The American television channel CNN has compiled a rating of the 30 most beautiful national parks in the world. The evaluation criteria were the beauty of nature and picturesque places, safety and hospitality local residents. The TV channel noted that US parks are not included in the rating.

30 PHOTOS

1. First place in the ranking was given to Iguazu Falls National Park in Argentina. It is believed that the waterfalls on the Iguazu River, surrounded by tropical nature, are one of the most beautiful and spectacular places on Earth. (Photo: REUTERS/Jorge Adorno).
2. Took second place in the ranking national park Los Glaciares in Argentina. 30 percent of the park's territory is covered with ice, which is why it is also called the Patagonian Glacier Park. (Photo: 123 RF).
3. Third place: another National Park of Argentina - Nahuel Huapi, which is located in the Andes at an altitude of 767 meters above sea level. (Photo: 123 RF).
4. Fourth place: Gandoca-Manzanilla National Reserve in Costa Rica.
5. Fifth place in the ranking: Tikal National Park in Guatemala. It includes one of the largest and most famous archaeological sites in the world - the most important center of the Mayan civilization, Tikal. (Photo: 123 RF).
6. Sixth place in the ranking: Rapa Nui National Park, which is located on Easter Island (Chile) and is famous for its stone sculptures - moai. It is believed to be the most geographically remote inhabited island in the world from other islands and lands. (Photo: 123 RF).
7. Seventh place: Torres del Paine National Park located in the Chilean part of Patagonia. According to scientists, the park is 11 million years old. (Photo: 123 RF).
8. Eighth place: Canaima National Park, located in southeast Venezuela. This is where the tallest waterfall in the world, Angel Falls, is located. (Photo: Flickr/Heather Thorkelson)
9. Ninth place: Galapagos Islands National Park in Ecuador. The famous Galapagos tortoises, which give the islands their name, are the longest-living animal record holders - they live for more than two hundred years. (Photo: 123 RF).
10. Tenth place: Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. The park has extensive heathland where birds nest. (Photo: Flickr).
11. Eleventh place: Goreme National Park in Turkey, which is also a museum under open air— there are 350 Byzantine churches carved from rocks here. (Photo: 123 RF).
12. Twelfth place: Tatrzansky or Tatra National Park is the only high-mountain park in Poland, created to protect unique mountain landscapes, flora and fauna. (Photo: Marek Podmokly/ Agencja Gazeta).
13. Thirteenth place: Croatian Plitvice Lakes National Park, which includes 16 beautiful karst lakes connected by waterfalls. (Photo: 123 RF).
14. Fourteenth place: Victoria Falls National Park - located on the Zambezi River in Zambia. (Photo: 123 RF).
15. Fifteenth place: Kruger National Park is the oldest park in South Africa, which is part of the Kruger to the Canyons Biosphere Reserve. (Photo: 123 RF).
16. Sixteenth place: Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia. Covering almost 50,000 square kilometers of mostly desert, it is one of the largest protected areas in the world. (Photo: 123 RF).
17. Seventeenth place: Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe. Even in the dry season, there is a lot of moisture here, which is very important for the ecosystem and animals. (Photo: Flickr/ninara).
18. Eighteenth place: Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, on its territory there are many water cascades that waterfowl love. (Photo: 123 RF).
19. Nineteenth place: Halgurd Sakran National Park in Iraq, which includes Mount Halgurd with a height of 3607 meters. (Facebook/press materials).
20. Twentieth place: the deserted Ein Avdat National Park in Israel, which protects the beautiful areas of the canyon, inhabited in the times of the first Christians by monks and Nabataeans. (Photo: 123 RF).
21. Twenty-first place: Zhangjiajie National Park in China. This is where the famous movie Avatar was filmed. (Photo: 123 RF).
22. Twenty-second place: Naejangsan National Park in South Korea— it is especially beautiful in autumn. The park is hidden in the Naejangsan Mountains south of Seoul. (Photo: 123 RF).
23. Twenty-third place: Pagsanhan Gorge National Park in the Philippines. It includes the largest waterfalls in the country. According to legend, before the waterfalls appeared, two twins lived in this place. One day, after a severe drought, one of them died, then the second twin climbed high rocks and began to curse the gods, when suddenly a spring began to flow from under his feet, which laid the foundation for the waterfalls. (Photo: 123 RF).
24. Twenty-fourth place: Minneriya National Park in Sri Lanka, whose main pride is its large population of elephants. (Photo: 123 RF).
25. Twenty-fifth place: Sundarbans National Park - a tiger and biosphere reserve in India. (Photo: 123 RF).
26. Twenty-sixth place: Bannerghatta National Park in India. Part of the park is a nature reserve, where more than a hundred species of birds, many mammals (including elephants, bears, leopards) and insects are strictly protected. There is also an animal rescue center here. (Photo: Flickr/Nisha D).
27. Twenty-seventh place: Bandhavgarh National Park, home to the largest population of tigers in all of India. (Photo: 123 RF).
28. Twenty-eighth place: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Australia. The famous red-brown mountain Uluru (Ayers Rock) changes its color depending on the angle of light. (Photo: 123 RF).
29. Twenty-ninth place: Blue Mountains National Park in Australia. The name “Blue Mountains” comes from the blue eucalyptus trees growing on the slopes of the mountains. (Photo: 123 RF).
30. Thirtieth place: Paparoa National Park in New Zealand, the main attraction of which is the pancake limestone cliffs, as well as beautiful caves. (Photo: 123 RF).

National parks of Russia

Kologrivsky forest

The reserve is located in the northeastern part of the Russian Plain. All rivers of the reserve are left tributaries of the Volga, the largest of which are Kostroma and Unzha. Quite large areas of the reserve are occupied by swamps and wetlands, which is primarily due to the flat topography. The reserve has small forest rivers and no large lakes and rivers, which ensures a significant density of animals whose life is directly connected with water bodies - these are, first of all, the otter, mink, and beaver.

Katunsky Biosphere Reserve

The territory of the Katunsky and Altai nature reserves is included in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List under the name “Golden Mountains of Altai” (1998). The absolute heights of the Katunsky Nature Reserve range from 1300 to 3280 m above sea level. The territory contains 135 lakes with an area of ​​151,664 hectares or more. Located in the highlands large number glaciers with a total area of ​​283 square meters. km.

Shulgan-Tash Nature Reserve

Shulgan-Tash State Nature Reserve in Bashkortostan, which has federal status. Located in the western foothills of the Southern Urals, in the mountain-forest belt, within the Burzyansky district. Total area- 225 sq. km. The rich landscape mosaic also determines the high diversity of flora. The relief is low mountain. Mixed broad-leaved and coniferous-deciduous forests occupy 92% of the territory.

Divnogorye Natural Museum-Reserve

The natural architectural and archaeological museum-reserve Divnogorye is located on the territory of Russia, in the Liskinsky district Voronezh region. The area of ​​the museum-reserve is more than 11 square meters. km. From a geological point of view, the reserve consists of chalk deposits on the surface of the earth. The maximum height of the plateau above sea level reaches 181 meters, relative - 103 meters (the mouth of the Tikhaya Sosna River at the confluence with the Don, which flows at the foot of the plateau, is located at an altitude of 78 m above sea level). Due to the rather significant difference in altitude between the plateau and the floodplain of the Don and Tikhaya Sosna rivers, its microclimate differs significantly from the surrounding floodplain lowland.

Kuznetsky Alatau

The Kuznetsky Alatau State Nature Reserve is located in the south of Central Siberia, at its highest point - on the western descent of the ridge, at the intersection of Mezhdurechensky, Tisulsky and Novokuznetsky districts of the Kemerovo region. The Kuznetsky Alatau ridge itself extends over almost a third of the Kemerovo region. This ridge is a relief consisting of medium and high mountain ranges dissected by rivers.

Kedrovaya Pad

The Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve is located in the Khasansky district of Primorsky Krai, between the western coast of the Amur Bay and the border with China, on the spurs of the East Manchurian mountain ranges, the Sukhorechensky and Gakkelevsky ridges, separating the Kedrovaya River basin from the basins of the Barabashevka and Narva rivers, flowing near the boundaries of the reserve.

Lazovsky Reserve

The Lazovsky Nature Reserve is located on the southern spurs of the Sikhote-Alin, in the interfluve of the Kievka and Chernaya rivers. In terms of size and moisture regime, the mainland part of the territory of the Lazovsky Reserve, located north-west of the Zapovedny ridge. Almost the entire territory of the reserve is divided between two independent drainage basins of the Kievka and Chernaya rivers, flowing into the Sea of ​​Japan. Other numerous rivers and streams different sizes, direction and character, are either tributaries of these rivers, or independently collect water from a narrow coastal strip, the average width of which is about 10 km, and flow directly into the Sea of ​​Japan.

Baikal-Lena Nature Reserve

The main part of the reserve territory is represented by taiga forests various types. On the coast of Lake Baikal, fragments of ancient relict steppes have been preserved; 50 species of mammals and about 240 species of birds live. The reserve is also famous for its high number of bears. In addition, here you can find such rare and interesting birds, like the white-tailed eagle, black stork, hump-billed scoter, ogre, gray crane.

Sochi National Park

The national park is located on the territory of Greater Sochi: from the borders with the Tuapse region, between the mouths of the Shepsi and Magri rivers in the northwest to the borders with Abkhazia in the southeast and from the Black Sea coast to the watershed line of the Main Caucasus Range. Most of the park's territory is occupied by mountains, dissected by river valleys. The foothill zone occupies a narrow strip along the Black Sea. About 40 rivers and streams of the Black Sea basin flow through the park.

Altai Nature Reserve

The Altai Nature Reserve is located in the mountains of Southern Siberia. This is the land of mountains and swift mountain rivers, the kingdom of giant trees and the country of ancient wild animals. A walk through the mountain taiga landscapes of the reserve is fascinating in its unpredictability. Vertical belts, steppe, forest, subalpine and alpine, replacing each other as you climb the mountains, hide their secrets. Even the forests within the reserve are different. In the north there are practically only firs, to the south - cedars, in the south - deciduous trees.

UK National Parks

Brecon Beacons National Park

The Brecon Beacons are located on a mountain range in South Wales and occupy a national park of approximately 1345 sq. km, the park contains the highest mountain in southern Britain. The Brecon Beacons translates to "Brecon Beacons", a name that comes from ancient times when people used fires lit on mountain tops to signal each other that enemies were approaching.

Norfolk Broads

Broads National Park covers Norfolk and Suffolk. This is a large, protected wetland area of ​​Great Britain that is home to some of the UK's rarest plants and animals. It is the third largest park in the UK and occupies huge expanses of water. The park includes seven major rivers and 63 remains of medieval peat excavations.

Dartmoor

The beautiful expanse of the Dartmoor moors in Devon covers a huge area of ​​the UK. Dartmoor contains the largest concentration of Bronze Age artefacts in Britain, with many ancient stones and other monuments located there.

Cairngorms

The largest British national park, with an area of ​​4528 square meters. km. The area is home to a high and massive mountain range, with four of Scotland's five highest mountains located within the park, and there are 55 peaks over 900m high. Overall, the Cairngorms occupy about six percent of Scotland.

Lake District

Lake District, often compared to the sea, the park is located in the mountainous region of Cumbria, in north-west England. The entire area of ​​England with an altitude of more than three thousand meters above sea level is within the National Park, including Scafell, the highest mountain in England. The deepest and longest lakes of England are also located here.

The Trossachs and Loch Lomond

This park in western Scotland is located in the Loch Lomond area, which represents the largest freshwater reserve in mainland Britain. The park contains 21 peaks with a height of more than 1000 meters and 19 peaks with a height of more than 2500 m, as well as two forest parks - Queen Elizabeth and Argyll.

Peak District

Britain's oldest national park. It attracts around 10 million visitors a year, largely due to its proximity to a number of major cities in northern England, making it one of the UK's busiest national parks. The Peak District is conventionally divided into the northern Dark Peak, where most of the territory is occupied by swamps, and the South Peak, where most of the territory is occupied by limestone rocks.

