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The 7 Natural Wonders Of The World

You’ve probably already googled ‘What are The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World’ (check out my blog post, don’t worry I’ve got you!), or ‘What are the new seven wonders of the world (I blogged that too!) and now you’ve moved on to ‘What Are Seven Natural Wonders of the world’?.

Great, or have you been looking for the ultimate trip of a lifetime to really blow all your other travels out of the water? While some people want to do something a bit challenging like climbing one of the seven summits or sailing around the world, a far more achievable dream for most is to visit one – if not all! – of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

We’ve all heard about the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, but what are the natural ones and how can you visit them all?

1) Rio Harbour – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Also known as Guanabara Bay, Rio Harbour is one of the most impressive natural wonders of the world. Holding the record as being the world’s largest bay by volume of water, it’s visible from surrounding viewpoints such as Sugarloaf Mountain and the Christ The Redeemer statue (which is a New Seven Wonder of the World itself if you want to kill two birds with one stone!).

Getting to it:

Fly into Rio International Airport, which is actually located on an island in the bay itself. To experience the bay in its full glory, consider taking one of a number of ferries from one side to the other, or catch a taxi and drive across the bridge that connects both sides without having to go the long way around.

When Did I Visit?

During the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. What an experience! I loved visiting Christ the Redeemer and ticking off one the 7 wonders of the world too!

2) The Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most iconic and important regions of biodiversity, and also one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It holds the record of also being the world’s largest coral reef system and is home to almost three thousand individual reefs and nine hundred islands. It’s considered to be the icon of Australia’s state of Queensland and is visited by hundreds of thousands of locals and tourists a year. The quality of corals and sea life is phenomenal, and numerous species of fish are found only in this one reef system.

Getting to it:

You need to get to Cairns. So, fly into Brisbane or Sydney if coming from outside Australia. If you’re already Down Under, fly to Cairns and from there you can book a number of great excursions out to the reef.

When Did I Visit?

I worked and lived in Australia for one year on the working holiday visa in Australia, during that time I went for a boozy lads weekend scuba diving in Cairns. Beautiful.

3) Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

One of the most beautiful sites in the United States, the Grand Canyon attracts visitors from around the world to marvel at its sheer size and depth. Formed over millions of years by the Colorado River slowly wearing down the rock, showcasing an impressive history of the land from a geological standpoint through different layers of sediment. Today the Canyon is one of the premier tourist attractions in the world, with over five million visitors annually. While it may seem that the only thing to do at the Canyon is to look at it, visitors can go on helicopter tours, white water rafting, hiking and other adventurous excursions in the area.

Getting to it:

Fly into either Las Vegas or Phoenix and either drive or catch one of the regular tours that head out to the area. If you prefer to spend a few days exploring, consider renting a campervan and staying a few days in the Grand Canyon National Park. Time permitting, you can also enjoy an 8-day guided tour of the Grand Canyon through Caravan.com.

When Did I Visit?

Despite having a wild weekend in Vegas with friends, I have yet to visit the Grand Canyon! Shame on me!

4) Aurora Borealis, Various

One of the world’s most beautiful phenomena, the Aurora Borealis – often called the Northern Lights – are one of those things that many want to witness at least once in their lifetimes. Created through powerful solar winds bouncing off the Earth’s atmosphere, these delicate, dancing lights usually appear in northern countries in the winter and shoulder seasons. The countries that are fortunate enough to have these impressive light displays include Canada, Iceland, the Scandinavian countries and parts of Russia.

Getting there:

It depends on which country tickles your fancy really, but Scandinavia and Iceland are both places with fantastic tourist infrastructure regarding the Aurora Borealis. To be more assured a chance of seeing them in Canada, you’d have to go quite north to the likes of Iqaluit, Yellowknife or Whitehorse where there is little else to do in terms of tourism.

When Did I Visit?

When I finally visited every country in the world, my last country was Norway. We stayed in a snow hotel in Norway and saw the northern lights. You can also see them if you visit Svalbard, visit the the Faroe Islands, travel in Greenland, Iceland, or Canada and Russia. Just make sure it’s the right time of year.

5) Victoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls is one of the most impressive and beautiful waterfalls on the planet. While it’s not the tallest waterfall on Earth, it’s considered to be the largest when taking height and width into consideration, both of which mean it has the world’s largest concentration of water that falls over the ridge. Thrill-seekers are known to sneak to the edge of the falls to sit in what’s referred to as ‘Devil’s Pool’, a small rocky dip with a light current that allows visitors to get right up to the edge.

Getting there:

Fly into either Lusaka (Zambia) or Harare (Zimbabwe) and book a trip through a reputable travel agent or your hotel. Zambia has considerably more infrastructure in terms of tourism, but for the adventure-seeker, Zimbabwe will prove enthralling and a bit of a challenge.

When Did I Visit?

I travelled from Cape Town to Cairo overland, and I stopped in Zimbabwe to do a bungee jump at Victoria Falls. One of the highlights of my trip!

6) Paricutin, Michoacan, Mexico

For those who love geology and volcanology, the Paricutin volcano in Michoacan, Mexico is the ultimate destination. Formed in 1948 after a fissure opened in a farmer’s cornfield, the volcano proceeded to erupt consistently over a period of several years, decimating around two hundred kilometres around it with ash and molten lava. The result is several volcanically preserved villages – or what remains of them – and a dormant volcanic cone that visitors love to climb.

Getting there:

Fly into Mexico city and make your way to Uruapan, about three hundred kilometres west. You can climb the volcano by asking around in the village, with many local guides being available. You can also stay overnight at one of the local lodges for a small fee.

When Did I Visit?

Despite travelling all around Mexico, culminating in a visit to Chichen Itza, one of the Seven Wonders of the world, I’ve never made it to Paricutin. Booooo.

7) Mount Everest, Nepal and China

Probably the most well-known mountain in the world for climbing, Everest is notorious for being one of the most deadly and most difficult. Many have attempted the ascent over the years, but these days with more adventure companies offering the opportunity to attempt the summit, it’s become far easier and safer. Check out any of the adventure companies such as Everest Expedition to explore options and pricing. Not ready to try the summit? You can always opt for a base camp trek, which takes you to Everest Base Camp – a challenge enough for many!

Getting there:

Most people fly into Kathmandu, Nepal and organise a trek from there. There’s also the Chinese side of Everest, but the Nepalese side has far more options in terms of treks and companies to go with as well as better infrastructure in place for those who want to give the world’s tallest mountain a whirl.

When Did I Visit?

The highest mountain in the world, and one of the Seven Summits, I trekked to Everest Base Camp waaay back in 2008. Next year, I plan to reach the summit on my quest to be the first person to visit every country, climb the 7 summits and reach both the north and south pole.

Thoughts on the Seven Natural Wonders of the World?

My favourite is undoubtedly Mount Everest but they’re all breathtaking and should be on every human’s bucket list.  I hope you enjoyed my short guide to the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and start planning that trip to check them out through Justfly so you can save yourself a bundle on flights. Remember, the Seven Natural Wonders of the world is different to the Seven Wonders of the world (often called the 7 man-made wonders of the world), which are also different from the 7 Ancient Wonders of the world. You can see those here:

1)_ CHECK: What are the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World

2) CHECK: What are the Seven Wonders of the world, also known as the Seven Manmade Wonders of the World.