A method for intelligent network topology mapping includes identifying network paths between a source and a destination, wherein identifying the network paths includes, for a hop in network topology: selecting a number of probe packets for revealing an expected number of next hops reachable from the hop; maintaining a list of flows reaching the hop; selecting, from the list, flow parameters for each of the probe packets; generating the number of probe packets and including the selected flow parameters in the probe packets; transmitting the number of probe packets to the hop; receiving responses to the probe packets; and recording network addresses of next hops revealed by the responses. The method further includes generating, from the network addresses of next hops, a network topology map illustrating the network paths.