US National Parks

Grand Canyon, Arizona

The Grand Canyon is one of the iconic places in the United States of America. The Grand Canyon stretches almost 450 km in length. It was formed by the influence of the Colorado River over thousands of years. The National Park is famous for its picturesque desert landscapes.

Yellowstone, Wyoming

The first national park in the world, famous for its geysers, hot springs burst out of the ground, making a unique impression on viewers. The park is home to many wildlife, including grizzly bears and moose.

Rocky Mountain, Montana

On the Canadian border, Rocky Mountain Park is home to about 130 lakes and is home to thousands of plant species and hundreds of animal species.

Everglades, Florida

The Everglades is a network of wetlands and forests and is home to 36 protected species, including panthers and American crocodiles.

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its unique geological structures that cut the sky with narrow peaks. The structures were formed by weathering and erosion by sediment flow.

Death Valley, California-Nevada border

Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. Here you will discover a harsh desert landscape that, despite everything, attracts many species of animals.

Denali, Alaska

Denali is located around the tallest mountain in North America. Denali's landscapes are a mixture of forest, tundra, glaciers and rocks.

Hawaiian volcanoes

This dramatic landscape includes two active volcano: Kilauea, one of the most active in the world and Mauna Loa.

Yosemite, California

Yosemite is famous for its attractive El Capitan and Half Dome cliffs. There are beautiful steep waterfalls and ancient redwood trees here.

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

The underground park is a huge cave with an area of ​​1220 m, 191 m wide and 78 m high. Photographers here will be amazed by the beautiful limestone cave landscapes.

National parks in Europe

Saxon Switzerland, Germany

The park features extremely beautiful rocky landscapes and canyons. In Saxon Switzerland grow ancient coniferous trees.

Swiss national park

The Swiss National Park is the oldest park in the Alps and provides protection to many rare animals. Mountain goats, marmots and countless varieties of birds live here.

Teide, Tenerife island, Spain

The volcanic peak of Teide is the most visited national park in Spain. It is known for its surreal landscapes and amazing views of the surrounding Canary Islands.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

16 lakes amaze visitors to this Croatian national park. The shades of water in the lakes vary from crystalline green to dark blue.

Vatnajokull, Iceland

Europe's largest glacier is located in Vatnajökull National Park. The glacier occupies about 8% of the entire territory of the country.

Cevennes, France

Cevennes is located in the mountainous region of France. Here you will see picturesque mountain landscapes and gorges. There is a chain of cave systems within the park.

Olympus, Greece

Here is the famous Mount Olympus, the highest mountain and the legendary house greek gods. The park is rich in history, culture and ecological diversity.

Abruzzo, Italy

The Abruzzo Park is home to huge granite peaks and beech forests. This mountain wilderness is home to brown bear, wild lynx, wolves and royal eagles.

Tatra Mountains, Slovakia

The oldest national park in Slovakia covers 741 square meters. km area. Pines and other coniferous trees grow here. There are many lakes in the park, and a wide variety of wild animals live here.

Burren, Ireland

The Burren is the smallest of Ireland's six national parks. The area of ​​the park is only 15 square meters. km, but there is something to see here.

Goreme, Türkiye

Turkey's national park inspires photographers around the world with its surreal landscapes, caves and bizarre hills.

National parks of the world

Fiordland, New Zealand

The snow-capped mountain peaks of the national park will inspire any photographer. Most of the plots of the film “The Lord of the Rings” were filmed here.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

This park is one of best places, which are worth visiting to see all the flavor of the African continent. Lions, African elephants, buffalos, leopards and rhinoceroses live here.

Banff, Canada

It is Canada's oldest national park and features rich mountain ranges, densely forested regions, glaciers and ice fields. Banff is home to grizzly bears, elk and bighorn sheep.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The island's wildlife has developed in isolation over millions of years, resulting in unique animals living in the park and growing rare species plants.

Sagarmatha, Nepal

Most of the park is occupied by mountains, one of which is the highest point on our planet - Mount Everest. The territory of the park amazes with rivers, glaciers and beautiful mountain landscapes.

Torres del Paine, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park is home to the impressive Andean peaks. Lakes, glaciers and mountain glades are presented to the attention of photographers. Here you can find guanacos, pumas and rare birds.

Kakadu, Australia

Kakadu National Park is subject to World Heritage UNESCO. The park is home to impressive waterfalls, rivers and swamps, and is home to many wild animals, including saltwater crocodiles.

Iguazu, Argentina / Iguazu, Brazil

We are talking about two Iguazu parks at once, one of which is located in Brazil, and the second in Argentina. Business card parks is a chain of beautiful waterfalls surrounded by jungle. Visitors are impressed by the huge variety of birds living around Iguazu Falls.

Serengeti, Tanzania

Serengeti National Park is famous for the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle that passes through the park.

Fuji Hakone Izu, Japan

Japan's most popular national park includes views of the dormant Mount Fuji located in the center of the park. Fuji Hakone Izu is shrouded in clouds in spring and summer.

Zhangjiajie, China

Unique and inimitable mountain landscapes await visitors to Zhangjiajie Park in China. The park is home to tall sandstone pillars, the result of years of erosion caused by ice expansion.

Jim Corbett, India

The national park is named after a hunter who gave up his job and began to protect nature in order to save the Bengal tiger. It is the oldest national park in India and is home to Himalayan bears, leopards and elephants.

Canaima, Venezuela

The park will amaze you with picturesque cliffs and waterfalls, including Angel Falls, which is more than one kilometer high.

Ao Phang Nga, Thailand

A distinctive feature of Ao Pang Nga Park are the highest cliffs that run straight into the water. The combination of sea and mountain landscapes will definitely impress photographers

The first park appeared on earth before our era. But even today there are philanthropists alive who do not allow beauty to disappear from the face of the earth. The more people encroached on the values ​​of nature, the more actively the parks grew. They appeared in Europe already in the 10th century, then in the States, and later in Africa.

Countries where there are nature reserves and national parks, make up the majority of all states. A national park or reserve is a part of pristine nature that has not been touched by civilization. In the States, parks are created exclusively for recreation, in Russia - for nature conservation, in Asia - a combination of the first and second.

Man is a curious creature. Avoid beauty? No, he's on his way.

Features of ecotourism

Traveling through parks and reserves is very different from other types of tourism. It has a name - ecotourism. The name is conditional. It is also called “soft”, “green”, “natural”, the essence does not change. Some refer to it as “adventure travel” and, perhaps, come closest to the truth.

Millions travel every day! Few people venture into ecotourism. Sometimes such travelers are called “crazy”. But isn't this praise? A person is alive as long as he is capable of doing crazy things.

The main feature of ecotourism is to give up comfort. The postulate is not to harm nature.

Important Factors

What does nature give people? I would like to say - everything. She makes him understand the meaning of existence, i.e. an opportunity to look inside yourself. The further a person moves, the more his thirst grows, the wider his needs become: to look into every corner, to get to the essence. Few people decide to take such a journey alone, i.e. another opportunity arises - to better get to know the one who is next to you: friend or enemy.

Ecotourism is also our feasible contribution to their preservation.

Countries and continents

• Voroninsky Nature Reserve, Russia.
• Reserve "Kuznetsky Alatau", Russia.
• Belovezhskaya Pushcha, Belarus.
• Levens Hall, England.
• Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany.
• Oulanka Park. Finland.
• Swiss ancient park.
• Rangel St. Elias, a park in the USA.
• Greenland National Park, the largest in the world.
• Limpopo Park, Africa.
• Kruger Nature Reserve, Africa.
• The oldest African reserve, the Serengeti,
• Snowdonia, North Wales.
• Taman Negara, a park in Malaysia.
• Alnwick, poison garden, England.

Will you dare to take such a trip?

Can a child go on such a journey? Quite if there is a reliable person nearby. Even a pensioner can do this, the main thing is to choose the right route. If you are “thirsty”, tired of everyday life, go for it. You will not just relax, you will learn a lot of interesting things, you will look at the world with different eyes! And for myself too.

If you're going on a green trip, do the following:

• Leave all care in your native land,
• Imagine yourself as Robinson Crusoe
• Think about how you will manage without your usual things,
• Take what you can't do without,
• When traveling, eat the foods that are offered to you,
• Be patient, accept other concepts, other language, other rules, remember - you are a guest,
• Be sure to keep a diary!

