Although the first national park was Yellowstone in 1872, the United States is no longer the only country that has national parks. Canada declared its first national park in the 1880s. Later came Great Britain, then its colonies, then Japan and Mexico in the 1930s. As the twentieth century progressed, more and more countries followed. The National Geographic has given us a list of the world’s national parks that are worth a visit in the article titled, Visit The Greatest National Parks Around the World and here are a few of our favorites!
Yellowstone National Park was the first location to be declared a national park. The park spans over two million acres and three states: Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. The park gained National Park status on March 1, 1872. Yellowstone is well known for its hot springs, mudpots, active geysers. The most notable geyser within the park is Old Faithful. Since Yellowstone gained its national park status, Old Faithful has had over a million eruptions. Old Faithful’s eruptions vary from 100-180 feet. The eruptions normally last between 1.5 to 5 minutes.
Located in New Zealand’s South Island, Fiordland is comprised of over a dozen fjords and encompasses mountain and lake environments as well. The park was established in 1952 and sits at over 1.2 million hectares. Boasting a wide variety of flora and fauna, many plants and animals that inhabit Fiordland have evolved in a way to make them completely unique to that specific area. On land, the Great Walks offer a gorgeous view of waterfalls, granite peaks, and breathtaking lakes.
Iguazu National Park and Iguaçu National Park
With Iguazu being located in Argentina and Iguaçu in Brazil, these parks meet at the border of the two countries, creating a beautiful waterfall in the process. The waterfalls are surrounded by subtropical rainforests. The rainforests have their own unique ecosystem of plants and wildlife that have evolved and survived despite the intense conditions of the area.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
With its home in Australia, the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park managed by both the Anagu and Australia’s park service. Most notable in the park is the Uluru monolith that stands proud over the park. Called Ayer’s Rock, the structure is sacred for the Anagu people. A ban on climbing the Uluru will take effect in October 2019. Despite this, Kata Tjuta can still be hiked along with other sites around the park.
Located in the country of Turkey, Goreme National Park is home to Fairy Chimneys- the name given to the park’s rock formations. If the structures themselves were not captivating by themselves, churches, dwellings, and underground cities were carved into the rocks dating as far back as the fourth century. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, museums, shops, and hotels are located in the carvings.
While most other parks are known for their wildlife, Cinque Terreis known for the five villages that are located along the Mediterranean coast. It sits at only fifteen square miles but it still as breathtaking as the other parks on the list. Despite its size, it boasts hiking trails, churches, villas, and monasteries.
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