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.

Tagab-e Anjuman is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.013m (9,885ft) above sea level, located in the north-eastern part of Afghanistan.

Kōtal-e Sabzak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.552m (8,372ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Herat and Badghis provinces, in north-west Afghanistan.

Palphi Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.885m (9,465ft) above the sea level, located in Baghlan Province in north eastern Afghanistan.

Wighnaan pool is a high mountain reservoir at an elevation of 2.600m (8,530ft) above the sea level, located in Takhar Province, northern Afghanistan. It’s definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of landslides. One mistake and it's a free fall to your death. In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails.

Kōtal-e Sabzak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.274m (10,741ft) above the sea level, located in the Samangan Province in the district of the same name in the northern part of Afghanistan.

Kawak Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.671m (12,043ft) above sea level, located on the boundary between Panjshir and Baghlan provinces, in Afghanistan.

Peiwar Pass is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.615m (8,579ft) above the sea level, located between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Kotal-e Ghar Jawin is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.769m (12,365ft) located in Badakhshan Province in north-eastern Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Qonaq is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.407m (11,177ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Daykundi and Bamyan provinces,  in the central part of Afghanistan.

Pereval Munara is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.535m (8,316ft) above the sea level, located in Ghor Province, in central Afghanistan.

Pereval Faramoz is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.143m (10,311ft) above the sea level, located in Yakawlang District, Bamyan Province, Afghanistan.

Garmabeh-ye Bala Gardan-e is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.860m (9,383ft) above the sea level, located in Ghor Province, in central Afghanistan.

Mihman Yoli Pass is an international high mountain pass on the border of Afghanistan and China, at an elevation of 4.787m (15,705ft).

Pereval Guk is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.907m (9,537ft) above the sea level, located in Chaghcharān district, Ghor Province in central Afghanistan.

Kōtal-e Darah-ye Rāst is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.188m (13,740ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Kabul and Parwan Provinces, in Afghanistan,

Kotal-e Tamazan is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.413m (7,916ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Urozgan and Daykundi provinces of Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Shatu is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.405m (11,171ft) above sea level, located in Bamyan Province, in Afghanistan. The security situation in the country remains extremely volatile.

Kotal-e Unak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.056m (10,026ft) above the sea level, located in Daykundi Province, in the central part of Afghanistan.

Pereval Torbulak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.885m (9,465ft) above the sea level, located in Ghor Province, in central Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Lashkar Rah is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.934m (9,625ft) above the sea level, located in Ghor Province, in central Afghanistan.

Pereval Yamagak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.481m (8,139ft) above the sea level, located in central Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Darwazah (Sangarkish Pass) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.202m (10,505ft) above the sea level, located in Daykondi Province, in the central part of Afghanistan. If you're afraid of heights, it's probably best to keep your eyes forward.

Kotal-e Shah Mansoor is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.638m (11,935ft) above the sea level, located in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.

Sabz Chob is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.917m (9,570ft) above the sea level, located in Jaghori District in Ghazni Province of Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Gardish is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.058m (10,032ft) above the sea level, located in Ashtarlay District of Daykundi Province in Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Aq Rabat is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.362m (11,030ft) above sea level, located in Sayghan Distrct, in Bamyan Province of Afghanistan.

Khyber Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,070m (3,510ft) above sea level, located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The road through the pass is the main route between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Isparman is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.706m (8,877ft) above sea level, located in the Farah province of Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Nowjok is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.722m (8,930ft) above sea level, located in the Daykundi Province of Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Surkh is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1.980m (6,496ft) above sea level, located in the Farah province of Afghanistan.

Kōtal-e Zardālū is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.669m (8,756ft) above sea level, straddling Jaghori and Qarabagh districts of Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Kajak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.830m (9,284ft) above sea level, located in the Daykundi Province of Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Bagak is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3,516m (11,535ft) above sea level, located in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Nargis is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3,134m (10,282ft) above sea level, located in the province of Wilāyat-e Bāmyān, Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Mianah is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3,544m (11,627ft) above sea level, located in Bamyan Province, one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan.

Kotal-e Farangi is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.700m (8,858ft) above sea level, located in the Farah province of Afghanistan.

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