When to go
The best times to visit Afghanistan are
spring and autumn, to avoid both the winter cold and the summer heat, generally, the months of April and October (and even March and November in the southern deserts). However, in these months, it can get hot during the day and cold at night. Autumn is preferable because it is drier and less windy.
You can visit the
mountainous areas above 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) in summer, which is definitely the best season at the highest altitudes (since in the rest of the year the cold dominates), with the exception of the far east, which in summer is affected by the offshoots of the monsoon.
What to pack in the suitcase
In
winter: for Kabul and the mountains, bring very warm clothes, such as a down jacket, a hat, a scarf, gloves; for the plains of the north and Herat, you can add a lighter jacket for mild days; for Farah and Kandahar, warm clothes, such as a sweater, a coat, and a hat; for the deserts of the south, a sweater, a jacket, a warm jacket for the night, and a scarf for the sand.
In
summer: for the plains of the north and the main cities of the plateau, bring lightweight clothing of natural fibers for the day, a hat for the sun, a desert turban, a sweatshirt for the evening. In Kabul, you can add a jacket for colder nights.
For the high mountains above 4,000 meters (13,000 feet), bring a down jacket, a hat, gloves, and a scarf.
For the Kunar Province, a raincoat or umbrella.
When visiting mosques, you must keep your shoulders and legs covered, and take off your shoes. Women should avoid low-cut dresses.
Back to the climate of
Afghanistan