Principles

Why are nature reserves and national parks important? The opportunity to preserve its originality.

When setting out on a journey, do not look back at others; only you are responsible for your life. No person can “nourish” the soul the way the nature you touch will do.

Reserves and national parks of the world updated: March 3, 2019 by: GlonassTravel

As you can guess from the title, National Park Snowdonia is located in the Snowdon mountains. The elevation of 3,560 feet offers scenic views of the park. Lakes and rivers are set against a backdrop of trees and rocks, making the park an ideal place for relaxation and photo opportunities. Within the boundaries of Snowdonia Park, visitors can also admire ancient castles. History is the realm of legends and tales, which makes the park an even more fascinating place to visit. Sleep music is easy and relaxing to listen to

Grand Canyon, USA

Over hundreds of years, the Colorado River created this amazingly complex Grand Canyon. Every year, tourists flock to this place to admire its beauty, travel to the bottom of the canyon and set up camp. The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world and has also been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Grand Canyon extends over 1,200,000 acres.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

One of the largest national parks in the world, the Kruger Park covers millions of acres of land. It is home to a huge number of African animal species, including elephants, giraffes and many more. You can observe these animals from observation towers scattered throughout the park. The Kruger National Park also offers 9 different routes, including at night.

Deosai, Pakistan

Every spring, thousands of flowers and butterflies begin to bloom in Deosai National Park, forming a living carpet, and this riot of colors makes this place fabulously beautiful. Of course, it is advisable to visit the park in the spring, although it is beautiful all year round.

Kakadu National Park, Australia

The Australian government and Aboriginal people work together to care for such a beautiful national park Cockatoo. The park is a World Heritage Site and its stunning views attract tourists all year round. One of the most interesting attractions of the park is the Aboriginal rock art that can be found in the area. It is also home to a range of animals, including the saltwater crocodile.

Hortobagy, Hungary

Hortobagy became the first national park in Hungary. It was declared as a national park in 1973. In 1999, the park was included in the list of World Heritage Sites. Home to wild horses and a range of endangered birds, Hortobagy Park is home to over 342 bird species and is a true birdwatcher's paradise.

Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

This area of ​​Croatia is ideal for relaxation and hiking, with stunning mountainous terrain dotted with lakes and streams. The uniqueness of the reservoirs of this park is that the water contains travertine. This gives the water perfect clarity as well as a very vibrant blue-green hue.

Madain Saley National Historical Park, Saudi Arabia

While many parks have dense vegetation, Madain Salei consists almost entirely of desert and rocks. The amazing oases and attractions of the park will blow your mind. The ancient burial ground in the park is also beautiful. More than 125 graves and facades were carved into the rock sometime between 500 BC. and 100 AD. They are still in excellent condition and are certainly worth a visit if you are in the area.

Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

Here you can admire Everest, as well as its adjacent mountains, monasteries and villages. National Park serves as a home for mountain goats, which balance perfectly while climbing dangerous sheer cliffs.

Iguazu National Park, Argentina and Brazil

National Park Iguazu is located in Argentina and Brazil. Iguazu Falls is actually made up of hundreds of waterfalls in a circle of curved rock. The park is home to a wide range of wildlife, including howler monkeys, jaguars, tapirs and caimans.

There are so many beautiful places on Earth that you really want and need to visit at least once! National parks can be called the pinnacle joint creativity God and man: nature created it, but people did not spoil it and continue to protect these incredibly beautiful corners of the planet.

From hundreds of the most beautiful natural reserves in the world, it is perhaps impossible to choose the very best. But we tried, we took a risk, and in 2013 Holiday M presents 13 the most picturesque National Parks on the planet!

13. Tikal National Park, Guatemala

Tikal- the strongest Mayan city in Guatemala and one of the most mystical and mysterious places on earth.

Name Tikal in the Mayan language means “a place where the voices of spirits are heard.” And indeed, to this day in one of the largest settlements Mayan, the capital of the Mutul kingdom, the voices of residents who left the city at the end of the 10th century can still be heard.

