Natural attractions

Though mankind has impressed itself with cultural attractions and architecture, most of our feats have been dwarfed by the miracles of nature.

However, as our footprint on nature expands, many travellers want to take the opportunity to see these wonders before it is too late. Many argue that we should pursue sustainable travel and leave-no-trace camping to preserve them for future generations.

Places

“ Whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved. ”

—Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species

A zoo is a facility where animals are held in more or less artificial enclosures. The level of animal ethics vary a lot between zoos.

A safari park is a large enclosure where animals roam freely, and visitors enter by car or other vehicles.

A game reserve or nature reserve is an open-land area for protection of wild animals, with a leave-no-trace mandate. Animals live naturally, and the park crew usually only interfere with them for research, conservation, or population control.

When watching animals in the wild, patience and keen eyes are key. If an animal isn't moving, you might well walk right by without noticing it, so pay attention. Move quietly. And if you're hoping to see wild animals somewhere that gets more than a very small number of visitors, consider going early in the day, before other people have had a chance to scare the animals away.

Africa

• African national parks
• African wildlife
• Wildlife of Madagascar
• Safari

North America

• Canadian national parks
• Costa Rica national parks
• El Salvador national parks
• Guatemala national parks
• Honduras national parks
• Mexico national parks
• North American wildlife
• Panama national parks
• United States National Park System
  • United States national parks
  • National scenic areas in the United States
  • United States National Trails System
  • United States national parkways
• Dark Sky Parks in the United States
• Protected areas of the United States
  • Ohio state parks
  • California state parks

Europe

• Beech forests of Europe
• Eurasian wildlife
• Finnish national parks
• Fjords of Norway
• Giant's Causeway
• Icelandic hot springs
• United Kingdom national parks
• National Parks in Spain

South America

• Central and South American wildlife
• Chilean national parks
• Galapagos wildlife
• National parks in Venezuela
• Peruvian national parks

Asia

• Botanical tourism in Singapore
• Cold Winter Deserts of Turan
• Eurasian wildlife
• Indian national parks and wildlife sanctuaries
• Indian zoos and botanical gardens
• Indonesian national parks
• Indonesian zoos and botanical gardens
• Israeli national parks
• Japanese national parks
• Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots
• National parks and protected areas of the Philippines
• Wildlife in South and Southeast Asia

Oceania

• Australasian wildlife
• Paleontology in Australia
• Gondwana Rainforests of Australia
• Australian National Reserve System
  • Marine parks in Australia
  • National parks in Australia
• Great Artesian Basin
• New Zealand national parks

Wildlife

• Algal bloom
• Biomes and ecosystems
• Bird watching
• Botanical tourism
• Elephants
• Marine life
• Tigers
• UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves
• Whale watching
• Wildlife of the Southern Ocean
• Zoos

Natural formations

• Beaches
• Canyons and gorges
• Caves
• Fjords
• Glaciers
• Hot springs
• Mountain ranges
• Natural harbours
• Rockhounds
• Volcanoes
• Waterfalls
• Waterways

General

• Astronomy
  • Solar eclipses
  • Midnight sun
  • Northern Lights
• Geographical records
• Ice Age traces
• National parks
• Outdoor life
• Paleontology
• Science tourism
• Space
• UNESCO Global Geoparks Network
• UNESCO World Heritage List
• Weather records