Afghanistan might be more famous for war and conflict than tourism, but that has not only not always been the case, but it is also something quickly changing, vine under the Taliban. Can you though go skiing in Afghanistan?
You can read about if it ethical to travel to Afghanistan here.
History of skiing in Afghanistan
There are some reports of attempts at setting up a ski resort during the relative liberal time inn the country before the king was overthrown and the communist takeover that would lead to decades of war.
As you might imagine during this time there were no serious attempts to set up a ski resort in Afghanistan.
The first company to run a skiing trip into Afghanistan were Untamed Borders (UntamedBorders.com), who did so in 2011 and have continued running them since then, apart from during Covid and when the Taliban first came to power.
Does Afghanistan have the terrain for skiing?
In short yes it does, with it being an extremely mountainous country, as well as having that other essential for skiing – snow.
Despite having a huge area that could be used for skiing there ski infrastructure in Afghanistan is still relatively backwards, meaning there is currently only one ski resort in Afghanistan.
Currently skiers head to the Koh-e-Baba Mountain range in Bamiyan Province, located in the center of the country which is where the Bamyan ski resort is.
What is it like to Ski in Afghanistan?
The Bamyan Ski Resort has an elevation of 2765 – 2800 meters, whilst there is 0.3 km of slopes, with it being survived by one ski lift.
And while skiing is quite new to the people of Afghanistan it has slowly started to gain popularity, with local people making homemade ski sets. This has led to the Afghan Peaks Ski Race, where locals compete against each other using wooden skis, with international visitors often joining for the event.
The vent happens in March of each year, with 2024 reportedly being the first one since both Covid and the change in government. There are many charitable associations related to the sport and the race, such as the
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