Photography Journey

Bamiyan Province

Bamiyan

Set at 2,500 metres in the central highlands, Bamiyan was once a great stop on the Silk Road. Its cliffs are honeycombed with monastic caves, and its valleys open onto farmland ringed by the Koh-i-Baba range.

Between the 3rd and 10th centuries Bamiyan flourished as a Buddhist centre where Indian, Persian and Hellenistic art met. The cultural landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Best time to visit: May to October

Highlights

• The Buddha niches and cliff caves
• Shahr-e Gholghola, the City of Screams
• Shahr-e Zuhak, the Red City
• Village walks among poplar groves

Bamiyan Province

Band-e Amir

Afghanistan's first national park is a chain of six deep-blue lakes separated by natural mineral dams, framed by ochre cliffs.

Formed over millennia by mineral-rich water, the lakes were declared a national park in 2009.

Best time to visit: June to September

Highlights

• Band-e Haibat, the largest lake
• Cliff-top viewpoints
• Shrine of Hazrat Ali
• Picnics with local families

Balkh Province

Mazar-e-Sharif

The northern city centres on the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, its turquoise domes alive with white doves. Nearby Balkh is among the oldest cities in the world.

Balkh, called the Mother of Cities, was the birthplace of the poet Rumi.

Best time to visit: March to May, October

Highlights

• The Blue Mosque
• Ancient Balkh and its walls
• Nowruz celebrations
• Green Mosque of Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa