California's travel and tourism industry sees job expansion

Despite reports that the California job market has screech to a halt, jobs in travel and tourism continue to rise – providing billions of dollars and a million jobs to the state. During August, the leisure and hospitality industry gained 1,500 jobs while the state’s unemployment rate raised to 12.1%.

“California’s economy is ever varying and businesses across all sectors have been experiencing challenges,” said Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California. “The fact that the travel and tourism industry is holding strong despite a common economic downturn demonstrates that the state is a premier domestic and international destination. People come here looking for the

California experience.”This summer, the leisure and hospitality industry continued to play a important role in California’s labor force and revenue.

During the summer months of June, July and August, the number of hotel rooms sold in California raised by 5% compared to the year before.

• These figures come on top of a seven% growth in hotel demand and a seven% increase in total travel spending in the state during the 2010 calendar year.
• Overseas travel has grown in 2011 – through June, point of entry arrivals into California grow 14% from 2010. Overseas visitors are particularly important to the state’s economy because they typically stay longer - 11.3 nights - and spend more - US$1,200 per journey - than do domestic visitors.

WHAT WAS STONEHENGE?

The Megalithic Stone structures, which exist not only in this country but also throughout the Continent of Europe, are a special feature of that period known as the Neolithic Age. As has already been shown, Stonehenge represents a very late type, erected at a time when the bronze culture had begun to overlap that of polished stone (Neolithic).

These stone structures can be roughly divided into three classes.

1. Single upright stones, or menhirs (Celtic = "high stone"), which may be commemorative of some great event or personage.

2. Dolmens (Celtic = "table stone"), in which a stone slab is set table-wise on three or four uprights.

3. Cromlechs (Celtic = "stone circle"). Circles enclosing barrows or dolmens.

Stonehenge is a highly specialised example of this last class. Round these cromlechs popular myth and superstition have crystallised themselves into tales of the devil and his works (as in the case of Stonehenge), ogres, giants, dwarfs, Sabbath breakers, and infidels, turned to stone. In nearly every case there is some story of the supernatural, which cannot be accidental, but which must have its root in past religious observance.

It is a recognised fact that the worship of stones is more widely distributed than any other primitive cult. Its almost universal distribution can be referred to the tendency of the half savage mind to confuse persons and things, and from seeming likeness of the inanimate to the animate, to endue the lifeless object with the virtue and power of the living object. This mental outlook is better understood in practice than in theory. A Melanesian native may come across a large stone, lying upon the top of a number of smaller stones. It suggests to him a sow with her litter of pigs, and he at once makes an offering to it, in the hope that he will secure pigs. In determining the function of Stonehenge, therefore, it will be useful to compare it with similar existing stone circles. The largest of these in this country is Avebury, not many miles distant from Stonehenge. Unluckily, to-day it is so ruined that its former greatness is hardly to be distinguished by the unskilled observer. Formerly comprising some hundreds of unhewn Sarsen stones, barely a score remain in position at the present day. In Avebury, as it was, can be found the early typic model of which Stonehenge is the final product. The use of the circle as a basic form is common to both. In Avebury the Sarsen is a rough unhewn monolith; in Stonehenge it is squared, dressed, and crowned with its lintel. All evidences of a slow evolution from Neolithic to Bronze culture. But whereas the circle alone is used at Avebury, Stonehenge has in addition the horseshoe series of Trilithons and foreign uprights, and in this particular differs from all other Cromlechs in this country. It is the climax of the Megalithic monument, and its use very certainly must have been connected with the religion of the race which set it up. It was, in short, a religious structure, probably used for the observation of the sun, and possibly connected with "nature worship."

The fact that the sun rises over the Hele Stone on the Summer Solstice, and that it can be observed in direct alignment with the centre of the Great Trilithon, can hardly be due to accident. Chance might bring two stones into such a position on the Solstice, but, in this case, the entire monument is so arranged as to place the rising sun in a due line with its axis on this particular day.

It will be well to consider the facts which must have been within the knowledge of the builders of Stonehenge, and to trace as far as may be their reasoning in the building of it.

To begin with, it is almost certain that at the time of building, there existed some primitive form of priesthood, or body of "wise men." This is quite compatible with the culture of the period. The existence of the Neolithic Long Barrows is sufficient evidence that man had, by this time, arrived at that particular culture which grasps the existence of a "spirit."

Death only terminated the existence of the body, and not that of the spirit. It was even able to return and enter another body, say that of a new-born infant, an animal, or tree. And being after the manner of human beings, spirits could understand human language and become accessible to human petitions. Thus a spirit might even prove a powerful friend or enemy. And the dwellings of these spirits would be those great powers which meant so much to a primitive people; the sun, moon, stars, rivers, forests, and clouds; from which arose the two great classes of spirit, the "ancestral" and the "spirit of nature." From this general body was developed a regular hierarchy of good and evil spirits, gradually ascending to the conception of one great creative spirit, or superior deity.

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Earth's Largest pyramid

Built by:Pharaoh khufu

Date:circa 2550 B.C

Location:Giza

Height:481 feet(147 meters)


WONDER OF THE WORLD
Khufu, son of Snefru and second ruler of the 4th dynasty (time line) moved the royal necropolis to Giza, north of modern-day Cairo. According to ancient Greek historian Herodotus, Khufu (aka Cheops) enslaved his people to build his pyramid. But archaeologists have since disproved his account (see "Who Built the Pyramids?").

On the Giza Plateau, Khufu's builders oriented his pyramid almost perfectly north. The largest pyramid ever built, it incorporates about 2.3 million stone blocks, weighing an average of 2.5 to 15 tons each. It is estimated that the workers would have had to set a block every two and a half minutes.

The pyramid has three burial chambers. The first is underground, carved into bedrock. The second, aboveground chamber was called the queen's chamber by early explorers. We now know it was never intended to house one of Khufu's wives but perhaps a sacred statue of the king himself. The third is the king's chamber, which held a red granite sarcophagus placed almost exactly at the center of the pyramid.

The king's chamber is accessed via the 26-foot-high (8-meter-high) Grand Gallery, which was sealed off from thieves by sliding granite blocking systems.

The Great Pyramid was the centerpiece of an elaborate complex, which included several small pyramids, five boat pits, a mortuary temple, a causeway, a valley temple, and many flat-roofed tombs for officials and some members of the royal family.

CLASSIC FACT: Several mystery shafts extend from the king's and queen's chambers. Neither airshafts (they were sealed) nor hallways (they are too narrow), they may have been designed to allow Khufu to travel to the stars in his afterlife. A blocked shaft from the queen's chamber was penetrated in 2002.

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United and Continental airlines working out details of merger

United loads passengers in window seats first. Continental boards from the back. And United has a specific way to load dogs onto a plane — always tail-first as they ride up the conveyor belt in carrier cages. On Continental, there's no strict policy.

These are just three of the thousands of differences in the daily practices and policies of United and Continental airlines. But soon they will have to act as one.

The two airlines are close to completing a $3-billion merger that next year will create the nation's largest carrier, with more than 86,000 employees and nearly 1,200 jets. Federal regulators approved a final clearance to the merger this week.

But over the last year and a half, a team of managers and staff from the two carriers has made about 2,000 decisions about how the new hybrid airline will operate. The trick has been trying to preserve the most popular practices of each without alienating devotees of either.

One merger decision — whether to have a fleet-wide audio channel to let passengers hear pilots talk to air traffic controllers — even sparked an online campaign by fans of the channel.

"If the acquiring airline has an open mind, it will examine both carriers' business practices and pick those that offer a combination of better service for the traveler and improved savings or efficiency for the airline," said Henry Harteveldt, co-founder of Atmosphere Research Group, a San Francisco travel marketing and technology research firm.

It's a time-consuming process. When Delta Air Lines merged with Northwest Airlines last year, airline officials said they had so many decisions to make that they started by writing the topics on yellow Post-it notes that covered an entire wall.

"It only made sense that they would do that," said Bob McAdoo, an airline analyst for Avondale Partners in Nashville. "That is the kind of stuff that makes a merger work."

Airline executives from Delta and Northwest opted to keep the Delta name but adopted some of Northwest's most popular menu choices in the first-class section, including adding Twix candy bars and fresh fruit. It also adopted Northwest's policy of offering pretzels in coach.

When United and Continental begin to operate as one, the new airline will fly with United's name but with Continental's globe symbol and a new motto — "Let's Fly Together."

In weighing which system of boarding passengers to use, airline executives chose the United method. Post merger, customers with window seats will be first to get on the plane, followed by those in middle seats and finally passengers in aisle seats.

Industry studies have shown that the United process reduces boarding time, allowing the airline to squeeze in more flights per day.

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MEP firm AE Arma-Elektropanc is closing in on the final work on the upcoming Rixos Palm Jumeirah Dubai in a fast-track job for the hotel chain, a fellow Turkish company.

The engineering firm will be able to handover the project next month after a six-month mandate to complete the full MEP package for the upcoming Dubai hotel, the latest from the Antalya-based Rixos Hotels. Main contractor is another Turkish company, Sembol Construction Company (SML), a sister company of Rixos.

“We’ve been working on the project for the last six months and will be able to finish next month,” Burak Kizilhan, business development manager for the Middle East and North Africa told CW this morning.

“This was a fast track project, and we have about 1,500 people working on site and about 50-60 engineers. The client wanted to be able to handover the hotel by the beginning of next year, so we’ve been able to help them do that.”

The hotel consists of 204 rooms and will cover only around 30% of the total developed area. The remaining 70% will consist of gardens and a beach promenade. It is the first for the hotel company in the region.

“Middle Eastern markets have always presented an invaluable investment opportunity for developing countries like Turkey and as a major hotel brand, we concentrate on key hotel and residence projects,” Fettah Tamince, chairman of Rixos Hotels, said earlier this year.

AE Arma-Elektropanc, which works through a joint venture with Bin Belaila locally, is one of the most international MEP companies of its kind, with a presence in many Middle Eastern markets as well as Cyprus, Ukraine and Russia among others.

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What’s between NYC and DC?

Who will say No for a vacation in NYC and DC? When you plan to visit these two places, you might want to know about the places that you could visit on the way. Would you miss the natural beauties and places of importance that lies on the way from NYC to DC? Many of us prefer to take a flight straight to our destinations, enjoy the sights there and return home with those memories. The main enjoyment of a trip to a place actually lies in the travelling. You get to see and feel a lot of places and their specialties. If you try a NYC to DC bus service and spend a little extra time travelling, you could see a lot of scenic beauties on the way. There are numerous NYC TO DC BUS services these days that makes things even easier. You don’t have to struggle finding one or have a bad road travel as all those services are able to provide a high class service.

The above suggestion was for the ones who don’t want to step out of the bus or stop in between while travelling if they happen to see something interesting. One of the most enjoyable methods to take full advantage of a trip is by getting down in between and it might turn out to be a trip full of adventures. When you decide to take an unplanned vacation along with your friends and family that does not involve children or elderly these unplanned trips are pleasant. When you want a happy unplanned trip that allows you to get on and get off wherever you feel like, it is advisable not to take children along with you. Children cannot adjust long tips and tiring journey and might spoil the whole vacation mood. When you want to have an unplanned trip to NYC to DC the best thing that you could do is to note the place that you could stop by or could visit that lies between them. These iconic American Cities are separated by about 225 miles approximately. If you are all set to enjoy the scenic beauties that lie between these two cities, road ways is the only best choice here. Here is a list of places that you can visit during your trip through the various NYC to DC bus services that are available.

1. If you wish to get a glimpse of American history, you need to visit the Independence National Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Here you will also love to see the Bowman Hill's Wildflower Preserve which is the house of nature lovers.

2. Wilmington, Delaware is there to offer an exciting pirate sail on board Wilmington's Kalmar Nyckel. Wilmington Blue Rock's Frawley Stadium and Brandywine Zoo are the other places to visit here.

3. Baltimore, Maryland is where you can find the remarkable American Visionary Art Museum. You could also enjoy hiking or biking in the 15 miles long Gwynns Falls Trail.

A truly beautiful time for rugby fans and travellers to make the trip to New Zealand. & enjoy worldcup

The 7th Rugby World Cup comes to New Zealand in September 2011 much to the delight of rugby-loving New Zealanders the world over. Rugby is a passion for so many New Zealanders, that the world cup is coming down under to a real 'spiritual home'. The much anticipated tournament kicks off on Friday 9 September at Eden Park in Auckland and finishes in the same venue on Sunday 23 October.

Visitors to New Zealand following the rugby will experience the length and breadth of the country, as pool matches will be played in 12 different venues across New Zealand. Best of all, rugby fans will be in New Zealand during Spring, a truly beautiful time of year for rugby fans and travellers to make the trip to New Zealand.

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Top 10 Tourist Destinations in India

Agra

Agra’s Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the mausoleum of Shah Jahan’s favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and one of three World Heritage Sites in Agra.

Completed in 1653, the T?j Mahal was built by the Mughal king Sh?h Jah?n as the final resting place for his beloved wife, Mumt?z Mahal. Finished in marble, it is perhaps India’s most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewelers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens.

Jaipur / Udaipur

Lots of people flock to Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which reflect its glorious past. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipur’seconomy. Some of the world’s best hotels are located here.

Forts & Monuments

• Hawa Mahal
• Amber Fort
• Jaigarh Fort
• Nahargarh Fort
• City Palace
• Jantar Mantar
• Jal Mahal
• Rambagh Palace
• Chandra Mahal, The City Palace, Jaipur
• Diwan-e-Aam, City Palace
• Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)

Goa

Goa is Famous for its pristine beaches, infact 90% of all the tourism in Goa happens only for its beautiful beaches in Coastal Areas. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and summer. In the winter time, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy the splendid climate. In the summertime (which, in Goa, is the rainy season), tourists from across India come to spend the holidays.

In 2008 there were more than three million tourists reported to have visited Goa, more than half million of whom were from Foreign visitors. Infact, many foreigners have made Goa as there home for its laid-back and relaxed lifestyle !

Kashmir

Kashmir was once called Heaven on Earth, and once of the most beautiful places in the world. However, in last couple of decades, terrorism has faded its charm – A place home to Himalayan Ranges.The State of Jammu & Kashmir has main three geographical regions known as “The Lesser Himalayas” or the “Jhelum Valley” (Kashmir), “The Inner Himalayas” or “The Indus Valley” (Ladakh & Frontier areas) also called “Trans-Himalayas”, and “The Outer-Himalayas” or “The Southern mountain range” (Jammu). The area of Jammu & Kashmir is 2, 22,236 square kilometers.


Kanyakumari
Though there are several places of tourist-interest in the town and district, Kanyakumari is especially popular in India for its spectacular and unique sunrise and sunset. The confluence of three ocean bodies – the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea – makes the sunrise and sunset even more special. On balmy, full-moon evenings, one can also see the moon-rise and sunset at the same time – on either side of the horizon.

Kerala (Backwaters)

Kerala, situated on the lush and tropical Malabar Coast, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Named as one of the "ten paradises of the world" and "50 places of a lifetime" by the National Geographic Traveler magazine, Kerala is especially known for its ecotourism initiatives, Beautiful Backwaters and Alternative healing massages.

Old Delhi

Delhi, Capital of India has many attractions like mosques, forts and other monuments that represent India’s history. The important places in Old Delhi include the majestic Red Fort. New Delhi on the other hand houses many government buildings and embassies, apart from places of historical interest.The Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb have been declared World Heritage Sites.

Ajanta Ellora

Ajantha & Ellora are 28 – 30 rock-cut cave monuments created during the first century BC and 5th century AD, containing paintings and sculptures considered to be masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art and universal pictorial art.

The caves are located just outside the village of Ajantha / Ellora in Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Since 1983, the Ajanta & Ellora Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Darjeeling

Darjeeling in India owes’ its grandeur to its natural beauty, its clean fresh mountain air and above all, the smiling resilient people for whom it is a home. Known for its natural splendor, Darjeeling’s best gift to its’ visitors is the dawn of a new day. The mountains awaken first with a tentative peeking of the sun.

A steep ride, five kilometers from Ghoom, or an invigorating walk up a steep incline, leads sun worshippers to Tiger Hill. The air is chilly with darkness and damp. To the east, a dull orange sun emerged painting the sky with brilliant strokes of magenta, gold, orange and fuchsia. The snow capped Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks slowly emerge from slumber to start a new day. The sun worshippers gasp at the magnificent sight.

Mysore

Mysore is a tourism hot spot within the state of Karnataka and also acts as a base for other tourist places in the vicinity of the city. The city receives the maximum number of tourists during the period of the Dasara festival when festivities take place for a period of 10 days. One of the most visited monuments in India, the Ambavilas Palace (also known as Mysore Palace) is the center of the Dasara festivities.

Hope you have found this Top Ten Tourist Destinations in India article interesting. If you have any questions, do drop in a comment

What are you waiting for – Go ahead and book your travel tickets right now :)

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TYPES OF SAFARIS IN INDIA

Man, machine and animals:
That rugged jeep had seen enough of your garage, take it out and hit the roads. Bikers roar your cruiser-buddy. Indian streets are winding, wooded, dirty, yet promise undulating gamble for the ‘roadies’. The romance between the man and the machine apart, Indian safari adventures mean animals as well, and a lot of them. Camels, horses, elephants -- which one are you planning to ride? India sightseeing is best done on animal back. Come to this mystic land, explore the unexplored, and leave rejuvinated! Team it up with extensive photography spree and you can host an exhibition, write for travel blogs (write us a travelogue), and what not!


Some of the best Indian safaris

Jeep Safari:Imagine driving in a jungle, and some predator gives you a chase for your life! Reminds you of the dinosaurs chase scene in The Lost World? Drive your blues away in the craggy hills and muddy roads, wildlife parks and beaches of this incredible land, India. In the trans Himalayan region, Leh-Ladakh and Kinnaur-Spiti promise those winding roads, high altitudes, deep gorges and everything that takes to get your heart throbbing and body sweating. The ‘Raid-de-Himalayas’, an annual car-rally, is something you must opt for if you land up just during the program. Rajasthan’s forested valleys and arid hills also give you a different kind of safari flavor. The Shekhawati and Mewar region, Udaipur and Jaisalmer are options you should give a check.


Biking Safari:

Those who have straightaway jumped to this paragraph sure must have read Che Guevara’s Motocycle Diaries or at least seen the movie. And those who have not, and still is a biking-maniac, should check it out, for it inspires endlessly to embark on a biking safari. And if you have made your mind, here is India for you. The Himalayas again are the most enticing with winding and difficult routes, just perfect for the bikers. Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh regions like Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti, Manali are the zones of interest. While, for rugged countryside biking, try Rajasthan.


Elephant Safari:

Best for exploring the jungles and having the closest and the best possible wildlife encounters, elephant safari is the most common safari option. The national parks and sanctuaries, have safari tours with trained mahouts (guides). Corbett National Park, Periyar Widlife Sanctuary, Kaziranga National Park are famed for their elephant safaris. The sightseeing safaris are best conducted by Rajasthan Tourism to reach their hill-top Forts and of course to tour tourists around the city, alongside their camels.

Camel Safari:

Wobbling on the camel back is fun, but minus the back-aches. But roosted on its hunch-back as you tour the varied attractions or scale the deserts, anything and everything feels worth the experience. In the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, around Jodhpur, Jaisalmer (Sam sand dunes), and Bikaner, toddling though palaces, old havelis (mansions), oasis --- is rated the best of camel-safari escapades. Jaisalmer to the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat is another exciting route. Special camel safaris are also organized round Pushkar and Nagaur in the winter season of October to March, when these two cities have their popular cattle fairs. Chambal camel safari a must for Agra visitors, that begins with a river cruise conducted by the Pathanias (attraction: close encounters with Ghariyals and Crocodiles) and the camel safari, which takes you to the picturesque Atar Fort.



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Why do trekkers from across the globe haunt India’s Himalayan ranges.

It is not just the ruggedness that is infatuating, but the celestial and humbling beauty of nature that swathe its hills and dales. Camp in the wild (animals won’t harm, till you harm them), cook food (like our ancestors did), let your hair down and dance the nights away (better if you volunteer to teach a localite some hip-shaking in exchange of the jungle jinga-la-la), and sleep under the blue sky (make a hole in your tent-roof to gaze at the stars!).....

MOST TREKKED ZONES

Garhwal Himalayas: Himalayas most beautiful slice is called the Garhwal. The Ganges, Nanda Devi sanctuary, the bewitching Valley of flowers, Hindu pilgrimage sites Badrinath and Kedarnath, there is an endless list that awaits the vision. The best part is the unpredictable weather and the changing terrain. Whether, impressed by the celestial beauty or because of the pilgrim interest, they call it ‘Dev Bhumi’ (abode of the gods). For treks in the higher regions go between April and November, while lower regions are best trekked between December and February. The snow-fall is awesome!!!

Kumaon Himalayas: The starting point of the rivers Pindar, Gori, Dhauli, E. And Kuti, form the main trekking and mountaineering regions. As you trek through the ardous track, you are more than reminded of the great hunter Jim Corbett (of ‘Man eaters of Kumaon’ fame). And if you have read his book, you sure will day-dream seeing him crawl with his gun for the man-eater. No more man-eaters, just unending excitement.

Ladakh: If trekking right upto the sky sounds exciting and higher the altitude, the better, than Ladakh -- between the Great Himalayan range and the Tibetan Plateau at 3000 m above the sea level, is just the zone for you.

Himachal: Four mountain ranges -- the Dhaula Dhar, Pir Panjal, Himalayas and Zanskar, alongwith a myriad local cultures, pristine valleys, deep gorges, plummeted orchards, meadows -- and what not, Himachal treks are the most enriching. There are about two dozen passes on the Dhauladhar, a dozen over the Pirpanjal range and 8-10 passes over the Great Himalayan range to cross over to the Zanskar valley.

Sikkim & Darjeeling: Mount Kanchenjunga is Sikkim and Darjeeling’s claim to fame besides the cultural potpourri of Bhutia, Lepacha and Tibetian races. Endless green tea gardens, an eclectic diaspora of flora and fauna, the quaint toy train (an World Heritage site), some of the most colorful Buddhist festivals, adventure sports --- your trekking tour has tango, more exciting than the humbling white peaks. Go there during April to May and October to November

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TADA - A good place for trekking

Tada falls or Ubbalamdugu Falls is in Tada mandal of Nellore district in India. It is situated on the border of Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. It is situated around 95 km from Chennai.

Its a good for teen age guys to enjoy a safe trekking and it is still a nice spot for trekking without the usual buzz of people and shops surrounding you.

The best time to visit Tada would be after the rainy season, which I feel would be sometime between December and February. (Remember it is the North East monsoon which brings rains to these parts of India.) Even a visit during the rainy season would be fun, but you would have to be extra careful during the trek as it will be slightly difficult to climb the rocks. e you have reached Basecamp 1 (the place where the cars are parked), the trek begins. (Believe me, it is called Base Camp). The total trek distance would be about 10kms to and fro with nearly 4kms in real rocky conditions. From here the mud road begins and if you are on SUV or two wheelers, you can go for another 1km. We stopped at Basecamp 1 and took out the stuff that we required to carry and set about on the trek at nearly 11am. And its really a good place trekking enjoyment

Masjid al-Haram-Saudi Arabia

Al-Masjid al-Haram pronounced "The Sacred Mosque", is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca, it surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims worldwide turn towards while performing daily prayers and is Islam's holiest place. The mosque is also known as the Grand Mosque. Expanding over an area in excess of 4,000,000 square metres within the city of Mecca, Masjid al-Haram was built in 638 AD and has the capacity to be able to accommodate up to 4,000,000 people.

The Haram was built in the 7th century and has been modified, rebuilt, and expanded on a regular basis ever since. Major expansions took place in the 1980s and further work is going on today. The beginnings of the Holy Mosque were established under Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab. The caliph ordered the demolition of houses surrounding the Kabba in order to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims, then built a 1.5-meter high wall to form an outdoor prayer area around the shrine. During the reign of Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan, the prayer area was enlarged and covered with a simple roof supported by wooden columns and arches.

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Sequoia National Park - California, USA

Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California, in the United States of America. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans 404,051 acres. Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly 13,000 feet, the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the contiguous 48 United States, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet above sea level. The park is south of and contiguous with Kings Canyon National Park; the two are administered by the National Park Service together.

The park is famous for its Giant Sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on Earth. The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five out of the ten largest trees in the world, in terms of wood volume. The Giant Forest is connected by the park's Generals Highway to Kings Canyon National Park's General Grant Grove, home to the General Grant tree among other sequoias. The park's Giant Sequoia forests are part of 202,430 acres of old-growth forests shared by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Indeed, the parks preserve a landscape that still resembles the southern Sierra Nevada before Euro-American settlement.

Glen Coe-Scotland

Glen Coe is a glen in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council, and was formerly part of the county of Argyll. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland, and is a part of the designated National Scenic Area of Ben Nevis and Glen Coe. The narrow glen shows a grim grandeur. The glen, approaching from the east on the main A82 road, is surrounded by wild and precipitous mountains. Further west at Invercoe, the landscape has a softer beauty before the main entrance to the glen. The main settlement is the village of Glencoe. In summer the centre offers mountain biking, archery, orienteering, hill-walking, climbing, chairlift rides, photography, trail building, guided walks and home cooked food in the log cabin cafe. In winter skiing, snowboarding, sledging and avalanche rescue training are available.

Glen Coe is a very popular tourist destination: partly because of its scenic qualities and historical associations, partly because it is on the main road north, and also because of its attraction for walkers and climbers. It is famous for the quality, and variety of its winter climbing, most of its routes being comparatively easy of access from the main road.

