Explore the most extraordinary and surreal places on our planet in this spectacular 4K visual adventure. From the rainbow waterfalls of Vinicunca Mountain in Peru to the mysterious colored lakes of Kelimutu Volcano in Indonesia, this documentary takes you on a journey through landscapes that seem to belong to alien worlds.
An unmissable documentary that captures the most beautiful, spectacular, and surprising landscapes in the world, captured in all their glory with breathtaking ultra-high-definition imagery.
#NaturalWonders #IncrediblePlaces #PlanetEarth #SurrealPlaces #WondersOfTheWorld
TIMELINE
00:00 Introduction
01:34 Icelandic Highlands, Iceland
03:10 Avenue of the Baobabs, Madagascar
04:38 Danakil Depression, Ethiopia
06:11 Lake Natron, Tanzania
07:38 Tianzi Mountains, China
09:21 Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
11:06 Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
12:22 Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
14:01 Mu Cang Chai Rice Terraces, Vietnam
15:34 Haiku Stairs, United States
17:01 Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japan
18:29 Wadi Rum, Jordan
20:04 Mount Huashan, China
21:37 Richat Structure, Mauritania
23:00 Phong Nha Caves, Vietnam
24:29 Coron, Philippines
25:58 Icelandic Waterfalls, Iceland
27:46 Ijen Volcano, Indonesia
29:17 Socotra Island, Yemen
30:47 Antarctica
32:36 Lake Hillier, Australia
33:59 Crooked Forest, Poland
35:15 Mount Roraima, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana
37:00 Mud Volcanoes, Azerbaijan
38:33 Painted Hills, United States
40:06 Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
41:39 Vinicunca, Peru
43:12 Hill of Crosses, Lithuania
44:42 Pripyat Ghost Town, Ukraine
46:27 Angel Falls, Venezuela
48:24 Marble Cathedral, Chile
49:47 Mount Yasur, Vanuatu
51:14 Spotted Lake, United States
52:31 Sossusvlei, Namibia
54:10 Ice Caves, Iceland
55:41 Jellyfish Lake, Palau
56:52 Underwater Waterfall, Mauritius
58:06 Hunza Valley, Pakistan
59:53 El Caminito del Rey, Spain
01:01:21 Kelimutu Volcano, Indonesia
01:02:47 Diamond Beach, Iceland
01:04:12 Chocolate Hills, Philippines
01:05:38 Lake Baikal, Russia
01:07:02 Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand
01:08:40 Caño Cristales, Colombia
01:10:07 Silfra Fissure, Iceland
01:11:33 Fan Jing Mountain Temple, China
01:13:15 Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
01:14:38 Atacama Desert, Chile
01:16:27 Aokigahara Forest, Japan
01:17:52 Tsingy de Bemaraha, Madagascar
01:19:25 Raja Ampat, Indonesia
01:20:50 Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
01:22:19 Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, Zambia
01:24:02 Stuðlagil Canyon, Iceland
01:25:40 Faroe Islands, Denmark
01:27:16 Kīlauea Volcano, United States
01:28:44 Phang Nga Bay, Thailand
01:30:17 Petra, Jordan
01:31:47 Cappadocia, Turkey
01:33:22 Norwegian Fjords, Norway
01:34:50 Bagan, Myanmar
01:36:17 Hverir Geothermal Area, Iceland
01:37:55 Geyser Lake, Russia
01:39:16 Whitehaven Beach, Australia
01:40:41 Meteora, Greece
01:42:21 Grand Prismatic Spring, United States
01:43:52 Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil
01:45:15 Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
01:46:49 Mount Bromo, Indonesia
01:48:31 Trolltunga and Preikestolen, Norway
01:50:05 Dead Sea, Israel, Jordan
01:51:44 Tumpak Sewu, Indonesia
01:53:11 Lofoten Islands, Norway
01:54:55 Lake Meke, Turkey
01:56:16 Ban Gioc-Detian Falls, Vietnam, China
01:57:41 Moorea Island, French Polynesia
01:59:00 Monument Valley, United States
02:00:45 Hang Mua, Vietnam
02:02:31 Lake Bled, Slovenia
02:04:07 Verdon Gorge, France
02:05:40 Nusa Penida, Indonesia
02:07:26 Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland
02:08:57 Grand Falls, United States
02:10:31 Iguazu Falls, Argentina, Brazil
02:11:55 Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
02:13:19 Itaimbezinho Canyon, Brazil
02:14:36 Monarch Butterfly Reserve, Mexico
02:16:01 Danxia Rainbow Mountains, China
02:17:34 Sequoia National Park, United States
02:19:17 Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
02:20:37 Giant’s Causeway, United Kingdom
02:21:59 Gobi Desert, Mongolia, China
02:23:27 Xinjiang Province, China
02:24:56 Patagonia, Argentina, Chile
02:26:56 Amazon Rainforest, South America
02:28:38 Seychelles Islands
02:30:35 Racetrack Playa & more
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This, is planet Earth.
A world, where the impossible, has learned to exist.
Where phenomena that seem like nature’s mistakes, are
actually, its boldest creations. A place where the boundaries between dream
and reality dissolve, and where time has painted with colors that should not exist.
From the lands of fire to the realms of ice, every corner tells a story of
evolution, wonder, and survival. Join us on a journey into the incredible,
as we set out to discover the most extraordinary places, the most unexplainable phenomena, and the
hidden wonders that make this planet our home. Welcome, to the most incredible
places on planet Earth. Icelandic Highlands
In the heart of Iceland, a plateau reveals rhyolite mountains, which change color depending
on the minerals deposited during volcanic eruptions, that occurred millions of years ago.
It’s such a surreal place, that even photographs seem retouched, and yet every color,
every contrast, is authentically real. Oxidized iron tints the slopes red and
orange, sulfur creates yellow hues, copper minerals produce brilliant greens, while dark
basalt contrasts with white streaks of silica. Extinct volcanoes rise among fields of
solidified lava and thermal springs, and glacial rivers flow through black ash,
with steam rising from the cracks in the earth. Avenue of the Baobabs
Among the rice fields and mud huts of Madagascar, a row of plant
giants has been growing for over 800 years. The baobabs reach heights of 30 meters, or 98 feet, and store thousands of
liters of water in their trunks, thus withstanding several months without rain.
The roots sink into the red earth, while the bare branches extend toward
the sky, like upside-down veins. It seems impossible that such massive trees could
exist, and yet they stand there, defying gravity with their swollen and disproportionate trunks.
At sunset, their shadows stretch across the dirt road, and time seems to stand still,
suspended between past and present. Danakil Depression
At 125 meters, or 410 feet, below sea level, the earth’s crust thins to just a few kilometers.
Here, magma rises to the surface, and transforms the landscape into a palette
of yellow sulfur, red iron, and white salt. Temperatures approach 50 degrees Celsius, or 122
degrees Fahrenheit, and acidic lakes boil, while volcanic gases draw ephemeral shapes in the air.
Geologists study this place to understand what primordial Earth looked like,
before life colonized it. Meanwhile, the depression continues to sink
about two centimeters, or two-thirds of an inch, per year, inexorably approaching
the planet’s incandescent heart. Lake Natron
At the foot of the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, a shallow lake collects water
that evaporates rapidly, under the equatorial sun. The concentration of salts and sodium
carbonate, reaches such levels that the pH rises to 10, becoming as corrosive as bleach.
Yet, lesser flamingos arrive here by the millions to nest, feeding on algae and cyanobacteria,
which thrive in these extreme conditions. Animals that die in the waters dehydrate,
and transform into salt statues preserved by the lake, like fossils.
The surface reflects the sky, while red and pink crusts color the
shores, creating an unreal landscape. Tianzi Mountains
Among the mists of Hunan province, enigmatic giants of sandstone
and quartzite emerge from the forests, reaching heights of 1,200 meters, or 3,937 feet.
Erosion has worked for 380 million years, dissolving limestone, and leaving
the towers of more resistant stone. Over 3,000 pinnacles are distributed across an
area covering hundreds of square kilometers, creating a vertical labyrinth.
Panoramic elevators and cable cars transport visitors among the peaks, while clouds
pass under their feet, and hide the valleys. The rock formations inspired the
floating landscapes of the movie Avatar, and continue to be shaped by the
monsoon rains, that fall every summer. Sigiriya
In the heart of Sri Lanka rises a monument that defies human understanding, with
its imposing presence on the surrounding plain. Archaeologists continue to wonder how, in
the fifth century, King “Kasyapa” managed to transform this volcanic rock into an
impregnable fortress, and a majestic palace. Visitors today follow the same path as
the inhabitants of the time, climbing the 1,200 steps that lead to the top, through
gardens that once housed fountains and pools. The rock walls preserve the frescoes of the
“maidens of Sigiriya,” testimonies of an art that has resisted the passage of centuries,
despite exposure to atmospheric agents. The remains of the royal rooms at the summit,
instead, tell stories of intrigue and power, while the gaze gets lost in the green horizon
of the jungle, that surrounds the site. Door to Hell
In the Karakum Desert, a crater 70 meters, or 230 feet, wide has
been burning continuously, since 1971. Soviet geologists were searching for
natural gas, when the ground gave way, and swallowed the drilling platform.
To prevent methane leakage, they decided to set fire to the well, thinking the
gas would be exhausted in a few weeks. Instead, the flames continue to devour
the fuel rising from the depths, illuminating the desert at night.
What was supposed to be a temporary accident, has become an open wound in the earth. Salar de Uyuni
The world’s largest salt desert, covers 10,582 square
kilometers, or 4,086 square miles, of Andean plateau, creating a horizon where sky
and earth merge into a single infinite line. During the rainy season, a thin layer of water
transforms the surface into a perfect mirror. The sky reflects on earth, erasing
the boundary between above and below, creating an optical illusion that attracts
photographers from around the world. Islands of volcanic rock emerge
from the white expanse like oases, hosting giant cacti that grow about one
centimeter, or 0.4 inches, per year. Under the salt crust, a hidden lake conceals
the planet’s largest lithium deposit. At sunset, the salt takes on the colors of
the sky, while at dawn the surface gleams. Mu Cang Chai Rice Terraces On the mountains of northern Vietnam, the
Hmong people have carved the slopes into thousands of terraces, that follow the curves
of the terrain creating a surreal landscape. Each step retains rainwater, and the
irrigation system distributes it by gravity. During rains, the rice fields
reflect the sky like green mirrors. In September, instead, rice matures,
and the terraces turn golden, then in winter they remain flooded, creating
geometric patterns visible from afar. The work began over 700 years
ago and continues today, maintained by the same families,
from generation to generation. Haiku Stairs Three thousand metal steps, climb along
the ridge of the Ko’olau mountains. The staircase was built in 1942 by the
American army, to install radio antennas and reach communication stations at the summit.
After the war, the steps rusted, and became dangerous, so the authorities
closed access to the public. Despite this, dozens of hikers jump the gates
and climb these stairs every day, defying fines and dangers, just to ascend toward the sky.
The clouds pass below their feet, while the ocean extends to the horizon, and in those moments
the transgression seems fully worth the risk. Jigokudani Macaque Park
In the Shiga Kogen mountains, Japanese macaques have learned to immerse
themselves in thermal springs, to survive harsh winters, where temperatures drop below
-10 degrees Celsius, or 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The scene is almost hypnotic, with dozens of
macaques motionless in the steaming water, with half-closed eyes in an
expression of total relaxation, and completely covered with fresh snow,
like little Zen monks in meditation. Adult females have passed this
behavior to subsequent generations, and today entire families of monkeys live here.
The springs are fed by underground volcanic activity, which maintains water at a constant
40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Wadi Rum, Jordan
In southern Jordan lies Wadi Rum, a desert that
defies human understanding. Time has sculpted granite mountains,
that emerge from the sand. Bedouins still cross these lands with their
camels, while the wind erases footprints. The most famous formation, the Seven Pillars
of Wisdom, guards the entrance to this world, suspended between reality and dream.
Every sunset transforms the landscape into a spectacle of light and
shadow, stretching across the dunes. Finally, scattered throughout the desert, bizarrely shaped rock formations resemble giant
mushrooms, natural bridges, and human faces, as if a cosmic artist had left his
signature millions of years ago. Mount Huashan
Five granite peaks, emerge from the Shaanxi plain, and reach
heights of 2,000 meters, or 6,562 feet. Taoist monks built temples on the summits
a thousand years ago, carving steps into the vertical rock, to reach them.
Today, wooden planks nailed to the wall form a path 30 centimeters, or 12
inches, wide, and suspended over the void. Safety chains offer the only handhold for
pilgrims and tourists, who face the route. And they do it to touch the
sanctuaries at the top with their hands, or to contemplate the
mountains that get lost in the mist. Needless to say, however, the line between
devotion and fear, thins with each step. Richat Structure
In the Sahara Desert, a circular formation 50 kilometers, or 31 miles, wide, draws concentric rings visible from space.
For years it was thought to be an impact crater, then geologists discovered that it is a dome
eroded by wind and water, over millions of years. The oldest rocks emerge at the center, while the
successive layers form perfect circles all around. Seen from above it resembles an eye
open on the earth, while the desert nomads cross it to reach the water wells,
unaware of the geometry they tread upon. Phong Nha Caves
Beneath the mountains of central Vietnam, an underground river has carved
galleries over 44 kilometers, or 27 miles, long. Water has been dissolving limestone
for 400 million years, and creates natural cathedrals 200 meters, or 656 feet,
high, where light filters through dolines, and illuminates stalactites as large as buildings. In 2009, speleologists discovered Son Doong, the
largest cave in the world, so vast that it could contain an entire New York City block.
A forest grows inside, fed by rain, that falls from openings on the surface,
while bats swarm among the vaults. The system continues to expand, and each
expedition reveals new unexplored chambers. Coron
In the Palawan archipelago, freshwater lagoons hide among limestone
cliffs, that rise vertically from the sea. The waters are so crystal
clear that they seem like air. Indeed, looking from above you can count
even the fish swimming on the seabed, or see every stone and coral, as if there was
no water between the observer and the seafloor. The inner lagoons are reached through
narrow passages between the rocks, where the water changes from the intense blue of the sea to emerald green in a few
meters, creating a surreal contrast. Moreover, the absolute silence of these
natural pools, surrounded by vertical walls covered with tropical vegetation, gives
the sensation of having entered a lost world. Waterfalls of Iceland
This island has over 10,000 waterfalls, fed by glaciers and frequent
rains, that characterize the Atlantic climate. At Seljalandsfoss, for example, water
falls from 60 meters, or 197 feet, and a path allows you to walk behind it.
Dettifoss, meanwhile, discharges 193 cubic meters, or 6,816 cubic feet, per second into its glacial
canyon, and the roar can be heard from kilometers away, while mist rises from the basaltic
rocks, creating a primordial atmosphere. Skógafoss, finally, plunges from a vertical
wall that once marked the coastline, before the sea retreated, leaving cliffs inland.
Each waterfall tells the story of retreating glaciers and the changing of our planet,
that continues to modify this volcanic land. Ijen Volcano
In the caldera of Mount Ijen, sulfurous gases emerge from the crater’s
fractures, at temperatures exceeding 600 degrees Celsius, or 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit.
When they touch the night air they ignite, and produce electric blue
flames, visible only in the dark. During the day, miners enter the crater
to extract solidified sulfur, that forms around the fumaroles, in yellow crystals.
They carry up to 90 kilograms, or 198 pounds, of mineral on their shoulders, climbing
uphill for two hours along steep paths, while acidic gases burn their eyes and lungs. Nevertheless, the blue fire continues to burn
beneath the surface, invisible in the sunlight. Socotra Island Located 380 kilometers, or 236
miles, from Yemen’s shores, an archipelago separated from the
African continent, 20 million years ago. Isolation has allowed the evolution of
species that exist nowhere else in the world. Indeed, one third of the plants
that grow here, is endemic. For instance, there is the dragon’s blood
tree, which has an umbrella-shaped crown, and produces a red resin, used
for centuries as dye and medicine. The island’s fauna, is equally extraordinary.
There are birds that fly among the different landscapes, endemic lizards and
geckos that hide among the stones, and dolphins and sea turtles that
swim in the surrounding waters. Antarctica
The planet’s southernmost continent, covers 14 million square kilometers, or 5.4
million square miles, under an ice sheet, up to 4,800 meters, or 15,748 feet, thick.
90% of Earth’s freshwater is trapped here, in solid form, while temperatures
drop to -89 degrees Celsius, or -128 degrees Fahrenheit, inland.
During the austral winter, darkness lasts six months and the sea freezes,
doubling the continent’s surface area. Then, in summer the sun never sets, and millions
of penguins return to nest on the rocky coasts. Floating ice shelves extend for hundreds
of kilometers, and when they break off they form icebergs as large as cities, that
wander the oceans for years, before melting. Lake Hillier
On Middle Island, off Australia’s west coast, a lake 600
meters, or 1,969 feet, long, maintains a bright pink color, throughout the year.
The water is as salty as the Dead Sea, and hosts algae that produce carotenoids, to
protect themselves from intense solar radiation. These pigments dye the water pink even when
the sky is gray, creating a sharp contrast with the green vegetation surrounding the
shore, and the blue ocean stretching beyond. Researchers have studied the lake for
decades, but the exact combination of organisms and minerals that generates
that color, remains partially mysterious. Crooked Forest
Just outside the city of Gryfino, about 400 pines inexplicably curve their
trunks at 90 degrees, before growing upward. The trees were planted in the 1930s, and
someone certainly intervened to bend their base, probably to obtain wood suitable
for furniture or boat construction. Then the war came, and whoever knew
the secret disappeared along with the documents that explained this phenomenon.
One curiosity is that the neighboring forest grows normally, and only these
pines have the anomalous shape, perhaps a living archive of a
project interrupted by history. Mount Roraima
At the point where three nations meet, a natural fortress rises 400 meters, or 1,312
feet, with vertical walls as smooth as glass. Roraima is a tepuy, a flat-topped
mountain, that emerges from the Amazon rainforest like a suspended island.
Its summit, isolated for millions of years, hosts an ecosystem that defies
imagination, with carnivorous plants growing among ancient black rocks.
Water has sculpted quartz formations as large as buildings into the stone, while crystalline
pools reflect a sky that seems closer. Fog constantly envelops the peak,
creating a mystical environment. The endemic species, evolved in complete
isolation, tell the story of extreme adaptation, and of how every form of life, here,
is a living testimony to evolution. Mud Volcanoes In the Absheron Peninsula, over 400 volcanoes
expel cold mud, instead of incandescent lava. Natural gas trapped in the
depths rises under pressure, and drags clay and salt water with it, forming
cones that erupt with continuous bubbling. Some craters measure a few centimeters,
others reach 10 meters, or 33 feet, and occasionally explode, launching mud
and flames dozens of meters into the air. The lunar landscape extends for kilometers, while methane burns spontaneously on contact
with oxygen, creating fires that burn for days. The ancient Persians revered these
places as divine manifestations, where earth and fire merged in an endless ritual. Painted Hills
As if a painter had spilled cans of color on gentle rolling hills,
the Painted Hills are pure geological magic. These red, yellow, black, and golden
streaks are not random, but each band tells 35 million years of climate history.
The red is iron oxidized during warm, dry periods, the yellow is iron
deposits in wetter environments, and the black is ancient petrified forests. The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, of
which these hills are part, guards one of the richest fossil deposits in North America.
The best time to visit this place is late afternoon, when the angle of
light enhances every nuance, and shadows create depth between
the folds of the terrain. Waitomo Caves
Darkness envelops visitors, while boats silently glide on the water, in these caves.
Then, looking up, the ceiling illuminates like a starry sky, thanks to
thousands of luminous larvae. These limestone caves, carved over
30 million years by water filtering through rock, host a unique phenomenon.
They are called the Waitomo “glowworms,” but they are actually gnat larvae that produce
light, to attract prey into their sticky traps. Today, in addition to traditional boat excursions,
adventurers can explore more remote caverns with speleology techniques, while the limestone
formations continue to grow slowly, drop by drop. Vinicunca
At 5,200 meters, or 17,060 feet, in the Peruvian Andes,
sediments deposited over millions of years, form layers of different minerals.
Iron oxidation creates the red bands, copper produces green, sulfur generates
yellow, while magnesium-rich clay colors white. Erosion has exposed these oblique layers,
transforming the mountain into a sequence of horizontal bands, that seem hand-painted.
Until 2015, ice covered the top and hid the colors, then global warming melted the
snow, revealing the underlying geology. Today, thousands of hikers brave the
altitude to walk on this natural palette, where Earth’s history is written in colors. Hill of Crosses
North of Lithuania, a hill hosts over 100,000 crosses, planted over two centuries.
The tradition began in 1831, after a revolt against the Russian Empire, when families
began to bring crosses here, to commemorate the fallen whose bodies they could not recover.
During the Soviet occupation, the authorities demolished the site three times, but every night
new crosses would reappear in the darkness. Today, pilgrims arrive from all over the world and
add wooden, metal, and stone crucifixes, creating a vertical labyrinth where rosaries dangle,
and the wind makes hundreds of medals tinkle. The place has become a symbol of peaceful
resistance and collective memory. Ghost Town of Pripyat
On April 26, 1986, reactor 4 of the Chernobyl power plant exploded, and
released a radioactive cloud into the atmosphere that forced the evacuation of 50,000 people.
The city of Pripyat emptied within a few hours, while radiation contaminated
homes, schools, and playgrounds. Today, vegetation grows among
the concrete buildings, and wild animals have reclaimed the deserted streets. Scientists monitor the area to study
the effects of radiation on nature, and understand how long it will take for
the territory to become habitable again. The city, therefore, remains frozen in 1986, a silent witness to an enormous
and powerful nuclear disaster. Angel Falls
In the heart of Canaima National Park, where clouds embrace
the mountains, Angel Falls plunges for 979 meters, or 3,212 feet, in free fall.
It’s the highest waterfall in the world, a ribbon of water that seems to
spring directly from the sky. Its roar echoes among the tepuis, which
are ancient flat-topped mountains, that emerge from the forest like
islands of stone suspended in time. The water, descending, disperses into a fine mist
before touching the ground of the rainforest. The “Pemón,” the indigenous people of these lands, call it “the jump from the highest
point,” and consider these places sacred. Access to this natural spectacle requires a plane
journey, followed by hours of canoe navigation, through rapids and lagoons hidden in the jungle. Marble Cathedral
In the heart of Chilean Patagonia, water has sculpted a natural cathedral in marble.
The caves, accessible only by kayak, hide a labyrinth of tunnels and caverns where
the turquoise water of Lake General Carrera, has eroded the stone for over 6,000 years.
The marble walls, smoothed by water, create hypnotic patterns that change with sunlight.
In some places, the rock is so thin that light passes through, creating an effect similar to
the stained glass windows of a Gothic cathedral. This natural monument, reminds us that
the patience of water can shape even the hardest stone, creating works of
art that no sculptor could match. Mount Yasur
On the island of Tanna, one of the world’s most accessible volcanoes has been
erupting continuously, for at least 800 years. Every few minutes, magma explodes from the
crater, launching lava bombs hundreds of meters, or feet into the air, while the roar is heard
for several kilometers, or miles around. Visitors can approach the edge, and observe
the lava lake bubbling 150 meters, or 492 feet, beneath their feet, illuminating
even the night with orange glows. For the island’s inhabitants,
the volcano is a living deity, and eruptions are manifestations of its breath. Spotted Lake
A lake 700 meters, or 2,297 feet, long, transforms every
summer into a checkerboard of colored pools. Water evaporates with the heat, and leaves
different concentrations of magnesium sulfate, calcium, and sodium sulfate, which
crystallize forming separate circles. Each pool takes on a different shade,
depending on the predominant minerals, including yellow, green, blue, or white.
For indigenous people, this has been a sacred place for centuries, where they collected
minerals for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Sossusvlei
Along the Atlantic coast of southern Africa, extends the planet’s
oldest desert, arid for at least 55 million years. At Sossusvlei, the dunes reach
heights of 380 meters, or 1,247 feet, and change shape with the wind, while
iron oxide tints the sand a deep red. At the center of some depressions, lie
acacia trunks that died 900 years ago, mummified by the dry air, and burned
by the sun until they turned black. Rain here comes about every ten years,
and when it falls the desert covers itself with flowers within a few weeks,
but then everything returns to silence. Only antelopes usually cross the expanses of sand, seeking the moisture of the coastal
fog that penetrates inland at dawn. Ice Caves
Under Icelandic glaciers, meltwater carves tunnels and
caves, that change shape each season. In winter, temperatures drop, and
stabilize the walls, allowing entry into the cavities without risk of collapse.
Light filters through the blue ice, and creates reflections ranging from pale azure to deep
turquoise, depending on the thickness and purity. Air bubbles trapped thousands of years ago, form
white constellations, while volcanic ash draws black stripes in the transparent mass.
Every summer the caves partially melt, and in autumn they reform in different
positions, making each exploration unique. Jellyfish Lake
On a rocky island in the Rock Islands archipelago, a marine lake
isolated from the ocean 12,000 years ago. Without natural predators, jellyfish
lost their ability to produce stinging toxins, and today millions of
specimens float in the waters. They migrate daily from one shore
to the other following the sun, because they live in symbiosis with microscopic
algae, which need light for photosynthesis. Divers swim among veritable clouds
of these gelatinous organisms, which, however, brush against
the skin without causing pain. Underwater Waterfall
Off the southwestern coast of Mauritius, ocean currents drag sand
and sediments along the underwater slope, creating a stunning optical illusion.
The seabed drops abruptly from a few meters to over 4,000 meters, or 13,000
feet, in a steep slope, and the turquoise water contrasts with the deep blue of the abyss.
The light sediments slide along the wall, and form currents that seem to precipitate into the void,
drawing a waterfall that doesn’t actually exist. Tides and winds do the rest,
continuously moving the sand, and modifying the contours of this
beautiful geological phenomenon. Hunza Valley, Pakistan
Among the peaks of northern Pakistan, opens a valley where time flows differently.
Hunza is home to people who live to a hundred years old, in contrast to the
harshness of the surrounding environment. The valley develops along the ancient Silk Road, witness to centuries of
exchanges between East and West. Here, stone houses cling to the slopes, built
with techniques passed down through generations. Water comes directly from glaciers, rich in minerals that locals consider
the source of their longevity. Between villages there is often a dense fog,
that transforms shapes into elusive silhouettes, creating a world where the boundary
between visible and invisible dissolves, while farmers tell of ancestral presences, that
watch over the valley from time immemorial. El Caminito del Rey
Along the walls of the Gaitanejo canyon, a cement and steel
walkway follows the route of a path, built in 1905 for workers at
the hydroelectric power plant. For decades, the original route continued to
crumble, until it became a strip of rusted metal, 30 centimeters, or 12 inches, wide and suspended
100 meters, or 328 feet, above the river. After several fatal accidents, the authorities
closed access, and in 2015 inaugurated a new structure anchored to the rock.
Today, people walk on wooden boards while the void opens beneath their feet, and
water flows below among the polished boulders. Kelimutu Volcano A volcano that has earned worldwide fame not
for its eruptions, but for a phenomenon that defies the predictability of nature.
Its three craters host lakes whose waters constantly change color, like a
living palette, transforming based on chemical reactions and mineral activity
that occurs in the volcanic depths. The chromatic spectrum these lakes
present ranges from intense cobalt blue to emerald green, to shades
of deep red like blood, making each visit a completely different
experience from the previous one. It is set in the mountainous lands of Flores
Island, and is wrapped in a veil of local mysticism, with ancient tales describing
these lakes as ancestral soul dwellings. Diamond Beach
On the southern coast of Iceland, the glacial lagoon of Jökulsárlón
continuously empties into the ocean, dragging ice blocks that have
broken off from the glacier. The waves return them to the black volcanic
sand, smoothing and polishing them, until they look like transparent precious stones.
Some weigh tons, others fit in the palm of a hand, and all melt slowly under the sun, while
the tide moves them back and forth. Light passes through them creating
blue and crystalline reflections, and in a few hours a block can reduce to a puddle
of water, renewing the landscape every day. Chocolate Hills
Over 1,200 conical hills, are distributed across 50 square kilometers, or 19 square
miles, with a regularity that seems unnatural. The most credible theory indicates
that they were formed by the erosion of limestone and coral deposits, raised
from the sea millions of years ago, and then modeled by rain into symmetrical shapes.
The height varies between 30 and 120 meters, or 98 and 394 feet, and all
have almost identical slopes. During the dry season, the grass
that covers them turns brown, transforming the landscape into
a sea of cocoa-colored domes. Local inhabitants tell legends
of giants who fought by throwing rocks at each other, but geology offers
less romantic and slower explanations. Lake Baikal
A crack in the Siberian earth’s crust, contains 20%
of the planet’s surface freshwater. The extreme cold, freezes its surface for
five months a year, despite reaching depths of 1,642 meters, or 5,387 feet.
The water is so transparent, that in winter you can see the bottom at 40
meters, or 131 feet, depth, through the ice. The tectonic plates, moreover, continue
to widen it by about 2 centimeters, or 0.8 inches, per year,
while over 300 rivers feed it. It formed 25 million years ago, and is
still the oldest existing freshwater basin. Moeraki Boulders Stone spheres emerge from the sand, like
giant eggs laid by a mythological being. These perfectly round boulders, some with a
circumference of over 2 meters, or 6.5 feet, took 4 million years to form.
The process began on the seabed, when sediments gathered around organic nuclei,
creating concretions that erosion then freed from the surrounding rock.
The tides continue to uncover new boulders from the
cliff, while those already exposed slowly crack, revealing crystallized interiors,
similar to dinosaur nests. Caño Cristales
In the Sierra de la Macarena, a 100-kilometer, or 62-mile long river, flows through quartz
rocks, that are two billion years old. For most of the year, the water flows
transparent among rapids and pools, but between September and November, an
aquatic plant colors the bed intense red. The blooming depends on water levels and
sunlight, and when conditions coincide, the river transforms into a sequence
of red, yellow, green, and blue bands. The algae grow only where the current is
strong enough and the water shallow enough, creating patterns that change from day to day. Silfra Fissure This, is the place where the North
American tectonic plate moves away from the Eurasian one, at a speed of 2
centimeters, or 0.8 inches, per year. The fracture is full of glacial water
filtered through kilometers of volcanic rock, by a process that takes decades
and makes the water transparent. Divers swim between basalt walls,
simultaneously touching two continents, despite the temperature constantly around 2
degrees Celsius, or 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Beneath the surface, the silence is absolute, and time seems to stand still
suspended in a crystalline blue. Fan Jing Mountain Temple Suspended between heaven and earth, an
architectural jewel defies the laws of gravity, on the summit of Mount Fan Jing.
This Buddhist temple, embedded in rock at an altitude of 2,336 meters,
or 7,664 feet, represents the triumph of human determination over the wildest nature.
Accessible only through 8,888 steps carved into the mountain, the temple is witness to the passage
of seasons, while clouds dance around its ancient walls, wrapping it in a veil of mystery.
Here, where the air becomes thin, the primordial vegetation of the subtropical
rainforest embraces the structure, creating a unique ecosystem in the world.
It is the perfect manifestation of how sacred architecture can merge
with the majesty of untamed nature. Cliffs of Moher
On the western coast of Ireland, layers of sandstone rise from the Atlantic,
reaching heights of 214 meters, or 702 feet. The rocks formed 300 million years
ago, on the bottom of a river delta, then tectonic plates raised them, and the
ocean sculpted them with relentless waves. Over 30,000 seabirds nest on the walls
each spring, including puffins, razorbills, and cormorants, that build nests in the crevices.
The cliffs extend for eight kilometers, or five miles, and on clear days you
can see the Aran Islands on the horizon. Atacama Desert, Chile
The driest place on the planet, where rain is as rare an event as an eclipse.
The Atacama Desert defies every logic of nature. By day, the expanses shine like
mirrors under a relentless sun, creating mirages that move on the horizon.
At night, the sky transforms into the largest natural observatory on Earth, where
stars seem so close you could touch them. But every few years something impossible happens.
The rare rains awaken dormant seeds for decades, and the desert explodes into a sea
of purple, pink, and yellow flowers. It’s the phenomenon of the
“desierto florido,” when over 200 plant species emerge
from the sand as if by magic. This ephemeral transformation,
lasts only a few weeks, but completely changes the face of the desert. In addition, among the dunes, El Tatio
geysers shoot steam jets toward the sky, while pink flamingos filter the salty
waters of high-altitude lagoons. Aokigahara Forest
At the foot of Mount Fuji, 30 square kilometers, or 12 square
miles, of trees grow on a bed of solidified lava, erupted in 864.
Roots cling to the volcanic rock, while trunks form a vault so dense that
wind doesn’t enter, and sounds die out. The compass goes crazy here, due to the iron
contained in the lava, and orienting oneself becomes difficult without marked paths.
Since the post-war period, the forest has become one of the places with the highest suicide
rate in the world, so much so that rangers patrol the paths, and hang signs with emergency numbers
and messages, that invite people to ask for help. Tsingy de Bemaraha
Limestone platforms rose from the seabed 200 million years ago, and rainwater has eroded them,
creating forests of pinnacles, as sharp as blades. The formations reach heights of 70 meters,
or 230 feet, and extend for hundreds of square kilometers, making the area virtually
impenetrable, without bridges and rope ladders. Baobab trees and strange palms grow among
the fractures, while lemurs jump between the spires with gravity-defying agility.
The hidden canyons host humid microclimates, where endemic species that exist
nowhere else on the island thrive. The name tsingy, furthermore, derives
from a Malagasy word meaning “walking on tiptoes,” which is the only way to
traverse this place without getting hurt. Raja Ampat
Off West Papua, over 1,500 coral islands emerge from a sea, that
hosts 75% of the world’s known coral species. Ocean currents converge here,
bringing nutrients that feed a biodiversity unmatched, in any other reef.
Marine biologists have indeed recorded more fish species in a single dive site,
than exist in the entire Caribbean Sea. The islands, here, blend with waters in shades
of turquoise and emerald, and seem to float between sky and ocean, while the mangrove forests
protect the coastlines, and amplify their beauty. Ha Long Bay In the Gulf of Tonkin, over 1,600 limestone
islands emerge from the waters, creating a labyrinth of rock towers and submerged caves.
The formations were created 500 million years ago, when the region was a shallow sea, then erosion
sculpted pillars and arches, over the millennia. Many islands host internal caverns,
where stalactites hang from the ceiling, and light enters through natural openings. At dawn, fog envelops the peaks,
while wooden junks glide on the emerald green water, and the landscape
seems suspended between sky and sea. Victoria Falls Between Zambia and Zimbabwe, a
river plunges into the abyss. Victoria Falls split the earth with a roar, that
can be heard 40 kilometers, or 25 miles, away. The Zambezi River, which flows placidly
for kilometers, encounters a fracture in the earth’s crust and transforms into a curtain
of water, that plunges 108 meters, or 354 feet. The water mass generates a mist that rises
up to 400 meters, or 1,312 feet, in the sky, creating a microclimate that nourishes a
rainforest in the middle of the African bush. This is why the locals call this
place “the smoke that thunders.” During the rainy season, 500 million liters
of water per minute launch into the void. There are no photographs that can capture
the power of this natural spectacle, where water transforms into clouds,
and the earth trembles under your feet. Stuðlagil Canyon In 2009, a dam interrupted the
course of the Jökulsá á Dal River. The water retreated, and revealed basalt
columns that no one had ever seen. The formations were created three million
years ago, when lava cooled slowly, and contracted into perfect hexagonal prisms. Today the canyon shows walls
30 meters, or 98 feet, high, where thousands of columns rise like
organ pipes, while the turquoise river flows at the bottom, thanks to the
glacial sediments that reflect light. Visitors walk along the edge, and observe a
geometry that nature designed without plans, where chaos and order coexist,
in the same volcanic rock. Faroe Islands Eighteen islands, emerge from the Atlantic
Ocean, halfway between Iceland and Norway. The vertical cliffs exceed 600 meters, or 1,969
feet, in height, with wind blowing almost every day of the year, shaping a landscape where
trees don’t grow, and grass stays low. Villages cling to the coasts, protected
by narrow bays, that for centuries have allowed fishermen to find shelter from storms.
Waterfalls, descend directly into the sea, while mountains disappear among the low clouds,
that cover the peaks for most of the year. The population is just 50,000 people, and lives in colorful houses with
grass roofs, since the Viking era. Here, nature still dictates
the rules of daily life. Kīlauea Volcano
In Hawaii, one of the planet’s most active volcanoes has
been erupting almost continuously, since 1983. Basaltic lava flows from lateral
fractures, and travels kilometers, or miles, before reaching the ocean,
where it solidifies and creates new territory, at a rate of several
hectares, or acres every year. The heat instantly evaporates seawater,
producing columns of acidic steam, while the incandescent rock
hisses on contact with the waves. The summit crater hosts a lava
lake that rises and falls, following the pressure of the underlying magma.
For Hawaiians, Kīlauea is the abode of Pele, goddess of fire, and eruptions are
manifestations of her presence. Phang Nga Bay Between Phuket and Krabi, over
40 limestone islands emerge from the waters of the Andaman Sea, creating a
labyrinth of sea stacks and marine caves. The rock formations rise up to 300 meters, or 984
feet, in height, shaped by 20 million years of erosion, with overhanging walls
covered in tropical vegetation, that grows directly from the bare stone.
The effect is surreal, with impossibly thin rock towers at the base, that
swell upward as if defying gravity. James Bond Island, for example, with its
iconic pinnacle 20 meters, or 66 feet, high, is certainly the most iconic rock,
having become famous after the film. Petra
In the desert of southern Jordan, the Nabataeans carved a city into
the sandstone rock, over 2,000 years ago. The so-called “Treasury,”
emerges from the Siq gorge, with a façade 40 meters, or 131 feet,
high carved directly into the pink wall, and every column and capital is
hand-carved, with millimetric precision. Over 800 monuments are
distributed throughout the valley. There are royal tombs, theaters, temples,
and dwellings carved into the stone, which changes color with the daylight.
Walking among these creations, means crossing a landscape where architecture
and geology merge, into a single form. Cappadocia
Wind and water have sculpted the volcanic rock, for millions of years, creating cone formations,
that extend for hundreds of kilometers. The first Christians carved churches and
monasteries inside these soft stones, then true underground cities were created.
Some of these, reach eight levels deep, and could host thousands
of people during invasions. A characteristic sign of this area, however,
are the hot air balloons, which rise at dawn, when the raking light transforms
the valleys into a lunar landscape. These formations take the name
of “fairy chimneys,” and dot the horizon from times well before the arrival of man. Norwegian Fjords
Glacial valleys filled with seawater, when the ice retreated
more than twelve thousand years ago, creating inlets that penetrate inland,
for over 200 kilometers, or 124 miles. These are the Norwegian fjords, rock walls
that rise vertically from the water, up to 1,500 meters, or 4,921 feet, in height, with
waterfalls that plunge directly into the sea. Villages cling to the few strips of flat
land, connected by ferries and tunnels, carved into the mountains.
