Famous for its hulking peaks, shaky bridges, and deep caves, Zhangjiajie is China’s first national forest park. Its mountains inspired the imaginary Hallelujah Mountains in James Cameron’s hit film “Avatar”.
9. Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia
Uluru — also known as Ayers Rock — is a stunning rock formation located in a particularly remote region of the Australian Outback. The rock brilliantly reflects the beautiful hues of sunrise and sunset in the vast desert landscape.
8. The Sahara, Africa
Spanning 11 African countries, the Sahara is the largest desert in the entire world at 3.5 million square miles. Its sheer vastness would be enough to make the Sahara one of the most impressive natural wonders on the planet, but its rolling red sands and windswept dunes make for a landscape unlike any other.
7. The Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone, Wyoming
Though it isn’t the most famous feature in Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Prismatic Spring is certainly the most visually stunning. Larger than a football field and deeper than a 10-story building, the Grand Prismatic Spring fans out into brilliant rings of green, yellow, and orange due to the heat-loving bacteria that call it home.
6. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat on the planet. It is a 4,086-square-mile expanse of salt-crusted earth, according to National Geographic. When nearby lakes overflow, however, the region transforms into a stunning reflective pool that looks absolutely otherworldly.
5. Icebergs, Greenland
Icebergs are such a common sight in Greenland that locals once used the structures to track the changing of the seasons or identify specific towns, according to the country’s tourist website. While climate change has certainly taken a toll on Greenland’s stunning ice formations, visitors can still see plenty of icebergs floating in the country’s waters today.
4. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Famous for inspiring Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, the Galapagos Islands are known for their unique and fearless wildlife, according to National Geographic. The iguanas, sea lions, penguins, finches, and tortoises that inhabit the picturesque islands are certainly not camera shy — they’ll approach humans without hesitation.
3. Mud volcanoes, Gobustan, Azerbaijan
Located in central Azerbaijan, the mud volcanoes of Gobustan National Park gurgle with a combination of methane and sludge. Occasionally, however, the methane builds up and the cones erupt into flames.
2. El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico
El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico is one of the most ecologically diverse forests in the US despite its relatively small 29,000-acre spread. Home to parrots, snakes, frogs, and lizards, El Yunque is also the country’s only tropical rainforest.
1. Marble Caves, Patagonia, South America
The Marble Caves in the heart of Patagonia boast streaky pastel-colored walls that surround ice blue lake water. Only accessible by boat, the waves are considered one of the most isolated natural wonders of the world.
BONUS!!!!!
Caño Cristales, Serranía de la Macarena, Colombia
Caño Cristales aka”river that ran away from paradise,” is just like any other bubbling brook for most of the year. Between the wet and dry seasons, a species of plant called Macarenia clavigera blooms beneath the surface of the water, transforming the river from its usual blue hue into a brilliant red. Yellow and green sands that are visible beneath the surface add further bursts of color to the river.
