The world is a breathtaking place and full of many beautiful natural spectacles. Here are seven of many natural wonders that all people interested in traveling and seeing the world should see before they die. Prepare yourself for some super pretty pictures. A note to all travelers: This list is ranked in no particular order. All beauty is viewed as equally important.
1. Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world. The reef stretches for over 2,300 kilometers along the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given the title of one of seven natural wonders of the world by CNN. However, visit the reef soon because climate change, pollution, fishing, and other threats are slowly destroying this natural beauty
2. Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is located in the state of Arizona in the United States. The canyon is carved by the Colorado River. It’s 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and can attain a depth of over a mile. The Canyon has a rich history and is one of many icons of the United States.
3. Iguazú Falls
The Iguazú Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazú River, which runs between Argentina and Brazil. The legend associated with these falls is that a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí. Naipí escaped with her mortal lover, named Tarobá, in a canoe. The deity, out of anger, sliced the river Iguazú (which splits to run through Brazil and Argentina), to condemn the lovers to an eternal fall.
4. Twelve Apostles
The Twelve Apostles is an assembly of limestone stacks in Victoria, Australia. The Apostles are located near the Great Ocean Road. There are actually only 8 stacks left. A ninth “apostle” collapsed in July of 2005, however, the name has been kept due to its popularity. The limestone stacks were created because extreme weather conditions in the Southern Ocean eroded the soft limestone which first formed caves in the cliffs, then arches, then singular stacks when the arches eventually collapsed.
5. Fiordland National Park
Fiordland National Park is located in the southern part of New Zealand. It is the largest of New Zealand’s 14 national parks. The Park was established in 1952 and is over 1.2 million hectares in size. The wildlife in the area is varied and includes dolphins, seals, and various birds. One such bird is the kakapo – the only flightless parrot in the world. Of course, you can also find kiwis here.
6. Yosemite National Park
If you have a Mac, you’ll recognize the name Yosemite. However, Yosemite is much more than an operating system. Yosemite is located in Northern California and covers an area of about 750,000 acres. The park was deemed to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. Thanks to the protection of Yosemite National Park, the United States national park system was developed.
7. Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is a waterfall in southern
Africa at the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls originate from the Zambezi River. The falls were named Victoria by David Livingston, a Scottish missionary and explorer, who was believed to have first laid eyes on the falls in 1855. Livingston named the falls in honor of Queen Victoria. However, the falls also have an indigenous name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means “the smoke that thunders.”
