For almost 30 years, Afghanistan has existed mainly as a virtual travel destination. It had been at the forefront of the hippy trail in the 60s and 70s that in many ways served as a harbinger for modern adventure travel, but since the country began its bloody turmoil with the Soviet invasion, any traveller dreaming of Kabul had to satisfy themselves by curling into a chair with a copy of "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush".

However, foreigners have still been visiting Afghanistan for many years, as aid workers, journalists and other professionals, a trickle that turned into a flood with the Taliban's ouster at the close of 2001. And despite the risks, there are now a handful of travel companies offering secure (if restricted) itineraries to the country.

But why would anyone want to go to Afghanistan in the first place? The popular media image is of a flat and dusty brown sort of a place. The truth couldn't be farther from this picture. Afghanistan is dominated by the spine of the Hindu Kush mountains, crossing the border from Pakistan's iconic Khyber Pass (still the classic route into Afghanistan) and continuing to the elevated capital Kabul, and only tailing away into the plains near Iran.

The peaks are white in winter, and in summer their valleys are braided silver with fast rivers and green from fields huddled along their banks. In the north, the deserts bloom with the spring rains, brightly studding the plains with swathes of tulips and gentians.

But the key question is, to put it brutally, will I make it back in one piece? And, aren't there a lot of suicide bombers? Southern Afghanistan is a war zone, but the rest of the country exists in a constantly swirling pool of calm and instability. Some areas have been consistently quiet since 2001 and are likely to remain so. These happily include two places that will be high on the list of tourist attractions for any future visitor: the Bamiyan valley, where the giant Buddha statues once stood, and the Wakhan Corridor, the mountainous tongue of land sticking out of the far northeast, where local communities are already trying to promote trekking with the local yak-herding nomads.

Kabul (whose airport is now served by a handful of international airlines) is the real barometer of how safe it is to visit the country, and a key example of why anyone prepared to travel to Afghanistan should be keeping a close eye on the news. On my most recent visit in July the city was calm, in a sunny mood even. Afghan friends would suggest going for an early evening walk to the fresh juice stands in Shahr-e Nau Park, and were feeling optimistic. Since then, a number of suicide bombs have jangled nerves and succeeded in emptying the streets again.

To the outsider, Kabul seems the most modern of Afghan cities. The air trills with the sound of mobile phones, and there is a surprising variety of amenities to anyone who manages to get there. The creaking Intercontinental Hotel that welcomed journalists under Russian, mujaheddin and Taliban regimes is undergoing a major refit, although you'll have to wait a while yet for the bikini-clad swimmers shown in its 1970s promotional material to return. The hotel has struggling to catch up with other offerings - first the private guesthouse boom spurred by the influx of foreigners five years ago, and then the subsequent hotel construction boom.

Nowadays, the swish boutique-style Kabul Serena Hotel is the destination of choice, or the old colonial decor of the Gandamack Lodge. Run by John Simpson's favoured cameraman (and the first person to film an interview with Osama Bin Laden), it's a slice of the Home Counties right down to the English pub in the basement.

Make the most of the comfy beds in Kabul, as they're often lacking beyond the capital. Hotels tend to be creaky, and on long road trips it isn't unusual to end up in a teahouse at the end of a day, where for the price of dinner (less than a pound) you also get a corner of the communal dining room to curl up in for the night. Most Afghans travel with their own blanket and over-sized scarf for exactly this reason.

The scarves also come into their own when travelling. Afghan roads must surely be the dustiest on the planet, so wrapping yourself up for protection is essential. Women will need their scarf to cover their heads anyway, although going the whole hog and trying to wear a burqa is a big cultural no-no. Some male visitors like to dress up in shalwar kameez, the baggy shirt and pyjama trousers favoured by most Afghans. Wanting to blend in is often cited as the reason, but a secret desire to feel like they're playing the "Great Game" is often just as important a motivation.

Dinner on the road tends to be greasy meat and rice, a shared plate eaten with the hands and washed down with gallons of green tea. It can get pretty monotonous, which is why the summer or autumn remain the best times to travel to take advantage of Afghanistan's bounteous produce. Afghan fruit is truly exceptional, from fat pomegranates from Kandahar to juicy figs, peaches and apples. The north is famous for its melons, which Marco Polo declared to the best in the world.

Afghanistan is bursting with potential as a future tourist destination. Its mountains could rival Nepal as a trekking destination, while Silk Road cities like Herat with their brightly tiled mosques are the match of more celebrated rivals like Samarkand or Isfahan. The jewelled lakes of Band-e Amir are itching to have feet dipped in them. Nomads lead their camel caravans past the broken remains of tanks. The promise is there, and Afghans and travellers alike are just waiting for the right moment to finally return.

Afghanistan is published by Lonely Planet, price £15.99 (ISBN: 9781740596428). You can buy the book from the Lonely Planet website

Need to know

Advice from the Foreign Office for travel to Afghanistan varies according to the region, but the organisation strongly advises against all travel to the provinces of Balkh (Northern Afghanistan); Ghazni, Kapisa, Khost, Kunar, Laghman, Logar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Paktika, Panjsher and Paktya (Eastern Afghanistan); Helmand, Kandahar, Nimroz, Uruzgan, and Zabul (Southern Afghanistan); and Farah (Western Afghanistan). There is also specific advice for Kabul, and general safety advice for Britons thinking of visiting.

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