An A–Z Guide to the World’s Best National Parks

Exploring cities is great, but you can also learn a lot about a destination by venturing outside and visiting a national park. Created and protected by governments, national parks are filled with breathtaking landscapes, difficult hiking trails and rare wildlife. And the best part is that they can be found everywhere; nearly 100 countries have lands classified as national parks.

With that in mind, we’ve created an A–Z guide of the best national parks around the world. From Acadia National Park in Maine to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan we’ve sourced a park for (almost) every letter of the alphabet — and have shared some of the top things to see, do and experience in each one.

• Acadia National Park, United States
• Banff National Park, Canada
• Blue Mountains National Park, Australia
• Cinque Terre National Park, Italy
• Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, Italy
• Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
• Galápagos National Park, Ecuador
• Göreme National Park, Turkey
• Guilin and Lijiang River National Park, China
• Iguazú Falls National Park, Argentina
• Komodo National Park, Indonesia
• Kruger National Park, South Africa
• Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
• Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina
• Plitviče Lakes National Park, Croatia
• Ranthambore National Park, India
• Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal
• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
• Tatra National Park, Poland
• Tikal National Park, Guatemala 
• Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
• Victoria Falls National Park, Zimbabwe
• Yellowstone National Park, United States
• Yosemite National Park, United States
• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China

Spanning Mount Desert Island, Isle au Haut and the Schoodic Peninsula in Maine, this is the spot to do some coastal exploration. It’s the only national park in the northeast part of the US and therefore offers travellers something completely unique — especially compared to the desert landscapes of Arches National Park (Utah), Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) and Zion National Park (Utah).

Top things to do: 

• Explore tidepools at the end of the Wonderland Trail
• Have a picnic on the lawn at Jordan Pond
• Watch the sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain

Turquoise lakes, snow-capped mountains, dense forests — Banff National Park has got it all! Want to experience even more of the Canadian Rockies? Drive along the scenic Icefields Parkway (one of the world’s top road trip routes) to the nearby Jasper National Park. You might as well knock two of the best national parks off your bucket list in a single trip.

Top things to do:

• Spend a night at the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel
• Go paddleboarding on Moraine Lake
• Hit the slopes at the Lake Louise Ski Resort

We hope you’re not afraid of heights! This Australian national park, located approximately two hours from Sydney, is full of lookouts that will take your breath away. From the expansive Jamison Valley to the towering Govetts Leap, there’s something jaw-droppingly beautiful around every corner. 

Top things to do:

• Look out over the Three Sisters rock formation
• Ride the steepest railway in the world
• Descend waterfalls on a canyoning adventure

Most of the national parks on this list fully immerse you in the great outdoors, but Cinque Terre National Park isn’t one of them. This national park, located on the northern coast of Italy, is unique because there are five seaside villages within its borders. Do yourself a favour and hike the Blue Trail that connects them all.

Top things to do: 

• Snap a picture of the colourful buildings in Riomaggiore
• Go for a refreshing swim in Monterosso
• Enjoy a scoop of gelato or a lemon slushie in Corniglia

Nestled within the Dolomites, this national park invites you to explore a wide variety of diverse environments, from prairies and scree-covered cliffs to lush forests and lakes. Upon stepping within the park’s borders, it’s easy to see why the surrounding mountain range has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A landscape this gorgeous deserves to be protected!

Top things to do: 

• Work up a sweat on the Cirques of Vette hiking route
• See chamois, mouflon and roe deer in their natural habitat
• Ride horseback to the meadows of Salet

This national park on New Zealand’s South Island boasts some of the world’s most pristine and untouched wilderness. Formed by glaciers over a period of 100,000 years, the landscape is defined by majestic fiords, rugged mountains and cascading waterfalls. No wonder author Rudyard Kipling once described it as the eighth wonder of the world.

Top things to do: 

• Fly over Mitre Peak in a helicopter
• Spot weka, kea, penguins and other native birdlife
• Do one of New Zealand’s Great Walks 

If you love getting up close to marine life, Galápagos National Park is for you! This is one of the most biologically unique places on earth — and the majority of it (approximately 97%) is uninhabited by humans. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your flippers and masks, and get to discovering this amazing archipelago in Ecuador.

Top things to do: 

• Encounter 10 different species of giant tortoises
• Snorkel and scuba dive with marine iguanas, penguins and sea lions
• Hike to the top of the active Sierra Negra volcano

Even if you’ve never heard of Göreme National Park, you’ve probably seen it. That’s because it encompasses Cappadocia, the magical, “fairy chimney”-filled region of Turkey. Travellers flock here to ride hot air balloons — but of course, there are plenty of things to do on the ground, too.

