It's no secret that we live in a big and beautiful world. Over hundreds-of-millions of years, the face of our planet has been carved and sculpted into the stunning place that we see today. The land which we inhabit showcases everything from incredible glaciers to towering mountains, extreme deserts to vast canyons - all formed by forces of nature. It would take a lifetime to highlight all of mother nature's masterpieces, but these are the top ten awe-inspiring natural wonders that we think should make it onto your bucket list.
No. 10 - Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina
If you only ever visit one glacier in your lifetime, then make sure it is Perito Moreno. Located in Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina, Perito Moreno is the largest glacier in the world accessible by land, and one of the most spectacular sites in South America. Los Glaciares National Park is an area of exceptional natural beauty. Boasting 600,000 hectares of glacial lakes, rugged mountain peaks, and vibrant forests, it’s no surprise the National Park has taken pride of place as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Glaciers form when large amounts of snow gather in an area quicker than the rate it melts, which leaves behind a large mass of compacted frozen ice. Over millennia, this process repeats and results in a river of ice being created, leaving us with these spectacular glaciers dotted all around the world.
Whilst most glaciers in the world retreat over time, Perito Moreno is one of the few that is actually advancing and, today, covers an area of 250 square metres. This means that as the glacier grows in size, cracks start to appear and chunks of ice break off and crash into the ice field below. These dense masses of ice then move away from the glacier and into Lake Argentino, resulting in many large icebergs scattered throughout the lake.
With boardwalks and viewing platforms running along the glacier perimeter, you’ll get close enough to the action to feel the chill on your toes, and hear ruptures of the ice collapsing into the icy water below. Whilst there are many glaciers in Argentina, Perito Moreno is by far the most spectacular and unique.
No. 9 - Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park is a vast area of undulating sand dunes. At certain times of the year, rainwater collects between these dunes and is unable to drain due to impermeable rock beneath the sand. The result is dazzling midnight blue lakes that are offset by pure white sand dunes. The phenomenon is typically at its most beautiful from July to August.
These otherworldly dunes are one of the world’s most spectacular sandscapes. Seeing it for the first time, you’d be forgiven for assuming it was a mirage or that you were hallucinating. In fact, when translated to English, the Portuguese name means “bedsheets”, due to the spectacular landscape that is created by miles of rolling, smooth, white sand dunes.
The park itself is located on the eastern coast of the state of Maranhão and comprises an area of 155 thousand hectares. In addition to the lagoons, the park is also home to beaches, mangroves, and fascinating fauna, such as turtles and migratory birds.
Getting to the park is no easy task! The easiest way is flying into Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport in São Luis. From here, four daily buses make the five-hour drive east to the small riverside town of Barreirinhas - the main gateway to Lençóis Maranhenses. Along with its size, the park's isolation on a far-flung edge of Brazil means that this South-American eden is spectacularly uncrowded. Whether you decide to enter the incredibly vast park on two feet or four wheels, you'll never have to worry about kicking up a face full of sand to anyone else around.
No. 8 - Grand Prismatic Spring, USA
The Grand Prismatic Spring is truly a sight to behold. Located in Yellowstone National Park, the spring spans approximately 113 metres in diameter, and has a depth of 49 metres, making it the largest natural hot spring in the United States.
However, it is not the size of this spring that makes it so impressive. The large steaming water basin has an unmatched blue colour, that is simply breathtaking. Its perimeter is bordered by a shoreline of spectacular rainbow colours. It’s hard to believe that the vivid yellow, orange and green colours around the spring are actually real.
The bright colours that give this spring its name are caused by microbial mats - multi-layered sheets of microorganisms, largely heat-loving bacteria, on the edges of the water. In the summer, these mats are usually vibrant shades of red and orange, and in the winter, they shift to cooler shades of green and blue.
You can get overhead views of the Grand Prismatic Spring by following the Fairy Falls Trail. Expect a 1.2-mile round-trip hike with some elevation change. The trip is more than worthwhile for the awe-inspiring sight that you are rewarded with when you reach the viewing platform. While you’re in the area, also look for the 200-foot-high Fairy Falls, one of the park’s most impressive waterfalls.
No. 7 - Pamukkale, Turkey
This stunning UNESCO World Heritage site has been made eternally famous by the gleaming white calcite terraces, overrunning with warm mineral-rich waters, on the mountain side above the village.
Pamukkale, or ‘Cotton Castle’ in English, looks more like something out of a fairytale than a real place. Located in the province of Denizli, this extraordinary landscape is home to 17 hot springs, with temperatures ranging from 35 to 100 °C. Pamukkale's terraces are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock, deposited by mineral water from the hot springs. The terraces then catch the mineral water, creating stunning thermal spas that are believed to have healing qualities.
