Best National Parks in the World

26/11/2023

Recreational drone flying is prohibited in Banff National Park.

Do not fly your drone in the park. Drones can pose risks to visitors, disturb wildlife and lead to negative experiences for other visitors.

If you witness the use of a drone in Banff National Park, please report the incident to park wardens via Banff Dispatch 📞403-762-1470.

24/11/2023

Banff National Park

Nestled within the Alberta Rockies region in Canada, Banff National Park is easily one of the most scenic places on Earth. Tucked within snow-tipped mountain peaks and forested slopes, there are two alpine towns that make great bases for the park – namely Banff and Lake Louise.

Except for these two areas of civilization, the rest of the park is largely untouched, and the perfect place to spot wildlife undisturbed. Bighorn sheep, moose, mountain lions, wolves, and black or grizzly bears call the mountains home. Take a gondola ride up the mountain for exceptional views, ski around Lake Louise, or hike to the Sunshine Meadows – one of the most beautiful alpine meadows in the world.

If you’re not afraid to splurge, then the best way to see the scenery of these snowcapped mountains is with a ride on the glamorous Rocky Mountaineer railway.

24/11/2023

Iguazu National Park

Located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, Iguazú National Park is home to one of the most famous natural attractions on the planet – Iguazu Falls. With a name that means ‘Great Water,’ this enormous and thundering series of semicircular waterfalls pours over into both countries.

But there is more to the park than simply the beautiful waterfall. Iguazú also includes a section of Atlantic Forest that’s home to 2,000 species of plants and 400 species of birds. For those who wish to explore the park on foot, there are opportunities to spot some wild cats like ocelots and jaguars, howler monkeys, giant anteaters, and even the rare broad-snouted Caiman.

19/11/2023

Fiordland National Park

Fiordland National Park is the largest national park in New Zealand, and indeed, one of the largest in the world. While it’s home to an impressive series of glacier-tipped fjords, the major highlight is without a doubt the Milford Sound, one of the most-visited destinations in the country and the only fjord in the park that can be reached by road.

Despite it being over four hours’ drive from Queensland, the fact that the Milford Sound still receives close to a million visitors every year tells you something. All things considered, it’s difficult to name a more beautiful place. With its entrancing mountains, raging waterfalls, spectacular wildlife, and total isolation, the Milford Sound is like nowhere else on Earth.

Both the flightless takahe bird and the flightless kakapo parrot have been found in the Fjordlands. One of the highlights of a visit to the park is splurging on a cruise of Lake Te Anau and the Te Anau Caves, an enchanting underground network of limestone caves illuminated by hundreds of glowworms.

15/11/2023

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is South Africa’s flagship park, and an epic place to spot the Big Five in their natural habitat. Leopards, lions, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo can all be found here. Bordering Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the park covers 14 different ecozones, each providing a home to different wildlife.

The best part about Kruger is that you don’t need to join a guided tour if you don’t want to. It’s well-suited to self-drive and night drives, and for those who dare to leave the safety of their vehicle, there are hiking trails too. The banks of the Sabie and Crocodile rivers in the southern section of the park are a great place to wildlife watch, while the northern reaches are perfect for bird watching.

Masorini, a restored Iron Age village, is another highlight in the park, and you can hop onto one of the regular guided tours.

15/11/2023

15/11/2023

Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park in Indonesia encompasses three major islands: namely Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, as well as a series of smaller islets. As you may have already guessed from the name, the park is known for its population of Komodo Dragons – the largest living lizard in the world. To give you an idea of its size, it can grow up to three meters in length and weigh over 70 kilograms!

But you’ll also spot wild horses, water buffalo, long-tailed macaques, Timor deer, palm civets, and wild boar here. Offshore, the park encompasses some of the richest marine habitats in the world, with over 260 species of coral and a kaleidoscope of sponges, crustaceans, and bony fishes.

Manta ray, sea turtle, and shark sightings are common for divers and snorkelers, but you may even spot dolphins and whales from the shore or from a kayak or SUP. If you’ve got your PADI, don’t miss the Pygmy seahorse dive site – it’s one of the best in Indonesia!

08/11/2023

Canaima National Park

Forming the gateway to Angel Falls in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela, Canaima National Park is one of the largest national parks in the world. Known for its tabletop mountains, waterfalls, and grassy savannahs, it’s one of the most popular hiking destinations on the continent.

Many visitors come here to take the popular two-night, three-day hike and canoe trip to the base of Angel Falls. There’s so much to see along the way: three-toed sloths, poison-arrow frogs, pumas, capybaras, and hundreds of species of orchid call the park home.

Or head into Monte Roraima, a different area of the park, for a longer four to eight-day trek from Paraitepuy village. The top of the mountain stands on the border of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana!