The natural world is full of amazing landscapes and surreal features. Some of the most beautiful scenes the planet has to offer are found in some of the most isolated regions of the globe. If you are craving some sense of adventure or are desperate to see something truly awe-inspiring, then read this guide outlining some of the most surreal and aesthetically pleasing natural landmarks and wonders of our world.

The Grand Canyon

Regarded as one of the United States’ greatest natural landmarks, the Grand Canyon boasts some of the most visually aesthetic scenery in the world. This incredible land feature extends over 400km through the Colorado Plateau in Arizona. Fortunately, you can purchase helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon via an intermediary like Adrenaline. Generally, these tours depart from Las Vegas and provide patrons with a 30-70 minute aerial journey through some of the most intimate parts of the ravine. However, this depends on the various packages available.

The Great Barrier Reef

Located along the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia, the Great Barrier Reef holds the distinction of being the largest coral reef ecosystem on Earth. It is composed of over 2900 individual coral reefs and is the only living organism on our planet that can be viewed from space. Unfortunately, the Great Barrier Reef is facing serious threat because of rising global sea temperatures, which has resulted in large-scale coral bleaching. So, if you want to see the reef in all its glory, the sooner you book a trip to Queensland, the better.

Mount Everest

Mount Everest is located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range in the Himalayas in Nepal. It is the Earth’s highest mountain above sea level! While there is very little native flora and fauna in the region (due to the extreme weather conditions), you can organise an ascent or mountaineering expedition of Mount Everest. However, it is crucial that one adequately prepares for any mountaineering expeditions of the region because it is an incredibly tough physical experience. As of 2017, nearly 300 people have perished trying to scale the mountain. Many of their bodies have never been recovered.

Aurora, aka Northern Lights

The Northern Lights is a natural light display that can mostly be seen around the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Auroras are created when the magnetosphere is sufficiently disturbed by the solar wind. This results in ionisation and excitation of the atmosphere, which leads to the emitting of various coloured lights.

Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to travel to the Arctic or Antarctic region to see the vivid beauty of the aurora. In fact, there are plenty of Scandinavian countries where the auroras are visible. Indeed, Iceland, Norway, Northern Sweden and Finland are all suitably located for aurora viewing.