Travel 49 Natural Wonders

By Daniel Hardie

There is nothing quite like the healing benefits that travel and nature provides as well as helping to create that wonderful, energizing and healing sensation. From time to time we humans need to leave the concrete jungles we work and live in to venture back to Mother Nature where we truly belong.

Travel is already thought of as a time for exploration, relaxation and a time where you can unwind from your busy schedule and start to de-stress. So what better sites and attractions to witness and experience at your destination than those that incorporate natural beauty and wonder?

Travel 49 Natural Wonders covers a whole range of the world’s best travel destinations to mix with nature starting with the commonly known 7 Natural Wonders of the world before delving deeper into 7 regions of the world and their best natural wonders.

Not only will the guide give you 49 of the best natural wonders around the world it will also inspire you to find your own piece of Mother Nature that you can cherish and call you own. If you need a break from the bustling cities and concrete jungle then Travel 49 Natural Wonders is for you.

Imagine swimming amongst beautiful waterfalls, surrounded by lush rainforest. Imagine climbing up a mountainside to new heights. Imagine trekking through the world’s oldest or perhaps newest natural features that have come up throughout time. Imagine yourself swimming alongside an abundance of marine life. Imagine yourself relaxed, chilled and feeling rejuvenated

• Language: English
• Publisher: Daniel Hardie
• Release date: Oct 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310537004

Daniel Hardie

Hi my name is Daniel Hardie,As a former travel agent and seasoned traveller, I have a strong passion for travel & adventure.I share this passion with the world by writing eBooks and newsletters with the aim of inspiring and motivating people to get outdoors & start living an adventure lifestyle.So if you're looking to find some fun & exciting things to do, whether that's travel, extreme sports, sight seeing or more then you have come to the right place.Happy AdventuresDaniel Hardie

Book preview

Introduction

Hi there and welcome to Travel 49 Natural Wonders of the World.

My name is Daniel Hardie - travel and adventure writer covering a wide range of topics including; Travel tips and advice, backpacking, destination guides, wildlife adventures, the outdoors and a whole lot more much more.

As a seasoned traveller and a former travel agent I have had the privilege to experience, research and learn about some of the many different wonders all around the world as well as here in my home country, Australia.

I enjoy writing eBooks about Travel because I am absolutely passionate about travel and simply just getting outdoors to explore the world that is around us.

Wildlife and nature type trips have had the biggest calling for me now days and in fact stick out as my highlight trips when I travel.

I love shark diving, dolphin swimming, whale watching and all of those kinds of tours but also enjoy visiting national parks, bush lands, mountains and the like. Many of these experiences are also available in writing just search Daniel Hardie at your favourite retailer.

In this eBook we are taking a look into the natural wonders found all over the world.

Firstly we will start with the commonly known 7 Natural Wonders of the World before delving into the top contenders for 7 natural wonders in other regions such as North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and more.

But why does travel and nature actually mix? What is it that draws in the crowds of each of these 7 destinations year in and year out?

Why Travel & Nature Mix

Nature itself is a powerful force and it is everywhere we look. Mankind may create roads, buildings and other unnatural habitats but Mother Nature won’t let us win that easily.

She often has to remind us of the coexistence between nature and the unnatural world that humans have built for themselves.

Even living in our concrete jungles we still cannot escape nature entirely, nor would we want to. Trees, plants, flowers and all the critters that dwell in these areas are a prime example of how inescapable nature really is

But would we, as humans ever want to truly escape the warmth of the sun, the scent of flowers in the spring and the snow fields we like to ski down? I don’t think so… and there is a good reason for that.

The powerful unseen forces of nature greatly benefit the human psychology. Think about a time when you were stressed at work and felt the need to get up from your desk and walk the block or clear your head outside for a few minutes.

Maybe you don’t get stressed at work but you may use other methods of connecting with nature. Golf or fishing are prime examples of relaxing hobbies that help to remove the stress from the daily life in the concrete jungle.

Being outside gaining the vitamin d from the sun’s rays and being outside in fresh, non air-conditioned air causes us to de-stress and helps our minds to relax.

Working full time especially in a major city or urban area may be fine for a while but those who work here are more prone to ‘burn out’ at work. Hence the need for each and everyone one of us to enjoy some annual leave throughout the year.

Most of us use this time to travel, relax and/or unwind as well as some leave for the odd jobs around the house or what have you.

Travel is often relaxing and can help you unwind to start with. Combine this with nature and you will double that soul reviving feeling.

Nature is of course everywhere if there wasn’t we would not exist. But there are some places in the world that stand out far above the rest… the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. So let’s now take a look into these amazing places.

7 Natural Wonders of the World

Grand Canyon

Starting off our 7 Natural of Wonders of the World is North America’s Grand Canyon.

Created and carved to the marvel that stands before us now by the Colorado River over the years and situated in the state of Arizona.

The Colorado River started flowing through the modern day canyon area around 17 million years ago shaping and forming the canyon to its modern day state.

This forming over so many millions of years has even helped scientist discover more into the Earths formation from these early times.

The canyon itself is not the longest and it isn’t even the steepest in the world but what does make the Grand Canyon one of the 7 Wonders is due to its overall size, scale and being world renowned for its natural beauty.

The Grand Canyon has a length of 446km (277 mi) and its depth is a staggering 1.83km (1 mi) downwards. The width is wide in some parts but narrows at other points of the canyon ranging between 6 and 29kms in width (4-18 mi).

The climate in and around the Grand Canyon is extremely varied and does depend on what altitude you are at as well as the time of year you visit.

The higher altitude areas receive snowfall in the winter but the snow is non-existent in the lower levels, these areas are more like deserts.

For most of the year the canyon is dry but two to three times are year the area experiences bucket loads of rainfall usually during the hot and humid summer or when there is any temperature shifts during the winter.

The inner portion of the gorge is probably the most extreme weather wise. In summer it reaches nearly 40 degrees Celsius (100F) and then in winter it can drop as far below as minus 18 degrees Celsius (below 0F).

Like most of the 7 Natural Wonders wildlife too flocks to the Grand Canyon. Although it may look bare the canyon surprisingly contains many different species throughout.

The mammals include the coyote, bats, mule deer, racoons, bobcats, mountain lions, gray fox, sheep, and rabbits among a few others however the canyon is mostly taken up by the rodent species.

Birdwatchers will also enjoy taking a visit to this natural wonder as bird life can be seen throughout the entire canyon region.

The Bald Eagles are probably the most popular to spot being such a worthy symbol of the American nations but found here are also golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, blue jays, wild turkeys, turkey vultures and my personal favourite the Californian condor.

Reptiles, of course may also be found within the canyon with various rattle snakes, lizards, salamanders, frogs and toads.

The Grand Canyon is impressive no matter what you are there for and this is why it is constantly visited by about 5 million tourists each year. For this reason alone I suggest that you book your trip here well and truly ahead of time.

Booking so early can have issues too due to the weather extremities that the canyon is prone too throughout the entire year. It is not uncommon for hiking tracks to close down, rivers flowing too fast for river activities etc.

Summer would be your best bet as all roads are usually opened unlike the winter months. This will give you the best chance and a lot more options of what you can do in the canyon.

One day might be a beautiful day but the next may be rainy and windy so another tip would be not to book just a day trip. Allow a couple of days in case tours are cancelled or postponed. After all the tour operators do not control the weather.

There are so many different activities to do in and around the Grand Canyon that pretty much all walks of life are catered for.

Hiking trails are found throughout and lead to astonishing lookouts over the Grand Canyon but there is so much more you could do than your standard hike. For instance why walk when you could ride through the canyon on a back of a mule?

Recently a skywalk has also been installed. A skywalk is basically a see through glass sheet that you can walk on giving you the illusion of walking on air a mile above the ground.

Helicopter or scenic plane tours probably offer the best panoramic views of the canyon for those you who are interested in the complete vastness of the canyons range.

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