Tourist Places to Visit in Mazari Sharif, Balkh, Afghanistan

Tourist Places to Visit in Mazari Sharif, Balkh, Afghanistan

Mazari Sharif in the 4^th largest city in Afghanistan coming under Balkh Province surrounded by Kunduz in east, Kabul in south-east, Herat in west and Uzbekistan in north. Mazari Sharif attracts many tourists due to the presence of many renowned mosques and shrines located in this part of the city. Mazari Sharif is positioned 1171 feet above sea level and coordinates with 36.42’ degree North Latitude and 67.07’ degree East Longitude.

History of Mazari Sharif:

Mazari Sharif was ruled by many Empires and Dynasties like
Greater Khorasans, Tahirids, Saffarids, Samanids, Ghaznivads, Ghurids, Khanates and Bukharas. The renowned Urdu poet and saint Jalal al din Rumi was born in Balkh Province which is a part of Mazari Sharif. It became a part of Durrani Empire during 1750 A.D. and later it was ruled by Emir Sher Ali Khan in late 1870’s.

Major attractions in Mazari Sharief:

Shrine of Hazrath Ali
Maulana Jalaludin Cultural Park
Tashkurgan Palace
Governors Palace
Mazar-i-Sharif Gate
Mazar-i-Sharif Cricket Stadium
Buzkashi Stadium
Balkh University
Aria University
Sadat University
Mawlana University
Taj University
Blue Mosque

Besides tourists can also visit Kabul for more places of attractions located 426 kms from Mazari Sharif namely:

Mausoleum of Zahir Shah & Nadir Shah
National Gallery of Afghanistan
National Museum of Afghanistan
Darul Aman Palace
Tomb of Babur
Minar-i- Istiqlal
Id Gah Mosque
Mausoleum of Timur Shah
Bala Hissar Fort
Kabul Golf Club
Kabul Zoo

Culture, Economy and food in Mazari Sharif:

Agriculture forms the basic backbone of the people living in Mazari Sharif and varieties of crops such as rice, wheat, barley are grown extensively in the nearby fields. The region also got a boost where some oil and gas reserves were found out in recent times. Mazari Sharif is very rich in culture and tradition. The tourists visiting the place will get a chance to taste traditional Afghan cuisines such as rice pulao, naan, mutton kurma, lamb chops, beef rolls, beef chops, soups and typical Afghan curries and gravies. Most of the Afghan recipes are pungent, spicy and prepared with lot of oil.

Connectivity to Mazari Sharif in Afghanistan:

Mazari Sharif is well linked by road, rail and air means of transport. Mazari Sharif is the first city to have rail connectivity with neighboring country Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. It is also connected by frequent bus services to Kabul, Kunduz, Khanabad and Sheberghan on regular basis. Mazari Sharif also has a mini airstrip or airbase which is mainly used by the Afghan army and military. Many cargo planes supplying essential commodities depart and arrive at Mazari Sharif Airport. The nearest international airport is the Kabul International Airport located at the distance of 426 kms from Madari Sharif which caters to both domestic and international flights.

Hotels in Mazari Sharif:

Mazari Sharif has some good hotels providing decent accommodation facilities to the tourists coming to this place from all parts of the world. Since Mazari Sharif has turned out to be one of the major tourists destination in this part of the country, hotels are providing all latest facilities for the tourists so that they can have a comfortable and memorable stay during their brief visit to this city. The hotels not only provide accommodation facilities but also serve authentic typical Afghan delicacies and recipes. Some 5 star hotels provide luxurious services like breakfast, lifts, elevators, in house shopping, baby sitting center, airport shuttle, free internet connectivity, laundry and ironing , tour desks, have fax and photocopy, entertainment staffs, mini bars etc. List of some of the hotels located in Mazari Sharif are: