The Seven Natural Marvels of the World: what they are, how to get there, and travel insurance coverage details for your trip as soon as you can visit safely.
For travel inspo, here's the main 7 Natural Marvels of the World list. If you are planning a vacation, you may be interested in comparing cost savings accounts, an individual loan, or travel insurance coverage. You can also learn your credit rating totally free.
1. Mount Everest
3 mountain climbers make their way up Mt Everest
A view of Mount Everest from Gokyo, Sagarmatha National Forest, Khumbu valley, Nepalese Mountain range. Image: Daniel Prudek/Shutterstock. com.
Mount Everest is renowned as the greatest spot in the world, at 8,848.86 metres above water level. It is parked right on the border between Nepal and Tibet, and it is protected by Sagarmatha National Park in the Himalayas.
Mount Everest's original name in Tibetan is Chomolungma (" Goddess Mother of Snow") and in Nepalese it is Sagarmatha. The mountain got an English name in 1865 due to the fact that Nepal and Tibet were closed to immigrants at the time, so the Royal Geographical Society in Britain did not understand the mountain's local names.
You can get a helicopter trip to get as close to the peak as possible without really climbing up the mountain, and this may be more suitable for many individuals. Climbing Mount Everest is not something to be attempted lightly. The trek to base camp alone takes around 2 week. It's also not a weekender trip. If it's snowing, you most likely will not physically be able to come up to the mountain. Hold-ups are not unusual.
Did you understand? While Mount Everest is the greatest spot above water level on earth, it is not actually the highest mountain when measured from base to pointer. That distinction comes from the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, which extends 4.2 km into the air and around 6km into the sea. And because the Earth is not a perfect sphere (it bulges out around the equator), the highest mountain in terms of distance from the Earth's centre is Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, whose peak is around 2km closer to the stars than Everest's.
When to go to: A lot of expert travel websites tend to recommend September-November or April-May, as Mount Everest is safely locked away by rainy snow for the majority of the year.
How to get there: Fly into Beijing or Shanghai, then fly or take a train to Lhasa and drive or trek to the base camp. Alternatively, you can fly into Kathmandu in Nepal and make your way to the base camp or take a helicopter from that side.
Travel insurance: Canstar looks into and rates travel insurance coverage to check out China, and many insurance providers that we rate deal cover for snow sports and rock climbing. Cover to really climb Mount Everest would need telephoning up and offering an insurance company all the details you can, to ensure you can get appropriate cover.
The Chinese and Nepalese governments both need that you get authorizations and climber's insurance coverage prior to climbing up. The specific details of what this will cover and what it will cost might differ depending on where and when you buy it.
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2. Harbour of Rio de Janeiro
Amazing aerial view over Rio de Janeiro as seen from Corcovado.
The well-known Sugarloaf mountain protrudes of Guanabara Bay. Image: Mihai_Andritoiu/ Shutterstock.com.
Located in Brazil, the Harbour of Rio de Janeiro is surrounded by unique granite and quartz mountains that were formed by disintegration from the Atlantic Ocean. It is also known as Guanabara Bay, and sits within sight of the well-known white stone statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain, which neglects the bay. It is the largest bay on the planet based on volume of water.
The very best way to see the bay is from the Sugarloaf Mountain cable automobile or from a helicopter, so you can take in the full view. You can also check out the islands of the bay consisting of Governador Island, Paquetá Island, and Ilha das Cobras (" Island of the Snakes").
Sunbaking is another fantastic method many locals use the Harbour, however it is rather contaminated.
Did you know? Rio de Janeiro indicates "River of January" in Portuguese and is the second-largest city in Brazil. There's no river there, however the Portuguese explorer Gaspar de Lemos apparently believed that Guanabara Bay was the mouth of a river when he showed up there in January, 1502.
When to visit: September-October, prior to the humidity embeds in.
How to get there: Once it's safe to check out Brazil, you can fly right into Rio de Janeiro.
Travel insurance: Canstar looks into and rates travel insurance coverage to Brazil.
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3. Terrific Barrier Reef
A bird's-eye view of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia. Image: Superjoseph/Shutterstock. com.
It's the house of Nemo, and it's best on our doorstep. The Great Barrier Reef is not just one big, long, linked reef; it is made up of more than 2,900 specific reefs built by billions of small coral polyps, which are typical backpacker destinations living organisms. The GBR stretches over 2,600 km in length, uses up 344,000 square kilometres in location and includes more than 900 islands.
If you're not a fan of breathing through a tube or risking the stingers, you can still take pleasure in the reef from a glass-bottomed boat. There are a range of tour lengths, from a single day to a prolonged stay. A helicopter tour will also provide you an excellent picture of the sheer vastness of this marine environment, and when the sun strikes the reef you can see just about everything from the air.
The Great Barrier Reef is noted as a World Heritage Location (Queensland's very first) and is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, a national park.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia, wildlife.
Clownfish swim in sea polyp, on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Image: Vladimir Wrangel/Shutterstock. com.
Did you know? While individuals often declare (incorrectly) that you can see the Great Wall of China from space, it is a truth that astronauts and satellites have actually taken images of the Great Barrier Reef from space.
How to get there: Depending on what part of the GBR you wish to visit, you can fly direct to Cairns, Port Douglas, Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island (in the Whitsundays), or Townsville. There are tours starting from almost every major city along the eastern coast of Queensland.
Travel insurance: Canstar rates domestic travel insurance for travel within Australia. Most of the insurance suppliers we rate offer cover for water sports such as snorkelling on the reef, although it might be worth inspecting whether your policy covers you for unforeseen border closures or other pandemic-related events that might arise.
