Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
KABUL — In a rare act of defiance under Taliban rule, a small but growing number of Afghan women are working as tour guides, leading all-female groups of foreign travelers through Kabul’s museums, palaces, and cultural sites. These tours offer a rare glimpse into the private world of Afghan women while challenging international perceptions of a country often defined by conflict and repression.
Although the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women—banning them from secondary education, most jobs, public parks, restaurants, and beauty salons—some are finding discreet ways to earn a living and connect with the outside world. Women-only tours, organized in collaboration with international travel companies, have created a fragile space where local guides and visitors can engage through culture, history, and hospitality.
The tours include visits to landmarks like the National Museum and Darul Aman Palace, along with private embroidery or cooking classes hosted by Afghan women in their homes or community centers. These experiences, closed to male travelers, offer foreign women insight into daily life under Taliban rule while creating economic opportunities for the few women still able to work.
Though tourism remains extremely limited and many governments advise against all travel to Afghanistan, the improved security since the end of the insurgency has led to a slow return of adventurous travelers. Tourist visas have become easier to obtain, and flights to Kabul from cities like Istanbul and Dubai are operating regularly.
Critics argue that visiting Afghanistan under its current regime legitimizes a government that systematically excludes women. But supporters of these tours say they create meaningful connections, support marginalized women, and challenge one-dimensional narratives about the country. For the Afghan women who guide these journeys, it’s not just about income—it’s about showing a side of their homeland that few outsiders ever see.
