10 Natural Wonders That Will Blow Your Mind
Our world is home to an abundance of stunning natural wonders. From shimmering sand dunes to breathtaking waterfalls, these astounding sights will certainly take your breath away.
The Northern Lights are truly astounding and best experienced in remote locations with dark skies like Alaska or Iceland, although Idaho’s Priest Lake and Idaho Panhandle National Forest also provide ideal viewing conditions due to reflecting light off of Lake Idaho.
1. The Northern Lights
The Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, is an incredible natural phenomenon which illuminates the night sky with stunning hues. They form when highly charged particles from space collide with atmospheric molecules converting energy to visible light; Earth’s magnetic field facilitates this process further by producing auroral ovals around poles where solar flare activity is high.
Aurora can appear as arcs, streamers, rippling curtains or even corona. Their colors range from green to red and purple and it is thought that oxygen in the atmosphere contributes to its vibrant green hue.
Winter is the optimal season to witness the Northern Lights, due to their easier visibility against a backdrop of darkness. Many recommend visiting Alaska or Iceland for some of the most impressive displays of this natural marvel.
2. The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, crafted by Colorado River over time and leaving an indelible mark upon all who visit its depths. An expedition into its vast depths can transform lives forever!
While not the deepest or longest canyon in the world, Grand Canyon remains a stunning sight in terms of sheer size and beauty. Its rock layers represent over 2,200 million years of Earth history; and the view from its rim is nothing short of breath-taking.
Monument Valley National Park boasts incredible biodiversity; five of North America’s seven major ecosystems can be found here and many cultural and historic sites to visit. Please remember, though, that wildlife here should remain wild and shouldn’t be approached or fed; discover this natural marvel on a Monument Valley and Grand Canyon tour escorted tour!
3. Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park in Maine is an outstanding example of natural splendor, featuring breathtaking rocky coasts, mountains, forests, lakes and more – offering scenic hiking routes over granite peaks, scenic bike rides on historic carriage roads and kayaking across its many lakes and ponds.
Acadia National Park is home to an abundance of biodiversity, from majestic mammals and rare plants to fragile ecosystems and its location on the Atlantic Flyway makes it a crucial stop for migrating birds and bats. The National Park Service is working diligently to preserve it all for future generations to enjoy.
Acadia National Park is best explored during autumn when crowds have diminished and weather is clear and cool. Hike its trails, watch the sun rise or set from Cadillac Mountain, shop or dine in Bar Harbor – Acadia is truly an impressive natural treasure, which was appreciated by early 20th-century visionaries like George Dorr.
4. Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park stands out as an unparalleled natural wonder, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and renowned for its waterfalls, granite monoliths, giant sequoia groves, clear streams, and vast wilderness area.
Established in 1890 and managed by the National Park Service, this park was inspired by John Muir – an esteemed Scottish naturalist and conservationist who took great pleasure in protecting nature – who played a crucial role in establishing it.
Today, the park remains a natural marvel with its staggering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and ancient redwood trees. Additionally, it’s home to bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, and more than 260 bird species – providing an opportunity to take a hike through beautiful scenery!
5. Denali National Park
Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska covers six million acres of wilderness beauty with vast tundra and spruce forests, as well as being home to North America’s highest peak, 20,310-foot Denali (formerly Mount McKinley).
In the park’s “tundra” areas, a layer of topsoil builds up over fragmented rock surfaces to form moist environments where mosses, ferns and grasses flourish in damp conditions. Meanwhile, “wet tundra” areas boasting wild blueberry and soapberry plants dot the landscape tussocks of wild berries scattered about.
Wildlife thrives here, including grizzly bears and Dall sheep, while fossil discoveries from 70 million-year-old Cantwell Formation include footprints left by three-toed carnivorans known as theropods; one such fossil discovery stands out among interior Alaska’s history as being particularly significant.
6. Paricutin
The Paricutin volcano of western Michoacan, Mexico earned itself a place on many lists of Natural Wonders of the World. Modern science was able to witness its development from birth until death.
Dionisio Pulido of Tarascan Indian descent found his first fissure in February 1943 while cultivating corn for his family farm. They watched as it slowly started rumbling and spewing sparks; within one year it quickly expanded, covering nearby villages with tons of lava flow.
Paricutin volcano reached its zenith of activity in 1952 and is now a popular tourist destination, where visitors can climb its summit or visit its remnants – including those belonging to San Juan Parangaricutiro church ruins – or both. While not one of the largest or most active, Paricutin still charms with its speed and beauty; also, being amongst one of its youngest, making it truly incredible natural wonder.
7. Mount Everest
Mount Everest is one of the world’s most breathtaking natural wonders. Situated as part of the Himalayas and bordering Tibet, China and Nepal – and at 29,029 feet it was named for Surveyor General Sir George Everest who first explored it back in 1852 – though locals usually refer to it by other names like Sagarmatha or Chomolungma.
Everest’s slopes are covered by individual glaciers, such as Kangshung Glacier in the east, Rongbuk and Pumori Glaciers to the north and Khumbu Ice Fall to its west.
Climbers have long sought to reach the summit of mountains. Climbers face many challenges on their quest, such as extreme weather and oxygen deficiency. Many climbers have died in attempts to reach the summit; others have succeeded despite all odds; John Krakauer’s book and Hollywood film Into Thin Air portray this event graphically.
8. Harbor of Rio de Janeiro
Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro is an expansive natural deep-water bay that spans more than 385 miles across. Surrounded by stunning granite mountains – including Sugar Loaf Mountain and Corcovado Peak – and over 130 islands (Governor’s Island and Fundao Island among them), this tranquil bay provides ample opportunity for recreational boating activities and relaxation.
The bay is also home to the famed statue of Christ the Redeemer, which towers majestically above one of the mountain peaks and looks down on the city from above. This impressive place makes an appearance on any tourist’s bucket list; thus making it one of seven natural wonders of the world.
The bay is an incredible destination to visit anytime of year, but for maximum fun you should plan a visit during its carnival period (late February/early March) when things really start happening! Booking your hotel early ensures a peaceful experience at this lively time in the bay’s history.
9. Victoria Falls
At this African natural marvel, the Zambezi River thunders through a narrow gorge to form one of the largest sheets of falling water on earth – locally dubbed Mosi-oa-Tunya or “The Smoke that Thunders”, its falls create a thunderous waterfall and spray visible up to 50 kilometers away.
Travelers shouldn’t miss seeing this stunning natural phenomenon. At night, when it appears as a lunar rainbow.
Victoria Falls lies between Zimbabwe and Zambia and forms a stunning mile-long curtain of water, featuring eight spectacular gorges and several islands that serve as breeding grounds for four endangered bird species such as Taita Falcon and Black Eagle. The Zambezi is its lifeblood; animals as well as plants alike flourish here.
10. The Big Island of Hawaii
Few natural marvels rival The Big Island of Hawaii for sheer diversity of landscape and climate zones; from deserts and tropical rainforests, all the way through desertification and tundra-clad tundra environments and into Antarctic tundra regions.
Hike through lava rock deserts and witness molten lava flow at Volcanoes National Park, home of Kilauea’s fiery eruptions and Mauna Loa-one of the tallest mountains worldwide in terms of volume.
Every woman loves waterfalls, and Hawaii is home to many. For couples interested in viewing them from above, take an airborne helicopter tour! Additionally, Waimea Ranch Town in Hawaii’s north shore region provides visitors with an insight into Paniolo culture; visitors are truly welcomed here.