UNESCO has designated 12 new Global Geoparks, adding new destinations across Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America to its international network of protected geological sites. The organization’s announcement brings the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network to 241 sites across 51 countries. The new additions give travelers more nature-focused destinations to consider in 2026, from volcanic islands and karst caves to canyons, coastlines, fossil-rich landscapes, and mountain regions shaped by millions of years of geological change.