Kotal-e Qonaq: a dangerous curvy road to the summit
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.
![Kotal-e Qonaq](https://www.dangerousroads.org/cache/images/900x/8/kotaleqonaq0-fd4ecf2b.jpg)
Tucked away in the Hindu Kush mountain range, the winding busy truck road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s very curvy with many hairpin turns. When the snow falls - which it does in the winter – things get tough and slippery. If you do choose this route please check up to date information due to the security situation: terrorist attacks, ongoing armed conflict, risk of kidnapping and high crime rate.
Located in the central highlands of the country, the pass is 15 km (9.32 miles) long, running north-south from Ghunagh (Bamyan Province) towards Khushkdara (Daykundi Province). The road is being improved the last years, with the construction of a new tunnel to bypass the most dangerous sections.
Road suggested by: Hugh Wilson
Pic&video: ZAWIA MUSIC