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DAY 5
Side trip to Band-i-Amir lakes. If the Bamiyan Buddhas represent one of man's great achievements, the lakes at Band-i-Amir provide the perfect complement – the calcite dams are a unique natural wonder. The five lakes have a rich mineral content, resulting in a deep sapphire blue colour, fading to turquoise at the edges, contrasting with the pink cliffs above. There are five lakes in all, surrounded by natural dams formed from the minerals in the water. The dam around the first lake, Band-i-Haibat (“Dam of Awe”) is 14m high. The lakes can be explored on foot or by boat.
On the way back to Bamiyan, we will stop at Darya Ajdahar – the Valley of the Dragon. Legend has it that many years ago, a dragon lived in this valley, terrorising the people of Bamiyan, who placated him with a daily offering of two camels and a beautiful girl. The dragon's reign was ended by Hazrat Ali, who split him in two with his sword. The dragon-shaped rock that can be seen in the valley today is split with a 300m fissure, and from the “head”, the dragon's tears are still pouring out in the form of mineral springs. The groans of the dragon can be heard by placing an ear close to the fissure.