Last Updated on: 14th April 2026, 11:04 am
A lot of people are shocked to first learn that Kabul Province used to be a predominantly Buddhist region. And though much of that ancient heritage has largely been lost, visitors can still experience it at places like Shewaki Stupa, situated just outside of the capital.
And while in Kabul city, you should also be sure to visit the National Museum of Afghanistan, which features a sizable collection of artifacts unearthed from the nearby ruins of Mes Aynak.
For more information on reaching Kabul and the best places to stay, be sure to check the end of the article.
Shewaki Stupa
Shewaki Stupa is located in Kabul Province’s Bagrami District, about 11 km southeast of Kabul City. But most of the journey winds through narrow streets in small towns on the capital’s outskirts, so it took us about 45 minutes to get there.
My driver, who I hired through my hotel for 2000 AFN roundtrip, had to ask multiple people along the way where to find the stupa. But it turned out that the Google Maps directions had been correct all along.
The stupa is taller than any of the buildings in the area, while it’s also situated at a higher elevation. So you should be able to spot it in the distance once you’re close.
The stupa is free to enter – you simply show up and walk around. While there’s basically just one main structure here, the overall site is bigger than it first appears.
Clearly, there was once a thriving monastery situated in front of the stupa as well.
Shewaki Stupa was constructed in the 1st century AD (though some sources say the 3rd century), and it was likely inhabited until the 5th century. This period largely overlaps with the Kushan era.
The Kushan Empire, which lasted from the 1st to 4th centuries AD, was a vast empire that spread from northern India all the way into parts of modern-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. And pretty much all of modern-day Afghanistan was encompassed by it.
What’s fascinating about the Kushans is that the empire arose after the conquests of Alexander the Great, meaning that Central Asia had already been exposed to and heavily influenced by Greek religion and culture.
The Kushans were also tolerant of Zoroastrianism and Hinduism, though they largely favored Buddhism.
During this time, a hugely important cultural center was Gandhara, which encompasses parts of Pakistan – like Taxila and Peshawar – and Afghanistan, including Kabul.
It was in Gandhara during the Kushan period that the world’s very first Buddha images appeared, and it’s no coincidence that they share a lot in common with Greek sculpture art.
Shewaki Stupa was once part of a Buddhist pilgrimage route linking India and Bamyan. And as we’ll cover shortly, it was also situated by the thriving Silk Road city of Mes Aynak.
The main stupa, which reaches up to 27 m, is surprisingly impressive. Though it’s recently been restored, old drawings and photographs reveal that its main portion has remained standing for over a thousand years.
Walking around, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the very best preserved ancient Gandharan stupa. Most of the stupas in Taxila and Peshawar, in contrast, are largely ruined.
I have yet to visit Pakistan’s Swat Valley, an area which seems to contain some well-preserved and large stupas. In any case, Shewaki Stupa far exceeded my expectations, especially considering how rarely it gets mentioned in articles on the Kushan Empire or Gandhara.
As mentioned, the central stupa has always remained standing, but it was largely surrounded by a mound of rubble when it was discovered by Charles Masson in 1833.
Masson (1800–1853), was born as James Lewis. And he left England for India to serve as a British East India Company soldier. But he later deserted and fled to Afghanistan – beyond the reaches of the British Empire. And he even changed his name to conceal his identity.
After encountering the American adventurer Josiah Harlan and joining his makeshift army on its way to Kabul, Masson deserted Harlan as well. And he began focusing on archaeology instead.
Masson explored no less than 50 ancient Buddhist sites near Kabul and Jalalabad between 1833 and 1838, even sketching the Shewaki Stupa early on in his journey.
But Shewaki wouldn’t be properly excavated until the 1930s by the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan, an institution created in 1922 at the behest of King Amanullah Khan.
And then more recently, during the Islamic Republic era, Shewaki Stupa was restored between 2009-2013 by the Afghan Cultural Heritage Consulting Organisation (ACHCO).
Around 100 workers from nearby villages were employed for the project. And in addition to restoring the stupa and monastery, they also added a drainage system to prevent the site from potential damage from flash floods.
Various ceramics were unearthed during the restorations, but it’s unclear where they are now.
It’s remarkable how similar the shape of this stupa appears to the domes of certain Islamic mosques – especially some of those in neighboring Uzbekistan.
While everyone knows that this structure predates Islam, one wonders if its familiar shape has helped protect it from harm for all these years.
The Taliban infamously destroyed the Buddhas of Bamyan in 2001, despite having previously made statements in support of preserving Afghanistan’s cultural heritage.
Now in the second Taliban era, the theological government is still clearly adamant about forbidding the depiction of the human form.
On the drive over, for example, we passed by establishments like gyms and dental offices adorned with photographs of smiling people that have been since scrawled over with black spray paint.
Nevertheless, the Taliban are now making similar statements about preserving the country’s past, meaning that Shewaki Stupa should remain protected.
Elsewhere in the area, I encountered one additional round stupa enclosed within a rectangular structure. It appears to have been largely made of thin slabs of schist, though only the base remains.
I scanned the horizon for additional ruins, but saw nothing but the surrounding Monaray Ghar mountains.
The Artifacts of Mes Aynak
The archaeological site of Mes Aynak lies about 30 km southeast of Shewaki Stupa. The site is actually located in Logar Province, just outside of Kabul Province. But it’s close enough, so we’ll still be talking about it here.
During my trip, locals told me that the site was closed to visitors. While I’ve seen some local guides (or people posing as such) online claiming that the site is open, I cannot find any blogs, vlogs, or social media posts by anyone who’s visited in recent years.
So here we’ll solely be displaying pictures of artifacts from Mes Aynak that are currently on display at the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul.
