Qala-e-Naw

Qala-e-Naw is the capital of Badghis Province, a small town in the hills of north-western Afghanistan, about 150 kilometres by road north-east of Herat. It lies at around 900 metres, in a valley surrounded by rolling, treeless hills that turn green in spring and brown by summer. Its name means 'new fort'. The town is the province's administrative centre and main market. Its bazaar, a few streets of shops, workshops and eating places, is where people from the surrounding districts come to sell livestock, wool, grain and pistachios, and to buy cloth, tools and household goods. Around the centre are neighbourhoods of mud-brick houses and walled compounds, with gardens watered by small channels. Qala-e-Naw has no major monuments and very few visitors. For those who come, it offers a glimpse of everyday provincial life in the north-west, the open landscapes of the Badghis hills, and the busy trade of the bazaar on market days. It is the usual starting point for travel into the rest of Badghis, and the end of the road for travellers coming up from Herat over the Sabzak Pass.

As its name suggests, Qala-e-Naw grew up around a fort, and for much of its history it was a local stronghold and market in the hills between Herat and the northern steppe. It became the seat of local chiefs of the Aimaq communities of the area, whose power rose and fell with that of the rulers of Herat. In the later 19th century, after Herat was firmly joined to the Afghan state, the area came under the authority of Kabul, and Qala-e-Naw gradually developed into an administrative centre. In the 20th century it became the capital of Badghis Province, gaining government offices and schools, and the road to Herat was improved. In recent decades the town has been affected by conflict, and in years of drought families from the countryside have moved into the town.

Qala-e-Naw's bazaar brings together the communities of Badghis, and Dari is the common language of trade, with Pashto, Uzbek and Turkmen also heard. Men gather in the tea houses of the bazaar to talk and trade, while family life is centred on the walled courtyards of the town's houses. Friday prayers at the main mosques are the focus of the week, and the two Eids are celebrated with new clothes, family visits and special foods. At Nowruz, families go out to picnic on the green hills around the town. Wrestling matches and horse games are popular on holidays, and buzkashi is played on open ground near the town in the colder months.

The town sits in a broad valley ringed by rolling hills of loess, bare of trees except for the gardens in the town and scattered pistachio trees on the slopes further out. In spring the hills are briefly green, with grass and wild flowers that draw families and herders out of town, and flocks of sheep and goats graze close to its edge. In summer the landscape dries to shades of brown and gold, and strong winds raise dust across the valley. Small streams and channels water the gardens and fields around the town, and the higher ground to the south-west, crossed on the road to Herat, carries snow in winter.

The bazaar of Qala-e-Naw has a few simple eateries and tea houses, serving kebab, shorwa, palaw and fresh bread from the tandoor. Home cooking relies on bread, dairy and seasonal vegetables, with mutton for guests and holidays, and dishes such as qurutab and ash, a noodle soup, are common in winter. Pistachios from the hills of Badghis are the town's signature produce, sold in the bazaar in late summer and autumn, often still in their pinkish husks. Melons, watermelons and grapes come in from the valleys in season, and dried fruit, nuts and sweets are offered to guests with tea.

Qala-e-Naw is a working market town rather than a craft centre. Most of its shops sell cloth, clothing, household goods, tools and food for the people of the province. Some dealers sell carpets, kilims and woven bags made in the villages of Badghis, and felt rugs and woollen goods appear in the market. Tailors make traditional clothing to order, and blacksmiths and metalworkers produce tools, stoves and household items. Visitors looking for a wide choice of carpets or other crafts will find more in Herat.

Spring, from late March to May, is the best time to visit, when the hills around the town are green and the weather is mild. September and October are also pleasant, with cooler days and pistachios and fruit in the bazaar. Summers are hot, dry and windy, with dust carried across the valley, though evenings are cooler than in the lowlands. Winters are cold, with frost and snow at times, and rain or snowmelt can make the road over the Sabzak Pass to Herat slow or temporarily blocked.

Qala-e-Naw is reached by road from Herat, roughly 150 kilometres to the south-west, over the Sabzak Pass. The drive usually takes around four hours, and shared taxis and minibuses run between the two cities. Herat is linked to Kabul by the long road through Kandahar and by domestic flights; the full road journey from Kabul to Qala-e-Naw takes about two days. To the east, a road leads to Bala Murghab and Faryab, but much of it is unpaved and slow. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Qala-e-Naw has only a few places to stay: simple hotels and guest rooms near the bazaar and on the main road, used mostly by traders, officials and aid workers. Rooms are basic, and electricity, heating and water supply can be unreliable, so it is worth checking before agreeing to stay. Because the choice is so limited, many visitors stay in Herat and travel to Qala-e-Naw for a long day or a single night. Travellers with local contacts may be invited to stay with a family, in keeping with the hospitality of the region.

The town is small, and the bazaar and the main offices can be reached on foot. Zaranj rickshaws carry passengers and goods around town and are the usual choice for short trips, and taxis can be found near the bazaar. Shared taxis and minibuses to Herat and to the district centres leave from stands in town once they are full, mostly in the morning. Motorbikes are common, and donkeys and carts still bring produce and firewood in from the nearby villages. For trips into the hills around the town, a car with a local driver is the practical option.