InfoNews: 7 wonders of nature less known

For an article on places where you can admire the fabulousviews of the world came to my mind the first time in populardestinations such as Mount Everest, Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon, the Alps and the famous island of Bora Bora ... but these destinations are not surprise to anyone talk about themall and travel guides are top choices for a long time travelersworldwide. But if we think of how big is this beautiful planet, you must there are other places that are waiting to discovermusterii eager, to admire and photograph them. The article is areview of only a few such places less known and the subject of the most spectacular views in the world is far from beingexhausted.

Erta Ale - Ethiopia

Thirst for knowledge people, passion for exploration anddiscovery, seems to never ends, so the Age of discovery has turned into an incredibly long time, still not final. At this point, the Earth seems to be disclosed secrets, so people do nothave left but to go further, to conquer space. But to reach this point, many adventurers and explorers have faced danger for the sake of knowledge. One of them is British explorer,Ludovico M. Nesbitt, when in 1928, along with two Italians, became the first Europeans to "visit" all the Erta Ale volcano, in a daring excursions which provided a distance ofapproximately 640 km Danakil Depression crossing.

Erta Ale is the language outside the "mountain that smokes"and is actually a set of five volcanoes that form an arc length of80 kilometers. Despite the breathtaking landscapes strangeand colorful games that appear before the eyes, Nesbittremained insensitive, calling the place "a landscape of terror".His reaction can be explained through the harsh conditions thatexplorers had to face it: very high temperatures (about 75 degrees Celsius during the day), a sand so hot that it burnedthrough the soles of boots and, most likely in thinning due towater reserves.

Depression Dankil Erta Ale volcanic chain that hosts is an areathat meets one of the toughest places on earth: a plain scorched,with a high content of salts in soil composition, which is below sea level. In the past, this was part of the Red Sea, to raiseDanakil plateau. Nearby is Lake Karum, which is among other things, a substantial source of income for families outside the area, especially people living in the exploitation and sellinglivestock and salt from the lake. Not very deep, but with a high content of minerals, the lake is 120 meters below sea level. Onlyfor a short period of the year, it swells, and around hot springscoming out.

Tsingy formations - Madagascar

Drawn from an alien like landscape, limestone formations on the island of Madagascar are not nearly as harmless as they seem in pictures. Sharp as daggers, they reach heights of upto 180 meters. Any wrong move can mean certain death fordaring. Although they seem to draw up a lonely landscape,things are not so far. Crocodiles that are hidden undergroundcaves, hollowed curious pairs of eyes hidden in the foliage of trees which oversees ... and make sure your step! It is enough to crush a single bee to be attacked by a swarm whole, eagerfor revenge.

If you all these things mean that you are Ankaran plateau in northern Madagascar, the island located 600 kilometers off theEast African coast. Called the "Great Red Island" because ofpredominance in soil color, Madagascar is a unique ecosystem. Because the continent was isolated fromapproximately 120 million years ago, the thread of evolutionfollowed a different course, and here have developed unique species in the world. Even after 40 million years, the link between the mainland and the island could be done by means of narrow strips of land, therefore there are still some migration.But after land connections could not be maintained, lines ofcommunication were closed. Currently, this ecosystem isthreatened with extinction due to accelerated erosion of the island phenomenon, a predictable result of human activitiesharmful.

Ankaran Plateau is a karst landscape par excellence. Bizarreshapes of the rocks is due to heavy rains, on average 1800mm rainfall per year. They were dissolved in soft rock solid top and the base, forming peaks increases and almost threateningbecause of their sharpness. Within this landscape SF, were born other world. Limestone has allowed the formation of deepcanyons that are home to turn green expanses of forestconsisting of baobab, fig and palm trees. Water depthinfiltrated until giving birth of stalagmites and stalactites cavesthat expose that defy imagination, while tunnels and cavernsunderground chains remained largely unexplored.

