Afghan culture: a traveller's guide
Afghanistan surprises almost everyone who visits, and it is rarely the landscapes people talk about first. It is the people: the shopkeeper who refuses your money for a cup of tea, the family that invites you in after five minutes of conversation, the old man who recites Persian poetry by heart. Here is what to know about Afghan culture before you go, so you can meet it with confidence and respect.
Languages : Dari and Pashto
Main peoples : Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek
Key custom : Hospitality and tea
Dress : Modest, hair covered for women
Big festival : Nowruz, the new year in March
Hospitality comes first
In Afghanistan a guest is sacred. You will be offered tea in shops, offices and homes, often with dried fruit and sweets, and accepting it is the start of every real conversation. If you are invited for a meal, expect to eat far more than you planned. Our guide to Afghan food tells you what will land on the cloth.
Greetings and good manners
Say "salaam alaikum" when you arrive. A hand on the heart is a warm, polite greeting.
Men usually shake hands with men. Do not offer your hand to a woman unless she offers hers first.
Use your right hand to eat, give and receive.
Remove your shoes before entering a home or a mosque, and wait to be shown where to sit.
What to wear
Modest clothing is expected everywhere. Men wear long trousers and shirts that cover the shoulders. Women wear loose clothes covering arms and legs, and a scarf over the hair in public. Dressing this way opens doors and earns real respect.
Peoples and languages
Afghanistan is a mosaic. Pashtuns live mostly in the south and east, Tajiks in the north and around Kabul, Hazaras in the central highlands of Bamyan, and Uzbeks and Turkmen on the northern plains. Dari, a form of Persian, and Pashto are the two official languages. A few words of Dari are always welcome.
Poetry, music and crafts
Persian poetry runs deep here: the great poet Rumi was born in Balkh, near Mazar-e-Sharif, and many Afghans can quote verses by heart. Look out for hand-knotted carpets, the deep blue lapis lazuli from Badakhshan, and the glassblowers and tile makers of Herat.
Festivals and traditions
Nowruz, the Persian new year on 21 March, is the biggest celebration of the year, with crowds at the shrines and picnics everywhere. In winter, the north comes alive for buzkashi, the wild national game played on horseback.
Photos and respect
Always ask before photographing someone, and never photograph women without their clear agreement. Avoid photographing checkpoints and officials. During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in public during the day. Our page on safety in Afghanistan covers the rest.
Meet Afghan culture with us
Our Afghan guides open doors that stay closed to most visitors: tea in a family home, a carpet workshop, a buzkashi match. Join one of our group tours or build a tailor-made trip around the encounters that matter to you.
What travellers ask us about Afghan culture
What should I wear in Afghanistan?
Loose clothes that cover shoulders, arms and knees. Women also cover their hair in public with a scarf. We send a full packing list before the trip.
What languages are spoken in Afghanistan?
Dari and Pashto are the two official languages. A simple "salaam" (hello) and "tashakor" (thank you) go a long way.
Can I take photos of people?
Always ask first, and never photograph women without their clear agreement. Most men are happy to pose once you ask.
What is the most important custom to know?
Hospitality. You will be offered tea everywhere, and accepting it is part of meeting people. Remove your shoes before entering a home.
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Unique Afghanistan