uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park has exceptional natural beauty in its soaring basaltic buttresses, incisive dramatic cutbacks, and golden sandstone ramparts. Rolling high altitude grasslands, the pristine steep-sided river valleys and rocky gorges also contribute to the beauty of the site. The site’s diversity of habitats protects a high level of endemic and globally threatened species, especially birds and plants. 

This spectacular natural site also contains many caves and rock-shelters with the largest and most concentrated group of paintings in Africa south of the Sahara, made by the San people over a period of 4,000 years. The rock paintings are outstanding in quality and diversity of subject and in their depiction of animals and human beings. They represent the spiritual life of the now extinct San people.

Cliffs of Moher County Clare, Ireland

Cliffs of Moher County Clare, Ireland

The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top Visitor attractions and are a designated UNESCO Geo Park. The Cliffs are 214m high at the highest point and range for 8 kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard of County Clare. O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic Cliffs. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South. The Cliffs of Moher take their name from a ruined promontory fort “Mothar” which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars to make room for a signal tower.  

The Cliffs of Moher are home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland. The area was designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for Birds under the EU Birds Directive in 1986 and as a Refuge for Fauna in 1988. Included within the designated site are the cliffs, the cliff-top maritime grassland and heath, and a 200 metre zone of open water, directly in front of the cliffs to protect part of the birds' feeding area. The designation covers 200 hectares and highlights the area's importance for wildlife.

Borobudur Temple Java, Indonesia

Borobudur Temple Java,  Indonesia

Borobudur, or Barabudur, is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The monument consists of six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.

A main dome, located at the center of the top platform, is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues seated inside a perforated stupa. Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple's design in Gupta architecture reflects India's influence on the region. It also depicts the gupta style from India and shows influence of Buddhism as well as Hinduism.  

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path around the monument and ascends to the top through three levels symbolic of Buddhist cosmology. (the world of desire), Rupadhatu (the world of forms) and Arupadhatu (the world of formlessness). The monument guides pilgrims through an extensive system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the walls and the balustrades.

Here are beautiful pictures of Canada

Here are beautiful pictures of Canada

Here are several beautiful pictures of Canada, the northern neighbor of the U.S. It’s the second largest country in the world after Russia. And in this huge country there are so many beautiful places.

Russell Falls at Mount Field National Park Tasmania, Australia

Russell Falls at Mount Field National Park 

Tasmania, Australia

Mount Field National Park is distinguished by its wide range of popular short, medium and longer walks. There are two main sections to the park: the Russell Falls (pictured above) area near the Visitor Centre and the area around and above Lake Dobson, 16 kilometres (10 miles) away along a winding gravel road. The grove of tall, palm-like pandani plants on the shores of the lake has a Tolkein charm. Higher still, the Tarn Shelf takes you to the edge of precipices overlooking glimmering pools on the rim of the mountain and expansive lakes in the valley below.

Houseboats of Dal Lake, the "Floating Palaces"India

Houseboats of Dal Lake, the "Floating Palaces" Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India

Houseboats and the Dal Lake are widely associated with Srinigar and are nicknamed "floating palaces". Built according to British customs, they are generally made from local cedar-wood and measure 24 to 38 m (79 to 125 ft) in length and 3 to 6 m (10 to 20 ft) in width. Many of them have lavishly furnished rooms with verandas and a terrace to serve as a sun-deck or to serve evening cocktails.  Each houseboat has an exclusive shikara for ferrying guests to the shore.

 A shikara is small paddled taxi boat, made of wood with a canopy and a spade shaped bottom. It is the cultural symbol of Kashmir and is used not only for ferrying visitors but is also used for the vending of fruits, vegetables and flowers and for the fishing and harvesting of aquatic vegetation. The shikara is also used as transport to sightseeing locations in the valley, notably a cruise along the Jhelum River, offering scenic views of the Pir Panjal mountains and passing through the famous seven bridges and the backwaters en route..

Aswan, the ancient cities of Swentet an Elephantine Aswan, Egypt

Aswan, the ancient cities of Swentet an Elephantine Aswan, Egypt

Egypt's sunniest city with its distinctively African atmosphere is an ancient frontier town located about 81 miles south of Luxor. Small enough to walk around and graced with the most beautiful setting on the Nile, the pace of life there is slow and relaxing. Days can be spent strolling up and down the broad Corniche watching the sailboats etch the sky with their tall masts or sitting in floating restaurants listening to Nubian music and eating freshly caught fish.

In Aswan the Nile is at its most beautiful, flowing through amber desert and granite rocks, round emerald islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants. Explore the souk, full of the scent and color of spices, perfumes, scarves and baskets. View the spectacular sunsets while having tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel (named for the Nile's first waterfall located there). Aswan has been a favorite winter resort since the beginning of the nineteenth century and it's still a perfect place to get away from it all.