What are the most spectacular roads in Afghanistan?

Afghanistan is a landlocked country, located on the Iranian Plateau, at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Despite its natural wonders, right now is better to avoid all travel to Afghanistan, due to terrorism, risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping and crime.

The country is 652,864 km2 (252,072 sq mi), and bordered by 6 countries: Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China. We advise against all travel to and within Afghanistan. Border crossing points may be closed without notice, especially during increased border tensions or concerns about increased risk of a terrorist attack. There are Taliban checkpoints on roads throughout the country and in Kabul.

Despite the risks, the country features many spectacular roads, some of them among the most challenging in the world, on a landscape characterized by rugged mountains, vast deserts, and fertile valleys. Navigating the Kabul-Jalalabad Highway is a difficult drive in Taliban territory following the Kabul River Gorge for 64 kilometers (40 mi). This two-lane highway runs through 600-meter-high cliffs. Salang Pass is a mountain pass at 3,878m (12,723ft) on the boundary between Parwan and Baghlan provinces. Back to war times, Highway 1 is the Afghan Highway to Hell. And the hostile and toxic Salang Tunnel sits at 3,400m (11,154ft) above sea level, with limited lighting, inadequate ventilation, and marred by potholes.