Why some travelers seek out the world's most 'dangerous' locales Band-e-Amir Lakes, Afghanistan Ciudad Perdida, Colombia Mount Damavand, Iran Kashmir, India/Pakistan Mount Nyiragongo, Congo Band-e-Amir Lakes in Afghanistan regularly attract travelers Colombia's improving security situation has doubled its annual influx of tourists in recent years Congo's Virunga National Park is closed to visitors, but contains world's largest lava lake (CNN) -- Let's start with the disclaimer: if you go, and something undesirable happens, CNN cannot be held responsible. This is an article that shines a light on the pariahs and the bad eggs, the places that keep Ban Ki Moon up at night and have your travel insurers running for the hills. Why give them column inches? Because the truth is that even the most benighted corners of the world invariably have more to offer than a brag-worthy passport stamp. Hidden behind the negative news headlines and inflexible preconceptions, you can often unearth genuine treasures. The below examples aren't escapades one should embark on lightly. All of these destinations are currently subject to travel warnings from the US State Department. Jetting off to any of them without first checking the security situation would be seriously inadvisable. But the reality is that people do go and, most of the time, not only come back in one piece but have a great time while there. So if you're coming over all carpe diem, here are some unforgettable adventures to add to the bucket list. Visiting the Band-e-Amir Lakes, Afghanistan Many travelers have sought out Afghanistan's mountain-rimmed lakes in the Hindu Kush. If there's one destination guaranteed to upset your parents, it's Afghanistan, a country that is about as synonymous with holiday-making as the Taliban are with female emancipation. You may therefore be surprised to discover that some intrepid over-landers occasionally travel down the Bamiyan Road to visit this chain of six mountain-rimmed lakes perched high in the Hindu Kush, 150 miles west of Kabul. Designated Afghanistan's first national park in 2009, the sapphire waters of Band-e-Amir have become the shimmering emblem of its concealed tourism potential. It's not quite the deathwish proposition it might sound. During summer weekends, local families often descend in droves to enjoy some much-needed respite from the tensions that prevail elsewhere in the country. "Bamiyan is Afghanistan's safest region, and the local Hazara tribe are the friendliest people I met in the country," explains Õnne Pärl, from Estonia, who visited the lakes while living in Afghanistan with her husband. Apart from the odd occasion when locals go fishing with grenades, the lakes are so peaceful you could almost forget that the country has been at war for the last 30 years. A 14-day 'Afghan Explorer' tour with Wild Frontiers costs around $7,200 per person (www.wildfrontiers.co.uk). Trekking to Ciudad Perdida, Colombia Could this be "the next Machu Picchu"? One of South America's most alluring jungle treks -- that of Ciudad Perdida or "The Lost City" in Sierra Nevada -- has long suffered from its proximity to the western fringes of the Santa Marta Mountains, historically a hotbed of cocaine production and all the violence that goes with it. The events of 2003, when eight tourists were abducted from the trail by leftist guerrillas (they were released three months later) did little to boost its reputation. However, fast-forward a decade -- Colombia's improving security situation has doubled its annual influx of tourists and the trail's popularity has soared, leading some to anoint it "the next Machu Picchu." According to local tour agencies, the recent season was the busiest in memory, with travelers scrambling to play Indiana Jones on these 25 miles of ancient pathways and river crossings, which culminate in the 1,300-year-old ruins of what was once the capital of the indigenous Tayrona people. "My boss's parting words to me were: 'don't get killed,'" says Jason Bortz, of New Jersey, whose subsequent bus journey to Santa Marta was marred by the driver's decision to show blockbusting hostage film "Taken 2." But once you're trekking there's no more room in your mind for paranoia, and you can just enjoy the trip. Turcol (www.buritaca2000.com) offers five-day tours to the Lost City from around $330. Climbing Mount Damavand, Iran Mount Damavand is 5,671 meters high and one of the planet's great trekking peaks. Never heard of Mount Damavand? If you ever find yourself in the country battling North Korea for the title of Nuclear Ambitions Most Often Cited By Western Leaders As The Greatest Threat To World Peace, you're unlikely to miss it. Standing 5,671 meters high at the heart of the Alborz range, this dormant stratovolcano -- visible on clear days from Tehran -- is the highest volcano in Asia and a ubiquitous Iranian icon, found everywhere from bottled water adverts to the 10,000 rial banknote. When President Ahmedinejad issues his rabid anti-Western tirades, he often stands in front of an image of Damavand's snow-capped profile. But it's also one of the planet's great trekking peaks -- think Kilimanjaro without the crowds and exorbitant price tag. "Damavand presented the perfect balance of challenge and reward," says keen hiker Simon Bonner, who has climbed trekking peaks on five continents, including Mount Damavand. But best of all, we had the mountain entirely to ourselves. Climbing it makes you feel like a bona-fide pioneer. A five-day summer ascent with Iran Mountain Zone costs from $655 per person (www.mountainzone.ir). Skiing in Kashmir, India Many skiers head for Kashmir and its pristine slopes. Thirteen years after Bill Clinton endowed Kashmir with the world's worst tourism slogan, dubbing it "the most dangerous place on earth," things are looking up for India/Pakistan's problem state. Despite intermittent bouts of violent protest and a monumental military presence, around 20,000 foreign tourists -- and upwards of 500,000 Indians -- visit the Heavenly Valley each year. Among the many attractions luring people here is Gulmarg, a fledgling ski resort located disconcertingly close to the infamous Indo-Pakistan Line of Control, one of the world's most disputed borders. With only one ski-lift, it presents a raw off-piste experience that can't yet claim to rival its western counterparts for infrastructure. But that lift is one of the highest in the world, depositing you on the 4,000-meter ridgeline of Mount Apharwat. From there, you can pick your line down slopes and couloirs that benefit from regular dumps of virgin powder. "Gulmarg is the only ski resort in the Greater Himalayas," says mountain guide Nick Parks, who has been leading tours here since 2006. Stepping out of the gondola, skiers and snowboarders are spoiled for choice with runs up to 2,300 meters long. A 10-day ski-tour of Gulmarg with Mountain Tracks (www.mountaintracks.co.uk) costs around $2,960. Climbing Mount Nyiragongo, Congo The Virunga National Park contains the world's largest lava lake. This one is out of the question right now. Since last November, when the advance of M23 rebels into the embattled city of Goma signaled the latest chapter in eastern Congo's seemingly endless cycle of conflict and atrocity, the Virunga National Park has been closed to visitors. But when the park reopens, it's not just the region's celebrated mountain gorillas that will be enticing the more adventurous traveler back to its forested volcanic slopes. Crouched deep in the summit of Mount Nyiragongo (3,470 meters), just a few miles from Goma, is the world's largest lava lake, a roiling 250-meter wide cauldron that ranks among the most spectacular natural marvels on the planet. Prior to the latest upheaval, tourists had been defying the volatile human backdrop and the volcano's hyperactive reputation (its last eruption, in 2002, engulfed 14,000 homes) to spend a night on the crater rim. "I'd never climbed a mountain, let alone an active volcano," says Lucy Owen, a Londoner who decided to make the trip after an agent bent her ear in the Rwandan border town of Gisenyi. But it turned out to be one of the most memorable things I've ever done. Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts, and hope you don't regret it. For updates on the park's status, go to www.visitvirunga.org.