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130
HERA
T&
NORTHWESTERN
AFGHANISTAN
l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m
Herat & NorthwesternAfghanistan
Khorasan is the oyster shell of the world, and Herat is its pearl, says an old proverb,
referring to this Afghan citys pre-eminence in a region that covered much of medieval
Iran and Turkmenistan. Its a saying that still holds much truth, for Herat still shines as
the cultural centre of Afghanistan, a seat of poetry, learning and architecture. Invaders
from Genghis Khan to the Russians have all taken turns at flattening it, but Herat still
manages to hold its head high, offer its visitors tea and suggest they sample its attrac-
tions. And theres much to take in, from the Citadel that towers over the Old City toits glorious Friday Mosque and many shrines. Those coming from Kabul will be equally
amazed by the efficiency of its infrastructure, not least the electricity supply.
From this ancient Silk Road oasis, the road crosses the Safed Koh mountains the
last outpost of the Hindu Kush to reach the northwest. Here the land flattens out to
form part of the Central Asian steppe, a semidesert thats home to Kuchi nomads and
Turkmen and Uzbek farmers. This is the main centre for the greatest of the countrys
folk arts, the Afghan carpet, and the bright swatches of knotted wool contrast sharply
with the dusty landscape that produces them.
HIGHLIGHTS
Gaze in awe at the dazzling mosaic tiling
of the Friday Mosque(p136) in Herat
Contemplate poetry with the Sufis at
Gazar Gah (p138), one of Afghanistans
holiest sites
Climb the battlements of Herats Citadel
(p137) for sweeping views across the city
Haggle for carpets at the bazaar in And-
khoi (p144), the northwests most tradi-
tional market town
Gazar Gah
Andkhoi
Herat
HE
RAT
&
NORTHWESTERNA
FGHANISTAN
Chahchaheh
Sarakhs
Tabakdan
Kanavis
Mozdura
n
Shurak
Maleki
Natu
Shahr-enow
Kariz
Salami
Taybad
Sangan
Qarqin
Fazelabad
Ortepa
Jarghan
Qurchi
Almar
Belcheragh
MariChaq
Bakhtgan-
eBala
Khaval
Ghormach
Chechaktu
Sar-eHow
z
BalaMurghab
Tarkhoj
Tuta
Gazak
Chalkhi
Golra
n
Da
rreh-
ye
Bum
T
utachi
DarraheAwd
Khwazagak
Ab-iBarik-
iQudi
K
hwaja
G
ulBed
DoAb
KharBid
Besa
DehBerenj
Qaleh
Syahkhaki
DowlatYar
Benos
Darrah
Badgah
Lal-o-Sar
Jangal
Karukh
Kusurmand
Shekiban
ZendehJan
Guna
bad
Harirud
Marveh
Kort
QosTirdawan
Qaleh-ye
TagabEshlan
MasjedNegar
Qocanghi
Majnabad
Karlyuk
Dzhu-
Dzhu-klu
SaryYazy
Malay-
Adzhi
Turkmenkarakul
Torghundi
Kushki
Obey
Qaysar
Serkhetabat
Chaghcheran
Fariman
Torbat-eja
m
Dali
QarchiGak
ChaharBagh
Aqcha
Yusof
MirzaiKhvajeh
DoKuh
ChubBash-e
Kalan Y
angiAregh
Pashmi
Qaleh
SariPul
Kariz
YangiQaleh
Ghurian
Bayram-ali
Mary
Mukry
Murga
b
Ovaz-Dzhaltay
KrasnyyOktyabr
Tedzhen
Iolotan
Dushak
KrasnayaZvezda
Miana
Akhchadepe
Serakhs
Takhta
Bazar
Kansan
Islam
Qala
ImamNazar
Shiberghan
Maimana
Qala-e
Nau
ofJam
Minaret
Andkhoi
Daula
tabad
Chist-e
Sharif
Herat
Har
iRu
d
IRAN
TURKMENISTAN
Badghis
Ghowr
Herat
Faryab
Sar-ePol
Jowzjan
Balkh
Dasht-eLaili
Desert
SabzakPass
(2400m)
To
Mazar-e
Sharif(50km);
Kabul(480km)
To
Bamiyan
(200km)
ToKandahar
(500
km);
Kabul(988km)
ToMashhad
(225km)
To
Mary
(2
5km)
NORTHWESTERNAFGHANISTA
N
0
200km
0
120miles
Northwestern Afghanistan
N O R T H W E S T E R N A F G H A N I S T A N 131 Lonely Planet Publications
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l o n e l y p l a n e t . c o m
HERAT
&
NORTHWESTE
RNA
FGHANISTAN
There are several cheap restaurants andchaikhanas immediately to the south andeast of the main square, serving kebabs,pulaoand mantu.
Getting There & AwayThere should be a weekly flight to Kabul,provided Ariana wants to operate it it wasout of action when we asked around. Theairport is 10km east of the city.
Minibuses to Mazar-e Sharif (100Afg, twohours) fill up quickly from a small terminalon the eastern edge of Shiberghan lookfor the brick factories nearby. Transportto Aqcha (40Afg, 30 minutes) also leavesfrom here.
Andkhoi transport (70Afg, one hour)leaves from west of the square, past oneof Dostums gauche terracotta-and-lobster-pink palaces.
146 T H E N O R T H W E S T S h i b e r g h a n
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