Check the political climate as well as a weather forecast: it's essential to know what's happening in Afghanistan before planning a trip.

Afghanistan has four distinct seasons. There's fine weather in spring (March to May) and the country blooms, but rain and melting snow can make many roads difficult to traverse. Summer (June to August) can be blisteringly hot everywhere except the mountains - Herat, Mazar-e Sharif and Jalalabad all swelter, but Kabul and Bamiyan enjoy pleasant, cool nights. Autumn (September to November) is one of the best times to visit, as there is pleasant, dry weather and plenty of delicious Afghan fruit. From the end of November, winter sets in, and snow is common across much of the country. Travel in the mountains is particularly tricky at this time.

Weather

Afghanistan's mostly mountainous geography makes for varying degrees of harshness depending on the altitude. Most of the country experiences a severe winter from December to February where 8°C (47°F) is a warm day and -8°C (18°F) a very cold night. A light to moderate wet season occurs from October to May with March and April being the only particularly wet months. Between June and September it is quite dry with average highs of 30-32°C (86-89°F) and apart from the arid winds along the Iranian border it can be quite pleasant. However May and September to October provide particularly comfortable mid-20°C (around 80°F) days and a little more moisture. Afghanistan's lower areas have slightly warmer winters with the only significant rain for the year and summer days bake with an average high around 39°C (104°F) in July.