#10 - NGORONGORO CRATER - Tanzania, Africa
#10 – Ngorongoro Crater – Tanzania, Africa - The Ngorongoro crater is stunning and most certainly a unique. Designated as the World Heritage site, the creter has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Often called as Africa’ Eden, this 10th natural wonder of the world, is the natural sanctuary to thousands of birds, insects, & animals such as lions, zebras, black rhino to name a few became a conservation land in 1959 covering 8,300 square kilometers or reserve.
Olduvai Gorge known as “Cradel of Mankind” , Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek are all within its borders. Only the indigenous tribe of Masaai are allowed to live in the land.
Located in northern Tanzania, 190 miles from Arusha town. The park is located between the Serengeti and Lake Manyara. Famous the “largest unbroken Caldera in the world”, the crater is 610 meters deep and 260 square kilometers. The crater is most popular for bird watching, photography, walking safaris, and game viewing.
Perhaps the most luxurious accommodations on the park is provided by the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge Travel Agents can contact directly from US (866) 356-4691.
Olduvai Gorge known as “Cradel of Mankind” , Lake Ndutu and Lake Masek are all within its borders. Only the indigenous tribe of Masaai are allowed to live in the land.
Located in northern Tanzania, 190 miles from Arusha town. The park is located between the Serengeti and Lake Manyara. Famous the “largest unbroken Caldera in the world”, the crater is 610 meters deep and 260 square kilometers. The crater is most popular for bird watching, photography, walking safaris, and game viewing.
Perhaps the most luxurious accommodations on the park is provided by the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge Travel Agents can contact directly from US (866) 356-4691.
#9 - MT. EVERST - Nepal, Tibet
#9 – Mt Everest – Nepal, Tibet - The pinnacle of every mountain range, of every shifting tectonic plate that sends terra firma into the sky – Mt Everest is the highest point in the world, the holy mountain that oversees the entire globe. Couched within the safe confines of the Himalaya mountain range, it dwarfs the border of Nepal and China without even trying, achieving world renown without the vaguest idea of its meaning.
Though the exact measurement of the summit is the cause of some debate, the official height of Mt Everest is listed at 29,028 feet - exactly 777 feet above the nearby K2, also a member of the Himalayas. Its reputation as one of the most difficult climbs in the world is well-deserved
It is difficult, but not inconceivable, for most travelers to even attempt an assault on the mountain. For years, few climbers tried - now, for the right price (approximately $70,000) one can join an expedition with little to no experience whatsoever. This adventure, however, is extremely dangerous. For every five climbers that leave their mark on Mt Everest, one climber dies.
This doesn't mean that Everest is not an attractive tourist destination. The Everest base camp, found near the Rongphu monastery in the outskirts of Tibet, is still visited by thousands of tourists a year, for whom stepping foot on the great mountain is victory enough.
Best season to visit would be between April to October. Most tours start in Lhasa, Tibet, and flights from Beijing, Chengdu or Katmandu would be suggested routes for first time revelers
Though the exact measurement of the summit is the cause of some debate, the official height of Mt Everest is listed at 29,028 feet - exactly 777 feet above the nearby K2, also a member of the Himalayas. Its reputation as one of the most difficult climbs in the world is well-deserved
It is difficult, but not inconceivable, for most travelers to even attempt an assault on the mountain. For years, few climbers tried - now, for the right price (approximately $70,000) one can join an expedition with little to no experience whatsoever. This adventure, however, is extremely dangerous. For every five climbers that leave their mark on Mt Everest, one climber dies.
This doesn't mean that Everest is not an attractive tourist destination. The Everest base camp, found near the Rongphu monastery in the outskirts of Tibet, is still visited by thousands of tourists a year, for whom stepping foot on the great mountain is victory enough.
Best season to visit would be between April to October. Most tours start in Lhasa, Tibet, and flights from Beijing, Chengdu or Katmandu would be suggested routes for first time revelers
#8 - LAKE BAIKAL - Siberia, USSR.
#8- Lake Baikal – Siberia, Russia - Lake Baikal (Russian: о́зеро Байка́л Ozero Baykal, pronounced [ˈozʲɪrə bʌjˈkɑl], Buryat: Байгал нуур Baygal nuur) is in Southern Siberia in Russia, located between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, near the city of Irkutsk. It is also known as the "Blue Eye of Siberia". It contains more water than all the North American Great Lakes combined.
At 1,637 meters (5,371 ft), Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world,[3] and the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume.[4] However, Lake Baikal contains less than one third the amount of water as the Caspian Sea which is the largest lake in the world.
