25 UNUSUAL NATIONAL PARKS ACROSS THE WORLD.

Byline: SANKAR SRIDHAR

Gaze at sparking blue lakes, hear the gurgle of gushing rivers, be stunned by shifting sand dunes, lose yourself amidst thick forests... Feel one with nature at any of these gorgeous national parks. By Sankar Sridhar

Pilanesberg Game Reserve, South Africa

The fourth largest park in South Africa, Pilanesberg is a melting pot of topographies--which include syenite koppies, forested ravines, bush veld and rolling grasslands and lightly wooded areas--all contained in the crater of an extinct volcano that covers 55,000 hectares. Much of the beauties find reflection in the Mankwe Dam, the central water feature here. This is also a great place to spot wildlife, including the Big Five--the elephant, lion, leopard, rhinoceros and the cape buffalo.

Thabayadiotso, "the Proud Mountain", offers fitting relief to the panoramas of the park. Apart from the large mammals, the park is home to over 300 species of birds and they can be sighted while on the one-of-a-kind self-guided trail in the Walking Area at Manyane Complex. If the wild ones are not showing up, you can rest assured you'll see at least 80 species of birds at the walk-in aviary along the way.

For details, visit www.pilanesberg-game-reserve-co.za

Murchison National Park, uganda

The largest park in Uganda, it straddles the Albertine Rift Valley the Bunyoro escarpment and the rolling plains of Acholiland. It takes its name from the stunning Murchison Falls, a cascade that tumbles 43m in the heart of this wilderness. Safaris offer the same highlights as in much of Africa, with sightings of the elephant, lion, giraffe and antelope being fairly regular. The true highlight, however, remains the Nile, the world's longest river, which slices through the park and harbours the hippopotamus and the legendary Nile crocodile. Ferries that ply the river also offer excellent birding prospects, and the chance to angle for the Nile perch, tiger fish and catfish. The Kaniyo Pabidi site in the Budongo Forest Reserve are where the chimpanzees live, and walking trails through it is a good way to learn about these primates.

Boat rides to the base of the falls, to soak in the spray, and a visit to the bat caves at the top of the falls are also must-dos.

For details, visit www.uwa.org.ug.murchison.htm

Namib Naukluft Park, Namibia

Shifting sand dunes, lichen-swathed expanses, winding canyons, oases where birds congregate in their thousands, and the place where the Namib desert meets the Atlantic Ocean--this park is a mish-mash of all that and more.

Namib Naukluft is one of the biggest national parks in Africa, and serviced only by four-wheel drive trails. Sossusvlei of gigantic-sand-dune fame, the Swakop and Kuiseb river canyons, Sandwich Harbour and the Moon Landscape of the Welwitschia Plains are the biggest draws.

The Naukluft Mountain area is also home to the Hartmann's mountain zebra, the species for which this park was originally created. This park is also home to some of the rarest plant and animal species. They include the oryx, springbok and the Welwitschia mirabilis, a desert shrub, the oldest of which is estimated to be 1,500 years old.

For details, visit www.namibweb.com/naukluft.htm

Masai Mara, Kenya

Neither its touristy trappings, nor the alarming regularity with which it features in documentaries, can take away from the Great Migration it hosts between July and October each year. The annual march of wildebeest and zebra is a phenomenon of such massive scale--1,300,000 wildebeests, 360,000 Thomson's gazelles, and 191,000 zebras--that it gets caught even on a satellite pictures.

The months of migration are also the best time, naturally, to watch stalk, chase and kill. The other highlight of a trip to this park is gaining an acquaintance with the culture of the tribe of the same name--the Masais, a colourful pastoral people who have managed to hold their own in the daunting wilderness.

For details, visit www.masaimara.org

Grand Etang National Park, Grenada

This is a wonderland of ferns and orchids, birds and butterflies and reptiles and amphibians. And in the midst of it all lies the lake that takes lends its name to the park--Grand Etang. The crater lake most definitely is the highlight of any hike through this rainforest, though the views of lush hills and cloud-skirted mountains can give it a run for its title. Even secluded beaches abound, for those who don't fancy swatting bugs during a hike through the jungles. Wildlife viewing is another adventure, especially because visitors are allowed to camp anywhere within the park, as long as they don't littler, and maintain silence.

For details, visit www.grenadagrenadines.com

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 

Seeing two of the world's most active volcanoes--Mauna Loa (4,170m high) and Kilauea (1,250m high)--should be incentive enough to visit this park that rises in the Pacific Ocean. If that were not enough reason, add the flora, fauna and topography to the list. Some of the hiking trails rise up to the crater's rim to offer you a chance to peep into the belly of the volcano bubbling with lava. Legend has it that the islands that make up the park were created by Pele, the fire goddess, as she moves from place to place and narrating stories of her travels. She is supposed to stamp her feet during her storytelling sessions, making the earth tremble and rise above the sea.

For details, visit www.nps.gov/havo

Amber Mountain National Park, Madagascar

Almost-human lemurs, spot-me-if-you-can chameleons, peek-a-boo waterfalls and greenery that could put jealousy to shame--that's what this national park is all about. Counted among the most biologically diverse swathe of forest in Madagascar, Amber Mountain National park is home to 75 species of birds, 25 species of mammals, and 59 species of reptiles.

Better still, it is all on 18,200 hectares of volcanic massif with altitudes ranging from 800m to 1,475m. The top draw are the playful lemurs, seven species of which are found here. The best loved are the crowned lemur and Sanford's brown lemur. The 20-km walking trail through the park is the best (read only) way to meet them and the other reptiles such as the leaf-mimic chameleon. Of the waterfalls, Cascade d'Antomboka and Cascade Sacree are worth the gasps of awe.

For details, visit www.madagascar-tourisme.com

Galapagos National Park 

Up close and personal gets new meaning at this archipelago that is almost entirely the national park. Under water or on land, the diversity of life that calls the islands home, is mostly unmatched in shape size and curiosity. The only common trait shared by the sea lions, penguins, blue-footed booby, albatrosses, the Galapagos giant tortoise and the marine iguana is their lack of fear of man.

The close encounters offer enough evidence of why Darwin was so in thrall when he first arrived there. Two of the best diving sites in the world, Wolf and Darwin, part of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, are touted as the only places where you stand the chance of surely seeing the hammerhead shark. Other inhabitants of the waters are manta rays, dolphins and whales.

For details, visit www.galapagosonline.com

Yosemite, USA

This wilderness, whose geology has been largely shaped by the work of water and ice over millennia, once inspired the likes of photographer Ansel Adams and explorer Jon Muir with its 'hanging' valleys, waterfalls, cirque lakes, moraines and Giant Sequoia groves. Today El Captain, Bridalveil Waterfall, Half Dome and Lower Cathedral Lake continue to rank among American landscapes which, in Muir's words, "enriches one's life forever." The 3,000 sq km park is open all year--except in the peak of winter when most trails are snowed in--offering visitors the chance to see the dramatic changes that come over the forested expanses in the various seasons. Hiking and biking remain the best way to get around the park and enjoy its beauty to the fullest. The park is also home to a rich array of fauna including mountain lions, wolves, coyotes and the black bear, and herbivores that include the bighorn sheep.

For details, visit www.yosemitepark.com

Banff national park, Canada

Say "Great Outdoors" and chances are that visions of sweeping vistas, snow-draped peaks, gurgling brooks and thick lush forests will float before the mind's eye. The Banff National Park, sprawled out over the Continental Divide, is all this and lots more. Spread out over 6,638 sq km, the park boasts some of the most stupendous panoramas and exotic geological and ecological features on the planet--rugged mountains, alpine meadows, glittering lakes, canyons carved by glaciers and roiling hot springs. The roller coaster heights and depths within this reserve provide sanctuary to more than 990 species of trees, grasses and flowers, 407 varieties of lichens, 243 kinds of mosses and 53 species of mammals, including elk, bighorn sheep, black bear and grizzly bear, wolf, coyote, caribou and the mountain lion.

This area encompasses Castleguard Caves, snuggled in the remote northwest corner of the park, which finds mention in the record books as the longest cave system in Canada.

For details, visit www.banffnationalpark.com

Kronotsky Nature Reserve, russia

The thrill of this reserve begins with where it is located--Kamchatka. And the thrill rises with what is contained in this fascinating million-acre reserve. There is geyser valley, where about 250 to 300 litres of thermal water spouts out every second. There are rivers that are a haven for salmon, waterfalls, valleys and hissing volcanoes. Though chances are slim, there could even be an encounter with the sable, an antelope of great beauty that was all but rendered extinct by hunters.

The most impressive geyser is Velikan, and has an eruption that rises 30m into the air. Hiking, under supervision, is allowed with base set up at the foot of the Karymsky volcano, which is still active.

For details, contact Kronotsky Preserve Visitor Centre and Museum; tel: [phone]

Glacier Bay National Park, USa

Nine tidewater glaciers, icebergs all around, steep-sided fjords at places and ice caves worth exploring at. And no roads, cell service, television or internet. Primal could well be a synonym for Glacier Bay National Park, which boasts 3.3 million acres of glaciers. The only way to get to the park is by boat, or by plane. For what? To watch breaching humpback whales or to have fur seals for company. The more adventurous could even forego cruise lines and set off on kayak to explore ice caves, or set off on a bear's trail. Forty species of mammals and more than 220 species of birds have been recorded in the park.

One of the most stunning sights is that of calving icebergs--when mammoth chunks of ice break off the glacier and crash into the water. There are many glaciers known for that so the lack of patience is not a problem.

For details, visit www.glacierbay.org

Zion National Park, USA

Located in Southern Utah, the Zion National Park offers a stunning proof of what a misnomer the "badlands" are. A desert canyon, Zion is an exhibition of plateaus, canyons, rock towers and free-standing arches, and mesas and monoliths in sandstone that range in shade from cream, to pink to russet. Flat and dead though it may look to the eye, the park's elevation ranges from 3,800 ft to 8,800 ft, with each altitude zone nurturing a healthy number of niche creatures and critters. The best way to discover the wonders of this land is on foot. And they include archaeological remains of the Anzai people, a tribe that managed to thrive here centuries ago.

For details, visit www.zionnationalpark.com

Namdapha, India

Situated in Arunachal Pradesh near the Indo-Myanmar border, this is the only national park that is credited with offering a refuge to all three top cats--the Bengal tiger, the clouded leopard and the snow leopard.

The variance in altitudes within the park bestows on it a diverse range of flora and fauna. The gaur, mithun, elephant, Himalayan black bear, takin, a peculiar wild goat which is the national animal of Bhutan, musk deer, slow lorris, and the red panda are all found here. This is also the only park which offers sanctuary to the Hoolock gibbon. The uniqueness of Namdapha can easily be understood by the fact that botanists and researchers feel it will take at least 50 years to complete a comprehensive study of the botanical diversity the park contains. The mountainous terrain and the many river flowing through it offer a great variety and equally stunning landscapes.

For details, visit www.changlang.nic.in/namdapha

Komodo National Park, Indonesia

There are no points for guessing what people go to see here. But if you're still wondering, this park is where the world's largest lizard, aptly called the Komodo dragon, can be found. The park also offers refuge to lesser-known animals--orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Spread over the islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar, the park includes the waters that separate them. These waters, too, offer rich pickings for those interested in scuba diving or snorkelling. Coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds and semi-enclosed bays are some of the wonders of the blue beyond, apart from more that 1,000 species of fish, 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges.

For details visit www.komodonationalpark.org

Hemis National Park, India

Situated in the eastern region of Ladakh, the high-altitude reserve is the largest in India and offers some of the most stunning panoramas of the trans-Himalayas. This is considered the wilderness that offers the best chances of seeing a snow leopard. Marmots, the blue sheep, Tibetan agrali, ibex and a host of birds, including the golden eagle, can be sighted here.

There are several trek routes that criss-cross the park, and villages--Rumbak and Markha--are two of better-known ones where homestay facilities are also provided. Bits of the park can also be driven through, though it is best not to use that option considering the fragility of the environment.

The park is bounded to the north by the Indus, and includes the catchments of Markha, Sumdah and Rumbak, and parts of the Zanskar Range.

For details contact [phone] and 252 094

Kumana National Park, Sri Lanka

Popularly referred to as a birder's paradise, this park, located in the southeast corner of Sri Lanka, certainly lives up to its name. The showcase of the park is a 200-hectare swamp lake called Kumana Villu that offers myriad birds the perfect place to fatten up before, or midway through, their migration. The best time to visit the park is during the months of May and June when pelicans, painted storks, spoonbills, white ibis, herons, egrets and the very rare black-necked stork make this mangrove area their home. Among mammals, the park has a healthy population of elephants and leopards, apart from species of deer and antelope. Half the joy of visiting this park, however, lies in the approach to it. An eco-tourism spot, the way to the camp can be completed only of 4X4 vehicles.

For details, call Sri Lanka Tourism; tel: [phone]

Thrumshingla, Bhutan

This lesser-known park snuggles within the forested expanse of an equally enigmatic kingdom--Bhutan. Covering 768 sq km in the eastern edge of the Himalayan kingdom, the park offers wonderful panoramas and a variety of trekking routes. Ranging between 1,000 to 4,000m in altitude, its forests vary from subtropical to alpine, with a distinct set of animals in each eco-system. This is also the only national park where a tiger had been photographed above 3,000m, something zoologists had never thought possible. The snow leopard is among one of the more than 65 species of mammals found here. Of birds, more than 340 species have been recorded.

A trek through this park gets more rewarding with a trained guide, who will be able to point out the countless medicinal herbs that grow there.

For details contact Tourism Council of Bhutan; tel: [phone]

Sagarmatha National Park, nepal

According to the Unesco, this park contains 'superlative natural beauty and is of great aesthetic importance'. And it could not have been any other way. This is the world's highest national park and is surrounded by, what else, the world's highest peaks. Sagarmatha, incidentally, is also the name of the crowning peak in whose shadow the park rests--Mount Everest. Lhotse, Thamerku, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Cho Oyu, Kwangde, Kangtaiga and Gyachyung Kang are the other peaks that tower over the park. Sagarmatha has more than 118 species of birds and 26 species of butterflies reside in the park. Several hiking routes in the park and the opportunity to mingle with the sherpas, or stay at their homes are reasons why this park can't be missed.

