Natural Wonders of the World: Rainbow Mountains, Ice Caves and Waterfalls

Nature can create landscapes that look painted: striped mountains, blue ice caves, waterfalls you can walk behind and lakes of improbable colour. Here are six natural wonders from different continents and what makes each one unique.

Nature’s beauty in a bouquet: flower baskets and spray roses.

View full-size photo

Six wonders

• Zhangye Danxia (China). In Gansu province, layers of sandstone with different minerals, compressed and uplifted over millions of years, form stripes of red, yellow and orange. They are brightest after rain and at sunset.
• Mendenhall Glacier (Alaska). A glacier near Juneau where blue ice caves sometimes form. The glacier is retreating, so the caves change every year and should only be visited with a guide.
• Godafoss (Iceland). The “waterfall of the gods” on the Skjálfandafljót river drops about 12 metres in a wide horseshoe.
• Seljalandsfoss (Iceland). A waterfall about 60 metres high with a path that runs behind the curtain of water.
• Valley of the Ten Peaks (Canada). In Banff National Park, ten summits rise above turquoise Moraine Lake, coloured by fine glacial rock flour.
• Reed Flute Cave (China). A karst cave near Guilin with fantastic stalactites and colourful lighting.

View full-size photo

View full-size photo

Planning a trip

• Check the season: ice caves are safe only in certain months and with a guide.
• Paths near waterfalls are slippery — wear waterproofs and shoes with good grip.
• Stay on marked trails: mountain and glacier ecosystems are fragile.

View full-size photo

Discover more natural wonders in the world’s most amazing lakes, Grüner See and the most beautiful flower fields.

FAQ

Why are the Zhangye mountains so colourful?

They are layers of sandstone and other rocks with different minerals that were compressed, uplifted and eroded into stripes over millions of years.

Can you walk behind Seljalandsfoss?

Yes, a path leads behind the waterfall, though it is often closed in winter because of ice.

View full-size photo

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.