Archaeological sites include petroglyphs and graves. The trophy-hunting programme maintained by the Afghanistan Tourist Organisation is incompatible with national park status. The lake surface and a proposed strip of land two km wide above higher water level, approximately 27,000ha. The size varies seasonally. It is surrounded by mudflats and arid highland steeps, which are dominated by Amygdalis, Cousinia spp, Tamarix laxa, and Artemisia maritima .
Grasses are common.
The mudflats are bare with only a few Taraxacum monochlamydum . The only aquatic vegetation is the pondweed Rupia maritima . The lake is a very important resting and feeding site for migratory waterfowl. It is an important resting area for thousands of ducks and waders. In 1973, Ajar Valley was declared a wildlife sanctuary.