For details, contact Nepal Tourism Info; tel: [phone]

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

The top draw of the park is its 16 lakes, each fed by waterfalls, which in turn are all interlinked. The sight--veils of water crashing down in steps, rainbows forming in the mist if the light--stuns at first sight and continues to stun thereafter. The best part is that these sights are for everybody, not reserved for superhikers, courtesy of the park officials who have laid out trails that meander through the less challenging sections of this mountain grit park. The woods surrounding the falls are home to deer, bears, wolves, boars and many species of birds. Besides touring the park on foot, boat rides and shuttle bus services are good options to explore the forest or for taking a closer look at the falls.

For details, visit www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr

Northeast Greenland National Park, greenland

Greenland has one national park, and that is the largest in the world. Sheathed mostly in ice, the landscapes offer views all the way to the horizon. Where the ice cover is less is where the ocean has carved out finger-like fjords that lead to sheltered coves of even greater beauty.

The most beautiful of this park, however, are the polar bears and this is one of its last strongholds. This park also contains much of the world's musk ox population. The lesser animals that roam the land are the arctic fox grey wolf, stoat, collared lemming and Canadian arctic hare. Marine mammals include Atlantic walrus and ringed seal, bearded seal, harp seal and hooded seal. Narwhal and white whales or belugas can also be sighted. Eider ducks, snowy owl and the ptarmigan are among the birds that inhabit the park.

For details, visit East Greenland Tourist Office; tel: [phone]

Kakadu National Park, Australia

The monsoon is popularly known a "suicide season" in this region of Australia, with more than 60 inches of rain having been recorded in less than 100 days. But it is this rain that makes Kakadu as varied as it is. The park's habitats include savannah woodlands, plateaus, escarpments, rainforests, flood plains and billabongs, tidal flats and coastal beaches. About 10,000 species of insects, 280 bird species, 117 reptile species, 60 species of mammals, 53 species of freshwater fish and more than 1,700 different plants have been recorded here.

Apart from the flora and fauna, the other highlight of this park are the countless aboriginal rock paintings that create a fascinating timeline. More than 1,500 such sites have been discovered within the park, with depictions ranging from the hunting game with spears to the first time they made contact with the outside world.

For details visit www.kakadunationalparkaustralia.com

Blue Mountains, National Park, Australia

The name leaves no room for doubt that this one is situated in the region made famous by the unique mountains in sandstone and granite. The Blue Mountains are in fact cliffs, some around 2,000m high, with multiple gorges that run in between. Conveniently located west of Sydney, this national park makes for great photo-ops, thanks to the blue haze in the air. The tinge comes from the combination of a volatile oil from eucalyptus trees and droplets of water. The best views of the park can be enjoyed from the lookouts between Wentworth Falls and Blackheath, a town located near the top of the Blue Mountains. This park is certainly a bushwalkers paradise. Also worth a dekko are caves where the aborigines lived.

For details visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au

Paparoa National Park, New zealand

This park certainly knows how to pull the crowds. Not only does it have a coastline that impresses, and limestone cliffs, river canyons, blowholes and underground streams, each of its attractions are so easy to access and explore, it can be labelled family-friendly. Among its most popular sites are the Pancake Rocks and blowholes of Dolomite Point, where high tide triggers an awesome geyser-like eruptions. Vegetation varies between broadleaf forest along the coast. The forest further inland is made up of hard, red and silver beech and offers the promise of rewarding hikes. The Westland petrel/titi colony near Punakaiki River boasts of being the only place in the world where burrowing seabirds breed. Looking for other kinds of adventure? Try canoeing the Pororari River or opt for a subterranean thrill by trying your hand at caving in the Punakaiki Cavern.

For details, contact Paparoa National Park Visitor Centre; tel: [phone]

Skaftafell National Park, Iceland

Formed of fire and ice, this park in Iceland holds a trump in its vivid contrasts of lush green forests, black sandy expanses and pristine glaciers. Though getting to the park is easy, the only way to explore the reserve is by foot. Several hiking trails meander their way throughout with designated camping sites on each of them.

Svartifoss, or the Black waterfall, is one of the major attractions in the park. Part of its popularity is because of the cascade itself, but what is most striking is the series of black basalt pillars that flak it. Each pillar is a naturally formed hexagon, and each is suspended from the hillside. In fact, these unique pillars provided the inspiration for the design of National Theatre in ReykjavAAEk.

The glacier lagoon Jokulsarlon and the Laki crater area, both not very far from the national park, are a treat for the eyes and offer an education on the manner in which this land was formed.

For details visit http://english.ust.is/Skaftafellnationalpark

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