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4w ago

Afghan Women Guides Revive Tourism With Women-Only Tours

Women-only tours navigate Taliban gender bans to offer foreign visitors curated access to heritage sites alongside women’s centers.

Maryam, a young Afghan on her first day of training to become a tour guide, helps 82-year-old Australian tourist Suzanne Sandral adjust her hijab in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Three foreign, female tourists, two at right, and second from left, visit Darul Aman Palace accompanied by three female tour guides in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Afghan tour guide Somaya Moniry, 24, left, and 82-year-old Australian tourist Suzanne Sandral pose for a photo next to a military helicopter during a visit to the War Museum in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Zoe Stephens, 31, from Britain, takes a selfie with other foreign, female tourists and Maryam, a local trainee tour guide, at left, at Darul Aman Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Overview

  • Somaya Moniry, 24, became one of Afghanistan’s first female professional tour guides, hosting all-women groups through Kabul’s museums and historic sites.
  • Tour operators such as Koryo Tours organize women-only tours that include visits to women’s centers and private cooking and embroidery classes unavailable to male travelers.
  • Foreign visitors from China, Europe and beyond report feeling safe and welcomed on these tours, even as Western governments advise against travel.
  • The Taliban government has streamlined tourist visas and restored flights connecting Kabul with hubs like Dubai and Istanbul to boost tourism revenue.
  • Severe restrictions on women’s education, movement and work persist under the Taliban, prompting ethical debates over engaging with Afghanistan’s tourism sector.