WRITING PROMPT RESPONSE
Natural Wonders From Around the World
The fascination with nature’s beauty
Nature’s diversity is the reason why I love traveling and exploring different countries in the world. The variety of landscapes and vegetation makes traveling to faraway places interesting and fascinating.
I’ve always loved being in nature. It doesn’t matter if on the mountains, next to a river, on the ocean, or inside the desert. Nature fascinates and inspires me. Long before I found my passion in writing I had already found the love for photography. In specific — nature photography.
With an always growing desire to travel further, longer, and to more destinations I got to experience more and more different places. I got to see the difference between a European forest, an Asian one, and the African one. They all have forests. But they’re not the same.
Over the last 10 years, I’ve done a fair amount of traveling across Europe, Africa, and a bit in Asia as well. Presenting the natural wonders I explored along the way is my version of showing you nature’s diversity and beauty.
Ghana’s tropical beaches and endless coastline
When I first had in mind I want to explore the African continent I had for sure some expectations and landscape features in mind. But tropical beaches weren’t part of them. Even more, I did get surprised when seeing those pristine coastlines stretching across the country in Ghana.
Fine sand, clear waters, palm trees as far as the eye can see, and some of the last coastal rainforests in the world are what I got to experience when walking along the west coast of Ghana for a couple of days.
I felt like I was in the Caribbean while walking alone through paradise.
Crystal clear waters on Zanzibar
My next stop on the great African adventure was Tanzania where I wanted to see the crystal clear waters of Zanzibar. While I did not expect any tropical beaches in Ghana, I did have clear expectations of how Zanzibar would look like.
And it did not disappoint. The blue of the ocean was something I’ve never seen before. The white of the sand was too bright for my eyes. The sand so soft it would feel like peeling on my skin.
I stayed about a week on the island exploring different coastlines and beaches. I was swimming next to turtles and fighting my way up on the water while water skiing above the crystal blue of the ocean.
The big migration in the Serengeti
Another point on my list of things to do and see in Tanzania was going on safari in the majestic Serengeti. The natural spectacle of thousands and thousands of animals migrating across the grasslands was something I’ve watched countless times on TV. But also something I really wanted to experience in person.
For five days I was living on a safari vehicle remaining speechless from all the animal sightings we had. It’s bigger, louder, more impressive, and fascinating than you could ever imagine.
The big migration.
A natural event like no other on earth. Nowhere else in the world do more animals do a bigger move around the vastness of the grasslands than in the Serengeti.
A crater hosting an entire animal world
My safari to the famous Serengeti was connected to a two-day stay in one of the most impressive craters in the world. The Ngorongoro crater, also in Tanzania, is a large volcanic valley and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Inside the crater is an impressive environment of countless animals including the big five and fascinating flora and fauna. It was like driving through a zoo without fences. Animals were all around us. On a relatively small space.
The animal world I got to witness and see in the Ngorongoro Crater was showing me the harsh wilderness. Crocodiles, hippos, and lions fighting for their survival while birds were gently flying across the valley creating an almost tranquil and peaceful scene.
We got into a buffalo crossing where we just had to sit it out untill all those animals crossed the road. We were the visitors and that was made clear by all the habitants of this magical place.
Where it rains under the blue sky
When first planning my big African adventure I didn’t have much in mind what I wanted to see or do but I knew I wanted to experience the world-famous Victoria Falls.
This waterfall stretching over a length of 1,700 meters making it one of the largest ones in the world is located in southern Africa between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. It has twice the height and length of the Niagara Falls in the States.
The thundering water of the river Zambezi is dropping down those cliffs gave the waterfall a name in the local language that translates as “the smoke that thunders” referring to the mist rising above the falls which can be seen and heard from afar.
Even though I had my fair share of expectations of this place, they got exceeded on all levels. This natural wonder can be described in countless words but to really understand what they are and how it is when being there one must experience it in person.
The mist rising up to 60 meters into the sky and creates a heavy downpour which results in a rainforest growing on the opposite slopes of the falls. An entire ecosystem that exclusively lives off the spray of the falls.
I wrote an entire article about my days spent at the falls and several diary-like entries in German back in 2015. I would go back there any day. Just sitting atop and watching this impressive spectacle in front of my eyes.
Pure wilderness in the Okavango Delta in Botswana
Delta regions are always a very unique environment by themselves offering fascinating landscape features and wildlife resorts. The Okavango Delta in southern Africa is one of its kind.
The uniqueness of the Okavango Delta lies within the fact its water never reaches an ocean. It’s an inland delta. The water feeds the lush vegetation of the region but then disappears underground never making it to the coast.
Especially during the rainy season, a flight above this natural wonder is fascinating. Taking a scenic flight above the delta allowed me to see these endless flooded plains, spot elephants, hippos, and giraffes in the wetlands.
Other than that I also did a two-day trip into the delta on a dugout canoe sleeping in the wild. It’s something that allowed me to experience the real wilderness of Africa while going on a walking safari and sleeping in the wild.
Lush green slopes in the third largest canyon in the world
You might have never heard of the Blyde River Canyon located in South Africa but it is one of the largest canyons in the world and the only green one since the Grand Canyon and the Fish River Canyon are rather dry appearances in nature.
Lush green forests covering the slopes of the canyon making it look like a rain forest. The blue of the lake in the middle of the canyon matching with the clear blue sky.
You get to see through God’s window and embrace fascinating views across the tree-covered mountains of the Drakensberge. I would have loved to have more time left at the end of my long journey. A camp in the canyon should be added to complete the experience of this beautiful place.
Where the river meets the ocean — Tsitsikamma national park
It's actually been just a stopover on my trip along the Garden Route in South Africa but I wish I had more time and could spend easily a few days in the park. Back then I was traveling with a guy who had different interests but as a backpacker, I had to share the costs of a rental car and therefore had to do lots of compromises on my expedition through South Africa.
The coastline of this park is simply spectacular. Lush green forests meet the blue of the rough ocean. Rock Dassies were dozing in the sun and clip springers were following my hike across boulders along the rough coastline reaching a waterfall entering the Indian Ocean.
Seagulls were flying above our heads. The mist of the waterfall mixed with the salty air and splash of the waves of the ocean. Bold rocks were sticking out of the lush vegetation next to the deep blue ocean and clear sky.
The view over the end of the world
Or at least the view over the end of the African continent. The view from above, from the world-famous Table Mountain in South Africa, is beyond breathtaking.
But it’s scarce too since you’re not always lucky to get that view. If the tablecloth is covering the mountain you won’t see anything. I’ve been twice on top, once with the cable car (being of the above mentioned comprises I had to make) and once by foot. When I visited the city the second time I made a point of hiking Table Mountain as the top priority of my stay.
I absolutely loved hiking up there with those breathtaking views across the city and the coastline of South Africa in my back. Such spectacular and jaw-dropping cliffs so close to the ocean yet lifting you up so high above the ground.
Standing on top I knew I had reached the end of my trip. The end of a trip ended up being the beginning of a new era in my life. It felt for me like I was looking over the end of the world since something so big closed behind me. I had traveled for months across the African continent. Most of it alone. As a woman.
I knew, now, there was nothing going to stop me anymore.
The blooming desert
This is another one of these unique natural wonders that can’t be explained or showed to anyone in a photograph. Seeing the desert in full bloom is just something beyond this world.
Especially for someone who had been living for a few years in a desert and knows how dry and lifeless this place usually is, it was absolutely mind-blowing seeing the landscape transform into a lush green and colorful field of flowers.
I’ve experienced it once in 2018 while I was on a road trip through the Namib Desert together with a friend. Now and then we got to see some flowers and some bundles of grass on the side of the road when we turned around the corner and couldn’t believe our eyes.
This barren, dry, rocky, and lifeless place was all of a sudden covered in pink, purple, white, and yellow flowers. Up to the horizon. Bees were humming around and birds were singing in the sky.
We stopped the car, turned off the engine, and sat down in this idyll for endless minutes of peace and tranquillity. Knowing I would probably never experience something like that again I knew I had to soak it all in.
When a river floods the dune belt
Seeing a river flowing is for most people nothing spectacular and most probably not the reason to stop the car or even more go on a trip to see the event.
Differently to those living in the desert. Rivers run most part of the year dry and sometimes don’t get to see any water for years. But when those ephemeral rivers do get filled with water and rush down the dry riverbeds through the desert, everything gets alive.
The vegetation. The animal world. And the human inhabitants. Seeing a river rushing down the valleys in between dunes is something so unreal yet authentic to desert life. I am unbelievably thankful about having experienced this natural wonder.
Several times have I seen rivers coming down. Never reaching the ocean but strong enough for being able to play in them and embracing the force of a rumbling desert river.
Once this year I got to swim in a lake such an ephemeral river had formed amidst the dune belt of the Namib Desert. A lake in the desert. Absolutely stunning and a miracle in itself.
Where hot springs create an oasis in the forest
Leaving the African continent now behind I got some more natural wonders to share with you. Hot springs are always an attraction to and for most people and visitors.
The mountain village of Pai in the north of Thailand is known for having many of those natural springs hidden in the lush green vegetation of the rain forests. Endless tiny winding roads lead to the hidden gems which bring you to a new world.
Crystal blue water in the middle of a jungle emerging out of the rocky soil creating a tranquil atmosphere.
Where limestone cliffs fall into the sea
Another spectacular landscape feature I got to see and experience in Thailand is those massive limestone cliffs reaching high above the waters. They are characteristic of part of its western coastline but can also be found in Khao Sok National Park.
Covered in lush vegetation and large trees these cliffs are creating an almost mythical scene above the waters of the lake. We drove across the lake with a boat, paddled in a kayak into a few of those countless bays, and listened to monkeys in the forest while birds were flying above our heads.
No signs of civilization. As soon as you were behind the corner and the houseboats disappeared we were all by our own. All you could hear and see was the jungle life. Looking up those high cliffs one realizes how small we are. Humans in nature.
In Krabi, on the coastline, I climbed some of those cliffs during my rock climbing course and must admit the views from up there while scrambling to the top are beyond breathtaking.
A rainstorm in one of the oldest rain forests in the world
During our year working in Thailand, we went for a short holiday to Malaysia. We didn’t have more than six days in the country but I had a very specific itinerary in mind.
Fraser Hills is a small mountain village amidst one of the oldest rainforests in the world. Located in the highlands of Malaysia this place wasn’t just difficult to reach but also far away from the capital, Kuala Lumpur. Disregarding all the challenges we made our journey up there so we could go on an exhausting 7-hour hike in the forest.
We got up very early to be able to make it back before the tropical rainfall would hit us in the afternoon. We weren’t successful. And I’m very glad about it.
On our way back the clouds were closing in faster than we could anticipate since the sky was most of the time hidden from our eyes. At the bottom of the rain forest, we were so protected as vulnerable out there.
First, we heard the rain. Dropping onto the treetops of the rainforest. High above us. Then we could see the rain. Far ahead of us in an opening of the forest. But we didn’t feel anything.
No rain came down to the forest floor. The thick layers of trees were protecting us from the water. Not that we feared the rain. It was hot, we had been sweating for hours and were dreading a shower. But the water simply wouldn’t get to us.
Only when the rain started getting heavier we would start feeling a few drops on our skin. Wearing the rain jacket was total overkill. I will never forget the incredibly loud sound the raindrops made dropping onto thousands of leaves.
And the feeling of staying dry. At the forest floor of Malaysia’s rainforest during a heavy downpour.
When rain turns into snow
Another one of these experiences out in the elements happened just last year on a hiking vacation together with my parents. We had just arrived in our holiday flat when my dad and I decided to go on a hike. My husband wanted to come with us. My mom lifted her head from the book she was reading saying “but it’s raining!”
So what? As if rain has ever stopped me from going on an adventure. Ever!
My mom has always been a fair-weather sportsman (sportswoman?) Hiking, skiing, swimming in the ocean — only if the sun is shining. While my dad took us into the rough ocean on a cloudy day and went skiing when it was snowing so hard I couldn’t see my own hand in front of my eyes, she would stay indoors.
That’s why we didn’t try to convince her to join us on a short walk through town. We knew she would only be complaining. But I regret it. Because what we experienced put me into ecstasies.
My dad also didn’t have the walk-through-town in mind I had but hit straight up the canyon leading to another village a little higher. And as we walked in between the trees of the forest the rain all of a sudden became silent and didn’t stop but turned into snow.
Temperatures were dropping at the same time as we were getting higher in altitude and those snowflakes which were at first very wet and dissolved as soon as they touched the forest floor started becoming bigger and eventually remained on the ground.
What I expected as a short exercise walk turned out into a hike through fairytale land. This canyon converted into a magical place covered underneath a white layer. I was stunned and fascinated at the same time.
I will never forget this day and the hike we did. When rain turned into snow.
Final words
I have traveled a lot over the years and have seen lots of different landscapes, animal words, and countries themselves. I’ve never been much of a city person and was therefore always drawn to the countryside, the mountains, and the sea.
These natural wonders I’ve described are some, nothing special at all, and some listed on the UNESCO World Heritage page. But what they all have in common is that they gave me this special feeling of amazement about nature’s beauty and fascination about what is happening in front of my eyes.
This is a very subjective list but a personal one containing lots of passion and happiness. Sometimes you don’t need to chase tourist attractions to find those beautiful places. Just walk around with open eyes and ears and embrace what’s in front of you!
This has been a writing prompt response to the #naturalwonders topic of the World Traveler’s Blog. If you’ve also got some amazing adventures and experiences in nature you want to share with us, read the call for submissions:
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