Parked in Afghanistan

It might have taken 30 years to get here, but the Afghan people finally have their first national park.

The Band-e-Amir National Park features six gorgeous crystal-blue lakes protected by towering limestone cliffs on its sides. Covering a vast area of desert sand and rock, the waters filters up through the ground making it so clean that you can actually drink it. Located in the Bamiyan province nine hours from Kabul by car, Band-e-Amir's striking red cliffs and cascading lakes are truly astounding — and a concrete example of progress in an otherwise war-ravaged country.

Though the country is still at war, the national park's debut is an important set for the Afghanis. You see, they've tried to make Band-e-Amir a national park for nearly 30 years, but it's always been a slow process because of the constant conflict in the region. Three years ago, the United States and Afghan governments joined forces with the Wildlife Conservation Society and local communities to get the job done once and for all. At the very least, the park's debut gives the people hope that a return to normalcy is possibly in sight.After the Russians left but before the Taliban took over, the lakes were a popular tourist attraction that included two famous Buddha statues nearby (Taliban fighters tragically blew up the ancient statues eight years ago). Nevertheless, the Bamiyan province is essentially untouched by the violence these days, and with its designation as a national park, Band-e-Amir hopes to bring the tourists back.

Photos courtesy of Flickr.