Sossusvlei means "the gathering place of water" but you'll need to bring your own if you don't want to dehydrate at this, one of Namibia's most outstanding attractions.
Sossusvlei Dunes, Namibia —
Sossusvlei means "the gathering place of water" but you'll need to bring your own if you don't want to dehydrate at this, one of Namibia's most outstanding attractions.
courtesy Aardvark Safaris
Torres del Paine: created with screen savers and inspirational corporate posters in mind.
Torres del Paine, Chile —
Torres del Paine: created with screen savers and inspirational corporate posters in mind.
We love the wildebeest migration, which traverses the major nature parks in Kenya and Tanzania throughout the year, and so do the lions.
The great migration, East Africa —
We love the wildebeest migration, which traverses the major nature parks in Kenya and Tanzania throughout the year, and so do the lions.
Singita
Orion, Pegasus and about a million of their friends are visible in Mackenzie Basin in New Zealand.
Star-filled sky, New Zealand —
Orion, Pegasus and about a million of their friends are visible in Mackenzie Basin in New Zealand.
ISDA
With its mountain backdrop and shores lined with ancient houses, the Nanxi River inevitably became the cradle of classic Chinese water-and-ink painting. It's also where travelers can watch local fishermen team with cormorants to catch fish.
Cormorant fishing, China —
With its mountain backdrop and shores lined with ancient houses, the Nanxi River inevitably became the cradle of classic Chinese water-and-ink painting. It's also where travelers can watch local fishermen team with cormorants to catch fish.
wenzhou tourism bureau
Lucky us, the world didn't end in 2012, so we still have time to see the Mayan ruins in Palenque.
Jungle pyramids, Mexico —
Lucky us, the world didn't end in 2012, so we still have time to see the Mayan ruins in Palenque.
Tucan Travel
Your camera's memory card might blow up inside this Iceland volcano, but otherwise it's all cool.
Thrihnukagigur volcano, Iceland —
Your camera's memory card might blow up inside this Iceland volcano, but otherwise it's all cool.
Hans Strand
Monument Valley -- more beautiful in reality than in the movies. How many screen legends can say that?
Monument Valley, United States —
Monument Valley -- more beautiful in reality than in the movies. How many screen legends can say that?
Navajo Nation Parks
Yes, five million bats can look beautiful. They cluster together in one tiny corner of Zambia's Kasanka National Park every November.
Kasanka bat migration, Zambia —
Yes, five million bats can look beautiful. They cluster together in one tiny corner of Zambia's Kasanka National Park every November.
courtesy Chris Meyer
Snake-charmers, henna painters and more.
Djemaa el Fna, Morocco —
Snake-charmers, henna painters and more.
Morocco Tourism
Workers on Kawah Ijen, a volcanic lake in Java, Indonesia, collect sulfur to sell to a refinery. Conditions are treacherous, pungent smoke billows from gashes in the ground and at least one tourist is reported to have died while climbing down the crater. But local miners spend hours here each day mining sulfur, earning around $10 a day.
Kawah Ijen, Indonesia —
Workers on Kawah Ijen, a volcanic lake in Java, Indonesia, collect sulfur to sell to a refinery. Conditions are treacherous, pungent smoke billows from gashes in the ground and at least one tourist is reported to have died while climbing down the crater. But local miners spend hours here each day mining sulfur, earning around $10 a day.
Approximately 40% of Korea's tea is produced in the rolling fields of Boseong, which have also provided the backdrop of many Korean dramas and films.
Boseong tea fields, South Korea —
Approximately 40% of Korea's tea is produced in the rolling fields of Boseong, which have also provided the backdrop of many Korean dramas and films.
Korea Tourism Organization
Every year, armies of young backpackers flock to the ancient town of Fenghuang (which literally means "Phoenix") in Hunan province, for its rich Miao and Tujia ethnic culture as well as a glorious photo opportunity.
Fenghuang, China —
Every year, armies of young backpackers flock to the ancient town of Fenghuang (which literally means "Phoenix") in Hunan province, for its rich Miao and Tujia ethnic culture as well as a glorious photo opportunity.
huang yongming
Guests staying within the village compound are allowed to enter this 9th century monument, hidden beneath volcanic ash for centuries, before opening time.
Borobudur temple, Indonesia —
Guests staying within the village compound are allowed to enter this 9th century monument, hidden beneath volcanic ash for centuries, before opening time.
Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
They're not exotic and in the European case they're not even that pretty, but they are one of the most mesmerizing sights in nature.
Starling murmuration, England —
They're not exotic and in the European case they're not even that pretty, but they are one of the most mesmerizing sights in nature.
