Band-e-Amir

Band-e Amir National Park

Band-e Amir is the first national park in Afghanistan and consists of six stunning blue lakes in the middle of the Hindu Kush mountains. It is located 75 kilometers from Bamiyan.

General Information

Visitors to Afghanistan are usually overwhelmed by the pristine beauty of the area. One of the attractions is the legendary Band-e-Amir Lakes, located in the central part of the Hindu Kush mountain range. Here, six stunning blue lakes can be seen among the purple and gray high cliffs. The rich color of the water in the lakes is due to a combination of clear water and high limestone sediment content.

Band-e-Amir Lakes are considered one of the natural wonders of Afghanistan. They were created by the flow of water through natural terraces, and those in turn were created by calcium carbonate deposits, so that the lakes are constantly flowing one into the other. Amidst the desert rocky landscape, the dazzling cobalt blue water seems like an incredible mirage. The lakes are located just 75 kilometers from Bamiyan.

Despite the fact that there is almost no greenery here, the area is teeming with animals. Wolves, foxes, hares, wild sheep and goats can be found here, and the lake is home to large yellow fish known locally as “chush”. Mules and donkeys can be seen in the area and serve as the main means of transportation for the locals.

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Band-e-Amir was declared a national park in 2009.

Need to know

• The most favorable seasons to visit are spring and summer. In winter, temperatures can drop below -20 °C.
Before traveling, contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your country or the local Afghan embassy to make sure you are going to travel to this often internally war-torn area at a favorable time..
• Tourists may encounter the following problems when visiting the national park: lack of basic services, paved roads, and the presence of mined areas. The area has been mined both by the military forces and after the arrival of the Taliban. The only and small bazaar is located near the Bande Haibat Lake.
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• The local ecology is regularly subjected to serious challenges such as unregulated grazing, uprooting of shrubs, which in turn contributes to soil erosion, and fishing with explosives. Due to these and other problems, the diversity of wildlife in Bande Amir has declined significantly.