Mes Aynak was a major commercial and religious center along the ancient Silk Road. While predominantly a Buddhist city, in true Gandharan fashion, a variety of traditions were practiced here, and archaeologists have discovered a Zoroastrian fire temple amongst the ruins.
Hundreds of Buddha statues have been discovered at the site, though none of them are currently on display at the National Museum due to the Taliban’s ideology. We can only hope that they’re being stored in safekeeping somewhere.
Some of the artifacts date back over 3000 years, meaning that the settlement here even predates Buddhism.
But why has Mes Aynak been off-limits to visitors for so long? The reason actually has little to do with the Taliban’s policies and more to do with the Chinese. The area has been found to be very rich in copper – including the ground right beneath the ancient ruins.
As a result, a 30-year mining lease was granted to the China Metallurgical Group (MCC) during the Islamic Republic era in 2007. The lease was for $3 billion, but the mine is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars in total!
Given Mes Aynak’s historical importance, however, archaeologists and other activists have been fighting for years to preserve it.
Actually, the presence of copper there was well known in antiquity, and that’s likely the reason for it becoming such an important city. Even the name ‘Mes Aynak,’ in fact, means ‘Little source of copper’!
Fortunately, as mentioned above, it seems like the Taliban’s current official position is that the region’s pre-Islamic heritage should be preserved. According to this 2026 article, the current Minister of Information and Culture ‘called for a national and Islamic responsibility to preserve [Mes Aynak’s] artifacts, urging coordinated efforts to document and present them to future generations.’
And though numerous articles over the years have stated that Mes Aynak is slated for destruction, that doesn’t seem to have happened yet. According to the same article, the Minister ‘stressed the need for careful management of economic development, particularly in relation to the copper mine, ensuring that it does not harm the historical and archaeological landscape.’
As for the Mes Aynak items on display at the National Museum, as mentioned, you currently won’t see any sculptures. But you will see a few fascinating of fragments of old mural paintings that do indeed depict the human form – presumably that of the Buddha.
In addition to various pottery fragments, other notable pieces reveal the strong Persian influence over the region. For example, one plate features the bust of Shapur II (r. 309 – 379) of the neighboring Sasanian Empire.
In fact, during this time, large parts of Gandhara (minus Taxila) and Bactria were actually absorbed into the Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom, a Sasanian ‘sub-kingdom’ that lasted roughly until the end of Shapur II’s reign.
Additional Info
Kabul is now connected with a number of international destinations by air, including Islamabad, Istanbul, Dubai, and a few others.
For those traveling by land, it’s also possible to get to Kabul in a day from Peshawar, Pakistan via the Torkham Border crossing. But it’s widely regarded as one of the world’s most chaotic crossings. And it also frequently closes.
I managed to cross it without major issues, but it was easily one of my wildest ever travel experiences. I can’t simply summarize it here. Stay tuned for a future article entirely dedicated to the crossing experience.
If you’ve entered Afghanistan via another land border (all of which are a lot less chaotic than Torkham), you should easily be able to find direct transport to Kabul in the form of ‘VIP buses’ (fancy coach buses) or shared taxis.
The main place to consider staying in Kabul is the Shar-e Naw district. Not only is the neighborhood centrally located, but it’s home to modern shopping malls and coffee shops, allowing for a soft landing for those just entering the country.
From my experience traveling all over Afghanistan, Kabul was the only city where I could simply book a hotel on Booking. (Though things are always changing.)
The one I chose was Kabul Abdal Guest House, though it doesn’t seem to be on Booking anymore at the time of writing. The location was excellent and the staff were really friendly, but the main downside was cleanliness. (Looking back, even when paying roughly the same price in most cities, my experiences with hotel cleanliness varied greatly in Afghanistan, ranging from filthy to impeccably clean.)
Afghanistan isn’t the most budget-friendly country in the region when compared to its neighbors. But the cheapest option in town is Afghan Arya Guest House & Tours. The reviews look great, and I probably would’ve chosen it had it been on Booking at the time of my visit.
Another one of the most popular options for budget travelers in Kabul is Afghania Guest House, which seems to have been around for a long time. Just note that the bathrooms there are shared.
For a slightly higher price, the Khyber Hotel is another highly-rated option in Shar-e Naw.
While I can’t speak about every hotel, it would be wise to expect weak and spotty Wifi wherever you are in Afghanistan. That’s why it’s a good idea to obtain a local SIM card to use as a hotspot when necessary.
If Kabul is your first destination in Afghanistan, you’re supposed to head to the Ministry of Information & Culture Office to obtain a permit for traveling around Kabul and around the country. (Note that this is separate from the visa you need in advance of your arrival.)
The government offices are open daily except Fridays, while they’ll also be closed on Islamic holidays. This schedule is something you need to anticipate in advance of your visit, as you may be denied entry to certain sites without your permit.
(Don’t expect to be randomly stopped while walking, though. I arrived on a Thursday evening and then walked through Kabul without a permit the next day with no issues. I finally got the permit on Saturday morning and nobody cared.)
The scheduling issue goes for pretty much every destination in Afghanistan, as you’ll be required to obtain additional local permits for each province that you stay in. But in regional offices, you’ll always have to show them your Kabul permit first.
Note that Google Maps can be unreliable when directing you to the government office. But you should find the main entrance to the fortified Taliban government compound near the shopping mall called Gulbahar Business Center (this is also a good place to get a SIM card).
This info is applicable if you’re doing things independently, however. Confusingly, I’m now reading reports of a guide being required to apply for permits in Kabul. Some people are saying it’s mandatory, while others are saying it’s not.
The situation is constantly changing for tourism in Afghanistan, so we’ll be listing everything in a single practical article and updating it when major changes occur.