is not currently recommended to take traveller's cheques to Afghanistan, since they are not widely accepted and may take up to two weeks to clear. If you must take traveller's cheques, it is advised to take them in US Dollars, Euros or Pounds Sterling denominations.
Banking hours:

Generally Sat-Wed 0800-1200 and 1300-1630, Thurs 0800-1330.
Currency restriction:

The import and export of local currency is permitted up to AFN500. The import of foreign currency is unlimited if declared on arrival; export is permitted up to the amount imported and declared.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Health and Medical Information for Afghanistan

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Health and Medical Information for Afghanistan
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One




Medical care was very limited before the 2001 conflict but now medicines are in even shorter supply and many hospitals have been damaged or destroyed. Doctors and hospitals demand immediate cash payment for most services. Medical insurance, covering emergency evacuation, is essential. International aid groups operate in some cities and villages.
Food and drink:

All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other risks:

Vaccinations against hepatitis B and tuberculosis are sometimes advised. Hepatitis E is present. Typhus occurs and trachoma is common. Giardiasis and other waterborne diseases are common. Diarrhoeal disease and other gastrointestinal infections are common causes of ill health, especially in hotter months. Outbreaks of meningococcal disease have been reported. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Short History Of Afghanistan and Culture

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Short History Of Afghanistan and Culture
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One


Afghanistan, often called the crossroads of Central Asia, has had a turbulent history. In 328 BC, Alexander the Great entered the territory of present-day Afghanistan, then part of the Persian Empire, to capture Bactria (present-day Balkh). Invasions by the Scythians, White Huns, and Turks followed in succeeding centuries. In AD 642, Arabs invaded the entire region and introduced Islam.

Arab rule gave way to the Persians, who controlled the area until conquered by the Turkic Ghaznavids in 998. Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030) consolidated the conquests of his predecessors and turned Ghazni into a great cultural center as well as a base for frequent forays into India. Following Mahmud's short-lived dynasty, various princes attempted to rule sections of the country until the Mongol invasion of 1219. The Mongol invasion, led by Genghis Khan, resulted in massive slaughter of the population, destruction of many cities, including Herat, Ghazni, and Balkh, and the despoliation of fertile agricultural areas.

Following Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of petty chiefs and princes struggled for supremacy until late in the 14th century, when one of his descendants, Tamerlane, incorporated Afghanistan into his own vast Asian empire. Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane and the founder of India's Moghul dynasty at the beginning of the 16th century, made Kabul the capital of an Afghan principality.

In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of what is known today as Afghanistan, established his rule. A Pashtun, Durrani was elected king by a tribal council after the assassination of the Persian ruler Nadir Shah at Khabushan in the same year. Throughout his reign, Durrani consolidated chieftainships, petty principalities, and fragmented provinces into one country. His rule extended from Mashad in the west to Kashmir and Delhi in the east, and from the Amu Darya (Oxus) River in the north to the Arabian Sea in the south. With the exception of a 9-month period in 1929, all of Afghanistan's rulers until the 1978 Marxist coup were from Durrani's Pashtun tribal confederation, and all were members of that tribe's Mohammadzai clan after 1818.

Human civilisation in Afghanistan dates at least as far back as 4000BC. The territory has always been an important link between the Middle East and civilisations in India, Central and Eastern Asia. Control of Afghanistan has always been deemed essential to the dominant regional power of the day - much of Afghan history concerns the efforts of the fractious and rebellious indigenous tribes to assert their independence.

Hamid Karzai won Afghanistan's first direct presidential elections in October 2004 despite reports of voting irregularities. The president is serving a five-year term and is implementing Afghanistan's new constitution. The first parliamentary and local elections for more than 30 years were held in September 2005. Only about 55% of registered voters cast their ballots, more than 20% down on the previous year's presidential poll. Fighting continues in Afghanistan, with many regions still controlled by warlords and attacks by the Taleban are becoming more common-place.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Afghanistan Accommodation. Hotel Guide. Details

http://travel-to-afghanistan.blogspot.com/2011/10/afghanistan-accommodation-hotel-guide.html
Afghanistan Accommodation. Hotel Guide. Details
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One




Hotels in Bamiyan



If you are looking for basic accommodation in Bamiyan, Hotels in Bamiyan in Afghanistan will offer you the same. You will find a variety of budget and mid-range Hotels in Bamiyan.

If you are visiting Bamiyan in Afghanistan this summer, you will a wide array of places to see and places to stay. One of the finest tourist destinations in Afghanistan, Bamiyan attracts hordes of visitors. The two giant Buddha statues were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 are a huge tourist draw today. One of the most beautiful regions in the country of Afghanistan, Bamiyan is an increasingly popular tourist destination.

Lying at an altitude of around 2500m, Bamiyan is famous for the two ruined Buddha statues Tourists thronging Bamiyan to catch a glimpse of the ruined Buddhas can choose from a wide variety of accommodation options. Hotels in Bamiyan will offer you a basic range of amenities to make your stay a comfortable and hassle-free one.