Many walkers come to Glen Coe on the West Highland Way following the old military "Wade road" over Rannoch Moor which crosses the River Etive at the Kings House Hotel. From there it is about 2 km to the head of the glen, then about 2 km into the glen the Way ascends the Devil's Staircase, a steep, boulder-strewn "cut" (352 m high) which is part of the old military road and drove road north across the hills to Kinlochleven.

Milford Sound-New Zealand

Milford Sound-Famously titled ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ by Rudyard Kipling, Milford Sound is a fjord on New Zealand’s South Island that is encompassed within the Fiordland National Park. Surrounded by mountainous areas that stand in excess of 1,200 feet above the Tasman Sea which flows through the sound, the area is known for its attractiveness to animals, with many different varieties of fish living in the water, as well as seals and dolphins.

Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. It has been judged the world's top travel destination in an international survey and is acclaimed as New Zealand's most famous tourist destination.

Sahara Desert-Africa

The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert. At over 9,400,000 square kilometres, it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The only larger desert in the world is Antarctica, classified as such because of very low precipitation rates. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, it is delimited by the Sahel, a belt of semi-arid tropical savanna that comprises the northern region of central and western Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Sahara covers parts of several African nations including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia. Most of the Sahara Desert is undeveloped and features a varied topography. Most of its landscape has been shaped over time by wind and includes sand dunes, sand seas called ergs, barren stone plateaus, gravel plains, dry valleys and salt flats. Around 25% of the desert is sand dunes, some of which reach over 500 ft (152 m) in height.

The Sahara has one of the harshest climates in the world. The prevailing north-easterly wind often causes sand storms and dust devils. When this wind reaches the Mediterranean, it is known as sirocco and often reaches hurricane speeds in North Africa and southern Europe. Half of the Sahara receives less than 20 mm of rain per year, and the rest receives up to 100 mm per year. The rainfall happens very rarely, but when it does it is usually torrential when it occurs after long dry periods.

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Meteora-Greece

The Metéora is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in central Greece. The nearest town is Kalambaka. The Metéora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

U.N.E.S.C.O has characterized the Holy Meteora as a "monument of Humanity that has to be maintained". They don't belong only to Greece but also to the entire world. The same is valid for the Mount Athos, the Mistra, the Holy Monastery of Saint Lucas etc. So, the monasteries of the Meteora are included in the Monuments of world cultural Heritage, because they are a unique harmonious matching of Byzantine architecture and natural beauty.

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Victoria Falls-Zambia/Zimbabwe

The Victoria Falls is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are the largest in the world. The Zambezi River is the river that flows over the Victoria Falls and with the highest point being over 360 feet tall.

The river's annual flood season is February to May with a peak in April. The spray from the falls typically rises to a height of over 400 metres, and sometimes even twice as high, and is visible from up to 50 km away.

During the flood season, however, it is impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist. Close to the edge of the cliff, spray shoots upward like inverted rain, especially at Zambia's Knife-Edge Bridge.

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Best tourism places in European countrries

With a myriad of tourist attractions and destinations that are all close together Europe is a great place to visit. Whether a tourist is looking for a romantic vacation, a Europe Cruise a family vacation, or just a quiet getaway Europe should be on everyone’s list of top travel spots. With something to do for everyone Europe stands out as one of the best travel destinations in the world.



There is a great deal of history to see all across Europe. The ancient ruins of Greece and Rome can be an exciting activity for the traveler wanting to learn about ancient history. Rome also has a great deal of religious significance as it houses the Vatican and several Christian cathedrals. The medieval castles and cathedrals of Spain, the United Kingdom, and many other countries are great for travelers looking to see monuments from the middle ages. Germany, France, and Poland offer great tourist attractions for someone looking to learn about World War I, World War II, or even the cold war. Ireland houses a rich culture, beautiful islands and landscapes, as well as several cathedrals and chapels. Some of the major cities on this diverse continent include London, Paris, Venice, Rome, Madrid, and Frankfurt.



A tour to Europe will always be one of the great vacations to take in your life.So take a tour to Europe , Book worldwide vacation rentals

Amazon Rainforest-South America

The Amazon rainforest, also known as Amazonia, is one of the world's greatest natural resources. Because its vegetation continuously recycles carbon dioxide into oxygen, it has been described as the "Lungs of our Planet". About 20% of earth's oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon rainforest gets its name from the Amazon River, the life force of the rainforest. The Amazon River begins in the Peruvian Andes, and winds its way east over the northern half of South America. It meets the Atlantic Ocean at Belem, Brazil.

Sixteen percent of all the world's river water flows through the Amazon delta. Twenty eight billion gallons of water flow into the Atlantic every minute, diluting the salinity of the ocean for more than 100 miles offshore. The Amazon rainforest watershed is home to the world's highest level of biodiversity.Amazonia receives about 9 feet of rain every year. Fifty percent of this returns to the atmosphere through the foliage of trees. Most of the Amazon River's water comes from the annual snowmelt high in the Peruvian Andes. Between June and October, the water level rises by 30 to 45 feet.

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Rome-Italy

Rome Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the European Union. Visitors come from around the world to see world-famous landmarks such as the Colosseum, the Forum and the Patheon. At Vatican City, visitors can visit St Peter's Cathedral and enjoy its fountains, statues and the beautiful church dome. At the Vatican Museum, you won't want to miss the masterpieces Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael or the Sistine Chapel.

