10 Desert National Parks Around the World That Redefine Wilderness

OT Staff

Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia

Home to part of the Namib, the world’s oldest desert, this vast reserve holds Sossusvlei’s towering red dunes, salt pans, and deep canyons shaped by rare, seasonal rivers.

Namib-Naukluft National Park | Unsplash

Wadi Rum Protected Area, Jordan

Known as the “Valley of the Moon”, this desert landscape features sweeping red sands, towering sandstone cliffs, ancient petroglyphs, and long-standing Bedouin traditions across its protected valleys.

A view of Wadi Rum Protected Area | Unsplash

Joshua Tree National Park, United States

Where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet, this park is marked by twisted Joshua trees, granite boulder piles, and stark horizons that attract climbers, photographers, and night-sky enthusiasts.

A view of Joshua Tree National Park | Wikimedia Commons

Desert National Park, India

Spread across the Thar near Jaisalmer, this arid reserve protects dunes, rocky plateaus, and salt flats, along with rare species such as the critically endangered great Indian bustard.

Steppe eagle at Desert National Park, India | Wikimedia Commons

Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, Mongolia

On the northern edge of the Gobi, this immense park blends towering dunes, rocky mountains, and deep valleys, providing refuge for snow leopards, wild Bactrian camels, and rare steppe species.

Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park | Wikimedia Common

Death Valley National Park, United States

One of the hottest places on Earth, Death Valley features salt flats, sculpted badlands, and high sand dunes, all shaped by extreme heat, shifting winds, and striking geological contrasts.

Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park | Unsplash

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia

At the heart of Australia’s Red Centre, this desert park is dominated by the sandstone monolith of Uluru and the domed Kata Tjuta formations, both sacred to the Anangu people.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | Unsplash

Munga-Thirri National Park, Australia

Formerly Simpson Desert National Park, this remote reserve protects vast, parallel sand dunes stretching for hundreds of kilometres, along with hardy desert wildlife adapted to harsh conditions.

Munga-Thirri National Park, Australia | wilderness_aus/instagram

White Sands National Park, United States

This striking landscape is formed from shimmering gypsum crystals rather than sand, creating rolling white dunes that shift constantly, offering a rare and surreal desert environment.

A view of White Sands National Park | Unsplash

Pan de Azúcar National Park, Chile

Located within the Atacama, the world’s driest non-polar desert, this coastal park combines cactus-covered hills, fog-nourished wildlife, and dramatic Pacific shorelines in a stark setting.

A view of Pan de Azúcar National Park, Chile | lorexplorer_chile/instagram

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A lion roams at the Gir National Park | Shutterstock
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