There is so much ancient history and mystery surrounding Pamukkale. Just above the terraces lies the ancient Greek city of Hierapolis, once a Roman and Byzantine spa city. Hierapolis was founded by the Attalid kings of Pergamom at the end of the 2nd century BC, and stretches for around 1.7 miles. Over hundreds of years, multiple earthquakes caused devastation in the holy city, leading to it being completely abandoned around the 14th century. Today, the site is home to a number of beautiful ruins, such as an amphitheatre, temples, columns and baths. There is also a museum at Hierapolis, which showcases a large selection of artefacts that were found within the site and the surrounding region.
No. 6 - Mount Everest, Nepal
The iconic Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on the planet, and the highest point on earth. Mount Everest is a peak in the Himalayan mountain range, located between Nepal and Tibet, and stands at an impressive 8,849 metres tall.
Everest has long been revered by local people. Its most common name in Tibetan, 'Chomolungma', means “Goddess Mother of the World”. Known in English at one time as Peak 15, it was renamed Everest in 1865, after Sir George Everest, the man who led a British survey team that recognised it was the tallest mountain in the world.
The Himalayan mountains have long been home to indigenous groups who live in the valleys. The most famous of these are the Sherpa people, who are renowned for their mountaineering skills. Their valuable experience in mountain climbing is often provided to other climbers. Most climbs of Everest would actually be impossible without the Sherpas’ logistical help and knowledge. The first ever recorded people to climb Everest were Edmund Hillary, a mountaineer from New Zealand, and his Tibetan guide, Tenzing Norgay. They climbed the mountain together in 1953.
Over the years, climbing Mount Everest has become a popular expedition for mountain climbers. However, it is a seriously dangerous undertaking. Climbing Everest requires an expanse of mountaineering experience, as well as a certificate of good health, equipment, and, most importantly, a trained Nepalese guide. The snow and ice on the mountain, create deadly hazards, such as avalanches, and there is only a limited climbing season due to treacherous weather conditions. Perhaps the biggest danger however, is the altitude. Most climbers are not accustomed to the high altitude and low oxygen levels, and rely on bottled oxygen that they bring along with them.
No. 5 - Halong Bay, Vietnam
Designated a World Heritage Site in 1994, Halong Bay is a spectacular seascape of towering limestone pillars and tiny islets, topped by thick jungle growth, which rise from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin.
As the legend goes, Vietnamese gods sent Mother Dragon and her children down to Earth, to help the people defend their country. The dragons carved large valleys and gorges from the whipping of their tails. These then flooded, creating Halong Bay, translated in English as "descending dragon".
The more likely explanation is that over 500 million years of tropical downpours have seen the sheer columns of rock, gradually eroded by wind and waves. This has in turn created a network of majestic caves, grottoes, and arches, which are best explored by a cruise in a traditional junk. Due to their precipitous nature, most are uninhabited - topped with tangled patches of jungle and occasionally fringed by a narrow beach.
Many of the islands have gained their names as a result of interpretation of their unusual shapes. Names of the islands include elephant, fighting cock, and monkey. The islands are also home to a range of birds and animals, such as bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and lizards.
Historical research surveys have shown the presence of prehistoric human beings in this area tens of thousands years ago. Today, a community of around 1,600 people live on Halong Bay, in four fishing villages. They live on colourful, floating houses and are sustained through fishing and marine aquaculture, scouring the shallow waters for 200 species of fish, and 450 different kinds of molluscs.
No. 4 - Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Taking pride of place alongside the Pyramids and the Serengeti, Victoria Falls is one of Africa’s original blockbusters. Forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls presents a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River. The falls really is one of Earth’s greatest spectacles and is considered by many to be the greatest curtain of falling water in the world.
At the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic metres of water per minute, plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometres, and into a gorge over one hundred metres below. The noise this produces can be heard from a distance of 40 kilometres away, while the spray and mist from the falling water rises to a height of over 400 metres and can be seen from a distance of up to 50 kilometres. It's really no wonder that the local tribes used to call the waterfall 'Mosi-o-Tunya', or 'The smoke that thunders'.
Scottish missionary and famous explorer of Africa, David Livingstone, discovered this incredible waterfall in 1855 and named it after Queen Victoria. The waterfall was hardly visited by people up until 1905, when a railway to Bulawayo was constructed. Since then, Victoria Falls quickly gained popularity and now welcomes around 1 million visitors each year.