However, the most frightening and at the same time, the most dangerous landscape is at the surface, in the heart of the islandand consists of Tsingy formations. They were named after the sound it out when they are hit, sound reminiscent of bells.Natives do not recommend this adventure to anyone becausethese formations there is no room to put even one foot on flat ground. Of course there were naturalists and scientists who have ventured through these cotloane, but either get lost andabandoned or withdrawn immediately realized the danger they are exposed. Later, some of their colleagues advise Tsingyformations to see the plane, because it's safer.


The springs of Pamukkale - Turkey


Any traveler arriving in the Asian unaware of Turkey, and, more specifically, in the Pamukkale, will be surprised to see just inthis area a large expanse of ice. Of course not wrong roadtoward Turkey, through Antarctica. Probably reached thesprings of Pamukkale. They are in the form of white terraces,big waves, interspersed with pools of water reflecting the same time, the sky and white walls. Healing properties of water in the area go through history, until it was beyond us. In 190 BC,Eumenes II, king of the Greek city of Pergamon, founded the city of Hierapolis even on this plateau. Known as Romanpassion for hot water and bathrooms, the city was included in129 BC in the Roman Empire and described as a resort.Among the famous visitors were counted and Roman emperors Adrian and Nero.

Beyond the therapeutic properties of thermal waters, were discovered two shrines built in antithesis. One belongs to the god of darkness and death, Hades and the other, who wasnearby, she is dedicated to Apollo, god of sun, music andmedicine. The location is chosen randomly, but marks the ideaof balance and compensation that apply to human life.

Pamukkale means "cotton castle", which perfectly explains, at least visually. However, some locals say that no strange shapeinspired the name of the place, but that in the past they used todry cotton natives here. All this fantastic landscape made ​​up ofwalls, heights, terraces and stalactites covers a distance of 2.5kilometers long, with a width of half a kilometer. White color thatis painted on the entire area is high lime content and dissolvedminerals that are found in volcanic hot springs water. Almost everything is touched with lime water, cover and turn into stonesubmerged objects within a few days. Furthermore, has the task of running water and white cover the surrounding hills.Overlapped layers over time to form bizarre forms of relief that we admire today.

Band-e Amir Lakes - Afghanistan

Who would have thought just Afghanistan's arid lands canaccommodate one of the most beautiful natural dams? Band-eAmir Raul stopped to rest at the foot of the Hindukushmountains, the place where he made ​​the bed. And not only ...the contrasts of color and height led to the formation of afabulous landscape at 3,000 meters altitude. Even though a lot of photographers would be motivated enough to get to these places, access is difficult, as is done only on a mountain road,which has a length of 80 kilometers. It's hard enough, but not impossible. Upon arrival, you will be spoiled with a landscapeclose to paradise: lakes stretched a wide portion for 11 miles,bordered by cliffs of limestone and clay, which are combined into a game of crazy color, white to red and the from blue togreen shades of the unexpected. In lakes, the water flows overnatural stone dams, following different routes, which form a truenetwork of streams, which in turn shelter aquatic vegetation.

Even if the temperature rises in summer to 36 degrees C, the lakes are always cold because they are refreshed each yearwith water from melting glaciers resulting from. Great brillianceand variety of colors of the lakes is due travertine, a solution of calcium carbonate on water brought seeps through limestonedeposited on the banks of lakes and deep layers form.

Yellow Mountain - China

Each of us has heard at least once in life a remark like "is afairytale land" to refer to various beautiful corner of our planet.But few of us have the opportunity to see for themselves a place that is not a land of story, but a story in itself ... a Chineseperfume by philosophy, in this case. A breathtaking view,consists of rugged peaks that pierce the clouds, with nothingscary, but rather, an image that leads you to reverie. This is theYellow Mountain. With heights of up to 1800 meters, somepeaks have names that stand to confirm the origins of the storyof the place: Lotus Flower Peak, Heavenly Capital Peak Peakbrightness or are only three of the 72 peaks that make up theYellow Mountain. Composed of granite crystallized from molten rock, these rocks have been shaped over time by nature, the same which he endowed with a strange beauty.

