Door to Hell, Turkmenistan

The "Door to Hell" (also known as the Gate to Hell, the Crater of Fire) is a natural gas field in Derweze,Turkmenistan, that collapsed into an underground cavern in 1971, becoming a natural gas crater. Geologists set it on fire to prevent the spread of methane gas, and it has been burning continuously since then. The diameter of the crater is 69 metres (226 ft), and its depth is 30 metres (98 ft).

The flames generate a golden glow which can be seen for miles around Derweze. The site is about 260 kilometres north of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan.

The area has become something of a tourist hotspot in recent years. It is estimated that The Door To Hell attracts between 12,000 and 15,000 visitors a year. However, in 2009, the president of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, ordered that the hole be closed, but this has yet to come to fruition.

Richat Structure, Mauritania

The Richat Structure, also known as the Eye of the Sahara or blue eye of Africa, is a prominent geological circular feature in the Sahara desert in Mauritania near Ouadane. It is nearly 50 kilometers across and very visible from space. Initially interpreted as an asteroid impact structure because of its high degree of circularity, and then as a structure formed by a volcanic eruption that also seems improbable because of the lack of a dome of igneous or volcanic rock, it is now argued to be a highly symmetrical and deeply eroded geologic dome that collapsed. So it is now thought by many to have been caused by uplifted rock sculpted by erosion. But the fact that the "rings", are equidistant to the centre and that the Richat Structure is nearly circular remains a mystery.

Some people are amazed by the resemblance of this structure with the representation we have of Atlantis by Plato. According to Plato, the island was circular, divided into concentric circles of land and water: "There were 2 of land and 3 of water... Atlantis when sunk by the earthquake became an impossible barrier of mud to voyagers sailing from hence to any part of the ocean..." And he spoke about a mount sheltering the city by North and "and encompassing a great plain of an oblong shape in the south "...etc... Atlantis in Greek means Atlantis, nesos : the island of Atlas. And we get near the geologic eye at the North the Mount Atlas. According to Plato, Atlantis was lying "in front of the Pillars of Hercule", and we are there just in front from South and not beside from East or West as many authors are searching...

Northwest of the eye is with Kediet ej Jill Mountain, Mauritania's highest peak (nearly 1000 meters). The mountain has a large concentration of magnetite, giving it a blueish tinge and totally messing up magnetic surveys and navigation nearby. The western Sahara fills the north.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Salar De Uyuni is located in southwest Bolivia. It is the biggest salt flat in the world, which stretches for 4,086 sq mi (10,582 sq km).

The salt desert used to be covered with water. Several prehistoric lakes were lying here. After a long time however, the lakes have disappeared, uncovering this amazing spot. 

Containing an estimated 10 billion tonnes of salt, the question often arises as to how Salar de Uyuni was formed.

The landscape is entirely flat, bar a few small ‘islands’ such as Isla Incahuasi, which only accentuates its surreal beauty. Underneath the cemented salt are large reservoirs of lithium-rich brine. In fact, approximately 70% of the world’s lithium reserves are found in Salar de Uyuni and thus it’s not surprising that there’s an entire industry devoted to its extraction.

Unlike any other place on earth, the Salar de Uyuni is breathtakingly beautiful and provides an extraordinary experience that will not be quickly forgotten. The area which is covered with a few meters salt crust is extraordinarily flat. Due to this and clear air, as well as low humidity, Salar De Uyuni is perfect for satellite calibration.

The unusual spot attracts tourists from all around the world. Some hotels are built entirely with salt blocks.

Ice Towers of Mount Erebus (Antarctica)

Mt. Erebus is one of the largest active volcanoes on Earth. It reaches nearly 4 km above sea level, and is renowned in volcanological circles for its persistently active lava lake, which is sited in the summit crater. The hot volcanic gas steaming from Erebus does more than fuel for the lava lake. Hot gasses traveling up through cracks and fractures in the volcanic rocks surrounding the Erebus summit have created an intricate system of ice caves all over the mountain.

Erebus volcano features a 1,700-degree Fahrenheit lava lake, a swirling pool of magma that may be many miles deep: one of only five such lava lakes that exist in the world.While the inside of Mt. Erebus may be extremely hot, outside of it, one would quickly freeze to death in the Antarctic temperatures. Riddling the side of the snow-covered volcano are ice caves, carved out by the escaping volcanic gases. Because of the gas, the ice caves stay a consistent 32 degrees, making them a likely spot for undiscovered extremophiles.

The volcanic gases heat their way through these ice caves and escape into the air to form enormous 60-foot chimneys of ice, or "fumaroles" with deadly volcanic gases pouring out from their tips.

Caño Cristales, Columbia

Caño Cristales is a river located in the Serrenia de la Macerana region of Columbia. This isn’t just any river, it has been referred to as and “The Most Beautiful River in the World."

 This succession of water falls and rock formations offer a colourful show thanks to the prehistoric aquatic plants (In fact, the site is a geological formation that is older than the Andes) with yellow, red, green and blue colours covering the rocks. For this reason, the river is known as the river of five colours. The wet season is the best period to visit the site, from June to November. At this time, the river is at its most colourful. The river is divided in two important branches: along the left branch, one can appreciate the famous Hoyos, Virgen, Cuarzos and Pianos falls. Los Pianos is a water fall with various stages. On the right branch, we can access Las Tablas de la Ley, Pozo Cuadrado, and Las Escaleras to discover the Salto del Aguila falls. The warm weather means we can swim in the multicolored natural pools. 

