While the town of Samangan is an ancient caravan stop on the periphery routes of the old Silk Road, that claim to fame isn’t actually it’s major draw. That honor goes to the mysterious cave complexes of Takht i Rostam that carve their way through the dusty ridges of the mountains nearby. These are thought to have been built in the 4th and 5th centuries AD, and are adorned with gorgeous Buddhist inlays of lotus leaves, all focusing on an inner mud-brick stupa. They offer an immersive glimpse into an almost-forgotten, pre-Muslim past.