Vaccinations
See a travel clinic at least a month before you go. The US Centers for Disease Control recommends:
- Polio: a booster. Afghanistan is one of the last countries where wild polio still circulates, and Germany's foreign office says proof of polio vaccination is required for entry. Carry your certificate.
- Hepatitis A and B, typhoid and measles.
- Consider rabies, as dogs are common and treatment is hard to find, and cholera.
There is a risk of malaria below 2,500 metres from April to December. Ask your clinic whether you need tablets for your route.
Food and water
- Drink bottled water and use it to brush your teeth.
- Eat food that is cooked and served hot; peel fruit yourself.
- Dust is heavy in cities in summer and winter; a mask helps. See the air quality now.
Altitude
Bamyan lies at about 2,500 metres, the Salang Pass at over 3,000, and the Wakhan higher still. Climb slowly, drink plenty, and ask a doctor about altitude medicine for high routes.
Hospitals and pharmacies
Care is below Western standards, especially for women. Find the nearest hospitals and pharmacies, and keep the emergency numbers: 102 for an ambulance.
Insurance
Your policy must cover Afghanistan and medical evacuation. Many policies are void where your government advises against travel, as every Western government does, so read the terms and get it in writing.
What to pack
- Cash: clean US dollars for the whole trip.
- Papers: passport, visa, permits and vaccination certificate, with paper copies.
- Clothes: modest and loose; a headscarf for women; warm layers, as mountain nights are cold even in summer.
- Medicines: your own, in their boxes, plus rehydration salts, painkillers, plasters and diarrhoea treatment.
- Power: a power bank and a torch, for the power cuts; plugs are round two-pin.
- Offline: maps downloaded, and this site's pages opened once so they work without a connection.
- Sun: sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.