Top things to do: 

• Hike past pink sandstone formations in Rose Valley
• Shop for handmade jewellery and pottery
• Visit the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli 

Guilin and Lijiang River National Park has long inspired Chinese poets and artists. In addition to lush rice terraces and majestic waterways, this national park is filled with incredible limestone karsts (including the famous Elephant Trunk Hill) that spark imagination and inspire legends.

Top things to do:

• Enjoy a peaceful cruise down the Li River
• Take in the views from the summit of the Ping’An Trail
• Marvel at the colourful Reed Flute Cave

At this point, you may have noticed that a lot of the national parks on this list have similar features: kilometres of hiking trails, beautiful forests and breathtaking waterfalls. With 275 tiered cascades, Iguazú Falls National Park is no exception. It goes without saying that waterproof shoes and ponchos are essential for visitors.

Top things to do:

• See a moonbow at the Devil’s Throat waterfall
• Soak up the fun (literally) on a speed boat tour or river rafting adventure
• Meander through the forest on the Lower Falls Trail

Are you a Jurassic Park fan? If so, put Komodo National Park on your must-visit list. This UNESCO World Heritage Centre was established in 1980 to protect Indonesia’s Komodo dragon population — and it worked! Today, there are approximately 5,700 of these giant lizards roaming the Komodo, Rinca and Padar islands that this park encompasses. 

Top things to do:

• Go deep on a snorkel or scuba diving adventure
• Hike to the top of Padar Island for sweeping 360-degree views
• Swim at a stunning pink-sand beach

Kruger National Park takes wildlife viewing to a whole new level — and that’s because it’s one of the game parks where you can witness the Big Five (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo). But that’s merely scratching the surface of the animals and experiences that can be found here. 

Top things to do: 

• Stay in a luxury safari lodge
• Get up close to the local wildlife on a game drive
• Tee off at the Skukuza Golf Club

As a top ecotourism destination, it should come as no surprise that Costa Rica boasts some of the best national parks in the world. While Corcovado National Park tends to get all the glory, we prefer the smaller Manuel Antonio National Park. It has the perfect mix of rainforest, beach and coral reef areas for nature lovers to explore.

Top things to do: 

• Spot sloths, squirrel monkeys, toucans and more
• Relax on the shores of Playa Espadilla Sur and Playa Escondido
• Walk the looped trail around Cathedral Point

Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest national park in Argentina. But despite its age, it still attracts a ton of visitors each year — particularly those who love being on the water. Located in the country’s Lake District, the park contains more than 60 lakes and lagoons. In other words, this is a top spot for swimming, kayaking, canoeing and other water activities.

Top things to do: 

• Go whitewater rafting down the Monso River
• Drive along the Camino de los Siete Lagos (Seven Lakes Road)
• Windsurf or kitesurf at Playa del Centenario

As both the oldest and largest national park in Croatia, Plitviče Lakes National Park attracts one million visitors each year. And honestly, we’re surprised it isn’t more than that! With 16 terraced lakes and more than 90 waterfalls, the landscape looks as if it belongs in a dream world — you’ve got to see it to believe it.

Top things to do:

• Walk along the park’s many wooden footbridges
• Row, row, row your boat on Kozjak Lake
• Witness the natural beauty of the Veliki Slap waterfall

Located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, this was once a royal hunting ground. But today, it’s one of India’s most popular national parks and wildlife sanctuaries — and one with a large Bengal tiger population, at that. Channel your inner Princess Jasmine and get up close to this majestic jungle cat.

Top things to do: 

• Embark on a wildlife safari
• Snap pictures of the Kachina Valley (a top photography spot)
• Marvel at the ancient Raj Bagh Ruins

There is one very, very, very big draw in Sagarmatha National Park — and that’s Mount Everest. As you can probably guess, hiking and climbing are the things to do here. Whether you’re making the journey to Everest Base Camp or sticking to the easier* trails, you’ll traverse through, over and around towering mountains, stunning landscapes and natural wonders. 

Top things to do: 

• Fly into the park from one of the world’s most unique airports
• Join a Sherpa-guided backpacking trip
• Keep your eyes peeled for rare snow leopards and red pandas

*Note that we said easier, not easy. This national park is for serious outdoor enthusiasts only.