Situated in south-east Siberia, the 3.15-million-ha Lake Baikal is the oldest (25 million years) and deepest (1,700 m) lake in the world. It contains 20% of the world's total unfrozen freshwater reserve. Known as the 'Galapagos of Russia', its age and isolation have produced one of the world's richest and most unusual freshwater faunas, which is of exceptional value to evolutionary science.
As for visiting Lake Baikal, the most common town to stay in is Listvyanka. You can stay in a homestay accomodations, although in 2006 there’s a new hotel called Hotel Mayak which is not too pricey and is of a reasonable standard.
At 1,637 meters (5,371 ft), Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world,[3] and the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume.[4] However, Lake Baikal contains less than one third the amount of water as the Caspian Sea which is the largest lake in the world.
Situated in south-east Siberia, the 3.15-million-ha Lake Baikal is the oldest (25 million years) and deepest (1,700 m) lake in the world. It contains 20% of the world's total unfrozen freshwater reserve. Known as the 'Galapagos of Russia', its age and isolation have produced one of the world's richest and most unusual freshwater faunas, which is of exceptional value to evolutionary science.
As for visiting Lake Baikal, the most common town to stay in is Listvyanka. You can stay in a homestay accomodations, although in 2006 there’s a new hotel called Hotel Mayak which is not too pricey and is of a reasonable standard.
#7 - VICTORIA FALLS - Zimbabwe, Africa
7- Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe, Africa - Neither the widest nor tallest, but Victoria falls with its dimensions of 1700 m width and 104 m height is the largest sheet of falling water on earth. Its local name Mosi-Oa-Tunya means smoke that thunders. It happens to form the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
When the flow of the Zambezi River isn't too strong, usually from September to December, visitors can swim right to the edge of the falls. A natural rock wall at the edge slows the water and allows swimmers to brave the most amazing view of Victoria Falls.
About Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Set high on a natural plateau, the westward facing Victoria Falls Safari Lodge borders the Zambezi National Park and is just four kilometers from the thundering Victoria Falls, Southern Africa’s foremost attraction.
Best time to visit is between February and May. Take advantage of Safaris available in the area as well.
When the flow of the Zambezi River isn't too strong, usually from September to December, visitors can swim right to the edge of the falls. A natural rock wall at the edge slows the water and allows swimmers to brave the most amazing view of Victoria Falls.
About Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Set high on a natural plateau, the westward facing Victoria Falls Safari Lodge borders the Zambezi National Park and is just four kilometers from the thundering Victoria Falls, Southern Africa’s foremost attraction.
Best time to visit is between February and May. Take advantage of Safaris available in the area as well.
#6 - AYERS ROCK (Uluru) - Sydney, Australia
#6- Ayer’s Rock – Sydney, Australia - Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock) is a large rock formation in central Australia, in the Northern Territory. There is something totally awe-inspiring about Uluru. There it sits in the centre of Australia, located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park close to the small town of Yulara (aka Ayers Rock Resort).
A huge monolith, 862.5 metres above sea level, 1395 km south of Darwin and 465 km south west of Alice Springs, rising out of the desert. Uluru, which means ‘great pebble’ in the Aboriginal language. Uluru is a 3.6km-long rising 348 metres above the surrounding countryside. It has an area of 3.33 sq. km and a circumference of 9.4 km. It experiences an average of 200-250 mm of rainfall per annum and a typical desert temperature range which can fall to -8°C at night-time in winter and rise to 47°C during the day in summer.
Uluru is notable for its quality of changing colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight. It is made of sandstone infused with minerals like feldspar (Arkosic sandstone) that cause it to give off a red glow at sunrise and sunset.
Uluru, also referred to as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park. Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area. It has many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site.
A reported 400 thousand tourist come and marvel at this wonder destination as reported by the Travel Channel. Visitors can visit year round.
A huge monolith, 862.5 metres above sea level, 1395 km south of Darwin and 465 km south west of Alice Springs, rising out of the desert. Uluru, which means ‘great pebble’ in the Aboriginal language. Uluru is a 3.6km-long rising 348 metres above the surrounding countryside. It has an area of 3.33 sq. km and a circumference of 9.4 km. It experiences an average of 200-250 mm of rainfall per annum and a typical desert temperature range which can fall to -8°C at night-time in winter and rise to 47°C during the day in summer.
