As of January 2023 there have been a complete of 1,157 UNESCO World Heritage Websites on the earth, together with 218 that had been acknowledged particularly for his or her Pure Heritage.
Making an attempt to slim that overwhelming array of choices right down to a listing of the 20 Prime UNESCO World Heritage Websites could be unattainable, to not point out extremely subjective.
However right here’s a have a look at 20 of our favourite protected UNESCO Websites for nature and wildlife lovers, together with nationwide parks and reserves within the USA and Canada, Africa, Asia, Australia, Central and South America, and past.
In our expertise all of them provide extraordinary journey experiences, so that they’re listed alphabetically moderately than in any of type ranked order of excellence.
READ MORE: The 15 Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the USA (For Nature/History Lovers)
Prime UNESCO World Heritage Websites Checklist
- Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Nationwide Park (Uganda)
- Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (Canada)
- Central Amazon Conservation Advanced (Brazil)
- Darién Nationwide Park (Panama)
- Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
- Nice Barrier Reef (Australia)
- Iguazú Nationwide Park (Argentina)
- Kenya Lake System In The Nice Rift Valley (Kenya)
- Kluane/ Wrangell-St Elias/ Glacier Bay/ Tatshenshini-Alsek (Canada/Usa)
- La Amistad Worldwide Park (Costa Rica/Panama)
- Manú Nationwide Park (Peru)
- Mosi-Oa-Tunya/ Victoria Falls (Zambia/Zimbabwe)
- Nanda Devi & Valley Of Flowers Nationwide Parks (India)
- Ngorongoro Conservation Space (Tanzania)
- Okavango Delta (Botswana)
- Pantanal (Brazil)
- Sichuan Big Panda Sanctuaries (China)
- Sundarbans Nationwide Park (India/Bangladesh)
- Valdés Peninsula (Argentina)
- Yellowstone Nationwide Park (USA)
READ MORE: 12 Odd Intangible Cultural Heritage Practices UNESCO Protects
1. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Nationwide Park (Uganda)
Positioned in southwestern Uganda, 199-square mile Bwindi is a part of Africa’s richest and oldest forest, courting again 25,000 years.
Established in 1991 to guard Mountain Gorillas, the park at the moment boasts round 350 of them.
It’s additionally house to over 200 species of timber, 120 mammal species, and 350+ chicken species, making it one in every of Africa’s best birding locations.
READ MORE: 50 Interesting Facts About Gorillas
2. Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (Canada)
In the case of beautiful surroundings, it’s laborious to beat the Canadian Rockies.
This UNESCO World Heritage Web site contains 4 Nationwide Parks (Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho), three provincial parks, and numerous glaciers, scorching springs, mountains, and rivers.
For sure, the area’s wildlife (Elk, Bears, Cougars, Otters, Wolves) is equally considerable and spectacular.
READ MORE: The 15 Best National Parks in the World for Wildlife Watching
3. Central Amazon Conservation Advanced (Brazil)
With over 13 million acres, the CACC is the biggest protected space within the Amazon Basin, which stretches throughout 40% of South America.
It’s house to one of many world’s most biodiverse repositories of natural world, together with Várzea and Igapó forests.
Throughout our visits to the Amazon, we noticed myriad endangered species such because the Amazonian Manatee, two species of River Dolphin, Black Caiman, birds and extra.
READ MORE: 21 Incredible Animals That Live in the Amazon Rainforest
4. Darién Nationwide Park (Panama)
Positioned 200 miles from Panama Metropolis, the biggest Nationwide Park in Panama can also be arguably Central America’s most vital UNESCO website.
The 3317-square mile Biosphere Reserve acts as a pure bridge to South America, with myriad totally different ecosystems.
Wildlife that’s typically noticed on this space embody monkeys, Jaguars, Agouti, Ocelots, Noticed Paca, and Capybaras.
READ MORE: 15 Amazing Animals in Panama You Can See on Vacation
5. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
Named the world’s first UNESCO Web site in 1978, this archipelago of volcanic islands 563 miles off the coast of Ecuador is a must-see for anybody who loves nature and wildlife.
Its ecosystems are dynamic and various, house to fascinating, fearless species similar to Blue-Footed Boobies, Flightless Cormorants, Giant Tortoises, Galapagos Penguins, Marine Iguanas, and plenty of species of Galapagos Birds.
I’ve had the pleasure of exploring the Galapagos Islands twice, and it’s the form of place you’ll be able to return to time and again and by no means develop uninterested in its extraordinary landscapes and the wildlife that inhabits them.
