Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan, a mountain-ringed city of roughly 4.6 million at 1,790 m. This guide records its historic sites, markets and food while stating plainly that every government advises against travel there.
Kabul is among the highest-risk destinations in the world. Violent crime against tourists is rarer than in the 2010s, but terrorism (notably Islamic State-Khorasan), kidnapping, arbitrary detention of foreigners and a collapsed medical system make independent travel extremely dangerous.
Current safety advisory
Extreme
Do Not Travel. The US State Department rates Afghanistan Level 4 (Do Not Travel), reissued 20 February 2026, and the UK FCDO advises against all travel. The US embassy in Kabul has been closed since August 2021, so no US consular help is available in-country; Americans needing help leaving can email AfghanistanACS@state.gov. Foreigners face a high risk of arbitrary detention, kidnapping and terrorism, including Islamic State-Khorasan attacks on crowded places. Entry requires an Islamic Emirate visa and written permissions for tourist sites.
Last updated: 2026-02-20
Official advisories
Guidance from national travel-advisory services.
Level 4: Do Not Travel
Advise against all travel
Essential safety tips
Practical advice that applies everywhere.
Do not travel without current written permission and a visa from the Islamic Emirate.
Register your itinerary with your embassy outside Afghanistan; none operates in Kabul for many countries.
Avoid crowded places: mosques at Friday prayers, bazaars during peak hours and public gatherings.
Keep photocopies of your passport, visa and permits separate from the originals.
Do not photograph checkpoints, officials or security forces.
Buy medical evacuation insurance that explicitly covers Afghanistan.
Common scams to avoid
Recognise and sidestep tourist-targeted scams.
Inflated currency exchange
Street changers offer poor rates or hand back worn, torn notes.
How to avoid: Use the licensed moneychangers in Sarai Shahzada and count notes on the spot.
Fake permission letters
Fixers sell unofficial letters of access.
How to avoid: Obtain permissions only from the Ministry of Information and Culture or the visa-issuing authority.
Health considerations
Staying healthy on your trip.
- Vaccinations
- Routine vaccines plus hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tetanus and polio; confirm rabies and cholera advice with a travel medicine clinic 6-8 weeks before departure.
- Water
- Tap water is unsafe; drink only sealed bottled or purified water.
- Food
- Eat freshly cooked hot food; avoid raw salads and ice.
- Facilities
- Limited. Emergency hospitals include Emergency Hospital (Italian NGO) at Wazir Akbar Khan; serious cases require evacuation.
Safety for specific travellers
Tailored advice for different groups.
Solo travellers
Solo independent travel is strongly discouraged; foreigners are monitored and detention risk is high.
Female travellers
Women face Taliban restrictions on movement, dress and public presence; foreign women should cover fully and travel with a male companion or group.
Families
Families should not travel with children to Kabul under current advisories; clinics cannot manage paediatric emergencies.
LGBTQ+ travellers
Same-sex relations are criminalised and punishable by severe penalties; open expression is unsafe.
Emergency contacts
Numbers to know before you go.
- Police
- 119
- Medical
- 112
- Fire
- 119
- Main Hospital
- Emergency Hospital, Kabul
- Embassy Us
- No US consular services in Afghanistan
- Embassy Uk
- No British embassy services in Kabul