Uluru is notable for its quality of changing colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight. It is made of sandstone infused with minerals like feldspar (Arkosic sandstone) that cause it to give off a red glow at sunrise and sunset.
Uluru, also referred to as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park. Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area. It has many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site.
A reported 400 thousand tourist come and marvel at this wonder destination as reported by the Travel Channel. Visitors can visit year round.
#5 - EVERGLADES - Florida, USA
#5 – Everglades – Florida, USA - Everglades National Park, largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, boasts rare and endangered species. It has been designated a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and Wetland of International Importance, significant to all people of the world.
A subtropical wetland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. Water leaving the lake in the wet season forms a slow-moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. The Everglades are shaped by water and fire, experiencing frequent flooding in the wet season and drought in the dry season.
You can begin your trip to the evergaldes from Miami, several tour groups offer a variety of tours in the Everglades, home to the endangered Manitees, choose the best one that interest you the most, from swamp trekking to alligator wrestling. This park attracts 1 million visitors a year.
A subtropical wetland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. Water leaving the lake in the wet season forms a slow-moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. The Everglades are shaped by water and fire, experiencing frequent flooding in the wet season and drought in the dry season.
You can begin your trip to the evergaldes from Miami, several tour groups offer a variety of tours in the Everglades, home to the endangered Manitees, choose the best one that interest you the most, from swamp trekking to alligator wrestling. This park attracts 1 million visitors a year.
#4 - SAHARA DESERT - Algeria, Africa
#4 – Sahara Desert – Algeria, Africa - The Sahara (Arabic: الصحراء الكبرى, aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Greatest Desert") is the third-largest desert on Earth after Antarctica and the Arctic, and it is the world's largest hot desert. At over 9,000,000 square kilometers (3,500,000 sq mi), it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as the United States or the continent of Europe. The desert stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, it is delimited by the Sahel: a belt of semi-arid tropical savanna separating the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa..
The Sahara's boundaries are the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea on the north, the Red Sea and Egypt on the east, and the Sudan and the valley of the Niger River on the south. The Sahara is divided into western Sahara, the central Ahaggar Mountains, the Tibesti Mountains, the Aïr Mountains (a region of desert mountains and high plateaus), Tenere desert and the Libyan desert (the most arid region). The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi (3,415 m/11,200 ft) in the Tibesti Mountains in northern Chad.
The Sahara divides the continent of Africa into North and Sub-Saharan Africa. The southern border of the Sahara is marked by a band of semiarid savanna called the Sahel; south of the Sahel lies the lusher Sudan and the Congo River Basin. Most of the Sahara consists of rocky hamada; ergs (large sand dunes) form only a minor part.
Villages or Cities surrounding the Desert may well be the entry way into the main Desert regions. Visitors can enjoy the different cultures in and around Sahara Desert, my first choice would be Egypt as a city to visit before entering the desert reserves. There are over 1.4 Million visitors that come to visit this natural wonder.
The Sahara's boundaries are the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea on the north, the Red Sea and Egypt on the east, and the Sudan and the valley of the Niger River on the south. The Sahara is divided into western Sahara, the central Ahaggar Mountains, the Tibesti Mountains, the Aïr Mountains (a region of desert mountains and high plateaus), Tenere desert and the Libyan desert (the most arid region). The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi (3,415 m/11,200 ft) in the Tibesti Mountains in northern Chad.
The Sahara divides the continent of Africa into North and Sub-Saharan Africa. The southern border of the Sahara is marked by a band of semiarid savanna called the Sahel; south of the Sahel lies the lusher Sudan and the Congo River Basin. Most of the Sahara consists of rocky hamada; ergs (large sand dunes) form only a minor part.
Villages or Cities surrounding the Desert may well be the entry way into the main Desert regions. Visitors can enjoy the different cultures in and around Sahara Desert, my first choice would be Egypt as a city to visit before entering the desert reserves. There are over 1.4 Million visitors that come to visit this natural wonder.
