Salang Pass, Mountain pass in Hindu Kush range, Afghanistan

Salang Pass is a mountain passage through the Hindu Kush at approximately 3,880 meters elevation, connecting northern Afghanistan with the Kabul region over about 154 kilometers. A tunnel beneath the pass significantly reduces travel time.

Soviet engineers built the Salang Tunnel beneath the pass between 1958 and 1964, reducing travel time from three days to ten hours. This was a major infrastructure project that transformed regional connectivity.

The pass links different regions and enables movement between Central Asia and South Asia. People use it daily to transport goods and maintain connections across the country.

From mid-November to mid-March the pass is buried under impassable snow, with drifts and frequent avalanches; crews and machinery clear the road around the clock in the autumn and spring. The surface is mixed, partly asphalt concrete and partly gravel, and the tunnel offers an alternative to the serpentine sections. The road carries heavy military traffic, so expect wear.

The area is known for extreme weather conditions and has been shaped by several natural disasters. In February 2010, a series of avalanches occurred there, affecting many people.