Khyber Pass/Torkham border reports (AF>PAK)

[yamamotoo]

Well, for quite a long time I was only reading this forum, but now it's time to give some new information that can be of importance to future travellers.
Although, everywhere on Internet is written that Khyber Pass is "closed", don't believe it - it's just a usual border that you can cross having a passport and valid visas for both countries. Here's short summary of what I've done just today.
Shared taxis run from Pul Mahmoud Khan in Kabul for a price of 700 AFN per seat. The road to Torkham is considered as relatively safe by locals, the way takes roughly 5 hours with all stops for food and offering prayers, Jalalabad is avoided by a huge bypass.
The formalities on the afghan side are pretty straightforward. The guards are nice, though not speaking English at all. Once they'll stamp you out, you must go straight to Pakistan, where guy from security agency might interview you and, once again, they'll stamp you in. On Pakistani side you'll need an escort till Peshawar, however unlike the one in Balochistan, this escort lasts only for 1-1,5 hours. No mandatory hotels and writing your passport info for one billionth time on the way - in Peshawar you'll be free, police gave me to my Cs host and gone.
All in all, if the security conditions will remain the same, it's a good opportunity to go directly from ex-Soviet "stans" to the Indian subcontinent avoiding everything I always wanted to avoid in my travels - Iran, tricky Turkmenistan visa, three days of escort and Bloom Star etc. (If security permits, you can even avoid the mandatory flight within Afghanistan coming from Mazar to Kabul - this winter this road became "safe" once again, according to locals).
Safe Travels!

[steven]

Many thanks for an essential update!

[Felix]

Thanks to Yamamotoo for this contribution. Can I request to clarify two points:

1. What kind of paperwork was necessary to have before entering Pakistan? (Visa, NOC?, was it made clear when asking for the visa, that Torkham was going to be the point of entry?, what passport were your travelling on?)
2. How did you organise your transport from Torkham to Peshawar? Did you arrange a driver, if so how? Did you use a taxi or similar? How was the police escort arranged, was it a convoy?

[yamamotoo]

Thanks to Yamamotoo for this contribution. Can I request to clarify two points:

1. What kind of paperwork was necessary to have before entering Pakistan? (Visa, NOC?, was it made clear when asking for the visa, that Torkham was going to be the point of entry?, what passport were your travelling on?)
2. How did you organise your transport from Torkham to Peshawar? Did you arrange a driver, if so how? Did you use a taxi or similar? How was the police escort arranged, was it a convoy?

1. No paperwork aside of regular tourist visa. I have a Russian passport, however I do believe that mentioning entering by land in your Pak visa application can cause a negative effect - I just brought to the embassy (fake) air ticket. As far as I am concerned, the embassy staff is normally reluctant to give visa even for those who wants to enter the county at Taftan border at least, if they have no vehicle), so same policy applies to here.
2. Police guys will take you to Peshawar for free with their car. No convoy, just one driver and one security guard.

Safe Travels!

[benviatte]

First of all, thank you and wow, that is amazing news. You are creating the future by sharing with the world what can be done.

I'm posting because I want to cross Afghanistan on foot, from Termez (Uzbekistan) to Mazari Sharif to Kabul to Khyber pass. Your experience was the trigger, the sigh of relief, that seems to be the only relevant information out there by a real traveller, rather than war reports by journalists who are selling fear. Anyway, I have 2 questions...

1) You mention the road from Mazar to Kabul being "safe again". Is this what locals told you in Kabul? Do you have any other information on it? What was your itinerary?

2) Regarding the road from Kabul to Khyber, the bypass around Jalalabad, and the Afghan situation in general... You did it by vehicle transport and all was fine. But do you think doing it on foot is much more dangerous, would it be suicidal? I am used to sleeping in my tent when I don't find a mosque or a village... I travel with a white flag, in case that can ever help. I'm asking because I strongly value your opinion, you are the only one I know with any experience of this.

Obviously, if anyone else has advice, they are more than welcome.

Thanks a million!

[roro]

Hi,
Many thanks for these updates.
An did you think it's possible with my own car ? (I Don't Believe, but…).
RR.

[thijsbroekkamp]

First of all, thank you and wow, that is amazing news. You are creating the future by sharing with the world what can be done.

I'm posting because I want to cross Afghanistan on foot, from Termez (Uzbekistan) to Mazari Sharif to Kabul to Khyber pass. Your experience was the trigger, the sigh of relief, that seems to be the only relevant information out there by a real traveller, rather than war reports by journalists who are selling fear. Anyway, I have 2 questions...

1) You mention the road from Mazar to Kabul being "safe again". Is this what locals told you in Kabul? Do you have any other information on it? What was your itinerary?

2) Regarding the road from Kabul to Khyber, the bypass around Jalalabad, and the Afghan situation in general... You did it by vehicle transport and all was fine. But do you think doing it on foot is much more dangerous, would it be suicidal? I am used to sleeping in my tent when I don't find a mosque or a village... I travel with a white flag, in case that can ever help. I'm asking because I strongly value your opinion, you are the only one I know with any experience of this.

Obviously, if anyone else has advice, they are more than welcome.

Thanks a million!

Such a cool journey, curious to see how it goes!

When we were there in september it was still a bit unclear so we didn't go, but some tourists traveled the road. Recently I've seen our Afghan guide taking some more tourists on this road now and also saw some other travelers doing this. So looks better now.

[yamamotoo]

First of all, thank you and wow, that is amazing news. You are creating the future by sharing with the world what can be done.

I'm posting because I want to cross Afghanistan on foot, from Termez (Uzbekistan) to Mazari Sharif to Kabul to Khyber pass. Your experience was the trigger, the sigh of relief, that seems to be the only relevant information out there by a real traveller, rather than war reports by journalists who are selling fear. Anyway, I have 2 questions...

1) You mention the road from Mazar to Kabul being "safe again". Is this what locals told you in Kabul? Do you have any other information on it? What was your itinerary?

2) Regarding the road from Kabul to Khyber, the bypass around Jalalabad, and the Afghan situation in general... You did it by vehicle transport and all was fine. But do you think doing it on foot is much more dangerous, would it be suicidal? I am used to sleeping in my tent when I don't find a mosque or a village... I travel with a white flag, in case that can ever help. I'm asking because I strongly value your opinion, you are the only one I know with any experience of this.

Obviously, if anyone else has advice, they are more than welcome.

Thanks a million!

Hello!
Unfortunately, my answer for both questions would be "no". Mazar to Kabul road was okay just two months ago, but currently the Taliban activity is increasing there and everything beyond the Salang Pass might be risky.
Kabul to Khyber is just a road, a highway, and it's not that long - so I am hardly getting the point of going there on foot. The road is generally safe by Afghan standarts, but still they don't used to foreighners there, so you'd better keep a low profile. Let's just hope for the better times in Afghanistan...

[yamamotoo]

Hi,
Many thanks for these updates.
An did you think it's possible with my own car ? (I Don't Believe, but…).
RR.

Though I know personally a guy, who'd done the same route last year by bike, I'll not recommend it for anybody.

[roro]

Thanks!
RR.