The park is hidden from prying eyes deep in the jungle. The fantastic Mayan ruins, which date back to approximately 250 - 900 AD, are full of unique architecture: ritual sites, temples, palaces, castles and various wild animals. By the way, it was the ruins of Tikal Park that were used as a backdrop as a rebel base in the Hollywood Star Wars.

12. Zhangjiajie National Park and Yellow Dragon Cave Huanglong (Yellow Dragon Scenic Area), China

Zhangjiajie- the oldest of the national parks in China and, perhaps, the most remarkable. Opened in 1982, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site ten years later.

The Yellow Dragon Conservation Area is located in the northwest of Sichuan Province in the highlands. Huanglong Scenic Area is an ecosystem of waterfalls, hot springs, mountain gorges, blue lakes, virgin forests and snow-covered hilltops.

The protected area is famous for its high mountain ranges and unique caves. One of the most beautiful of them - unique cave Huanglong (Yellow Dragon Cave) in the Sosiyu Nature Reserve. A four-tier cave with a length of 15 km. included a lake, two rivers, 13 halls and about 96 galleries cluttered with stalactites and stalagmites of amazing shapes and sizes. So one of them, with a diameter of 10 cm, reaches 19.2 m in height!

11. Kruger National Park, South Africa

Nothing compares to splendor wildlife Africa, and this is a clear confirmation of this.

In 1884, Transvaal President Paul Kruger initiated the creation of a conservation area in the lowveld. And on May 31, 1926, Kruger Park was created on the basis of the Sabi and Shingwedzi hunting reserves, which became the first national park of South Africa. It is unlikely that any other national park compares to the Kruger National Park for its unspoilt countryside, wildlife and vastness.

Kruger National Park provides the best safari experience in the world. In one place you can see the largest mammals, a large number of birds and large predators.

The park is considered the most profitable national park in the world - about 1 million tourists visit it annually.

As part of the Kruger to the Canyons Biosphere Reserve, established in 2001, it is part of.

10. Lake Manyara National Park (Lake Manyara National Park), Tanzania

In the Great Rift Valley, in northern Tanzania, at an altitude of 950 m above sea level, around an extremely beautiful lakes Manyara, in the heart of the green forest, located between the rocks National park Manyara.

The park is located on northern Tanzania, one and a half hours' drive west of Arusha.

Manyara Lakes Reserve- picturesque gem framed UNESCO: in 1981, the park was included in the global network of biosphere reserves.

9. Swiss National Park, Switzerland

Even though Switzerland is famous for its magical Alps, it only has one national park to offer tourists. But what a one!

It is located in eastern Switzerland, in the Engadin Valley region, including a vast area of ​​the Alps.

The park is considered one of the oldest in Central Europe - it was created in 1914. In 1979 it was included in the list of biosphere reserves UNESCO together with the adjacent Italian Stelvio National Park.

The history of the park is interesting and instructive. By 1909, during the course of "industrialization", the resources of this territory, rich in forests and minerals, were completely destroyed by man. Then, in 1914, it was decided to ban economic activity in this area and trace the ability of nature to self-heal and no environmental restoration measures were carried out in the park. However, now it is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the world, which is visited by about 150 thousand people a year.

Mountain rivers, snowy peaks, picturesque valleys, rich flora and fauna attract tourists to serenely enjoy the beauty of alpine nature at its best...

Isn’t this a silent call: “People, take care of me!”

8. Kakadu National Park, Australia

The uniqueness of this Australian natural wonder is given by the rocks and ledges surrounding it on all sides, protecting the park itself from the outside world and the outside world from it. In addition, since 1981 the park has also been protected UNESCO.

National Kakdu Park is located in the Northern Territory of Australia. He did not get his name in honor of everyone's favorite crested parrot. It is named after the Kakadu Aboriginal tribe who live here to this day. In addition to an abundance of plants, insects, reptiles, birds, animals and fish, Kakadu National Park is also home to two caves whose walls are decorated with ancient rock art dating back to around the 16th millennium BC.