READ MORE: 30 Amazing Galapagos Islands Animals
6. Nice Barrier Reef (Australia)
One of many 7 Natural Wonders of the World, the planet’s largest reef system is comprised of over 2,900 particular person reefs and 900 islands stretched out throughout a 133,000-square mile space.
It’s house to 30 species of cetaceans, over 1,500 species of fish, six species of sea turtles, round 125 species of sharks and stingrays, and 215 species of Australian birds.
Although there have been myriad marine conservation points that threaten the coral reefs, it’s nonetheless one of many planet’s most spectacular spectacles.
READ MORE: 30 Cool & Weird Ocean Animals Around the World
7. Iguazú Nationwide Park (Argentina)
Rating amongst South America’s most beautiful pure points of interest, Iguazú Falls is the biggest system of waterfalls on the earth.
It’s taller than Niagara Falls (269 toes) within the US/Canada, and three,000 toes wider than Victoria Falls in Zambia/ Zimbabwe.
Iguazú Falls can also be surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, which is house to wondrous wildlife (Howler Monkeys, Jaguars, Tapirs, and so on.) and over 2,000 species of crops.
READ MORE: 25 of the World’s Biggest Waterfalls (By Continent)
8. Kenya Lake System within the Nice Rift Valley (Kenya)
Added in 2011, this UNESCO World Heritage Web site contains three interlinked lakes– Bogoria, Elementaita, and Nakuru– overlaying over 79,000 acres in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley.
It’s one of many world’s true geological wonders, and likewise a haven for birdwatchers, with avian range that features huge populations of Lesser Flamingos and White Pelicans.
The realm can also be house to mammals similar to Black Rhino, Cheetah, Giraffe, Lion, and critically endangered Wild Dogs, and is significantly much less crowded with vacationers than different safari hotspots.
READ MORE: Animals in Kenya: A Guide to 40 Species of Kenyan Wildlife
9. Kluane/ Wrangell-St Elias/ Glacier Bay/ Tatshenshini-Alsek (Canada/USA)
This worldwide park system is situated on the US/Canada border the place Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon all come collectively.
Its 37,989 sq. miles are house to a few of North America’s most jaw-dropping landscapes, a lot of that are finest explored through small ship cruises. It additionally incorporates the biggest non-polar ice subject on the planet.
On our Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise in 2019, my daughter and I noticed mammals similar to Caribou, Dall Sheep, and Grizzly Bears, in addition to marine life similar to Sea Otters, Seals, Atlantic Puffins, Whales, Dolphins, and extra.
READ MORE: Alaskan Animals: 40 Species You Can See During Your Alaska Vacation
10. La Amistad Worldwide Park (Costa Rica/Panama)
Straddling the border between Costa Rica and Panama, La Amistad Worldwide Park is the biggest nature reserve in all of Central America.
Its 991,000 protected acres are an enormous hotspot of biodiversity, containing round 20% of the area’s species. However, due largely to its tough terrain, a lot of the park stays unexplored.
One sequence of expeditions to the realm found 12 new plant species, 15 amphibians, and three reptiles that had been beforehand unknown to science!
READ MORE: 40 Amazing Costa Rica Animals
11. Manú Nationwide Park (Peru)
Positioned roughly 3 hours from Cusco, this 11,800-square mile park is house to over 1000 totally different species of birds– greater than your complete USA and Canada mixed!
Ecosystems you’ll be able to go to in Manú Nationwide Park vary from tropical rainforests to montane grasslands.
They provide doable sightings of some unimaginable wildlife, similar to Jaguars, Pumas, Big Otters, Brazilian Tapir, Capybaras, Spectacled Bears, and 14 species of monkeys.
READ MORE: 70 Cool & Weird Animals Around the World (An Epic Guide)
12. Mosi-Oa-Tunya/ Victoria Falls (Zambia/Zimbabwe)
Positioned proper on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke that Thunders”) is the biggest waterfall on the earth as a result of its mixture of width (5,604 toes) and top (354 toes).
The Nationwide Parks on both facet of the border are teeming with Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, large cats (Lions, Leopards, and so on), and birds of prey.
Briefly, it’s no marvel the jaw-dropping Victoria Falls is included among the many Seven Pure Wonders of the World!
READ MORE: The 20 Safest Countries in Africa to Visit
13. Nanda Devi & Valley Of Flowers Nationwide Parks (India)
The attractive landscapes of those two Himalayan parks are dominated by Nanda Devi, India’s second tallest mountain (25,646 toes).
