Canada is blessed with unmatched natural beauty. The country boasts of a variety of landscapes such as snow-capped mountains, vast sprawling expanses of wilderness, pristine coastline, lush rainforests, sparkling glaciers, and exotic beaches. These wild natural sites are recognised not only for their beauty but also for their value in the world’s ecosystems. UNESCO has designated World Heritage Site status to many natural and cultural sites in Canada. Listed below are the top 7 natural world heritage sites in the country, which you must explore if you visit Canada.
Nahanni National Park Reserve
Get struck by the spectacular natural beauty of the Nahanni National Park. You’ll surely want to learn about its remarkable geological features, which earned it the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1978. The park is spread over nearly 1800 square miles in the Northwest Territories and is home to stunning waterfalls, deep canyons, limestone caves, and forests. Travellers can enjoy a serene hike along the South Nahanni River, walk under the granite peaks of the Ragged Range, explore the volcano heated Rabbitkettle Hotsprings, or camp close to the Virginia Falls.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
The name explains it all – Dinosaur Provincial Park – located in Alberta promises an educative and interesting experience. Explore the different regions of the park that contain some important prehistoric dinosaur fossils. One should particularly visit the sites below sandstone hoodoos, hills, and coulees that contain rich deposits of late-Cretaceous dinosaur fossils. Palaeontologists have unearthed over 350 complete skeletons of 42 different species till date. The park, which received World Heritage status in 1979, includes barren rocky badlands.
Wood Buffalo National Park
The Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest national park in Canada. It is an untouched expanse of grass meadows across Alberta and Northwest Territories. As you explore its wilderness, don’t miss out on the chance to spot wild bison, whooping cranes, and other local wildlife species. Also, see the world’s biggest inland river delta at the mouth of the Athabasca and Peace Rivers. All these features made the site eligible to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1983.
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks
The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks is a collection of four national parks and three provincial parks located in Alberta and British Colombia. Explore the picturesque region by visiting these seven spectacular mountain parks. These include Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, and Banff in Alberta and British Columbia. The region gained prominence due to its glacial geological processes. It’s a thrilling experience to explore the Athabasca Glacier in the Jasper’s Columbia Icefield and the other dramatic landscapes of mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, canyons, and boreal forest.
Gros Morne National Park
The serenity and solitude of the Gros Morne National Park, located in Newfoundland and Labrador, is unparalleled. It was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 and remains one of the gems of the country’s natural World Heritage Sites. The park boasts of spectacular scenic landscapes including waterfalls, cliffs, glacial valley, lakes, and fjords.