#3 - GREAT BARRIER REEF - Australia
#3 – Great Barrier Reef – Sydney, Australia - The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world,[1][2] composed of over 2,900 individual reefs[3] and 900 islands stretching for 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi).[4][5] The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms.[6] This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps.[7] The Great Barrier Reef supports a wide diversity of life, and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.[1][2] CNN has labelled it one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.[8] The Queensland National Trust has named it a state icon of Queensland.[9]
A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as overfishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures to the reef and its ecosystem include water quality from runoff, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching, and cyclic outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish
Best season to visit would be in the months of November through May, where the most vibrant sea life activity is at most active. There are estimated 2 million visitors a year who come to enjoy the water sports and the natural beauty of this park.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms.[6] This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps.[7] The Great Barrier Reef supports a wide diversity of life, and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.[1][2] CNN has labelled it one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.[8] The Queensland National Trust has named it a state icon of Queensland.[9]
A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as overfishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures to the reef and its ecosystem include water quality from runoff, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching, and cyclic outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish
Best season to visit would be in the months of November through May, where the most vibrant sea life activity is at most active. There are estimated 2 million visitors a year who come to enjoy the water sports and the natural beauty of this park.
#2 AMAZON RAINFOREST - Latin America
#2- Amazon rain Forest – Encompassing 8 different countries -The Amazon rainforest (Brazilian Portuguese: Floresta Amazônica or Amazônia; Spanish: Selva Amazónica or Amazonía), also known as Amazonia, or the Amazon jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America. This basin encompasses seven million square kilometers (1.7 billion acres), of which five and a half million square kilometers (1.4 billion acres) are covered by the rainforest. This region includes territory belonging to nine nations. The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil, with 60 percent of the rainforest, followed by Peru with 13 percent of the rainforest, and with minor amounts in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. States or departments in four nations bear the name Amazonas after it. The Amazon represents over half of the planet's remaining rainforests, and it comprises the largest and most species-rich tract of tropical rainforest in the world.
My best possible entry into the Amazon Forest would be Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Although any of the other countries would just as good and would be a bargain. This wonder is one that is predicted to be gone before the century is over due to economic developments and progress, so come and see it before it all goes away.
My best possible entry into the Amazon Forest would be Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Although any of the other countries would just as good and would be a bargain. This wonder is one that is predicted to be gone before the century is over due to economic developments and progress, so come and see it before it all goes away.
#1 - GRAND CANYON - Arizona, USA
#1 – Grand Canyon – Arizona, USA - The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the United States state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park — one of the first national parks in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.
Longstanding scientific consensus has been that the canyon was created by the Colorado River over a six million year period. The canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, ranges in width from 4 to 18 miles (6.4 to 29 km) and attains a depth of over a mile (1.83 km)(6000 feet).[1] Nearly two billion years of the Earth's history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. The "canyon began in the west, followed by another that formed in the east. Eventually, the two broke through and met as a single majestic rent in the earth some six million years ago. [...] The merger apparently occurred where the river today bends to the west, in the area known as the Kaibab Arch."[2]
Aside from casual sightseeing from the South Rim (averaging 7000 feet (2100 m) above sea level), whitewater rafting, hiking and running are especially popular. The floor of the valley is accessible by foot, muleback, or by boat or raft from upriver. Hiking down to the river and back up to the rim in one day is discouraged by park officials because of the distance, steep and rocky trails, change in elevation, and danger of heat exhaustion from the much higher temperatures at the bottom. Rescues are required annually of unsuccessful rim-to-river-to-rim travelers. Nevertheless, hundreds of fit and experienced hikers complete the trip every year. The Grand Canyon has ridges in it
Over 5 Million visitors every year come and see this magnificent wonder. Can be reached from Las Vegas or Phoenix, or even California as the gateway to this fantastic bargain destination.
Longstanding scientific consensus has been that the canyon was created by the Colorado River over a six million year period. The canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, ranges in width from 4 to 18 miles (6.4 to 29 km) and attains a depth of over a mile (1.83 km)(6000 feet).[1] Nearly two billion years of the Earth's history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. The "canyon began in the west, followed by another that formed in the east. Eventually, the two broke through and met as a single majestic rent in the earth some six million years ago. [...] The merger apparently occurred where the river today bends to the west, in the area known as the Kaibab Arch."[2]
Aside from casual sightseeing from the South Rim (averaging 7000 feet (2100 m) above sea level), whitewater rafting, hiking and running are especially popular. The floor of the valley is accessible by foot, muleback, or by boat or raft from upriver. Hiking down to the river and back up to the rim in one day is discouraged by park officials because of the distance, steep and rocky trails, change in elevation, and danger of heat exhaustion from the much higher temperatures at the bottom. Rescues are required annually of unsuccessful rim-to-river-to-rim travelers. Nevertheless, hundreds of fit and experienced hikers complete the trip every year. The Grand Canyon has ridges in it
Over 5 Million visitors every year come and see this magnificent wonder. Can be reached from Las Vegas or Phoenix, or even California as the gateway to this fantastic bargain destination.