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4. Victoria Falls.
A lady sits atop of Victoria Falls, Mosi-o-tunya Road, Livingstone, Zambia.
Image: Brina L Bunt/Shutterstock. com.
As the Zambezi River crosses the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, it plunges 108 metres down in a spectacular waterfall that is 1.7 km large. The falls are likewise called Mosi-oa-Tunya, suggesting "Smoke that Thunders" in the regional Lozi language. National forest in both Zambia and Zimbabwe secure this landmark.
The 7 Natural Wonders organisation specifies that when Zambia got self-reliance in 1964 and a number of its geographical names were altered back to African names, only Victoria Falls and the neighboring city of Livingstone kept their English names, since of the deep respect the Zambian people had for David Livingstone, the Scottish explorer who called the falls after Queen Victoria in 1855.
You can value the splendour of the falls from the routes that follow along with them, a boat cruise, or from the air in a helicopter. From the air, you have an opportunity of spotting elephants or the other wildlife of the national forest. The 7 Natural Marvels organisation says both the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides of the falls offer "unique views and perspectives" of them.
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Did you know? Victoria Falls is neither the greatest, nor the widest waterfall on the planet, however it is the biggest single sheet of streaming water when you think about both its height and width.
When to go to: June-July (for the 'prettiest' combination of water levels and exposure of the waterfall).
How to arrive: Fly direct to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or fly into Livingstone in Zambia or Maun in Botswana.
Travel insurance: Canstar researches and ranks travel insurance coverage to check out South Africa, however we presently do not rate travel insurance to Zambia or Zimbabwe.
5. Paricutin Volcano.
A bird's-eye view of Mexico's Paricutin Volcano.
Paricutin Volcano in Michoacan, Mexico. Image: Rubi Rodriguez Martinez/Shutterstock. com.
Paricutin is a once-active cinder cone volcano in Michoacán, Mexico. It was chosen as one of the Seven Natural Marvels because it is the only volcano whose birth in 1943 was witnessed and recorded by human beings, as it emerged from the cornfields of a regional farmer.
The very best way to see Paricutin is by taking among the 19km round-trip hikes to the top of the volcano. It's not a simple hike, so another popular alternative is to visit it on horseback. Both options take you previous lava fields, buried town homes, and a church near the summit.
Did you know? Access to Paricutin is usually through Angahuan, a town that survived the volcano's eruptions. While this town was heavily damaged too, it endured since it was found on a mountain rather than in the valley where the volcano sprang out of the ground.
When to visit: October-April (preventing rainy season).
How to arrive: Fly into Mexico City and take a trip 400km or two west to Anguhuan.
Travel insurance coverage: Canstar looks into and rates travel insurance coverage to visit the USA.
6. Grand Canyon.
Stars shine brilliantly over the Grand Canyon, with a tree in the foreground.
Night-time in the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. Image: Alexey Suloev/Shutterstock. com.
This popular canyon in Arizona can be explored on foot with a day trek or overnight outdoor camping hike. For those with minimal mobility, exploring the canyon on the back of a mule is a plausible option and one that visitors rave about.
The flooring of the canyon can even be experienced with a white water rafting trip for knowledgeable kayakers. The 7 Natural Wonders organisation states a helicopter trip is the best way to appreciate how large the canyon really is, however you can see a great deal of the canyon no matter which method you pick.
Did you know? At over 1.8 km deep and 446km long, the Grand Canyon is neither the steepest nor the longest canyon worldwide. It was selected as a natural wonder for its total scale, size, and perfectly coloured landscape.
When to visit: Arguable. In winter season the North Rim roadways are closed, cutting off some terrific views, and in summer season it reaches Aussie summer temperatures. Spring and fall might therefore be preferable. Over 5 million individuals have gone to the Grand Canyon in some years, so be sure to book your travel early.
How to get there: Fly into Las Vegas, Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Los Angeles for a directed trip leaving from these destinations. You can likewise make your method to the town of Williams and take a historical steam locomotive on the Grand Canyon Railway to Grand Canyon Town.
Travel insurance: Canstar researches and rates travel insurance coverage to visit the U.S.A., and most of the insurance coverage companies we rate deal cover for water sports, such as white water rafting and rock climbing.
7. Aurora Borealis.
Brilliant green rays of the Aurora Borealis, twisted into a spiral, shine over Iceland.
Aurora Borealis, Iceland. Image: Mike-Hubert.
Understood as the Northern Lights, these naturally-occurring 'polar auroras' intrigue everybody who sees them appear as glowing lines of brilliant colour along the horizon or waves throughout the sky. Humans have developed legends around the cause of these lights in the paradises, which feature in Greco-Roman, Norse and Native American mythology, among others. The science as we comprehend it today is that this result is caused by 'solar winds'-- cosmic particles originating from the Sun which look like different-coloured lights as they go into Earth's atmosphere.
Did you understand? There is also a Southern Aurora (Aurora Australis) that occurs in the southern hemisphere, however this is less widely known. A trip to Tasmania might be something to think about if you wish to see a similar light program however are unable to make it to the far reaches of the northern hemisphere.
When to go to: This can depend on where you are going. The best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland is generally in between August and April.
How to get there: You can take a trip to many different places on earth to see the amazing Aurora phenomenon, though it can in some cases be tough to predict exactly when or where the lights will appear.
Travel insurance: Canstar investigates and rates travel insurance coverage for lots of locations that may bring you near the Aurora Borealis, such as the USA, the UK and parts of Europe. Just compare travel insurance on our site when you're preparing your journey, but be sure to factor in the possible impact that Australian or international border restrictions might have on your itinerary.