Our 10 Favorite Global National Parks

One of Africa's largest game reserves spans nearly 8,000 square miles of untamed bushveld, where the Big Five roam freely across diverse ecosystems. Dawn game drives reveal leopards descending from marula trees while massive elephant herds cross ancient migration routes. This conservation success story offers some of the continent's best wildlife viewing, which you'll experience on O.A.T.'s New! Southern Africa Discovery: Victoria Falls, Kruger Safari & the Cape Peninsula adventure.

Patagonia's crown jewel showcases granite spires that pierce the sky, surrounded by turquoise lakes, ancient glaciers, and windswept pampas. Guanacos graze beneath the iconic towers while condors soar on thermal currents and icebergs calve from glaciers with thunderous roars. O.A.T.'s The Wilderness Beyond: Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & the Chilean Fjords adventure takes you into this realm of raw, untamed beauty at the edge of the world.

The sacred red monolith rises from the Outback like Earth's ancient heartbeat, changing colors with the sun's journey across the sky. Nearby, the weathered domes of Kata Tjuta create a labyrinth of ochre valleys where desert wildlife thrives among spinifex and mulga scrub. This spiritual landscape—central to Aboriginal culture for thousands of years—awaits discovery on O.A.T.'s A South Pacific Odyssey: Australia, the Outback & New Zealand adventure.

This volcanic archipelago serves as a living laboratory of evolution, where fearless wildlife inspired Darwin's groundbreaking theories. Marine iguanas dive for algae in cold currents while giant tortoises lumber through highland forests and flightless cormorants dry their stunted wings on lava shores. O.A.T.'s Machu Picchu & the Galápagos adventure brings you face-to-face with species found nowhere else on Earth.

Sixteen terraced lakes cascade through limestone canyons, connected by waterfalls that thunder through pristine forest. Wooden walkways wind above crystal-clear waters that shift from azure to emerald, while brown bears and wolves still roam the surrounding beech and fir forests. Experience this natural wonderland of cascading beauty on O.A.T.'s Crossroads of the Adriatic: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia adventure.

Fairy chimneys and honeycombed hills create an alien landscape where nature and human history merge in spectacular fashion. Byzantine churches carved into volcanic rock preserve ancient frescoes while hot air balloons drift above valleys dotted with pigeon houses and cave dwellings. O.A.T.'s Turkey's Magical Hideaways adventure reveals this geological marvel where civilizations have carved homes from stone for millennia.

Milford Sound's sheer cliffs plunge into dark waters while waterfalls cascade from hanging valleys carved by ancient glaciers. Rainforests cling to near-vertical slopes where rare Fiordland penguins nest and bottlenose dolphins play in the deep fjords. This pristine wilderness of dramatic beauty forms the highlight of O.A.T.'s Pure New Zealand adventure through Middle Earth's most spectacular landscapes.

Africa's rooftop reveals a landscape of towering escarpments and deep valleys where gelada baboons graze on alpine meadows and walia ibex navigate precipitous cliffs. Endemic species thrive in this high-altitude sanctuary where temperatures plummet and giant lobelias dot the moorlands. Discover this dramatic highland ecosystem on O.A.T.'s New! Ethiopia: Cultural Discoveries in an Ancient Land adventure.

These remote volcanic islands harbor the world's largest lizards—Komodo dragons that can grow up to 10 feet long and dominate their island kingdoms. Coral reefs surrounding the islands teem with manta rays, sea turtles, and over 1,000 species of fish in some of the planet's most biodiverse waters. Encounter these prehistoric predators and pristine reefs on the Komodo Island & Beyond: Land of Dragon post-trip extension of O.A.T.'s Java & Bali: Indonesia's Mystical Islands adventure.

Home to Mount Everest and several other Himalayan giants, this high-altitude park showcases Buddhist monasteries perched on mountainsides and Sherpa villages nestled in valleys. Prayer flags flutter against a backdrop of the world's highest peaks while blue sheep traverse rocky slopes and Himalayan tahr bound across alpine terrain. O.A.T.'s Nepal & the Mystical Himalayas adventure brings you into the heart of this sacred mountain realm.