Jalalabad

Eastern Afghan city on the Kabul-Khyber road, known for its green winter climate and orange groves.

Note: Afghanistan has been under Taliban rule since 2021. Travel is not recommended for most foreign nationals. This page documents Jalalabad for historical reference and for future conditions.

Jalalabad sits in eastern Afghanistan on the main road from Kabul to the Khyber Pass and on to Pakistan. It is the capital of Nangarhar province, with a population of around 200,000, and commands the entrances to the Laghman and Kunar valleys.

The city has a subtropical climate -- warm and green compared to the rest of Afghanistan -- and was once popular as a winter retreat. In the 1970s it was a regular stopover for overlanders traveling from London to Kathmandu. The orange groves and gardens that surround the city give it a lush character unusual for Afghanistan.

Jalalabad's historical roots run deep. It was founded by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the 16th century and named after his son Jalal. The area around it was part of the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Nagarahara, and the Ahin Posh stupa -- dating to around 160 CE -- survives as evidence of this earlier cultural world. The road from Kabul to Jalalabad, winding through the Kabul Gorge, is one of the most dramatic drives in the country. East of the city, the road leads to the Khyber Pass and the Pakistan border at Torkham.

Guide

Things to Do

Jalalabad is not a tourist destination in the conventional sense — Afghanistan has been under Taliban rule since 2021, and travel is not recommended for most visitors. This section documents what the city contains historically and geographically, for reference and for the day when conditions change.

The area's most significant historical sites are Buddhist — Jalalabad sits in the ancient region of Nagarahara, which was a major centre of early Buddhism. The Ahin Posh stupa is the most accessible remnant of this. The city itself has Mughal-era roots and a lush, semi-tropical character rare in Afghanistan.