The Valley of Flowers is blanketed in blossoms in the course of the summer time, making it one in every of India’s most stunning hikes at the moment of yr.
Each parks provide a formidable array of biodiversity, together with stunning endangered species similar to Snow Leopards and Himalayan Musk Deer.
READ MORE: Indian Animals: A Guide to 40 Incredible Indian Wildlife Species
14. Ngorongoro Conservation Space (Tanzania)
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the one place in Tanzania that protects wildlife whereas additionally permitting human habitation.
Ngorongoro Crater, the biggest intact volcanic crater on the earth, supplies house to greater than 25,000 massive animals (Buffalo, Hippos, Gazelles, Wildebeest, and so on.), a dense Lion inhabitants, and 1000’s of Lesser Flamingoes who flock to Lake Magadi.
In our expertise, the Ngorongoro space can also be an ideal place to fulfill the indigenous Maasai people, who’ve lived there for numerous centuries.
READ MORE: Top 10 Tanzania National Parks & Reserves (The Ultimate Tanzania Safari)
15. Okavango Delta (Botswana)
One of many newer UNESCO Websites, the 5791-square mile Okavango Delta of northern Botswana earned World Heritage Web site standing in 2014 for its various array of wildlife.
Within the winter its canals and swamps appeal to over 200,000 massive mammals (Cheetahs, Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Wild Canines, and so on.) and over 400 bird species, together with the Crested Crane, Hammerkop, and Sacred Ibis.
This is likely one of the best canoe trips in the world particularly for individuals who need to go on safari in a canoe!
READ MORE: The 10 Best Places for African Safari Tours
16. Pantanal (Brazil)
The world’s largest wetland at 81,000 sq. miles, the distant, comparatively inaccessible Pantanal gives outstanding biodiversity.
Meeting of the Waters State Park space is arguably the most effective place on the earth to identify the elusive Jaguar.
This remarkably biodiverse area boasts over 230 mammal species, over 1,000 chicken species, 90 species of bats, and 80 species of reptiles.
READ MORE: The 20 Best Wildlife Parks & Wildlife Tours in the World
17. Sichuan Big Panda Sanctuaries (China)
Comprised of seven nature reserves and 9 scenic parks, Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries encompasses round 924,500 hectares (3,570 sq. miles).
Collectively, the protected space is house to over 30% of the world’s inhabitants of Big Pandas.
One of many planet’s most botanically wealthy areas (house to between 5,000 and 6,000 species of crops), its 3,569 sq. miles are additionally a refuge for the Purple Panda, Clouded Leopard, and Snow Leopard.
READ MORE: Saving Endangered Asian Animals: The 10 Best Wildlife Conservation Programs
18. Sundarbans Nationwide Park (India/Bangladesh)
The world’s largest Mangrove forest, this 3860-square mile park’s waterways are house to endangered species similar to Irrawady and Ganges River Dolphins.
Sundarbans Nationwide Park’s seashores present vital nesting grounds for 3 totally different species of Sea Turtles.
The realm can also be inhabited by elusive Royal Bengal Tigers, who will typically swim in the hunt for meals similar to fish, crabs, and Monitor Lizards.
READ MORE: Top 10 National Parks in India for Indian Safaris
19. Valdés Peninsula (Argentina)
Positioned on Argentina’s japanese coast, the Valdés Peninsula is rising as a burgeoning Latin American ecotourism hotspot for individuals who love marine life.
It’s an ideal place to identify Southern Elephant Seals and Sea Lions, endangered Southern Proper Whales, Orcas, Commerson’s Dolphins, and Punta Tombo’s huge colonies of Magellanic Penguins.
Different points of interest close by embody the village and seashore of Puerto Pirámides, the deserted windmill of Los Molinos Seaside, and the cliffside caves often known as Las Cuevas.
READ MORE: What Is Ecotourism? (The History & Principles of Responsible Travel)
20. Yellowstone Nationwide Park (USA)
The world’s first Nationwide Park, defending 3,468 sq. miles of rugged wilderness, Yellowstone was a trailblazer within the conservation of nature and wildlife.
Along with its huge focus of megafauna (see: Bison, Elk, Grizzlies, Moose, Wolves, and so on.), it additionally options the biggest super-volcano in the US (the Yellowstone Caldera) and half of the planet’s geothermal options.
Overtourism makes the park a bit crowded within the peak of summer time, however my daughter and I visited Yellowstone in winter and cherished seeing the geothermal landscapes utterly lined in snow. –by Bret Love, featured picture of Jaguar through Canva