In winter the sun stays low on the horizon for a few hours, and in
summer never sets, for entire weeks. Bagan In the central plain of Myanmar,
over 2,000 Buddhist temples are distributed across 42 square kilometers, or
16 square miles, along the Irrawaddy River. Between the 11th and 13th centuries, the kings of
Bagan built more than 10,000 religious structures, using fired bricks and stucco, each with
unique architecture and decorations. Earthquakes and erosion have destroyed
thousands, but those remaining draw a horizon dotted with golden spires and ruined domes.
At dawn, hot air balloons rise over the plain, while fog dissolves among the temples, and the sun
illuminates the faded frescoes inside the pagodas. Hverir Geothermal Area Where the North American plate moves away
from the Eurasian one, magma rises near the surface, and heats underground waters.
Here, the ground bubbles in pools of gray mud, while fumaroles hiss sulfurous steam, that stings
the nostrils and can be smelled from a distance. The soil is tinted yellow, orange,
and red by mineral deposits, and the temperature can exceed 100 degrees Celsius, or
212 degrees Fahrenheit, a few centimeters deep. Geysers erupt boiling water
at irregular intervals, while steam rises, forming columns
that dissolve in the icy wind. Walking among the craters means crossing
a Martian landscape, where Earth breathes through a thousand smoking mouths, showing the
energy pulsing beneath the Icelandic crust. Lake Geyser
In the Altai Mountains, at 1,500 meters, or 4,921 feet, altitude,
a lake changes color several times a year. Algae react to temperature variations,
and dye the water azure in spring, emerald green in summer, and turquoise in autumn. The bottom is covered with blue clay
that contributes to the reflections, while underground springs keep the water
fresh, even during the Siberian summer. The lake formed from an ancient landslide, which blocked the course of a river,
creating a basin fed by mountain streams. Whitehaven Beach
On Whitsunday Island, in Australia, 7 kilometers, or 4.3
miles of white sand, extend along a bay, protected by the Great Barrier Reef.
The sand is composed of 98% pure silica, a material that doesn’t retain heat, and
stays cool even under the tropical sun. Tides move the sand, creating vortices of
white and turquoise in Hill Inlet lagoon, drawing patterns that change every six hours. The water is so transparent that you can
see stingrays swimming on the sandy bottom, also thanks to the beach being accessible only
by sea, and the absence of human development. Meteora
Sandstone towers rise from the plain, for 400 meters, or 1,312 feet, formed sixty million
years ago, from deposits of sand and gravel. Byzantine monks built the first hermitages
on the tops of these towers in the eleventh century, seeking isolation and protection.
24 monasteries were built between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, accessible only through
rope ladders, and nets lifted with winches. Today, six of the original 24 are still
inhabited, and preserve frescoes, manuscripts, and icons from the Byzantine period.
Stairs carved into the rock have replaced the ropes, but the ascent
still requires hundreds of steps. Grand Prismatic Spring
In the heart of Yellowstone, a thermal spring releases 2,000 liters,
or 528 gallons of water every minute, at 70 degrees Celsius, or 158 degrees Fahrenheit. The center is intense blue because the water
is too hot to host life, but moving away from the nucleus the temperature drops, and
thermophilic bacteria begin to proliferate. Each species tolerates a different heat
interval, and produces specific pigments, thus forming concentric rings ranging
from green to yellow, from orange to red. Steam rises from the surface and creates
iridescent halos, when sunlight passes through it. Lençóis Maranhenses
In northern Brazil, desert meets water, creating a landscape that defies logic.
The Lençóis Maranhenses extend like a sea of white dunes, interrupted by lagoons of blue
water, that appear like mirrors in the sand. It’s not a mirage, but a unique ecosystem, where
rain transforms the desert into a mosaic of lakes. During the rainy season, thousands of pools
form among the dunes, hosting fish that survive under the sand during dry months.
The deeper lagoons persist all year, creating oases where life thrives, in the
middle of what seems a sterile desert. The wind constantly shapes the landscape,
moving the dunes and redrawing their boundaries. Plitvice Lakes National Park
Sixteen lakes cascade for eight kilometers, or five miles, connected by
92 waterfalls, that change shape every year.
The water, indeed, deposits calcium carbonate on
mosses and algae, creating natural barriers, that grow by one centimeter, or 0.4 inches, per year.
The park extends over almost 300,000 hectares, or 74,000 acres, of forest, where
brown bears, wolves, and lynx live. The upper lakes have turquoise waters, while
the lower ones show emerald green colors. Wooden walkways cross the water, allowing
you to walk just inches from the waterfalls. Mount Bromo
A volcano, that has redefined Indonesia’s landscape,
and continues to do so even today. This giant never sleeps, with its breath of
smoke and steam constantly rising toward the sky, a powerful reminder that beneath
our feet lie primordial forces that continue to shape the Earth.
Sunrise, here, is not just a moment of the day, but a spectacle that attracts
people from every corner of the world. When the first light appears on the
horizon, something magical happens. The sun’s rays completely transform what surrounds
them, and the expanse of volcanic ash lights up, while the gas clouds coming out of the crater
capture the light, and create plays of color. For this reason, hundreds of people wake
up in the heart of the night and climb in almost total darkness the volcano,
until reaching strategic viewpoints. Trolltunga and Preikestolen
In the Norwegian fjords, two rock formations extend over the void, offering
views that challenge the sense of balance. Trolltunga juts out horizontally, 700 meters,
or 2,297 feet above Lake Ringedalsvatnet, and is a shelf of rock smoothed by
glaciers, during the last ice age. Preikestole, instead, is a square
platform 25 meters, or 82 feet, on each side, that overlooks
the Lysefjord from 604 meters, or 1,982 feet, in height, with vertical
walls that descend directly into the water. Reaching both places requires
hours of walking, on steep paths, while the wind rises from the fjords,
bringing the brackish smell of the sea. Dead Sea
At 430 meters, or 1,410 feet below sea level, the lowest point on Earth collects water, with a
salt concentration ten times that of the oceans. Constant evaporation under the desert sun,
leaves minerals that crystallize on the shore, forming white and jagged sculptures.
The water density is such that bodies float effortlessly, making it impossible
to sink, or swim in a traditional way. No fish or algae can survive in these conditions, only some extremophile
bacteria thrive in the salt. Each year the water level drops by over one meter,
or 3.3 feet, because the rivers that fed it are diverted for irrigation, and the lake recedes,
leaving sinkholes in the surrounding terrain. Tumpak Sewu
Located on the island of Java, it’s one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Indonesia.
Also known as the tiered waterfall, this natural wonder offers
an impressive panoramic view, with water cascading radially over a
wide amphitheater of moss-covered rocks. The surrounding region is lush, rich in tropical
vegetation, and offers numerous opportunities to explore the area’s remarkable biodiversity.
Venturing into this region reveals an almost untouched wilderness, with trails
leading to exceptional viewpoints. Lofoten Islands
An archipelago beyond the Arctic Circle, formed by islands connected by bridges and tunnels,
that unite fishing villages and wild landscapes. The mountains, high and jagged, rise directly
from the sea, creating a scenario in which fjords, bays, and light-colored sand beaches,
alternate without interruption. The red houses of the rorbuer, once
shelters for cod fishermen, today welcome travelers who desire direct contact with the sea.
Winter usually brings storms and northern lights, while summer offers the midnight
sun, which doesn’t set for weeks. Lake Meke
In the heart of Anatolia, a volcanic crater extinct for millennia,
hosts a salt lake that changes color with the seasons and the angle of light.
At the center emerges a secondary volcanic cone 60 meters, or 197 feet, high,
creating an island in the lake, which in turn contains a small water mirror at its summit.
