Top Ten Natural Wonders
Made by the earth, not by anyone. Ranked by what they actually do to a person standing in front of them.
The top 10 natural wonders are Iguazu Falls, Perito Moreno Glacier, Grand Canyon, then Yosemite National Park, Victoria Falls, Fiordland National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, Arenal Volcano. They are ranked by what they do to a person standing in front of them, how reachable they are, and whether people come away glad they went.
Click on the name of each Wonder for more detailed information
- 1
Iguazu Falls
Argentina · South AmericaYou stand on walkways directly above roaring water that completely surrounds you and soaks you with spray.
Iguazú Falls or Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together, they make up the largest waterfall system in the world.
BestMarAprMaySepOctNovBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Iguazu FallsHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 2
Perito Moreno Glacier
Argentina · South AmericaYou can easily walk right up to the massive blue ice wall and hear it constantly cracking.
The Perito Moreno (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno), Francisco Gormaz or Bismarck Glacier is a glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and originated in the Magallanes Region in Chile, being also part of the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in the Argentine Patagonia.
BestNovDecJanFebMarBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Perito Moreno GlacierHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 3
Grand Canyon
United States · North AmericaThe sudden, massive drop at the rim completely breaks your sense of scale in a way photos cannot.
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters).
BestAprMaySepOctBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Grand CanyonHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 4
Yosemite National Park
United States · North AmericaLooking straight up at the giant granite monoliths from the valley floor makes you feel completely insignificant.
Yosemite National Park ( yoh-SEM-ih-tee) is a national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by the Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest.
BestMayJunSepOctBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Yosemite National ParkHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 5
Victoria Falls
Zambia · AfricaThe massive curtain of falling water creates a heavy mist that rains upward and drenches you completely.
Victoria Falls (Lozi: Mosi-oa-Tunya, "Thundering Smoke/Smoke that Rises"; Tonga: Shungu Namutitima, "Boiling Water") is a waterfall on the Zambezi River, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is one of the world's largest waterfalls, with a width of 1,708 m (5,604 ft).
BestFebMarAprMayBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Victoria FallsHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 6
Fiordland National Park
New Zealand · OceaniaSheer mountain walls rise straight out of the dark water while hundreds of temporary waterfalls stream down.
Fiordland National Park is a national park in the south-west corner of South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 13 national parks in New Zealand, with an area covering 12,607 km2 (4,868 sq mi), and a major part of the Te Wāhipounamu a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1990.
BestDecJanFebMarBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Fiordland National ParkHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 7
Yellowstone National Park
United States · North AmericaThe ground bubbles, hisses, and smells of sulfur right next to the safe, easy wooden boardwalks.
Yellowstone National Park is a national park of the United States located mainly in the northwest corner of the state of Wyoming, with small portions extending into Montana and Idaho. The park is known for its wildlife and its many geothermal features, especially the Old Faithful geyser, one of its most popular.
BestJunJulAugSepBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Yellowstone National ParkHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 8
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Croatia · EuropeWooden footpaths let you walk directly over dozens of interconnected terraced lakes and rushing cascades.
Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Croatia. In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, for its outstanding and picturesque series of tufa lakes, caves, and connected waterfalls.
BestMayJunSepOctBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Plitvice Lakes National ParkHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 9
Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park
New Zealand · OceaniaSimple valley walks bring you face to face with massive grey glaciers and towering snow peaks.
Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park is a national park located in the Canterbury Region in the central-west of the South Island of New Zealand. It was established in October 1953 and takes its name from the highest mountain in New Zealand, Aoraki / Mount Cook.
BestDecJanFebMarAprBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Aoraki / Mount Cook National ParkHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
- 10
Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica · North AmericaThe symmetrical green cone dominates the landscape and is easily viewed from nearby natural thermal rivers.
Arenal Volcano (Spanish: Volcán Arenal) is a recently active andesitic stratovolcano in north-western Costa Rica around 90 km (56 mi) northwest of San José, in the province of Alajuela, canton of San Carlos, and district of La Fortuna. The Arenal volcano stands 1,633 metres (5,358 ft) high.
BestDecJanFebMarAprBook itHotels and staysTrip.comTours and ticketsGetYourGuideHotels in Arenal VolcanoHotels.com, Up to 30% offThese are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
These search Amazon. If you buy through one we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It changes nothing about which places are on this site or what is said about them.
Questions people ask
What is the number one of the natural wonders?
Iguazu Falls in Argentina. You stand on walkways directly above roaring water that completely surrounds you and soaks you with spray.
How many natural wonders are there on this list?
Ten are ranked, and 25 more are listed below them. They sit across 6 countries.
How were these natural wonders ranked?
On three things together: how much each one does to a person standing in front of it, whether an ordinary person can realistically get there, and whether people come away glad they went. Not on how famous they are.
When is the best time to visit the natural wonders?
Each one has its own months, shown against it in the list. The same place is not the same place in July and January, so the month matters as much as the choice.
The rest of the natural wonders
Worth the trip, just outside the ten
