Kandahar is Afghanistan's second city and its historical heart — the birthplace of the Pashtun nation, the seat of Ahmad Shah Durrani who founded the Durrani Empire in 1747, and the city from which the Taliban launched their conquest of Afghanistan in the 1990s. It sits in the south on a flat, sun-baked plain ringed by desert, a city of pomegranate orchards, mud-walled compounds, and deep conservatism. Of all Afghan cities, this one bears the most weight of recent history — and the least tolerance for outsiders.
Security and access. Before you think about visiting: Kandahar is not for casual travellers. Most Western governments advise against all travel to Afghanistan; the Taliban's home province is the most restricted part of a highly restricted country. Women travellers face severe limitations. Those who do enter Afghanistan do so almost exclusively through specialist operators, or as journalists, aid workers, or researchers. That said, Kandahar is a real city with a real history, and it is possible to visit for those with the right contacts, preparation, and reasons.
The city's most sacred object is the Cloak of the Prophet Muhammad, kept in the Shrine of the Cloak (Khirqa Sharif) near the old bazaar. Traditionally displayed only in moments of profound crisis, it was last brought out publicly in 1996 when Mullah Omar wrapped it around himself in the courtyard of the shrine and proclaimed himself Amir ul-Momineen — Commander of the Faithful — before a crowd of clerics. It has been brought out only a handful of times in recorded history. Non-Muslim visitors are not admitted to the shrine.
The old Kandahar Bazaar is one of the great trading markets of the Pashtun belt — carpets, dried fruit, metalwork, fabrics. The Shrine of Baba Wali on a ridge south of the city offers views over the Arghandab valley, one of Afghanistan's most fertile agricultural areas, famous for its pomegranates. The Chehel Zina (Forty Steps), carved into a cliff face east of the city, is a Mughal-era monument with an inscription by Emperor Babur; the rock is still there and still accessible. The Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of modern Afghanistan, stands in the old city — a blue-domed shrine that remains an important pilgrimage site.
Afghan food in Kandahar centres on lamb kebabs, bolani flatbread, and the region's exceptional fruit. The city is known throughout the country for its grapes, pomegranates, and watermelons. Keep expectations for restaurants modest and conservative dress — for both men and women — non-negotiable.