Summer evaporation lowers the water level, and uncovers expanses of white salt that
surround the lake like a crystalline halo. Flamingos stop here during migrations, to feed
on crustaceans that live in the brackish waters, while the double crater creates a
concentric geometry, visible from space. Ban Gioc-Detian Falls
On the border between Vietnam and China, the Quay Son River divides
into three levels of waterfalls 300 meters, or 984 feet, wide, that plunge among karst
formations covered with tropical vegetation. The water descends from 30 meters, or 98
feet, creating a liquid curtain that marks the international border, dividing and uniting
the two countries with the same continuous flow. During monsoon season the flow increases,
and the roar is heard for kilometers, while in winter the river calms down, and allows
walking on the rocks at the base of the falls. Farmers cultivate rice on
the surrounding terraces, and cross the river on bamboo rafts,
to trade between the two banks. Moorea Island
Near Tahiti, a volcanic island emerges from
the ocean, with jagged peaks that reach 800 meters, or 2,625 feet, in height.
The mountains are covered with rainforest, while eight bays open on the coast, each protected
by coral reefs, that attenuate the Pacific waves. The lagoon waters vary from turquoise
to cobalt blue, with such transparency that you can see stingrays and sharks
swimming, at depths of several meters. The island formed from a volcano that
went extinct millions of years ago, and is now slowly sinking into the ocean, destined
to become an atoll when the peaks are submerged. Monument Valley
In the heart of the Navajo Desert, Monument Valley rises as a primordial
stage, of red sandstone giants. The reliefs and solitary pinnacles, carved
by millions of years of patient erosion, stand out against impossibly blue skies.
This is not just a landscape, rather, it is the sacred heart of the Navajo nation, and every stone
tells a legend, every shadow whispers secrets. The pinnacles, sculpted by billions of raindrops
and gusts of wind, create a skyline more suggestive than any modern metropolis.
At dawn or sunset, when light sets the vertical walls on fire and shadows stretch like
thoughts, Monument Valley reveals its true nature: it is not just a place to see, but an experience
that redefines the very concept of wonder. Hang Mua, Vietnam
Climbing 500 stone steps, in Ninh Binh province, Hang Mua offers one
of Vietnam’s most incredible panoramas. This place, whose name means “Dance Cave,” was
born when a Tran dynasty king built a temple, where he entertained himself
watching his servants dance. From the top of Ngoa Long mountain opens a
breathtaking view, that embraces golden rice fields, limestone mountains, and the sinuous Ngo
Dong River, flowing among the rock formations. The path is challenging, but every drop of
sweat is repaid when you reach the summit. Halfway up, the path forks: one
leads to the Dragon Viewpoint, which is the most spectacular, the other to the
Pagoda, less difficult but still suggestive. Lake Bled
An island, emerges at the center of a lake, surrounded by
mountains that reach 2,000 meters, or 6,560 feet. The church on the island was
built in the seventeenth century, above the ruins of a Slavic temple.
To reach it, people use pletne, which are wooden boats pushed with
oars 6 meters, or 19.7 feet, long. There is also a castle, that overlooks from
the top of a 132-meter, or 433-foot, cliff, documented for the first time in the year 1004.
The lake water comes from underground thermal springs, and in summer can exceed 25
degrees Celsius, or 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Verdon Gorge In southeastern France, the Verdon
River has carved for millions of years one of Europe’s most spectacular canyons. Its turquoise waters flow between limestone rock
walls, up to 700 meters, or 2,297 feet, high. There are panoramic paths like the Sentier
Blanc-Martel, which offer incredible views, and allow discovering an
environment rich in wildlife. Sports enthusiasts can practice kayaking,
climbing, or paragliding, while those seeking tranquility find characteristic
villages like Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. The gorges are part of a protected natural park, created to preserve a
fragile and unique ecosystem. Nusa Penida An island that emerges from the waters off
Bali, where nature still reigns unchallenged. Nusa Penida immediately strikes
with its contrasting landscapes, with rocky walls that drastically plunge
toward seas of deep blue, creating panoramic views that seem to come out of a postcard.
Underwater unfolds a pulsating universe of life, with clear waters hiding coral forests,
with countless marine species that find their natural habitat here.
The most photographed point of the island is undoubtedly Kelingking
Beach, better known as “T-Rex Bay.” In this place, an imposing rock
formation stands out against the horizon, with a shape that unmistakably
resembles that of a prehistoric predator, creating a unique and almost idyllic setting. Reynisfjara Beach
Black volcanic sand extends along Iceland’s southern coast,
interrupted by hexagonal basalt columns. The formations were created when lava cooled, in contact with the ocean, and
contracted into geometric prisms. A few meters from the shore, stand three
sea stacks 66 meters, or 217 feet high, which according to legends are petrified trolls.
Here, Atlantic waves crash with such force, as to drag into the sea those who get too
close, and signs warn of “killer waves.” The wind carries salty sprays, while
puffins nest on the surrounding cliffs. Grand Falls
Imagine finding a chocolate-colored river in the middle of the desert.
This is Grand Falls, one of Arizona’s best-kept secrets.
Higher than the celebrated Niagara Falls, these stepped cliffs launch the muddy waters
of the “Little Colorado River” in a 56-meter, or 184-foot drop, creating a roar that
seems impossible, in such an arid landscape. The sediment content gives the water
that characteristic chocolate hue, which dramatically contrasts with the
neutral tones of the surrounding desert. The phenomenon is as
spectacular as it is ephemeral. Grand Falls exists only when seasonal rains
or snowmelt from Mount Baldy feed the river, transforming a dry bed into an
explosion of hydraulic power. The other days, instead, there is
only an empty and desolate canyon. Iguazú Falls At the point where three nations meet, water
has created a spectacle that defies imagination. Iguazú Falls are 275 drops
that plunge into the forest, creating a symphony of thunder and rainbows.
The Devil’s Throat, the most imposing, discharges 1,500 cubic meters, or
53,000 cubic feet, of water per second, into an abyss of 80 meters, or 262 feet.
Mist rises from the base of the falls, creating a microclimate where toucans
and coatis move among the trees. The walkways allow approaching
the edge of the falls, where water plunges with a force
that makes the ground tremble. Phi Phi Islands
Between Phuket and Krabi, six limestone islands emerge from the sea, forming bays surrounded by
vertical walls that reach 300 meters, or 984 feet. Maya Bay is an almost unreal lagoon,
enclosed by cliffs on three sides, with whitest sand and absolutely transparent water.
The overhanging cliffs are dotted with caves, where swallows nest, while macaque
monkeys observe from above. Intense tourism had damaged the corals, and
in 2018 the bay was closed to allow recovery. Today, blacktip reef sharks have returned to swim
in the shallow waters, while corals slowly regrow. Itaimbezinho Canyon
In southern Brazil, a fracture in basaltic rock opens for 5.8 kilometers, or 3.6
miles, with walls 720 meters, or 2,362 feet high. The canyon formed when tectonic movements created
a fissure, which erosion has continued to deepen. Two spectacular waterfalls plunge from the walls,
and dissolve into mist before reaching the bottom, almost 300 meters, or 984 feet, below.
The Araucaria forest grows on the rock, and paths allow walking along the edge,
where condors glide in the upward currents. Monarch Butterfly Reserve
Every autumn, millions of monarch butterflies complete a 4,500-kilometer,
or 2,796-mile, migration, from Canada to the mountains of Michoacán, in Mexico.
The insects follow a genetic memory, passed through four generations,
towards forests they have never seen. They aggregate on trunks, in clusters so
dense that branches bend under the weight, and the wing beats create a continuous rustling.
Here, they remain semi-lethargic during winter, waiting for spring to begin the return journey.
No butterfly, however, completes the entire cycle, it will be the great-grandchildren who
close the circle, the following autumn. Rainbow Mountains of Danxia
In the province of Gansu, lies one of the most extraordinary landscapes on our planet.
The Rainbow Mountains are formed by layers of colored rock that have been deposited one on top
of the other over the course of millions of years. These layers have incredibly vivid colors,
from intense red to yellow, green, and blue. Over time, rain and wind have worked on these
rocks, shaping them into undulating forms and creating a landscape unique in the world.
