Torkham
Afghanistan · Nangarhar · 800 m
Description
Torkham is the busiest land crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the only one most travellers use, a gate at the foot of the Khyber where the road from Jalalabad meets the road down to Peshawar. Something like ten thousand people and several hundred lorries pass it on a working day, and the queues of trucks stand for kilometres on both sides. It shuts without notice for days or weeks whenever the two governments fall out, which they do often. There is nothing here but the crossing, the freight yards and the money changers. The pass itself is on the Pakistani side and the Afghan gate sits below it.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 day
Travel season
Best time to visit: November – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- The border gate itself
- Lorry queues on both sides
- Khyber road climbing away to Peshawar
- Porters and handcarts at the barriers
- Money changers at the gate
- Freight yards and the customs sheds
- Tribal territory hills on either side
- Chai and kebab stalls by the queue
Getting there
- Nearest airports:
- PEW
- Border town:
- Afghanistan