Afghanistan's mountains hold some of the world's most prized gemstones. Source rough lapis lazuli, Panjshir emeralds, and Badakhshan spinels directly from Kabul wholesalers and mine operators — at prices that make the trip worth every dollar.
Arrange a Gem Sourcing TripA typical 5-day gem sourcing trip is based in Kabul. The Kabul gem bazaar aggregates stones from mines across the country — you can see and buy lapis, emeralds, spinels, tourmalines, and more without travelling to remote provinces.
For serious buyers, we can arrange a Badakhshan extension (add 3–4 days) to visit the Sar-e-Sang lapis mines directly — seeing the stones at source and meeting the mining cooperative operators.
Your bilingual fixer assists with negotiation, quality assessment introductions (we can arrange a local gem grader), and helps you understand export documentation requirements.
Airport pickup. Check-in. Evening briefing with your fixer on the gem market, negotiation tactics, and what to look for in Afghan lapis grades.
Guided visits to Kabul's main gem trading districts. Meet 4–6 pre-selected wholesalers. View lapis, emeralds, and spinels. Begin negotiation on items of interest.
Meetings with larger volume suppliers and exporters. Discuss MOQs, payment terms, and shipping. Optional: visit a gem-cutting workshop.
Return to preferred suppliers. Finalise orders, arrange payment. Fixer assists with weight verification and documentation of purchases.
Export documentation meeting. Review paperwork. Airport transfer and departure assistance.
Mined in Badakhshan. Grades: A (deep blue, minimal pyrite), B (medium blue, some white calcite), C (commercial grade). Buy rough by the kg; carved pieces priced individually.
From Panjshir Valley. Typically vivid green with fewer inclusions than Brazilian stones. Sold rough by carat weight or as faceted stones. Highly valued by European dealers.
Afghanistan produces red, pink, and blue spinels — historically confused with rubies. Badakhshan spinels have been traded since the Silk Road era. Rising demand in Western markets.
Afghan tourmalines (Kunar, Nuristan) range from pink to watermelon to chrome green. Also available: aquamarine, kunzite, and hiddenite. Excellent value for jewellery-grade stones.
The Sar-e-Sang mine in Badakhshan province is the world's primary source of high-grade lapis lazuli, operating for over 6,000 years. Secondary deposits exist in other parts of Badakhshan. Kabul's gem markets aggregate lapis from these mines for wholesale.
Wholesale prices in Kabul range from $5–$80 per kg for rough lapis depending on grade (royal blue Grade A vs. commercial Grade C with heavy pyrite). Compare to $200–$800/kg in Western markets. Carved pieces and cabochons carry additional premium.
Visits to Sar-e-Sang are possible but require significant planning — it's a multi-day trip from Kabul by road or charter flight to Faizabad, then overland. Go Kabul arranges Badakhshan mine visits as an extension to the standard gem sourcing tour for serious buyers.
Panjshir Valley emeralds are considered among the world's finest — comparable to Colombian stones in terms of colour saturation and clarity. They typically have fewer inclusions than Brazilian emeralds and are highly prized by European gem dealers.
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll design a custom gem sourcing itinerary around your needs.