Published 18th Apr. 2022
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As areas of outstanding beauty, staggering biodiversity and intriguing cultural heritage, national parks have become cornerstones for wildlife conservation, sustainability and community well-being. There are now as many as 113,000 national parks and protected areas dotted across the globe, covering a staggering 58 million square miles. Here we celebrate ten of the best national parks in the world, according to the Original Travel team. Some are well-known, others less so, but all protect some of the planet’s most precious habitats in perpetuity.
1
The world’s first national park, Yellowstone is the original and remains one of the best. Gawp at huge geysers such as Old Faithful, as well as cougars, coyotes, bison and bears in their majestic natural habitat. 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the park’s establishment, making this milestone year the perfect time to visit.
2
Gal Oya consists of 62,000 acres of verdant forests and expansive savannahs, set against the backdrop of eastern Sri Lanka’s dramatic mountains. The unspoilt park remains light on tourists, yet long on attractions, placing it firmly on our list of the best national parks in the world. Embark on walks with the indigenous Vedda people or take a bird spotting boat trip on the lake.
3
Bestowed with the accolade of being the largest national park in Western Europe, Iceland’s Vatnajökull encompasses the continent’s largest sub-Arctic glacier – larger than all of Europe’s glaciers combined – along with dramatic volcanoes, rivers, ice caves and wetlands, inhabited by herds of reindeer.
4
Located in the centre of the Annamite Mountain Range in Vietnam’s Quang Binh province, the park’s steep-sided hills are typical of karst limestone landscapes. However, few karst regions have cave and underground river systems quite as magnificent as this magnet for spelunkers (cavers).
5
Slovenia’s Julian Alps remain a semi-secret corner of Europe and are home to the lush Alpine landscapes, soaring peaks and tumbling waterfalls of the country's only national park: Triglav. Walk through pastures past shepherd’s huts on the Valley of the Seven Lakes trail to see the region in all its glory, and marvel at the crystal clear waters of Lake Bohinj along the way.
6
Named after the park’s highest mountain, Morne Trois Pitons (‘mountain of three peaks’), is an unspoiled corner of the Caribbean. Here you’ll find hiking trails through rich rainforest and past plunging waterfalls, as well as intense volcanic hot springs and geysers, including Boiling Lake (which is heated by lava).
7
The active volcanoes of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa are located at the heart of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, while its thick montane forest-covered slopes – part of the Virunga Mountain range – are home to the majority of the world’s last mountain gorillas.
8
The ‘Masai Mara without the crowds’, Kidepo Valley in Uganda is home to vast herds of elephants, buffaloes and flocks of ostriches kept in check by a healthy lion population. And there’s only one camp in the entire park, making this one of the continent’s most mysterious and secluded destinations.
9
This sprawling nature reserve in Australia’s Northern Territory is incredibly biodiverse and plays host to over 2,000 plant species. Spot crocs galore, explore escarpments and billabongs (ox-bow lakes) on hikes, and learn about Aboriginal heritage from extraordinary 20,000-year-old rock art, with over 5,000 recorded sites illustrating Aboriginal culture.
10
Part pristine ecosystem, part petri dish for Darwin’s theory of evolution, the Galapagos proudly tops many travellers’ bucket-lists and is a clear contender for one of the best national parks in the world. As an all-round must-visit and once-in-a-lifetime destination, the islands boast a vast array of unique wildlife (such as blue-footed boobies, fur sea lions and flamingos), along with an encyclopaedia of sea life.
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
At Original Travel, we often have the ‘conservation conversation’ about how tourism and conservation are inextricably linked. Sadly, we’re all too familiar with the impact of climate change on animal extinction. We know that it can be tricky to know where to begin when travelling responsibly and that 'doing our bit' can look different to different people. So, if you’re wondering how to support wildlife conservation on your next holiday, we’ve compiled a few of our favourite ways to contribute, in places where you can make a real impact and help make animal extinction, well, extinct.
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At Original Travel, we spend a lot of time discussing our part in the great sustainability and tourismdebate, particularly regarding conservation. As champions of responsible travel, we go beyond providing exceptional experiences to actively promote a positive balance between human interests and the preservation of the natural world. Here's a quick summary of our current thinking... The Big Idea Local heroes Sustainable Tourism Original Travel and Sustainable Tourism The Bottom Line The Big Idea Conservation should,
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