Peru is home to one of the most visited ancient ruins today, Machu Picchu. Literally meaning “Old Mountain”, Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site that was built around 1400 CE. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that sees around half a million visitors each year. In January 2010 Machu Piccu was in the news worldwide when heavy rains washed away access roads to the site, trapping over 2,000 tourists and 2,000 locals who then had to be evacuated. Machu Piccu reopened to the public on April 1st, 2010. Most visitors to Machu Piccu stay in the nearby town of Cusco where all manner of accommodation can be found. See more pictures of Machu Picchu, Peru
Beautiful Lake Tahoe lies in the Sierra Nevada mountain range along the border of California and Nevada in the United States. With 496 square kilometers (192 sq miles) of surface area and lovely mountain scenery, the lake is a major tourist destination year round. There are over 12 ski resorts at Lake Tahoe and visitors can find all manner of winter activities here including snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, snow tubing, and more. Many water sports are also enjoyed here, such as swimming, boating, water skiing, and scuba diving. A large variety of accommodation can be found on the lake, from ritzy expensive resorts to backpacker style hostels. See more pictures of Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada, USA
The Taklamakan Desert (or Takla Makan Desert) is the 15th largest sandy desert in the world, covering 320,000 square kilometers (123,550 square miles). It is located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The desert is seen mainly by those crossing it on the road between the towns of Hotan and Luntai. The famous Silk Road edges around the Taklamakan Desert so travelers of the past could avoid crossing its dangerously dry center. Mummies dating over 4,000 years old have been found in the region, along with other interesting artifacts. The Taklamakan Desert isn’t on the tourist map at all, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful. See more pictures of Taklamakan Desert, China
The Patagonian Perito Moreno Glacier, located in the Los Glaciares National Park of Argentina, is part of the Andes system and is one of the major tourist attractions in Patagonia due to its ease of accessibility and impressive size. The glacier is 5 km (3 miles) wide and has an average above-water height of 74 meters (240 feet). Perito Moreno Glacier sees daily bus tours as it’s just a 2 hour bus ride from the small town of El Calafate. Visitors can walk around the glacier to see it from a few different angles, or take a short trek on the glacier itself. See more pictures of Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia, Argentina
The massive Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a sandstone rock formation in central Australia. Officially located in the Northern Territory, Uluru is an inselberg (literally “island mountain”) which is a leftover section of a mountain range after erosion has removed the original mountain range. The formation is home to ancient wall paintings, springs, and caves. Uluru stands 348 meters (1,142 ft) tall. It is popular with photographers during sunset when it appears to glow red. Many visitors opt to enjoy a steep hour-long climb to the top of Uluru. Uluru is located inside the Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park and visitors must pay a $25 fee to enter the area. There is a nearby airport for those interested in a short and easy visit to Uluru. Visitors wishing to stay longer can find accommodation in the nearby town of Alice Springs. See more pictures of Uluru (Ayers Rock), Alice Springs, Australia
Built in the late 1800s, the Neuschwanstein Castle in the state of Bavaria in southeast Germany was meant to be the private retreat of the reclusive King Ludwig II of Bavaria, but he died before it was completed. The castle was opened to the public in 1886 and it has seen over 60 million visitors since then. The Neuschwanstein Castle was built in the Romanesque Revival style and was the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty castle. The castle is one of the most popular in Europe and currently sees over 1.3 million visitors a year and as many as 6,000 per day in the summer months. The castle overlooks the Hohenschwangau valley and is near the tourist town of Fussen where accommodation can be found. See more pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland, the Gullfoss is a 2-tiered waterfall with a total height of 32m (105ft). Also known as the Golden Falls, the Gullfoss is part of the Hvítá river. Nearby attractions include the Haukadalur geysers and Þingvellir national park. Together, these 3 sites are called the Golden Circle. Because of the popularity of the falls there is hotel accommodation nearby, but most visitors opt to stay in Reykjavík and visit the falls on the Golden Circle day trip. See more pictures of Gullfoss (Golden Falls), Iceland
Towering over nearby Portland, Oregon, is the Majestic Mount Hood. It stands 3,429 meters (11,249 feet) tall and is home to 12 glaciers. Mount Hood has 6 ski resorts: Timberline, Mount Hood Meadows, Ski Bowl, Cooper Spur, Snow Bunny and Summit. Timberline is the only year-round ski-lift in all of North America. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano, but it is consider the volcano most likely to erupt in Oregon with a 7% chance of eruption in the next 30 years. It is popular with climbers in addition to skiers, and about 10,000 people reach its summit yearly. Hikers can enjoy trekking on the Timberline Trail which circumnavigates the mountain, and the Pacific Crest Trail also passes by via the Timberline Trail. Most of the ski resorts have beautiful lodges to stay in, and any kind of accommodation can be found in the city of Portland, 124 km (77 miles) away. There are also many small towns in the area that offer some accommodation, including Government Camp, the closest town to the ski resorts. See more pictures of Mount Hood, Oregon, USA