Bamiyan hotels vary from budget category hotels to mid-range hotels. You can avail of the reasonable accommodation options, scattered around the city. A large number of budget category hotels have sprung up in the recent years to accommodate the budget conscious travelers visiting the city in large numbers. You can choose to stay at any of the several chaikanas, dotting the city of Bamiyan. Here you can feast on sumptuous meals, especially gala dinners at night. A spacious area is provided to offer you an exotic dining experience. If the chaikanas do not provide you with toilets or showers, you need not worry. You can use the hammam near the Zuhak Hotel.

The Mama Najafs Restaurant is widely known amongst the chaikanas. A halting station for the mini buses, the location Mama Najafs Restaurant is strategic for the travelers.

You can avail of a wide array of mid-range hotels at Bamiyan. Amongst the finest mid-range Hotels in Bamiyan, the Zuhak Hotel occupies a prominent place. Located to the eastern end of the main street, Zuhak hotel is a popular address of stay. Here you can avail of the best of comforts and conveniences at affordable rates. The rooms are reasonably priced.

Hotels in Balkh

Tourists coming to the city of Balkh need not worry about accommodation as there are many hotels in Balkh. Balkh is a very ancient city in the country of Afghanistan. Tourists coming here can stay in heritage hotels, luxury hotels, bed and breakfast inns and cheap hotels. These hotels in Balkh provide you with a number of facilities.

Business travelers, adventure seekers and fun-lovers appreciate the wonderful variety of accommodations found in the resorts near Balkh. Guests’ residing in these hotels can enjoy flawless hospitality, first-class service and excellent hotel amenities. Thus you can spend a quality vacation in these hotels near Balkh.

If you want to enjoy extreme comfort and luxury then stay in any of the star hotels in the city of Balkh. The guestrooms of these hotels are mainly categorized into deluxe rooms and suites. The suites have a separate living cum dining room. In some cases there may be two bedrooms.

The room facilities in the star hotels near Balkh include all types of luxurious amenities such as air-conditioners, color televisions with DVD players, music system, IDD telephones. High-speed Internet access is also provided to facilitate business guests. Each of the rooms has a well-stocked minibar and a refrigerator as well. These in-room facilities help guests’ to refresh themselves with a drink after a tiring day out. There are also in-room personal safes and these help you to lock your valuables before going out.

But the highlights of the luxury hotels near Balkh are swimming pools, private lounges, lobbies, restaurants and beauty saloon. Some of the hotels even have business and conference facilities.

Travelers can also find some few heritage hotels near the city of Balkh. If you are a history-lover then you will simply love staying in these hotels. These are mainly placed within the historical structures. Residing in these hotels will give an idea about the culture, heritage and rich past of Afghanistan. The heritage hotels provide guests’ with all types royal facilities.

If you are touring the country of Afghanistan on a tight budget then you can spend your vacation in the budget or the cheap hotels. These provide the customers with basic amenities at a reasonable rate thus ensuring ease and relaxation. The amenities include televisions, telephones, attached bathroom and room service.


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

All you need to know about Afghanistan

http://travel-to-afghanistan.blogspot.com/2011/09/all-you-need-to-know-about-afghanistan.html
All you need to know about Afghanistan
Travel tips for your trip to Afghanistan Hotel Maps Famous Places in Afghanistan helps you to make your trip to Afghanistan in the holiday a Splendid One




Afghanistan is one of the most troubled countries in the last 10 years. We've been at war with their Al-Qaida terrorists led by Bin Laden. Thousands of Unites States troops and troops from other countries have lost their lives trying to put an end to terrorism.

Besides all of the recent problems, Afghanistan is actually a beautiful country. It's located somewhere within western and central Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan, India, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Afghanistan has a natural beauty, interesting history and a very diverse culture. The country is landlocked, having seen armies of long forgotten empires, merchants and prophets over the last century. The imagery of war torn towns have not always been. The country once hosted Silk Road caravans and used to be the destination of hippies from all over.

The capital of Afghanistan is Kabul. According to 2008 estimates, the population of Kabul was 2.8million people. Kabul is estimated to be 3,500 years old and has a lot of history. Many empires have fount over the city to secure trade routes in central Asia.


The total population of Afghanistan is estimated at 28.7 million people. The rough area of Afghanistan is 647,500 Square Kilometers. The official language is Afghan Persian. The recommended best time to visit the country is between April and June for the best weather.

There are many amazing things to experience in Afghanistan. The bazaars in Herat are among the most amazing in the world. Fine, hand woven goods are available in mass. Visiting and climbing the Chihil Zina near Kandhar is an amazing scene. These 40 hand-carved steps have been around for hundreds of years and are an amazing part of the history. Swimming in the mineral-rich waters of the Band-e Amir lakes will surely be an experience to remember forever.

The main religion in Afghanistan is 99% Muslim. There are small amounts of other religions in practice, including Sunni, Shi'a and Judaism. Afghanistan is one of the poorest and underdeveloped countries in the world. The economy has begun to improve since 2002 when the infusion of US international assistance and investments began to arrive.

The national currency is the Afghani. 1 Afghani is currently equal to.02 United States dollars. In 2010 it was said that over 40% of Afghans live below the poverty line. Two thirds of the population lives on less than the equivalent of $2 United States Dollars each day.

Afghanistan is a very beautiful place to visit, but with all of the recent conflict, people are cautioned at visiting the country at this time. Hopefully in the future it will be safe enough for everyone to enjoy.