If you plan on visiting this stunning UNESCO heritage site, be sure to check out the special vantage point across the Knife-edge Bridge. Here, visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls, as well as the Boiling Pot, where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge.
No. 3 - Great Barrier Reef, Australia
One of Australia’s most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is a site of outstanding variety and breathtaking beauty.
Stretching for over 1,400 miles along the north-eastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef. It is officially one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and is the only living thing on earth that is visible from space.
The richness and uniqueness of the reef attracts around 1.6 million visitors every year, which is crucial for tourism and the Australian economy. Yet the reef’s true value extends far beyond the money it attracts. The reef's real value lies in its biodiversity, and it is one of the most diverse habitats on the planet.
The reef is home to over 9,000 known species, including 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. There are animals you would probably recognize, such as dolphins, turtles, crocodiles, and sharks. There are also venomous sea snakes, brightly coloured worms, and large algae. It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong, or ‘sea cow’, and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction. These species interact to form a complex and delicate ecosystem dependent on the coral reef for survival.
Diving and snorkelling are two of the most immersive ways to experience this wonderfully rich ecosystem, however, visitors can also enjoy many other experiences. Helicopter tours, glass-bottomed boat viewing, whale watching trips and swimming with dolphins are all very popular ways to explore the reef.
No. 2 - Northern Lights, Norway
The Northern Lights are beautiful, swirling rivers of greenish-blue light that have captivated people for millennia. They move and dance unpredictably; sometimes barely perceptible, then suddenly growing bright and vivid. The lights are an atmospheric phenomenon that is widely regarded as the Holy Grail of sky watching and, over the years, photographers have gone to remarkable lengths to try and capture the beauty of these atmospheric events. The official name for the Northern Lights, aurora borealis, means light of dawn. It’s said the term was first coined by Galileo in 1623.
The lights we see in the night sky are in actual fact caused by activity on the surface of the Sun. In simple terms, the auroras can be explained as an interaction of the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field. The solar wind consists of charged particles, emanating from the Sun. These are captured by the Earth’s magnetic field and drawn towards the poles at a very high speed. The phenomenon occurs when the particles collide with atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, transforming kinetic energy into visible light.
Different gases give off different colours when they are heated. The same process is also taking place in the aurora. The two primary gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen, and these elements give off different colours during an aurora display. The green we see in the aurora is characteristic of oxygen, while hints of purple, blue, or pink are caused by nitrogen.
The most intense Northern Lights normally occur after solar storms. The entire sky can be filled by incredible shapes and colours, including green, red, blue, and violet. On these occasions, despite it being night-time, the light can be so strong that it is bright enough to read the text in a book.
You are most likely to see the Northern Lights in winter, between the months of October and April. Although visible from countries such as Scotland and Canada, it is often noted that the Nordic countries of Norway, Iceland, Sweden, and Finland, are the best places to witness this spectacular light display.
No. 1 - Grand Canyon, USA
Both breathtaking and overwhelming at the same time, the Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world. No matter how much you read about the Grand Canyon or how many photographs you've seen, nothing really prepares you for the canyon's immensity. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the world’s seven natural wonders, is arguably one of the USA’s most famous landmarks and encompasses nearly 2,000 square miles of plummeting canyons, multicoloured rocks, dramatic cliffs, and stunning ravines.
Scientists believe that the mile-deep gorge in northern Arizona was formed approximately 6 million years ago when the Colorado River began to cut a channel through layers of rock. The oldest known rocks in the canyon, called the Vishnu Basement Rocks, can be found near the bottom of the Inner Gorge. The Vishnu rocks formed about 1.7 billion years ago when magma hardened and joined this region.
People have been living in and exploring the Grand Canyon for thousands of years, forging human connections to this incredible landscape. In fact, Ancestral Pueblo people first inhabited the area in and around the canyon during the last Ice Age, when mammoths, giant sloths and other large mammals still roamed North America. The first Europeans to reach the Grand Canyon were Spanish explorers in the 1540s.
There are many ways to explore this natural wonder - descend into the canyon depths, amble along the rim or simply relax at an outcrop. Though views from both rims are equally stunning, the South Rim boasts many more dramatic overlooks. There are several trailheads which start in both rims and lead directly to the Inner Canyon - great for exploring the depths of the canyon on foot. Another popular way to experience the canyon is to take a raft tour along the Emerald green waters of the Colorado River, which runs right through the middle of the canyon, and gives you a great perspective of how incredibly vast this stunning gorge really is.
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed our guide to the best natural wonders of the world. We'd love to hear your feedback in the comments and do let us know your favourite natural wonders of the world.
You can check out the video version of this blog here:
Comments