Americans absolutely national parks, in fact, in 2020, the National Park Service had more than 237 million recorded visits across the most popular destinations in America like Yellowstone, the Great Smoky Mountains, and the Grand Canyon. If you’re looking to make the same kind of awesome trips but outside of the United States, there are so many incredible options out there to be discovered. Here are some fantastic national parks around the globe to cross off your list.
Killarney National Park
Killarney National Park
This park might look like it’s the set of Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, but we promise you, this is real life. It has tons of hiking trails and also the wonderful town of Killarney close by. It’s basically Ireland’s version of Grand Teton National Park.
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
This park seriously looks like it has come out of an enchanted forest fairy tale story, as it’s made up of forests and 16 terraced lakes that are connected with waterfalls. You can experience this gem of a national park via hiking, bike tours, horseback riding, and ATV tours.
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Rishiri Rebun Sarobetsu National Park, Japan
Located in Hokkaido, the remote northernmost island of Japan that is known for its mild summers, which is perfect hiking weather. At the park, you can take a hike which ascends a dormant volcano while taking in sights like fishing villages, alpine flowers, and the different temperate zones of Rebun. If you’re more of a winter person, visiting and skiing here is a fantastic choice as well.
Rishiri Rebun Sarobetsu National Park, Japan
Bandhavgarh National Park, India
Banhavgarh National Park is located in Maghya Pradesh, a central Indian state. It is not a touristy park, but one of its main draws is that visitors can get an up close and personal sighting of Bengal tigers. If you’re lucky, you might even encounter a leopard or a white tiger while here.
Bandhavgarh National Park, India
Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
While there are countless breathtaking national parks throughout Africa, one that is especially remarkable is the Namib-Naukluft Natioanl Park of Namibia. You’ll experience otherworldly sights like the rust colored dunes, which contrasted with the brilliantly blue skies are truly a sight to behold.
Namib Naukluft National Park, Namibia