Jaunted

Adventure Travel

Kabul Together a Vacation

January 22, 2007 at 11:00 AM | 0 Comments

Don't get us wrong: we're into adventure travel. But Kabul? Ahem... Too soon? Apparently the New York Times doesn't think so, as Joshua Hammer checks in with the latest report from the Afghan capital and the next totally hot adventure destination.

It was once hot on the hippie trail, but the Kabul revival hasn't reached Costa Rica status quite yet. Last year, the article says, fewer than 100 westerners toured the city with Great Game Travel Company. But from the sounds of it, booking with a company that can provide security and guides may be the way to go:

Although most of the violence is concentrated in Taliban strongholds in the country's southeast, a handful of attacks have rocked the capital during the last year, including a suicide-bomb explosion on Sept. 8 at Massoud Circle, a major traffic hub, that killed 2 Americans and at least 16 Afghans. Anti-Western riots broke out last May

Be that as it may, says Joshua, Kabul can be safe enough if travelers take the right precautions. He "never once felt threatened" in his week there, and instead of spending his week locked up inside the Kabul Serena Hotel he got out to meet friendly people. He also worked the circuit of coffee shops, bazaars and bars for foreign aid workers--where most of the talk was about how far Afghanistan has come since the Soviet invasion and the Taliban. It all sounds great--but when do they put in the zip lines and Zorbing runs?

Related Stories
· The Mysteries of Kabul [NYT]
· Great Game Travel Company [Official Site]
· Kabul Serena Hotel [Official Site]