Nature lovers and the best National Parks in the world go together like peanut butter and Jelly. The concept was championed and pioneered by conservation icon John Muir when President Ulysses S. Grant signed legislation in 1872 that made Yellowstone the world’s first national park.
Over the next 144 years, about 7,000 national parks from almost 100 different countries were created. From Afghanistan to China, most countries have exceptional natural areas that deserve to be celebrated and preserved. But for us, these 5 are among the best national parks in the world for nature lovers.
1. BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK (INDIA)
Located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, this 431-square-mile park has one of the highest densities of Bengal tigers in the world. But the fearsome cat is not the only attraction: The park is also home to 36 other Indian animals, including leopards, Asian Elephants, and Nilgai. Visitors to the park can also see more than 250 species of birds and about 80 different species of butterflies.
2. BANFF NATIONAL PARK (CANADA)
Canada’s oldest national park offers you a rocky summit. Its 2,564 square miles are filled with majestic mountains, coniferous forests, and glaciers. There’s also the remarkably scenic Icefields Parkway, which stretches from beautiful Lake Louise to nearby Jasper National Park, making Banff one of the best national parks in the world.
3. CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK (COSTA RICA)
Corcovado is located on the Osa Peninsula and has been designated by National Geographic as “the most biologically intense place on earth in terms of biodiversity”.”At 164 square miles, it is one of the few large areas of tropical lowland forests in the world. The fauna of the national park includes a number of ecosystems home to more than 500 species of trees and a dizzying variety of wild animals, including the endangered Tapir Baird, the rare harpy eagle, and jaguars, and the four species of monkeys of Costa Rica.
4. DENALI NATIONAL PARK (UNITED STATES)
With six million acres of untouched wilderness and only a 92-mile road (open to private vehicles only 4 days a year), Denali is a nature lover’s paradise. The shuttle drivers have also dedicated nature guides who allow visitors to sit back, relax and admire the breathtaking scenery.
5. ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK (NAMIBIA)
With an 8,600-square-mile landscape best described as otherworldly, Etosha focuses on the salt flats from which it takes its name. During the rainy season, it fills with water and attracts birds such as flamingos and pelicans; during the dry season, it blows salt dust into the Atlantic. It is also home to an impressive selection of endangered African animals, including four of the Big 5, African elephants, giraffes, black rhinos, and white rhinos, as well as endemic mountain zebras.