These magnificent colored layers are not only beautiful to see but are also very
important for scientists because they tell 24 million years of Earth’s history.
Geologists are still trying to understand exactly how these intense and
unusual colors formed in the rock. Sequoia National Park
The trees rise toward the sky, like natural skyscrapers, and some
have been growing for over 3,000 years. Sequoia National Park preserves these
giants that have witnessed the rise and fall of human civilizations, while
remaining immobile in their kingdom. “General Sherman” stands as
the largest tree on Earth, with a trunk that requires fifteen people
with outstretched arms, to encircle it. Usually, sequoias survive fires, thanks to
their thick bark that protects the tree’s core, and indeed they need fire to reproduce, as the
flames open the cones and release the seeds. The silence, here, is interrupted only by
the wind blowing through the high branches, or by the occasional sound of a pine cone, falling to the ground after a journey
of over 80 meters, or 260 feet. Galapagos Islands
An archipelago emerged from the Pacific fire, where evolution
has written its most audacious pages. The Galapagos are a living laboratory, where each island shows a different
story of adaptation and survival. Here, marine iguanas, which are unique in the
world, dive among the waves to graze on algae, while giant albatrosses, use
cliffs as takeoff runways. On black sand beaches, sea lions play in the waves
like carefree children, regardless of tourists. Giant tortoises, survived from the dinosaur era, move with majestic slowness,
across fields of solidified lava. Each species, is an example of how
life always finds a way to thrive. Giant’s Causeway
The north coast, of Northern Ireland, guards a
geological enigma, that defies logic. Forty thousand basalt columns emerge from
the sea, like keys of a primordial piano. They are perfect hexagonal formations,
created not by human hands, but by an ancient volcanic eruption,
followed by rapid cooling of the lava. Local tradition tells a different story,
that of an Irish giant who built this road to reach Scotland, and challenge his rival.
Here, light changes throughout the day, transforming the landscape from gray to gold,
from blue to green, and Atlantic waves incessantly crash against the columns, in a confrontation
that has lasted for 60 million years. Gobi Desert
Between Mongolia and northern China, extends a territory where the thermometer reads
-40 degrees Celsius, or -40 degrees Fahrenheit, in winter, and shoots above 45 degrees
Celsius, or 113 degrees Fahrenheit, in summer. This is not a simple desert, but a
land of contrasts, that challenges every notion of survival.
In the Gobi, sand occupies only 5% of the surface, while the rest is a
mosaic of rocks, gravel, and lunar expanses. Paleontologists continue to discover
prehistoric treasures hidden in the rocks, and here in 1924 the first dinosaur
eggs ever seen by man were found. Xinjiang Province, China
On the western border of China extends a very vast territory as diverse, where
deserts and mountains create strange landscapes, that almost seem to belong to another planet. This province hosts firstly the Taklamakan
desert, surrounded by the Pamir, Tian Shan, and Kunlun mountain ranges.
But the landscape diversity of Xinjiang is truly surprising.
The deep canyons, furrowed by clear rivers, contrast with the vast
desert expanses with golden dunes. Alpine lakes, instead, mirror at
the feet of majestic snowy peaks. And then there are the endless
green prairies of the summer season, that host a rich biodiversity, while
the strangely shaped rock formations, in the Yardang desert seem like
sculptures modeled by the wind. Patagonia
At the point where the world seems to end, Patagonia
emerges… full of extreme contrasts. Here, where the glaciers of the Campo
de Hielo Sur, clash with the endless prairies of the pampa, nature stages a
spectacle that challenges imagination. The mountains of Torres del
Paine rise like sentinels, their sharp peaks pierce clouds that run fast,
pushed by the planet’s most powerful winds. In the valleys below, herds of guanacos
graze undisturbed, while condors trace perfect circles in the austral sky.
Los Glaciares National Park, guards some of the planet’s most impressive ice giants.
Perito Moreno, for example, a blue wall that extends for 5 kilometers, or 3.1 miles,
makes itself noticed with creaks and thunder. Every few hours, huge blocks of ice detach
from its facade, precipitating into the waters of Lake Argentino, in a spectacle
that excites and worries at the same time. Not far away, Mount Fitz Roy
and Cerro Torre, challenge the most daring climbers with their
vertical walls, while their sharp profiles stand out against skies that
change color at every hour of the day. Amazon Rainforest A green ocean extends as far as the eye can
see, teeming with life in each of its layers. The Amazon Rainforest is not just the
planet’s lung, but a vertical universe, where each level hosts a unique ecosystem.
From the humus-rich soil, to the treetops that almost reach 50 meters, or 164 feet, in
height, life manifests in surprising forms. The singing of birds mixes with the
roar of jaguars, while swarms of multicolored butterflies dance among the
sun rays, that filter through the leaves. Here, the Amazon River flows like a vital artery,
feeding a network of tributaries and “igapó,” which are periodically flooded forests.
This forest is not just an ecosystem, rather, it’s a living book, that tells
the story of life evolution on Earth. Seychelles Islands
In the Indian Ocean, 115 islands emerge from the waters,
like fragments of a forgotten paradise. The Seychelles are the result of a millennial
alternation between volcanoes and corals. These lands, represent the last fragments of the Gondwana supercontinent, detached
from India 65 million years ago. Beneath the water surface, coral
reefs create a parallel universe. The seabeds host over a thousand fish species, and
the largest land crab in the world, the coconut crab, which can lift heavy objects like coconuts.
In addition, giant tortoises like those of the Galapagos Islands, survived extinction,
and still roam these islands. Beaches like Anse Lazio, or Anse Source d’Argent, cannot be described in words, indeed, they
are something magnificent and paradisiacal. Racetrack Playa
On the bed of a dried-up lake, in the heart of Death Valley, stones weighing hundreds
of kilograms trace furrows dozens of meters long. For almost a century, no one had seen the
rocks move, yet the tracks continued to appear. Only in 2014, did some researchers
document the phenomenon. Indeed, when it rains, a thin layer
of ice forms during the night, and the wind pushes it along
with the trapped boulders. The mystery has therefore been solved, but
the landscape maintains its alienating charm, where physics and illusion meet, on
a flat surface that seems infinite. Fagradalsfjall Volcano
A volcano that remained dormant for 6,000 years, suddenly awakened in 2021,
opening a fissure 200 meters, or 656 feet, long. Basaltic lava emerged at temperatures of 1,200
degrees Celsius, or 2,192 degrees Fahrenheit, creating incandescent rivers that
flowed in the surrounding valleys, solidifying into new rock formations.
The eruption was effusive rather than explosive, allowing thousands of people to approach, and
observe magma emerging from the Earth’s depths. Geologists studied the phenomenon in real time, while drones documented the birth of new
territory, witnessing the power of Planet Earth. Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon represents more than a natural wonder; it’s a journey through geological ages.
This immense chasm, carved into central Arizona, is like an open-air museum that tells
Earth’s story from millions of years ago. For adventurers, no experience is more stimulating
than traveling the trails along the South Rim, contemplating extraordinary panoramas and sunsets
that color the sky in orange and red tones. Guided excursions to the canyon floor, meanwhile,
offer a completely different perspective, thus revealing the different rock layers that tell the
story of our planet’s overlapping geological eras. Sahara
An ocean of sand, that covers a territory as large as the United States.
Here, dunes move like waves, shifting several centimeters each day, and erasing the
traces of those who dare to cross them. The sun transforms this sea of sand into
a furnace that exceeds 50 degrees Celsius, or 122 degrees Fahrenheit, during the day,
only to plunge below freezing during the night. Under this fiery surface, archaeologists
discover the remains of ancient lakes and rivers. The Sahara hides evidence of a green past, when herds of elephants and
giraffes roamed lush savannas. The Tuareg, desert people, move in
this landscape, and their caravans cross nothingness for days, orienting with
methods handed down through generations.
1 Comment
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