Sahara Desert
The Sahara Desert in Arabic translates to ‘The Great Desert’. At over 3,500,000 square miles the Sahara Desert could just about cover America. Reaching a staggering one hundred and eight meters high, the sand dunes have been shifted and sculpted by high winds. The Sahara Desert may be the third largest desert in the world but it isn’t entirely covered in sand. The Sahel is the only part of the Sahara Desert which is covered in grassland and plants. The Sahel allows animals such as the Scimitar Oryx and Red Fronted Gazelle to graze, but is also home to African Wild Dogs, Cheetahs and Lions.
Inca Trail and Machu Picchu
The Inca Trail leads to many places but Machu Picchu is the most common place people go. Machu Picchu was built for the Inca Emperor Pachacuti, who ruled the city of Machu Picchu between 1438 - 1472. Machu Picchu is also known as The Lost City Of The Incas. The Incas started building Machu Picchu in the 1400s but soon abandoned it. Machu Picchu was unknown to anyone outside its walls before American historian Hiram Bingham told the world about it. The Spanish never managed to conquer Machu Picchu so the city still remains how it was, considered to be a sacred place. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Site in 1981.
Pyramids
One of the greatest mysteries on earth is how were Pyramids built. In 2630 BCE - 2611 BCE, The Pyramid of Djoser was built and is believed to be the first pyramid ever constructedy. The architect Imhoptep designed The Pyramid of Djoser as a tomb for the Pharaoh Djoser. The Egyptians believed the shape of the pyramids represented the Primordial Mound from which the earth was created. They also believed pyramids had powerful abilities of resurrection.
The Colosseum
One of the most spectacular Roman buildings was built in 70 - 72 AD under the Emperor Vespasian. The Colosseum was completely built by 80 AD and was then used for gladiatorial battles and executions and other entertainment. Seating 50,000 people, the Colosseum stopped being used for entertainment in the Medieval times. During this time the colosseum became used for housing, workshops, religion and other activities. The Colosseum has seen many earthquakes and stone robbers, but is still standing and has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.
Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are small islands filled with many species of animals such as Komodo Dragons and Giant Land Turtles. The islands are fairly young and were formed by volcanic eruptions. There are fifteen main islands with three more nearby. Charles Darwin studied the islands during The Voyage of the Beagle. One of the islands was named Darwin Island after Charles Darwin. On this island you can see Fur Seals, Swallow Tailed Gulls, Sea Lions, Wales and Marine Iguanas. Charles Darwin bought a Giant Land Turtle named Harriet to Australia Zoo, who died at 172 years of age. Galapagos is made up of 18 different islands with most being only a few square miles in size. Around 23,000 people populate the islands with the native language being Spanish. The islands may be small but people visit mainly to see the wildlife roaming.
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea of Queensland in northern Australia. Covering 133,000 square miles, The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from space. The Reef is home to an array of animals such as turtles, sharks, fish, crocodiles, stingrays, seahorses, sea snakes, living corals and birds. The clean blue water of The Reef makes it a beautiful place for diving. A large area is protected by The Great Barrier Reef Park to help stop over-fishing and damage from human use. Environmental changes are affecting The Reef, some of the problems includ pollution, shipping accidents and the Crown of Thorns Starfish which feeds on coral.
Auroras Borealis
Named after the Roman Goddess of dawn Aurora and the Greek name for north wind Boreas, the Auroras Borealis is only visible in the northern hemisphere in the ionosphere. Auroras are created by a mixture of earth photons mixing with either oxygen or nitrogen and solar wind energy. When earth protons mix with oxygen, the sky has a green or brownish red glow, while when mixed with nitrogen the sky has a blue or red glow. Auroras are one of the most magical and spectacular sights to see in the sky.