7. Snowdonia National Park(Snowdonia), UK, Wales

Snowdonia National Park was created in 1951 and became one of the first three national parks of england and wales. In just 60 years, Snowdonia has gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful national parks in the world!

These are indescribably beautiful mountain landscapes and wide sandy beaches, monasteries and ancient castles, dense forests and crystal clear lakes. Here, untouched nature, unique Celtic culture and developed tourist infrastructure coexist surprisingly harmoniously.

6. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park,Australia

Near Uluru is the rock formation Kata Tjuta (meaning "many heads"). And together they are one of the most beautiful National Parks in the world, the symbol and heart of Australia.

In 1987 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park was included in UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1995 he received Picasso gold medal - UNESCO's highest award,for the preservation of the nature and culture of the Anangu Aboriginal people. Today, many of them work in the park as guides and tour guides for tourist groups.

5. Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, Peru

The secrets of the mystical Inca Empire excite the minds of historians, researchers and adventurers from all over the world. Machu-Picchu, especially after receiving the status UNESCO World Heritage Site, has become a center of mass tourism - per day this ancient city is visited by 2000 tourists!

Machu Picchu is sometimes called the "city in the sky" or the "city among the clouds", but most often - the "lost city of the Incas". The majestic Machu Picchu is located in remote places in the mountainous regions of Peru: at an altitude of 2430 m above sea level, in the center of a tropical forest. To support tourism, a railway was built from Cusco to the neighboring town of Aguas Calientes. More than ten trains a day pass through Ollantaytambo, along a scenic route.

Read more about one of the New Wonders of the World - historical sanctuary of Machu Picchu, you can find out

(Everglades National Park), Florida, USA

“There are no majestic peaks rushing to the sky, no mighty glaciers or seething streams... This place has a special serene beauty... thanks to the richness of the local nature, we can see here the wealth of flora and fauna that distinguishes this corner of nature from all others in our country." - President Harry Truman said at the opening ceremony of the park. And in 1979, the organization committee UNESCO supported his words, adding Everglades to the list objects World heritage.

3. (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park), California, USA

Anza-Borrego is a huge nature reserve, the largest park in the state of California.

During the gold rush of 1849 Tens of thousands of gold miners passed through the Anza-Borrego Desert. Today, the blooming desert delights visitors with pristine nature, where you can get acquainted with the unique ecology, its steep gorges and barren, eroded, rugged terrain.

Every year, in March-April, thousands of tourists come here to see the wonderful transformation of a lifeless desert into a blooming paradise.
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2. Iguazu National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Iguazú), South America

National parkIguazu is located in the ecological region "Atlantic Forests of Parana" and invariably delights tourists with the incredible diversity of flora and fauna. But main task Created in 1934, the park was and remains the preservation of one of the most beautiful places in South America - the waterfalls on the Iguazu River, surrounded by subtropical jungle.

Iguaçu in the language of the Tupi Guarani Indians means big water. The park partially contains one of the natural monuments of South America and one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world - Iguazu Falls.

Waterfalls are on the border Argentine and Brazilian national parks « Iguazu" Both parks were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1986, respectively.

), Arizona, USA

The most grandiose, and, perhaps, one of the most interesting and unique corners of the Earth - US national parkGrand Canyon.

The park covers an area of ​​about 5 thousand square meters. km. was founded in 1908 to protect a unique natural formation - the Colorado River gorge, which is located in its middle course. The Grand Canyon is one of the most unusual places on our planet, which represents as many as 4 geological eras of the Earth!

In fact, the Grand Canyon is neither the largest nor the deepest in the world - it is prized primarily for its harmonious combination of size, depth and multi-colored layers of exposed rock formed over millions of years of erosion and weathering.

Now this is one of the main tourist destinations in the USA - the grandiose scale of the canyon and its bizarre remains of the most fantastic forms attract more than 2 million people to Grand Canyon National Park every year. And of course this is one of the most amazing observation decks of the world !

Walking is especially popular among tourists over the Grand Canyon by helicopter. During an exciting three-hour excursion you will fly in a helicopter over Grandee-Canyon, enjoying stunning landscapes and wonderful views.

Orangutan rehabilitation center in Borneo - a lesson in humanity for people

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