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
The Rialto, the Bridge of Sighs, the vast expanse of San Marco look much as they did 400 years ago, but nothing evokes the mystery of La Serenissima quite like Santa Maria Salute looming out of the mist at the entrance to the Grand Canal.
Santa Maria della Salute, Italy —
The Rialto, the Bridge of Sighs, the vast expanse of San Marco look much as they did 400 years ago, but nothing evokes the mystery of La Serenissima quite like Santa Maria Salute looming out of the mist at the entrance to the Grand Canal.
Archive of the Tourist Board of the Province of Venice
From thunder to lightning to tornadoes, you can see it all by joining a storm-chasing crew in Tornado Alley, the area between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains where 25 percent of America's "significant" tornadoes occur, according to the National Atlas by the US government.
Electrical storm, United States —
From thunder to lightning to tornadoes, you can see it all by joining a storm-chasing crew in Tornado Alley, the area between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains where 25 percent of America's "significant" tornadoes occur, according to the National Atlas by the US government.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
It may be one of the most hyped buildings in the world, but it lives up to its publicity. Visitors still gasp the moment they first set eyes on the world's most famous shrine to love.
Taj Mahal, India —
It may be one of the most hyped buildings in the world, but it lives up to its publicity. Visitors still gasp the moment they first set eyes on the world's most famous shrine to love.
Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
Clean, secluded and easy to skip because it takes some effort to get here, the beaches of the Seychelles are the benchmarks against which others must be judged.
Pristine beaches, Seychelles —
Clean, secluded and easy to skip because it takes some effort to get here, the beaches of the Seychelles are the benchmarks against which others must be judged.
courtesy La Digue Island Lodge
Scandinavia gives you a chance to see the most dazzling light display on Earth. <br /><strong>Click the double arrow to continue the gallery</strong>
Northern Lights, Scandinavia —
Scandinavia gives you a chance to see the most dazzling light display on Earth.
Click the double arrow to continue the gallery
courtesy visitrovaniemi
Not always this clear, we know, but still Yosemite.
Yosemite peaks, United States —
Not always this clear, we know, but still Yosemite.
Yosemite National Park
In the Lake District it's OK to ponder like a poet.
Lake District, England —
In the Lake District it's OK to ponder like a poet.
Cumbria Tourism
Some 230 meters beneath a stand of cactus-studded rocky slopes in New Mexico lies a wonderland of 117 caves formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone.
Carlsbad Cavern, United States —
Some 230 meters beneath a stand of cactus-studded rocky slopes in New Mexico lies a wonderland of 117 caves formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone.
New Mexico Tourism
The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia is home to the highest tides in the world, creating a rare tidal bore -- or giant wave -- in the Shubenacadie River. Some adventurous types surf or canoe the wave as it moves upriver.
Tidal bore, Canada —
The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia is home to the highest tides in the world, creating a rare tidal bore -- or giant wave -- in the Shubenacadie River. Some adventurous types surf or canoe the wave as it moves upriver.
Shubenacadie River Runners
Every evening, these stunning peaks lay on a glorious display of color, starting out bright yellow before turning an intense red that softens to indigo and violet before darkness finally envelops the mountains.
Enrosadira, Italy —
Every evening, these stunning peaks lay on a glorious display of color, starting out bright yellow before turning an intense red that softens to indigo and violet before darkness finally envelops the mountains.
valgardena.it
Dubbed "the greatest shoal on earth," the sardine run on South Africa's Wild Coast holds two titles -- the world's largest animal migration also featuring the greatest gathering of predators on the planet.
Sardine run, South Africa —
Dubbed "the greatest shoal on earth," the sardine run on South Africa's Wild Coast holds two titles -- the world's largest animal migration also featuring the greatest gathering of predators on the planet.
South Africa Tourism
A rainbow created by the moon -- definitely worth a look.
Lunar rainbow, Zambia —
A rainbow created by the moon -- definitely worth a look.
Norman Carr Safaris
Seen one beach you've seen them all? Not a chance.
Cape Tribulation, Australia —
Seen one beach you've seen them all? Not a chance.
Tourism Queensland
Not your everyday ruins.
Petra, Jordan —
Not your everyday ruins.
Movenpick Hotels and Resorts
Early settlers made homes in these natural formations called fairy chimneys.
Fairy chimneys, Turkey —
Early settlers made homes in these natural formations called fairy chimneys.
Travel the Unknown
Old mines reborn as tourist attractions.
Cornwall's ruined mines, England —
Old mines reborn as tourist attractions.
Cornish Mining World Heritage Site