That was the unique beauty of the landscape for generations ofartists muse supreme Chinese, who did not get enough playand capture the wildness and innocence of this place. All wereChinese artists who have established "the supreme beauty of the mountain four" rocks and mountain peaks, pine trees adorn the mountains, some with more than 1,000 years old, hotsprings with constant temperature of 42 degrees C all year round and finally, the sea of ​​clouds that form the crown of the mountain peaks where they hide. Yellow Mountain is open to those who want to feel the beauty and grandeur. Marked pathsleading to temples trips, castles, lakes, bizarre rocks, but someroutes are recommended only for professionals.

In China, it is said that every Chinese must get at least once aYellow Mountain, but not part of the Five Sacred Mountains.However, a traveler from the medieval period, Xu Xiake, succeeded admirably in words to describe the situation:"Turning away from Five Sacred Mountains, do not longer wantto see mountains usual turning away from Yellow Mountain nolonger want to see your Five Sacred Mountains. "

Mono Lake - USA

"A land of contrasts wonderful, the hot deserts bordered bysnowy mountains," are described in the American naturalistJohn Muir, Mono Lake and its surroundings. Lake name wason native Indians and was inspired by the salty fly, an insect thatis found in a large number in this area. Although some might think that they are dealing with a rather arid area, the beauty ofMono Lake, with water and creamy consistency towers thatpierce the surface only tuff to reflect quietly in it, is ratherstrange beauty. A beauty that causes shivers down your spineand leads you to meditation and serenity.

Things do not seem to have undergone major changes over the last 700 000 years ago, when the lake basin was formed fromgeological movements had to give birth to Sierra Nevadamountains. With an area of 155 square kilometers, the lake is home to the island in the heart Paoha that was born 200 yearsago due to volcanic activity. Even if the lake is fed byfreshwater springs in the area and the ice melted, the water issalty enough to keep a man on the surface, due toaccumulation of minerals and salts.

In recent decades, water has become more salty, due to lowerfresh water flow. Since 1941, four of the seven rivulets that feed the lake have been redirected to serve the water supply of LosAngeles. As a result, the lake depth has decreased by 12meters, making it extremely salty water. This caught the attention of naturalists, who fear that excess salts not onlyirreversibly affect life around the lake, but also the migratorybirds. In a closed ecosystem change has a negative domino effect: if water becomes too salty, it will be harmful to flies andshrimp salty water. The disappearance of these populationswill lead to decimation of 80 species of migratory birds whosefood source is the species around the lake.

Shilin petrified forest - China

Maybe it seems strange to you to know that a forest is famousfor its trees or stretching, but the vast limestone pilasters,subject to the odd whims of nature over time. Located at a distance of 120 kilometers from the city of Kunming, China, thepetrified forest Lunan claim their area of five square miles thatexposes stones that reach heights of up to 30 meters. The Chinese were left charmed strange and varied forms of rocksto give them names inspired: "Phoenix curatandu his feathers," "Waterfall layered" or "Lotus Flower Peak".

Even if the material from which they move seems born aridrocks, dead, forest lakes and caves houses covered by rich vegetation. But let man not impressed by the grandeur andallure menacing formations and has built bridges that create bonds crooked passage, reminiscent of a maze.

Long ago, strange forest was not only a compact mass oflimestone, but the crust moves together with the forces of nature are "carved" tirelessly for millions of years. Erosion oflimestone, a very weak material fact, made ​​in the heart ofForest stone, limestone layer initially be almost completelydissolved. But, as always, local folk legends another explanation of the genesis of the forest. It is said that a wiseChinese Zhang Guolao, passed by and saw the love coupleslooking for a more intimate place. The fact that they were in aplain did not seem to help at all. Therefore decided that pairsGuolao Zhang deserves some privacy, so he made ​​the mountains to fall more pieces of stone were placed in this format to create "booths".

Have your say! You saw for yourself any of the seven"wonders"?