Situated in the severe place where rock cliffs meet rushing water, the village of Dalan Sang and its imposing gate are the main point of entry into the lush landscape beyond: the hundred-mile Panjshir Valley, a natural wonder nestled in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains. Named for the steep gorge at the mouth of the valley, Dalan Sang's village center is home to an open-air market, shops, a mosque, and a school for local children.

Once a stronghold of the resistance front during the Soviet-Afghan War, Anaba is now a famously peaceful district near the mouth of Panjshir Valley. The district comprises more than thirty smaller villages and is home to Panjshir's largest teaching hospital, the Anaba Medical-Surgical Centre. The Centre provides medical care and surgical interventions for Panjshir Valley residents and crucial training for rising generations of doctors. In 2018, an average of 20 babies a day were born at the centre's Maternity ward.

The village of Abdara is found a short drive away from the main Saricha road, out of sight of the Panjshir river. Abdara is surrounded by arid fields and wooded areas, but the village center is a bustling thoroughfare of shops, businesses, and gathering places. In 2003, the Abdara Girls School opened its doors to a class of 20 students, marking the first opportunity for education for many girls in the region. Abdara Girls School now enrolls more than 300 students in grades 1-12.

As travelers move north through Panjshir Valley, following Saricha road through the winding mountain pass, they enter the district of Rukha (also spelled Rohka). More than seventy villages are spread throughout the district, which is also home to one of Panjshir province’s three government-run hospitals—a necessity in a region known for twisting roads and challenging terrain. Rukha is a notably agricultural district, and produces a large percentage of Panjshir province’s wheat, apples, and apricots.

The village of Saricha is found at a sharp bend in the rolling Panjshir River, surrounded by gently wooded farmland that rises to meet the mountains on all sides. Saricha is one of the 29 villages located in Bazarak district, and is now best known as the location of resistance hero Ahmad Shah Massoud's tomb. The village shares a name with Saricha road, the gravel highway that stretches 200 miles through the mountains to Afghanistan’s north-eastern border.

The town of Bazarak, located in Bazarak district, is the bustling capital of Panjshir province. Home to tens of thousands of people on the banks of the Panjshir River, the rural metropolis is scenic cultural attraction in its own right. However, Bazarak district is perhaps most famously known as the birthplace—and final resting place—of storied resistance fighter and local hero Ahmad Shah Massoud. Massoud's tomb is located in Saricha, one of the smaller villages in Bazarak district.

Panjshir's Dara district is large and vibrant, comprising more than 130 different villages and covering nearly 275 square miles of rugged foothills and arid farmland. While the district is not a main producer of grains or fruits, Dara boasts a unique agricultural feature: it grows the overwhelming majority of Panjshir province’s potatoes. In 2011, the Baba Ali Girl's School opened in Dara district, providing an opportunity for education for more than a hundred girls in nearby villages.

Omarz (also spelled Omerz, or Ghozo-Omerz) is a small village in Khenj district, situated in a narrow greenway on the banks of the Panjshir River. Omarz is home to several hundred families, and in 2013 a new concrete bridge was constructed to provide villagers reliable access to medical clinics and schools across the river. Omarz is known as the birthplace of Afghanistan's former Vice President, Mohammad Qasid Fahim, who served as a commander of the Northern Alliance with regional hero Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Traveling northeast of Bazarak district on Saricha Road, Khenj (also known as Hisayi Awal, or Hese-Awal) is the most heavily-populated district in Panjshir Valley. In this district, the valley surrounding the Panjshir River widens and branches out, accommodating over 150 villages, along with plazas, market centers, and businesses. The land is fertile, and many of the people in the district work as farmers. Some of Panjshir Valley's most celebrated emerald mines are located in the mountains of this district.

Further up Saricha Road is a sprawling village in Khenj district called Safid Chehr. Here, the broad valley is dotted with fruit trees, schools, a hospital, and the homes of hundreds of families. Like many residents of Panjshir Valley, villagers in Safid Chehr tend to a variety of household livestock—including goats, chickens, cows, and sheep—in addition to common crops. The region is ideal for growing fruits like apples and apricots, and the open-air markets in villages like Safid Chehr are packed with fresh produce.

Toward the northeastern edge of Khenj district is the village of Dasht Rewat, situated on the banks of the Panjshir River where the water widens. For hundreds of years, Dasht Rewat (also spelled Dasht Raywat, Dasht-i-Rewat) has served as a refuge for travelers making their way over the treacherous mountain pass. In recent years, as transportation through the region has become more reliable, Dasht Rewat remains a welcoming community for those making the journey through the valley.

The small village of Dah Khawak is located in a remote, rocky region of Panjshir Valley near the Khawak Pass—the storied path through the Hindu Kush mountains once taken by Alexander the Great. The village is situated on the convergence of two branches of the Panjshir River as it flows from the mountains through the valley.

Paryan is the northernmost district of the hundred-mile Panjshir Valley, located at an altitude of nearly 10,000 feet above sea level. Up here, the views are spectacular and the winters are difficult. In spite of the challenges, Paryan district is home to resilient communities of skilled craftspeople known for their rugs, jewelry, and other goods.