"Just at sunset ... we reached some large terraces of snow, so flat that I realized that they were a chain of frozen lakes. The waterfall had frozen into bloated stalactites, streaked with intense copper oxide green and turquoise blue and sulphur yellow, and creamy with snow where they had struck the water. The low sun sank into the straight cleft of the cliff behind me. The coloured alchemy of the ice drained into twilight."
- Rory Stewart, The Places in Between

The five lakes of Band-e Amir are Afghanistan's greatest natural wonder. They lie at nearly 3000m in the Koh-e Baba range of the Hindu Kush. Each lake is surrounded by a high retaining wall formed by limestone deposits. This unnatural appearance is explained locally by the miraculous intervention of the Caliph Ali, who raised the walls to dam a dangerous river and bring about the conversion to Islam of the local pagan king. The high mineral content of the water means that the lakes change their hue according to the light and time of day, a scene of stunning beauty. Even the best photos really fail to capture the nature of Band-e Amir, with the rich blues easily - but mistakenly - seen as the effects of special camera filters. One of the most amazing sights in Asia, Band-e Amir simply should not be missed.

The lakes lie 75km west of Bamiyan, via the village of Shahidan. The road should only be attempted in the summer or autumn due to snow. In good weather the trip from Bamiyan takes around five hours - it is usually necessary to hire a vehicle there as there is little transport to the lakes. An alternative is to take transport to Yawkawlang and get off at the junction to the lakes. From here, it is a couple of hours walk. Take care to stay on the road and not wander freely - the Taliban mined parts of the surrounding area, and the charred remains of one unlucky vehicle can clearly be seen from the road.

There is a chaikhana at Band-e Haibat, the lake most people will visit. It sells locally caught fish and will charge an inflated price for a bed for the night. Next to the chaikhana is a small mosque dedicated to Ali, as well as a couple of rowing boats that it's possible to take out on the lake. Swimming is possible for men, but the water is incredibly cold.