Here’s another one for the wildlife enthusiasts out there! Every year, Serengeti National Park plays host to The Great Migration, which sees more than a million gazelles, wildebeests and zebras cross the desert grassland in search of greener pastures. Even if you can’t plan your trip around this event, this national park is brimming with things to see, do and experience.

Top things to do:

• Watch hippos splash around the Retina Hippo Pool
• Visit a Maasai village and learn about the tribe’s unique culture
• Immerse yourself in history at the Olduvai Gorge

Poland probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of famous national parks… and you know what? We totally get it! But there is some incredible nature to take in here and Tatra National Park, located at the southern end of Malopolska, is the place to do it. (The park is also home to the amazing EN Hotel, where you can relax after a day of exploring.)

Top things to do:

• Go deep inside the horizontal Mylna Cave
• Refuel on locally inspired cuisine at the Stara Papiernia restaurant  
• Hike or ride a horsedrawn carriage to Morskie Oko lake

One of the things that makes Tikal National Park so amazing is its storied past. This UNESCO World Heritage Site contains approximately 3,000 temples, palaces and other buildings from an ancient Mayan civilization. In fact, there are so many remains scattered throughout the park that it’s often referred to as the “Maya Forest”. 

Top things to do: 

• Climb to the top of the 65-metre-high Temple IV
• Spot native wildlife and birds in the jungle that surrounds the complex
• Visit the Sylvannus G. Morley and Stelae museums

Iceland has the honour of being home to the largest national park in Europe… but technically, Vatnajökull is comprised of two national parks. In 2008, Jökulsárgljúfur National Park and Skaftafell National Park were merged to create one very big (approximately 14,000km2) outdoor playground. In it, you’ll find basically every natural wonder you can think of — from glaciers and ice caves to volcanoes.

Top things to do: 

• Stand among the ice blocks on the black-sand “Diamond Beach”
• Step inside the winding Vatnajökull Ice Cave (aka Anaconda Ice Cave)
• Hike to the Askja caldera in the Dyngjufjöll Mountains

It will be hard to pull yourself away from this park’s main attraction — the roaring Victoria Falls is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. But “The Smoke That Thunders” certainly isn’t the only thing to appreciate at this national park in the northwestern part of Zimbabwe.

Top things to do:

• Swim on the edge of the falls at Devil’s Pool
• Conquer your fear of heights and swing into the Batoka Gorge
• Float down the Zambezi River on a sunset dinner cruise

When someone says “Yellowstone,” you’re going to think of one of two things: the Emmy-winning series starring Kevin Costner or the national park in Wyoming. (We’re obvs part of the group that thinks of the latter.) Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is considered the world’s first national park, offering travellers more than 2.2 million acres of breathtaking landscapes and geothermal wonders to explore.

Top things to do: 

• See the technicolour hot springs in the Midway Geyser Basin
• Witness the power of the Old Faithful geyser 
• Watch bison graze in the Hayden and Lamar valleys

Yosemite National Park, tucked inside California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, is one of the most famous national parks in the US. Formed over hundreds of millions of years, the geological features here are truly a sight to behold — whether you’re staring up at them from the ground or looking down at them from the summit of an epic hiking trail.

Top things to do:

• Bike along one of the park’s 12 paved cycling paths
• Gaze at El Capitan from the Tunnel View lookout
• Scale a rock wall in the Merced River Canyon climbing area

Normally, you wouldn’t want to visit a national park on a foggy day — but that’s exactly the weather you should be hoping for in China’s Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The way the clouds wrap around the rock formations in its “stone forests” is out-of-this-world beautiful. 

Top things to do: 

• Take in the views from the Bailong Elevator
• Walk across the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge
• Climb up 999 stairs to the Tianmen Cave

Turns out, deciding which of the world’s best national parks to visit unfortunately isn’t as easy as ABC (there are just too many options!). In case you want to stretch the alphabet and your outdoor adventures a little further, here are 11 more national parks to consider:

• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda
• Canaima National Park, Venezuela 
• Denali National Park and Preserve, United States
• Grand Teton National Park, United States
• Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania
• Namib-Naukluft National Park, Nambia
• Sequoia National Park, United States
• Olympic National Park, United States
• Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
• Tongariro National Park, New Zealand
• Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

The great outdoors — and the best national parks in the world — are beckoning! Ready to plan your trip? Answer the call of the wild by checking out our current deals or contacting one of our expert travel consultants today.