Top 10 National Parks Around the World Worth the Journey

Whether you’re dreaming of wildlife encounters, alpine hikes, or ethereal landscapes, the best national parks in the world deliver far more than pretty views—they offer perspective, peace, and unforgettable stories. These ten national parks are not only iconic but also worth every mile of the journey it takes to reach them.

Let’s dive into the world’s most awe-inspiring wild escapes.

1. Torres del Paine National Park – Chile

Region: Patagonia
Best For: Serious hikers, wildlife lovers, landscape photographers

Towering granite spires rise dramatically over rolling steppe and glacial lakes in Torres del Paine, Chile’s most celebrated national park. Located deep in southern Patagonia, this is a place where condors soar, guanacos roam, and silence feels sacred.

The W Trek and the longer O Circuit are two of the world’s most rewarding multi-day hikes, with each turn revealing turquoise lakes, ice fields, and jagged peaks. Don’t miss sunrise at the base of the towers—when the stone needles glow red under the first light of day.

Travel Tip: The park is remote, so plan your trip through Puerto Natales, and consider using Travel Pal to build in buffer days for weather delays, which are common here.

2. Banff National Park – Canada

Region: Alberta, Canadian Rockies
Best For: Mountain lovers, road trippers, lake explorers

Banff is a storybook vision of the wilderness—glacier-fed lakes that seem lit from within, mountains that touch the clouds, and charming alpine villages. This is Canada’s oldest national park and arguably one of its most accessible, located just 90 minutes from Calgary.

Famous highlights include Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the scenic Icefields Parkway, one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Hiking, skiing, kayaking, and wildlife spotting are year-round draws, with elk, bears, and moose frequently spotted.

Travel Tip: Book shuttle services to Moraine and Louise during peak months—they’re car-restricted due to crowd control. Travel Pal can help build your route with timed reservations.

3. Kruger National Park – South Africa

Region: Northeastern South Africa
Best For: Wildlife safaris, birdwatching, family travel

Kruger National Park is one of the few places on Earth where you can drive yourself through Big Five country. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers, Kruger is home to lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalos—as well as over 500 bird species and countless other creatures.

You can choose your experience: stay in basic rest camps, luxury lodges, or private reserves bordering the park. The infrastructure is excellent, making it surprisingly easy to spot world-class wildlife with minimal planning—especially with an itinerary crafted by Travel Pal.

Travel Tip: Dry season (May–September) offers the best game viewing, as animals gather near water sources.

4. Fiordland National Park – New Zealand

Region: South Island
Best For: Waterfalls, fjords, serious hikers

Fiordland is where ancient rainforests, granite cliffs, and thundering waterfalls meet in cinematic fashion. The park’s crown jewel is Milford Sound, often called the “eighth wonder of the world.”

Accessible by boat, plane, or an epic road journey from Queenstown or Te Anau, the area offers surreal kayaking trips beneath towering cliffs, cruises into mist-filled fjords, and access to the Routeburn, Kepler, and Milford Tracks—all Great Walks of New Zealand.

Travel Tip: The area receives over 200 days of rain per year—pack accordingly, and consider waterproof everything.

5. Yellowstone National Park – USA

Region: Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
Best For: Geothermal wonders, family travel, wildlife

America’s first national park, Yellowstone is a geothermal powerhouse and a wildlife wonderland. From Old Faithful’s dependable eruptions to Grand Prismatic Spring’s surreal colors, the park is bursting with volcanic activity and natural drama.

But Yellowstone is also wild—wolves, bears, bison, and elk roam free here. Its vast size means each day offers a different landscape: canyons, meadows, waterfalls, and backcountry hikes.

Travel Tip: Travel Pal helps avoid bottlenecks by mapping quiet corners like Lamar Valley and recommending less-crowded geysers like Norris Basin.

6. Plitvice Lakes National Park – Croatia

Region: Central Croatia
Best For: Waterfall lovers, slow travelers, photographers

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Plitvice Lakes stuns with its tiered lakes and cascading waterfalls. Wooden walkways float above vibrant pools, and the color of the water changes throughout the day—from emerald to aquamarine to icy blue.

Less visited than other European parks, Plitvice offers a tranquil experience, especially if you stay overnight and enter early before day-trippers arrive from Zagreb or Split.

Travel Tip: Visit in spring or autumn for peak water flow and fewer crowds.

7. Serengeti National Park – Tanzania

Region: Northern Tanzania
Best For: Migration viewing, big cats, guided safaris

There are few places more iconic than the Serengeti, especially during the Great Migration when 1.5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras thunder across the plains. This event draws predators—lions, leopards, cheetahs—and plenty of drama.

But even outside of migration season, the Serengeti is rich with life. Game drives here feel cinematic. Stay in mobile tented camps to be closest to the action, or opt for lodges with sweeping savannah views.

Travel Tip: Combine your trip with the Ngorongoro Crater for a full-circle wildlife experience.

8. Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park – China

Region: Sichuan Province
Best For: Fall foliage, lakes, cultural fusion

Nestled in the Min Mountains of China’s Sichuan Province, Jiuzhaigou is a valley of waterfalls, snow-capped peaks, and crystalline lakes that seem to glow in blue and green. It’s also home to Tibetan villages, which add cultural depth to the scenery.

Best visited in autumn, when the maple trees burst into flame-colored hues, Jiuzhaigou’s dreamlike quality has made it one of China’s most treasured landscapes.

Travel Tip: Earthquakes have damaged some areas in past years, so check access conditions before visiting. Travel Pal provides up-to-date travel logistics.

9. Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park – New Zealand

Region: South Island
Best For: Stargazing, alpine hikes, glaciers

Home to New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Aoraki / Mount Cook is a sacred and sublime landscape of peaks, glaciers, and clear night skies. Walk the Hooker Valley Track for views of floating icebergs and towering mountains. Come nightfall, the area becomes one of the world’s best stargazing spots thanks to its International Dark Sky Reserve status.

Travel Tip: This park is part of the Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO area—pair your visit with nearby Lake Tekapo or Franz Josef Glacier for a complete alpine circuit.

10. Sagarmatha National Park – Nepal

Region: Khumbu Region, Eastern Nepal
Best For: Mountaineers, spiritual travelers, serious trekkers

At the heart of the Himalayas lies Sagarmatha National Park, home to Mount Everest. But beyond the iconic summit, the park is filled with monasteries, yaks, prayer flags, and trekking routes that trace ancient trade paths.

The Everest Base Camp Trek passes through villages like Namche Bazaar and Tengboche, offering both cultural insight and stunning scenery. While not for the faint of heart, a trek here is transformative—equal parts spiritual and physical journey.

Travel Tip: Acclimatization is crucial. Let Travel Pal help you design an itinerary that allows proper altitude adjustment without rushing.

Build Your Own Bucket List Adventure

Every national park on this list offers something extraordinary—raw nature, rare wildlife, epic trails, or cultural resonance. But to experience them fully, you need more than a flight and a camera—you need a plan.

That’s where Travel Pal comes in. Our AI-powered platform helps you build customized travel itineraries that match your pace, your passions, and your purpose—so you spend less time researching and more time exploring.

Start your wild journey today at TravelPal.ai.