Afghanistan

Of all the natural wonders of Afghanistan, the lakes of Band-e Amir are perhaps the most out-standing. Situated in the mountainous Hazarajat at an altitude of approximately 3000m, 75km from Bamiyan, these majestic blue lakes are of legendary beauty.

It is the country’s first national park, officially designated as such in 2009, and is home to six lakes that are most famous for their striking deep blue shade, a result of mineral deposits. The lakes are separated by natural travertine deposits, making it one of the world’s only travertine systems. It is framed by the Hindu Kush mountains, and acts as one of the centres of Afghan tourism. While the region provides a wealth of natural and agricultural resources, the opportunities for ecotourism mean that there has been a decrease in economic dependency on these resources.

The Blue Mosque is the center of all the social and religious life of the city. It would be built on the tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, relative and companion of the prophet Mohamed. The Sultan of the Seljuq dynasty, Ahmed Sanjar (1118-1157), built the first known shrine at this location. It was destroyed during the invasion of Genghis Khan around 1220. In the 15th century, Timurid Sultan Husayn Bayqarah Mirza built the current Blue Mosque here. The shrine is surrounding by Rawza parks.