About International Parks

Overview

International Parks is a detailed guide to the world's protected natural areas. With 23,798 parks catalogued across 217 countries and territories, we go far beyond generic star ratings. Our 10-category rating system helps you understand exactly what makes each park special, so you can find the destinations that match your interests -- whether that's dramatic geology, rich wildlife, peaceful solitude, or all of the above.

Our Rating Philosophy

A single star rating can't capture what makes a park worth visiting. A remote wilderness and a family-friendly nature reserve are both great -- but for completely different reasons. Our 10-category system lets you compare parks on the dimensions that matter to you, from scenic beauty and geological features to accessibility and safety.

Rating Categories

Each park is evaluated across ten key dimensions to give you a complete picture of what to expect:

Uniqueness

Uniqueness measures what makes this park stand out from all others worldwide, including one-of-a-kind geological formations, endemic species, and rare natural phenomena. Parks scoring high in uniqueness offer experiences found nowhere else.

Intensity

Intensity captures the physical and mental challenge level, from extreme terrain like towering peaks and deep canyons to adventurous activities like technical climbing and whitewater rafting. High intensity parks demand real preparation and fitness.

Beauty

Beauty evaluates the park's scenery, including dramatic vistas, photogenic landscapes, and seasonal color. High-scoring parks offer standout views in every season and reward photographers and nature lovers.

Geology

Geology assesses rock formations, minerals, and earth processes including ancient exposed layers, dramatic arches and hoodoos, volcanic features, and unique fossils. Parks excelling in geology serve as natural textbooks of our planet's formation.

Plant Life

Plant Life measures botanical richness from ancient forests and rare endemic species to seasonal wildflower blooms and unusual adaptations. High-scoring parks feature primeval forests, rare cacti, alpine meadows, or other notable plant communities.

Wildlife

Wildlife evaluates the abundance and observability of animals including large mammals, rare species, rich birdlife, and seasonal migrations. Parks scoring high offer reliable wildlife sightings, from large mammals down to smaller and rarer species.

Tranquility

Tranquility measures the park's capacity for peace and quiet through secluded spots, minimal crowds, and natural soundscapes. High-tranquility parks are restful places to slow down and spend time in nature.

Access

Access evaluates how easily visitors of all abilities can experience the park through proximity to cities, quality trails, visitor facilities, and accommodations for diverse needs. Well-accessible parks are easy to enjoy for families, elderly visitors, and those with mobility challenges.

Safety

Safety evaluates all risks from natural hazards like dangerous wildlife and extreme weather to regional concerns like crime and political stability. High scores indicate well-managed parks in stable regions with good infrastructure and clear hazard communication.

Heritage

Heritage assesses historical and cultural significance including archaeological sites, indigenous importance, historical structures, and ancient ruins. Parks rich in heritage offer windows into past civilizations and the long relationship between humans and these special places.

How Scores Work

Scale

Every category is scored from 0 to 100. A 0 is a real score, not a missing one.

Overall score

The Overall score is not the average of the ten categories. 60% comes from the nature categories (Uniqueness, Beauty, Geology, Plant Life and Wildlife), weighted toward the park's strongest ones, so one world-class feature lifts a park more than several middling ones. The other 40% sets Safety against the average of Intensity, Heritage, Tranquility and Access: a low Safety score pulls it down hard, while a high one lifts it only a little.

Which reviews count

When someone reviews a park more than once, only their latest review counts. A review that gives all ten categories the same score of 0, 50 or 100 is not counted.

Overall Experience

Overall Experience, the optional question on the review form about how the visit felt as a whole, is shown on its own and never changes the Overall score.

Country Coverage

From the national parks of Patagonia to the wildlife reserves of East Africa, we cover parks on every continent. Here's a snapshot of what's available for each country:

A tick means every park in that country has a rating, at least one photo, or a wiki page; a dash means only some do, with the share of parks shown beside it.

Our Community

International Parks is built by and for people who love the outdoors. Our ratings reflect real experiences from visitors who've walked the trails, watched the wildlife, and taken in the views. Every review adds another perspective to help you plan a trip that lives up to expectations.

Creating a free account lets you submit reviews, vote on features, and build wishlists. We never sell your personal information or use it for advertising. The Privacy Policy lists the services that help run the site.

Community Roadmap

Help us prioritize new features by voting on what matters most to you.

Connect With Us

Have questions, suggestions, or want to collaborate? We'd love to hear from you!

Email Us

internationalparksbusiness@gmail.com

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