Self-Guided Bakery and Sweets Walk

The Self-Guided Bakery and Sweets Walk is an independent route of about ninety minutes through the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, Afghanistan, a largely residential and diplomatic neighbourhood in the north-east of the city. There is no tour operator, no guide and no booking, so visitors choose their own bakeries and sweet shops and set their own pace. The walk is built around Afghan baked goods and confectionery. Bolani, a thin flatbread stuffed with potato, leek, pumpkin or lentils and fried on a griddle, is the main savoury item. Kulcha, a small sweet or plain biscuit-like cookie, and jalebi, crisp spirals of fried batter soaked in syrup, supply the sweet side. Tea, usually served hot and sugared, accompanies the tasting and is normally included with a purchase or very inexpensive. The balance is roughly half savoury and half sweet, with two or three bakery stops and one sweets shop making a sensible plan. Prices are low: individual items generally cost about 150 to 350 AFN in total per person, which is roughly two to five US dollars, and payment is in cash. Nothing is bundled, so food, drink and any taxi to and from Wazir Akbar Khan are paid for separately. Because items are sold by weight or by piece, small quantities can be bought at each stop to avoid waste. Many bakery items are vegetarian, which makes this one of the easier food routes in Kabul for those who avoid meat, although frying oil and ghee are common and nut or sesame ingredients are used in some sweets, so allergies should be raised before purchase. Shops are busiest in the morning and again before the evening meal, when fresh bread comes out of the ovens. Visitors should check current travel advice and local conditions, dress modestly, ask before taking photographs of staff or customers, and ideally go with a trusted local contact during daylight hours.