The first thing that comes to your mind when you see the word “Afghanistan” is an image of a barren country torn apart by long wars; a country full of deserts and rough mountains. But this image is not completely true. Hidden into these bare deserts is a fascinating beauty.

Imagine that this magnificent blue lake is a part ofAfghanistan’s rough Landforms. What is even stranger is that it is located at 3000 m aboveHindu KushMountainsin the centre of the country. These lakes are called Band-e Amir: a series of six enchanting lakes located inBamiyanProvinceinCentral Afghanistan.

How did water gather like this high up the mountains?

These lakes were formed from the water oozing out through cracks in the mountains. In time, rocks deposited into calcium carbonate precipitate making a form of travertine walls reaching a height of 10 m and a thickness of 3m. The gorgeous blue color is due to the clarity of the water and its mineral components.

What is special about this place is its closeness to the historical city ofBamiyanthat has been known for the huge archaeological statues of Buddha before Taliban blew them.

This area was declared one of World Heritage in 2009 and considered a national park. Despite its dazzling beauty it is not likely to become a touristic area because of the war inAfghanistan. It takes 10 hours by car to get to this place fromKabulthrough rough mountain roads. The American conquest is sponsoring a project for making a road that takes only third of this time to get there.

This is another group of photos of the place:

We all wish thatAfghanistanwould make it out of this ordeal that doesn’t seem to end.

Sources : 1,2,3