The Serranía de la Macarena is located on the border of three large ecosystems, each of them with high diversity of flora and fauna: the Andes, the Eastern Llanos, and the Amazon rainforest. Plant and animal life are struggling with the lack of nutrients on the solid rock surface of the tableland and have developed diverse adaptations. The representative biome of the Serranía de La Macarena is the hydrophytic rainforest: hot, warm, and cold. The tableland is home to about 420 species of birds, 10 species of amphibians, 43 species of reptiles, and 8 primates.

Eternal Flame Falls, Orchard Park, New York

Eternal Flame Falls is a 30 ft high cascade in two segments. The top is a narrow cascade of nearly 8 ft high. The second tier spreads out more than twice the width as it cascades over shale. A small grotto to the right houses a natural gas spring that can be ignited to create a flame of 4-8 inches in height. Two small cascades can be found upstream from Eternal Flame.

Behind the cascade of a small waterfall in the Shale Creek Preserve section of Chestnut Ridge Park in suburban Buffalo, New York, you might see what appears to be an optical illusion: a flickering golden flame. Actually, you'll smell it before you see it, and amazingly, it's real, fueled by what geologists call a macroseep of natural gas from the Earth below.

A geological fault in the shale allows about 1 kilogram of methane gas per day to escape to the surface, where, at some point, possibly the early 20th century, a visitor had the idea to set it alight. The water occasionally extinguishes the flame, but there's always another hiker with a lighter to reignite it.

The Seven Giants, Siberia, Russia

 

The Manpupuner rock formations are a breathtaking natural attraction located in the Komi Republic region of Russia. The seven towering pillars are one of the most spectacular geographic formations discovered by humans. It is difficult to guess how they arrived there, and how they are still standing. It is believed that the rock formations evolved as a result of the weathering of rocks.The appearance of these formations has also changed due to the weather. The word Manpupuner (Man-Pupu-Nyer) means the ‘Small mountain of idols’ in the Mansi language.

 

There are a total of seven pillars and are named the ‘Seven  Strong Men’.

Their height ranges from 98 feet to 137 feet (30-42 meters).

The pillars are made out of stone.

These rock formations date back to 200-300 million years ago.

Otherwise known as the Manpupuner rock formations, these huge stone pillars sit west of the Ural Mountains. They were created by ice and snow over many years.

Legend has it that the monoliths were once giant Samoyed people walking to destroy the Mansi people. However, the shaman of the group dropped his drum and accidentally transformed the entire group into stone.

Tepui, Venezuela

The word ’Tepui’ means ’home of the gods’ in the language of the indigenous people of Gran Sabana where these incredible, ominous natural structures are located.

Tepuis tend to be found as isolated entities rather than in connected ranges, which makes them host to hundreds of endemic plant and animal species, some of which are found only on one tepui. Towering over the surrounding forest, the tepuis have almost sheer vertical flanks, and many rise as much as 1,000 meters above the surrounding jungle. The tallest of them are over 3,000 meters tall. The nearly vertical escarpments and dense rainforest bed on which these tepuis or mesa lie make them inaccessible by foot. Only three of the Gran Sabana's mountains can be reached by foot, among which the 2,180m-high Roraima is the most accessible.

Tepuis are the remains of a large sandstone plateau that once covered the granite basement complex between the north border of the Amazon Basin and the Orinoco, between the Atlantic coast and the Rio Negro, during the Precambrian period. Over millions of years, the plateaus were eroded and all that were left were isolated flat-headed tepuis. Although the tepuis looks quite barren, the summit is teeming with life.

Travertine Pools of Pamukkale, Turkey

The Travertine Pools of Pamukkale are as wonderful to behold as they are ethereal-looking. Over the years, white travertine mineral deposits have built up in this area of hot springs, creating a series of white terraces. These natural pools are blindingly white and filled with clear blue waters. These strange terraced pools have been appreciated for at least 2,000 years, and they’re sure to last for many more.

Pamukkale means “cotton castle” in Turkish, and, if you look at this construction of travertine pools and hot springs, you really understand where this name originates from. Strongly resembling snowy mountain peaks, you don’t even realize at first that not even a hint of snow can possibly exist under the burning sun of Pamukkale. But when you approach the pools closely you finally recognize the chalky and powdery texture of white pure-looking limestone that tastes nothing.

On the very top of the ‘white castle’ there’s an ancient city of Hierapolis that you should definitely go visit as well. Hierapolis takes up a sizeable territory and is super well preserved for something dating back to 3 century BC. This dead city is mostly notable for its Roman Theaterand Cleopatra’s Pool. According to the legend, this pool was a gift to Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, from Mark Antony, her lover and husband. He most probably thought that swimming in carbonated water was the coolest idea ever and you know what, he was right. It is cool to see your skin covered with tiny sparkling bubbles under the Bonaqua-tasting water while you’re swimming around the ancient ruins of something that used to look magnificent before. Which it still does.

Fly Geyser (Nevada, US)

Fly Geyser is a very little known tourist attraction, even to Nevada residents. It is located right near the edge of Fly Reservoir and is only about 5 feet high, 12 feet if you count the mound on which it sits. The Geyser is not an entirely natural phenomenon, and was accidentally created in 1916 during the drilling of a well. The well functioned normally for several decades, but then in the 1960s geothermally heated water found a weak spot in the wall and began escaping to the surface. Dissolved minerals started rising and piling up, creating the mount on which the geyser sits, offering an eerie, out-of-the-world sight. The mound is still growing to date.

There are two additional geysers in the area that were created in a way similar to Fly Geyser. The first geyser is approximately three feet high and is shaped like a miniature volcano. The second geyser is cone-shaped and is of the same approximate size as Fly Geyser. Like Fly Geyser, these geysers are continually growing.

Fly Geyser is located on the private Fly Ranch and is accessible only by a small private dirt road.

 The ranch is currently owned by Todd Jaksick. There is a high fence and a locked gate topped with spikes to exclude trespassers from this private property.