10 Incredible National Parks Around the World

National parks protect the planet's most extraordinary landscapes, from volcanic valleys to ice fields. These ten are spread across six continents – and each one is worth building a trip around.

1. Göreme National Park, Turkey

Cappadocia's valleys are filled with "fairy chimneys", rock churches carved by early Christians and cave houses that are now boutique hotels. Watching hundreds of hot-air balloons drift over the valleys at sunrise is one of travel's great sights.

2. Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

On the remote Osa Peninsula, Corcovado is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, home to scarlet macaws, tapirs, four species of monkey and, very occasionally, jaguars. Visitors must explore with a certified guide.

3. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Canada

On Vancouver Island's wild west coast, Pacific Rim has long sandy beaches, old-growth rainforest and the West Coast Trail. Spring is whale-watching season, while winter brings dramatic storm-watching near Tofino.

4. Hell's Gate National Park, Kenya

Unusually for an African park, you can explore Hell's Gate by bicycle or on foot, riding past zebras, giraffes and buffalo beneath red cliffs before hiking into a narrow gorge.

5. Vatnajökull National Park (Skaftafell), Iceland

Skaftafell is now part of Vatnajökull National Park, which surrounds Europe's largest glacier. Walk to the black basalt columns of Svartifoss waterfall, take a guided glacier hike or visit the icebergs of Jökulsárlón lagoon nearby.

6. Toubkal National Park, Morocco

Toubkal National Park in the High Atlas is home to Jebel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak. Trek between Berber villages or make the two-day climb to the summit. Find more ideas in our guide to 10 experiences in Morocco you shouldn't miss.

7. Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

Thailand's oldest national park is just a few hours from Bangkok, with waterfalls, hornbills, gibbons and wild elephants. It's part of a UNESCO World Heritage forest complex.

8. Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

In Argentine Patagonia, the Perito Moreno Glacier creaks and calves huge blocks of ice into the lake, while the jagged peaks of Fitz Roy draw hikers to the village of El Chaltén.

9. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia

Uluru is sacred to the Anangu people, the park's traditional owners, and climbing it has been banned since 2019. Instead, walk around its base, join a ranger or Anangu-guided walk and watch the rock change colour at sunset.

10. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China

Thousands of sandstone pillars rise out of the mist in this park in Hunan Province, which inspired the floating mountains in the film Avatar. Glass walkways and a cliffside elevator add to the drama.

Closer to home

If you're based in North America, see our selection of the best US national parks to visit in winter. Traveling in Southeast Asia? Combine Khao Yai with a few days in Hoi An, Vietnam.