Top 20 of the most amazing natural landscapes in the World

Arches National Park is a park in the western United States, in the state of Utah. This superb place has the particularity of concentrating many natural rock arches, but also cliffs and mounds formed over time by erosion. Its most famous arch is “Delicate arch”. This sublime wonder of nature, 20 meters high and almost 15 meters wide, with its “natural amphitheater” around and the mountains in the background, offers a breathtaking spectacle at sunset in particular.

The fabulous Iguazú Falls are located on the border between southern Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. To enjoy the most beautiful natural landscapes and viewpoints, you can simply walk along the different paths and stop at the many observation platforms and lookouts. I strongly recommend that you visit the falls from both sides: Argentinian and Brazilian.

On the Argentinian side, where you can see the most falls, I advise you to take the two circuits. The bottom one with its 1,700 meters course that runs along the falls to water level, and the top one, 650 meters long with suspension bridges that allow you to admire the waterfalls up close. Both routes end a few meters from the Devil’s Throat (Garganta do Diabo), which is the deepest and highest waterfall.

On the Brazilian side, the main advantage is the configuration of the place, you can indeed admire a grand panoramic view of the falls. Finally, in addition to the natural beauty of its 275 waterfalls listed as UNESCO heritage, you will also discover exceptional flora and fauna along the trails.

Arashiyama’s bamboo grove is located in northwest Kyoto in Japan. Although quite short (around 500 meters), this walk through the giant bamboos is truly magical and very pleasant. This dense bamboo forest, several tens of meters high and intense green, is a natural landscape not to be missed if you are traveling to Japan. FYI, bamboo represents strength, prosperity, and is reputed to repel the forces of evil, which is why this bamboo plantation is particularly appreciated by the locals. Finally, don’t miss the nearby Tenryu-ji temple and the Iwatayama monkey park.

Kruger National Park is undoubtedly one of the most famous nature reserves in Africa. In this zone, which covers approximately 20,000 km2 in the north of South Africa, on the border with Mozambique, live some of the largest mammals on the planet, like those belonging to the famous “Big 5” which designates the most large mammals on the planet: elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, lions and leopards.

If you want to go on a safari in South Africa, this park is a safe bet. Whether you decide to take a guided tour or visit the park on your own, there are many opportunities for close encounters with animals at Kruger Park! To give you an idea, the park is inhabited by around 147 species of mammals, 114 of reptiles, 33 of amphibians, 55 of fish and 517 species of birds. If you are looking for more information about the park, check out the website South African National Park.

You can contemplate the Chocolate Hills on Bohol Island in the Philippines. These are cone-shaped hills, 30 to 50 meters high, which owe their name to their vegetation which takes a brown tint during the dry season. The chocolate hills form a splendid natural landscape, one of a kind. On Bohol Island, you will also discover superb beaches and an extraordinary endemic animal: the Tarsier of the Philippines.

The Viana Desert is located in the northwestern part of the island of Boa Vista. Measuring only 1 km wide and 5 km long, it made of grains of black earth and clear sand, transported from the African continent by ocean winds. This desert with long sand dunes, volcanic rocks and date palms, create a very beautiful natural landscape by day, as by night in the light of the moon.

Cappadocia is a semi-arid region located in central Turkey. This natural area, inscribed on the UNESCO protected list of world heritage sites, is very well known in particular for its many fairy chimneys (these large rock columns in the shape of asparagus 😅). Cappadocia is a paradise for hiking lovers, you will discover amazing natural landscapes in its different valleys. The area can also be visited on horseback or from above in a hot air balloon. It has become a huge attraction there, you have certainly already seen these photos of hundreds of hot air balloons that fly in the sky of Cappadocia.

In addition to these beautiful natural landscapes, the region offers excellent gastronomy, a warm welcome and an interesting history to discover. For your information, as you can see in the photos, I went there at the end of winter via a bus trip through Turkey (very inexpensive due to the period 🥶 and the many tourist shops we had to stop…)

Mount Song is located in central China, in Henan province. It is one of the five sacred mountains in China, also known as the Central Mountain. Overlooking the Yellow River, Mount Song has three main peaks, the highest of which rises to 1,512 m. If you are not too dizzy, you can take great walks along its steep rocky cliffs.

Finally, Mount Song is also a sacred place in the three Chinese doctrines of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In its surroundings, you can therefore discover many Taoist and Buddhist temples and monasteries, such as the famous Shaolin monastery, cradle of kung fu.

The Grand Canyon is located in northern Arizona in the United States and is a must-see for a trip in the American West. It would be indeed a shame to miss this immense canyon of red rock which extends over almost 29 km in width and 446 km in length, with an average depth of 1,600 m. This superb national park, registered in the World heritage of the Humanity, is moreover crossed by the white waters of the Colorado river rapids, in which it is possible to make rafting. Particularly at sunrise and sunset, you will discover breathtaking panoramic views and landscapes in this gigantic open-air geological museum.

Hạlong Bay is located in the northeast of Vietnam, around 170 km from Hanoi. It is known for its thousands of islands of different shapes and sizes, made of limestone and covered with tropical forests, which emerge from the sea and stretch for hundreds of kilometers. This place is listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco for its “natural beauty”. Many activities are possible in this area, cruises in a junk or kayak excursions that allow you to navigate between the islands, scuba diving, climbing or hiking in the mountainous national park of Cát Bà in particular. Note that this site has become very touristy, which unfortunately greatly degraded the environment of this superb original natural landscape.