The most beautiful national parks in the world -

National parks are protected areas used for conservation purposes, often housing specific ecosystems. The United States began the initiative to protect these areas in the late 19th century.

Many of these parks are given government protection. Some are even classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Endless trails, stunning landscapes, wild animals, and nature in its purest state -that's what these locations offer to people who want to see our planet's most beautiful natural wonders.

We put together a list of some of the most amazing natural parks in the world.

Curious? Well, come along!

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Torres Del Paine National Park, Chile - This park is located in the beautiful Chilean Patagonia. It's popular with hikers and people who head to South America for an adventure. It covers over 240,000 hectares and is home to Lake Pehoé, one of the most beautiful in South America.

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Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia - With an area covering approximately 20,000 hectares full of flora and fauna, this national park is a real gem, with waterfalls and lakes in every corner. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

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Yellowstone National Park, United States - It's the US's first national park, and the one that started the 'trend.' It's famous for its geysers and thermal waters. There, you can find the Grand Prismatic Spring, the biggest hot spring in the region.

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Port Campbell National Park, Australia - Port Campbell National Park is best known for the rock formation known as the '12 Apostles.' The area is notable for its abundance of limestone rock formations.

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Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland - Vatnajökull National Park is the biggest in Europe, covering over 12,000 kilometers. It's also home to one of Iceland's most iconic sights, the Svartifoss waterfalls.

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Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil - A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, this park is an oasis in the semi-arid region of southwest Piauí. The Pedra Furada rock formation is its most well-known feature, and is well explored by archaeologists.

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Yosemite National Park, US - Yosemite is one of America's most popular parks and a dream for any nature lover. It receives more than three million visitors annually, and the waterfalls are one of its most popular attractions.

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Iguaçu National Park, Paraná, Brazil - The Iguaçú falls are one of the biggest attractions in Brazil and South America. The park covers almost 190,000 hectares and recently became one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. There are more than 275 waterfalls in this incredible region.

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Triglav National Park, Slovenia - With more than 80,000 hectares, this park is surrounded by a mountain range of the same name, and features Slovenia's highest peak. It's also home to Lake Bohinj, one of Europe's most beautiful lakes and an ideal summer escape.

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Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania, Australia - Those beautiful mountains are just asking to be explored! You can also visit Dove Lake, where you can see a truly glorious view over this nature reserve.

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Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada - In the Canadian Rockies lies one of the parks with most wildlife in the region. It covers more than 10,000 square kilometers and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Maranhão, Brazil - This park covers 186,000 hectares and is made up of huge sand dunes. Among the dunes you can find fresh water lakes, which disappear during the dry season.

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Snowdonia National Park, Wales - Considered one of the United Kingdom's most beautiful national parks, it was opened in 1951 and covers over 20,000 hectares. You can visit this area by foot or by train and you can take stunning trails through the mountains.

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Fiordland National Park, New Zealand - Fiordland National Park is one of the country's main tourist spots, and served as the backdrop for 'The Lord of the Rings.' You can also find the famous Milford Sound fjord here.

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Daintree National Park, Australia - This national park boasts some of the most varied and richest ecosystems in the world. For the adventurous ones, you can take a guided tour to go see the crocodiles in the area!

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Zhangye Danxial National GeoPark, China - These colorful sandstone rock formations are the park's main attraction. This park is held very dear by the Chinese as one of their most beautiful areas, and it covers an area of around 510 square kilometers.

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Nahuel Huapi National Park, Bariloche, Argentina - Opened in 1934, Nahuel Huapi is Argentina's first national park and is home to the lake of the same name, as well as lots more sights that promise to captivate any visitor.

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Itatiaia National Parl, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Brazil's first national park opened in 1937. Visitors come to walk the various adventure trails and enjoy the waterfalls that make for the ideal spots to cool off.

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Gauja National Park, Latvia - The canopy made up by the colorful trees here make it one of the Latvia's prettiest attractions. The river Gauja flows through the park, where you can find adventure trails that are most definitely worth a trip.

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Repovesi National Park, Kouvola, Finland - Finland has almost everything a nature lover could want and need. In this national park you will find lakes, woods and forests all together, and you might even run into some interesting animal species on your adventures.

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Ardales National Park, Málaga, Spain - The climate in this park is ideal for taking a stroll with the whole family. You can check out the crystal clear lakes on a boat trip, and walk through the beautiful forests.

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Etosha National Park, Namibia - This natural park is a game reserve, the main goal of which is to preserve the region's animal life. Visitors can see lions, zebras, elephants and a host of other truly impressive wild animals.

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Lake Manyara National Park, Arusha & Manyara, Tanzania - Covering an area of approximately 32,000 hectares, this park is full of forests, lakes and arid areas. Giraffes, leopards, zebras and more than 400 species of birds are just some of the surprises that this protected region holds.

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Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Reserve, Alaska, US - The mountain that gives this park its name is the second-tallest in the US. This protected region covers more than 50,000 square kilometers completely dedicated to adventure tourism.

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Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, Australia - A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this park is one of the world's largest and most complex ecosystems. The name Kata Tjuta means 'many heads' or 'many peaks' due to the 36 sandstone that make up the area.

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Arches National Park, Utah, US - As the name suggests, the arches are the main attraction in this park. The world's biggest natural arch is found here, and the park receives nearly one million visitors every year. It was also featured in a Bon Jovi music video!

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Chapada da Diamantina National Park, Bahia, Brazil - The trails that pass though the Vale do Paty are well worth exploring, as are the mountains, rivers and grottos here. This is the main spot for ecotourism in Brazil, and you can understand why when you see the incredible natural beauty of this park.

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Nahanni National Park, Canada - Nahanni National Park is known for its waterfalls, and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can explore grottos and see the huge canyons in the area.

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Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada - Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, this majestic park has more than 1,600 kilometers of trails to explore, and is one of Canada's main tourist spots. It's a perfect place to go camping - or even golfing!

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