Herat Province · Afghanistan
Herat travel guide
Herat is a city in Herat Province, Afghanistan, home to about 556,000 people.
- Best months
- April and October
- Nearest airport
- HEA15 km · Herat - Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport
- Currency
- AFNafghani
- Time zone
- Asia/Kabul
- Language
- Arabic, Balochi, Dari
About
About Herat
Herat, also written as Harat or Hirat, and historically known as Haraiva, Horeiva and Hires, is a major city in western Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Herat Province and the Herat District. With an estimated population of 673,273 settled residents, it is the largest city in the province and the third-largest city of Afghanistan.
Herat is the third largest city in Afghanistan, located in the western part of the country, close to the border with Iran. It is called Nagin Aseeya or Diamond of Asia in some literature. The city has an eventful history of more than 3,000 years. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times; perhaps most notably, it was destroyed by Tamerlane in the 1300s. The people are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners and are also more religious than people in Kabul. Many of the young understand English or other foreign languages.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Herat
See
Ghala Ekhteyaradin, Takht Safar, Bagh Milat, Bagh Shaidayee, Masjid Jami, Howz Charso, Minarets, Poli Malan (Malan Bridge), Gowhar Shad Tomb, Gazer Gah Sharif, Sang Haft Ghalam, Dig Masjid Jami and tens of other beautiful places exist in Herat, and they are really worth a visit.
- The Friday Mosque
- Herat Citadel
- Herat National Museum
- Mousallah Complex
- Minarets of Sultan Baiqara
- Tomb of Jami
- Gazar Gah
- Takht-e Safar
- Military Museum
- Yu Aw Synagogue
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Herat
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Herat are April and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 37 °C; March is the wettest, with about 68 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Herat: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Herat - Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport (HEA), about 15 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
The Herat International Airport is 15 km south of the city just east of the road towards Farah. Daily flights from Kabul are available from Kam Air and Ariana for 3500 Afs. UNAMA and UNHAS operate flights between Kabul and Herat, occasionally via Bamiyan, available to staff of partner NGOs. A bus service is available from Mashhad in Iran, buses are supposed to leave at 07:00 from the bus terminal but departure times are flexible, be there early. Arrival at the border is around noon and in Herat a bit after 15:00. Border procedures are relatively straightforward.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
HEA · Herat - Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Herat
Eat
Herat has a mixture of traditional and modern foods. While in Herat do not forget to try Kichiri Goshti and Chainaki. Also Halwa Sohan Herat, Shirperra Zafarani and Dashlama Herati are the best sweets.
Stay safe
See the warning on the Afghanistan article for information on the security situation.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Herat: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Herat?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Herat are April and October. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 37 °C; March is the wettest, with about 68 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Herat?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Herat - Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport (HEA), about 15 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Herat?
afghani (AFN).
Nearby
Destinations near Herat
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.