Most would agree that any list entitled ‘Most Beautiful Places In The World’ would be incomplete without a mention of Italy’s capital city, Rome. The sheer amount of wonderful architecture and general history of the city cement Rome’s place on the list, with the likes of the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Piazza della Repubblica all being beautiful architectural delights.Rome is a city famous for its numerous fountains, built in all different styles, from Classical and Medieval, to Baroque and Neoclassical. The city has had fountains for more than two thousand years, and they have provided drinking water and decorated the piazzas of Rome.

Bali in Indonesia

Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island. There is a vast amount of things to see and do on Bali, such as climbing the volcanic Mount Agung, trying to spot one of the extremely rare Bali Starling birds or simply sitting back and enjoy life on this beautiful island.

The tourism industry is primarily focused in the south, while significant in the other parts of the island as well. The main tourist locations are the town of Kuta (with its beach), and its outer suburbs of Legian and Seminyak, the east coast town of Sanur, in the center of the island Ubud, to the south of the Ngurah Rai International Airport, Jimbaran, and the newer development of Nusa Dua and Pecatu.

Mount Everest- Nepal / China Border

Mount Everest, also known as Mount Chomolungma or Sagarmatha, is the world's highest mountain above the mean sea level at 8,848 metres (29,029 ft). It is located in the Himalayas on the Nepal-China border.

The highest mountain in the world attracts many well-experienced mountaineers as well as novice climbers who are willing to pay substantial sums to professional mountain guides to complete a successful climb. The mountain, while not posing substantial technical climbing difficulty on the standard route, still has many inherent dangers such as altitude sickness, weather, and wind.

Bora Bora in French Polynesia

One of the Society Island in the Pacific Ocean, Bora Bora is renowned today as one of the most luxuriously beautiful places in the world. Gaining popularity throughout and just after World War II, it is rumoured that a lot of the military personnel did leave Bora Bora after the war had ended as the island was so beautiful and relaxing.

The original name of the island in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora, meaning "First Born"; an early transcription found in 18th- and 19th-century accounts, is Bolabolla or Bollabolla. The island, located about 230 kilometres northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the center of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres.

Vatican City in Italy

Situated in the middle of Rome is the smallest official country in the world, Vatican City. Covering a mere 0.44 square kilometres, whilst Vatican City may be known to many because of its size, being home to the Pope and centre of the Catholic religion, it is the buildings that are encompassed within the country that are the reason for its inclusion within this list. Vatican City was established in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri, on behalf of the Holy See and by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini on behalf of the Kingdom of Italy.

The Pope is ex officio head of state of Vatican City, functions dependent on his primordial function as bishop of the diocese of Rome. The term Holy See refers not to the Vatican state but to the Pope's spiritual and pastoral governance, largely exercised through the Roman Curia. His official title with regard to Vatican City is Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City. The government of Vatican City has a unique structure. The Pope is the sovereign of the state. Legislative authority is vested in the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, a body of cardinals appointed by the Pope for five-year periods. Executive power is in the hands of the President of that commission, assisted by the General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary.

Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia

Malaysia, known as one of the most mellow, laid back countries in all of Southeast Asia, is also one of the most fascinating for travelers. Dynamic and wealthy, yet friendly and welcoming, it is an admirable melting pot of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavors and cultures - amid the stunning natural beauty of its island beaches, mountains and national parks.

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia in terms of population. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million.[6] It is the fastest growing metropolitan region in the country, in terms of population and economy.

Kuala Lumpur is the seat of the Parliament of Malaysia. The city was once home to the executive and judicial branches of the federal government, but they have since moved to Putrajaya starting in 1999. Some sections of the judiciary remain in the capital. The official residence of the Malaysian King, the Istana Negara, is also situated in Kuala Lumpur. Rated as an alpha world city, Kuala Lumpur is the cultural, financial and economic centre of Malaysia due to its position as the capital as well as being a primate city.

Sydney in Australia

Sydney is the largest and most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. One of the beautiful places in the world, Sydney is the economic powerhouse of Australia. The place is full of sun-drenched natural attractions, delicious and daring restaurants, dizzy skyscrapers, friendly folk and wonderful shopping, so most of the travel addicts want to visit the place.

The most well-known attractions include the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Other attractions include Royal Botanical Gardens, Luna Park, some 40 beaches and Sydney Tower. The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. In addition to representing Sydney, the opera house has also become a symbol for the country of Australia throughout the world. Harbour, the Sydney Opera House is truly an unforgettable sight. The original plan to build the opera house was put forth in 1950, and designed by John Utzon.

Times Square in New York city

Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. The extended Times Square area, also called the Theatre District, consists of the blocks between Sixth and Eighth Avenues from east to west, and West 40th and West 53rd Streets from south to north, making up the western part of the commercial area of Midtown Manhattan.

At the end of the 19th century, New York City had expanded up to 42nd street and the area was becoming the center of the city's social scene. In 1904, the New York Times built the Times Tower on 43rd street just off Broadway to replace the premises in Downtown. The square facing the building was called the Longacre square, but was soon renamed Times Square.

Theater District
At the start of the first World War, Times square was the center of the Theater district and attracted a large number of visitors. This made the square an ideal place for billboards. In 1917 the first large electric display billboard was installed. 11 Years later, the first running electric sign was let for the first time, to announce Herbert Hoover's victory in the Presidential elections.

Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest building in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named for its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair.The tower stands 324 metres tall.

Originally built for the 1889 World Fair, this structure was designed to incorporate the advancement of metallurgy in construction, meaning that an engineer could have a more fundamental role than the architect. In this case, Gustav Eiffel was both engineer and architect, and for 40 years it was the tallest building in the world. The metal latticework is the defining feature of the spire, made from very pure structural iron, so it is very light and able to withstand awesome winds. What is original about the tower is that you do not get the feeling of being in a building - the latticework allows you to look to other floors and at all views with little obstruction. The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres.The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in north-east Australia.One of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia is the world’s largest coral reef. It has the distinction of being placed in the World Heritage as well as the National Heritage lists.With more than 600 islands and coral cays, the reef covers more than 300,000 sq. km. Corals make up the reefs and cays and are responsible for a huge variety of sea life in the reef — green turtles, several varieties of whales and dolphins, the dugong, about 4000 types of mollusks, 1500 different species of fish, as well as beautifully colored bird life encompassing at least 200 species. The Great Reef Marine Park is a huge tourist attraction with millions of tourists visiting the area each year. Sporting activities include reef sailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling, amongst others.

The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. This reef supports a wide diversity of life, and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. CNN labeled it one of the seven natural wonders of the world.The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures on the reef and its ecosystem include runoff, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching, and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish.

Hogenakkal water Falls in Tamil Nadu

Hogenakkal Falls is the most attractive tourist destination of Tamil Nadu. Hogenakkal Falls is among the famous water falls on the Kaveri River. Situated in the Dharmapuri district of the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, this falls is often referred to as the “Niagara of India”. Settled amidst the Melagiri Hills, about 750 feet above the sea level the picturesque beauty of the entire place is really exciting, which helped it to become an attractive tourist destination of south India. Boating in the falls is by far the most adventurous experience during the visit to this place.

The Kaveri River is considered to form at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri hills in Kodagu district in Karnataka and gathers momentum as the land drops in elevation. It becomes larger as various tributaries feed into it on the way down. At Hogenakkal, the Kaveri, now a large river, drops and creates numerous waterfalls as the water cuts through the rocky terrain. In places the water falls as much as 20 m and is said to sound like continual thunder. Soon after the falls the river takes a Southerly course and enters the Mettur reservoir. The river carries sediment which makes the "down-river" land fertile.

Cape Town in South Africa

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa,and the largest in land area, forming part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. It is the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape, as well as the legislative capital of South Africa, where the National Parliament and many government offices are located. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is also Africa's most popular tourist destination.

Aptly called “Heaven on earth,” this beautiful town at the tip of the African continent, with small roads surrounded by huge mountains, makes a person feel small; showing how marvelous and dominating nature can actually be.The Cape Dutch style buildings depict the architectural heritage of the place. Beauty abounds in the black clouds that seem to pay homage to Table Mountain at all times. Cape Point, Signal Hill, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Robben Island, Rhodes Memorial, and the beaches are some of the famous tourist attractions. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town is famous for its natural floral kingdom as well as its harbor. This town is one of the most popular tourist attractions of South Africa with its wine tasting day trips, whale watching, and dolphin watching.

Mount Fuji in Japan

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft). Mount Fuji lies about 100 kilometres (60 miles) south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers. It is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku. Mount Fuji is an attractive volcanic cone and a frequent subject of Japanese art. Among the most renowned works are Hokusai's 36 Views of Mount Fuji and his One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is a distinctive feature of the geography of Japan. It stands 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft) high and is located near the Pacific coast of central Honshu, just west of Tokyo.

The Iguazu Waterfalls--Argentina-Brazil Border

Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian State of Paraná and the Argentine Province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River starts at the city of Curitiba and runs for the most part of the course in Brazil and at the end at the border of Brazil and Argentina.Heralded as the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, the Iguazu Waterfalls are a true wonder of nature. Most visitors reach the falls from the Argentine side through the city of Puerto Iguazú. Brazil and Paraguay require citizens of some countries entering from Argentina to obtain visas, which is time-consuming. They are located at the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. While the Argentinean side allows visitors to walk right around the water or explore the National Park, the Brazilian side is known for its panoramic views and splendor.First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is believed to have exclaimed upon seeing these falls, “poor Niagara.” The area surrounding the falls provides ample opportunities for rock climbing as well as water sports. Iguazu has the distinction of having a greater annual flow than any other waterfall in the world. The only way to decide on the places to visit is to follow your heart. While some may love the tranquility of water, others may bury themselves deep in architectural miracles, ancient sites, or the serenity of a small town.

San Antonio River Walk in Texas

The Riverwalk is one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Texas and the greater San Antonio area has a world of fun and exciting things to do and see. The San Antonio River Walk is a network of walkways around the San Antonio River, linking several major attractions one story beneath downtown San Antonio, Texas. Lined by bars, shops and restaurants. The River Walk proclaims itself the “Number One entertainment destination in Texas,” with 5.1 million visitors a year.

The River Walk is an enormously successful special-case pedestrian street, one level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist draws from the Alamo to Rivercenter mall, to the Arneson River Theatre close to La Villita, to HemisFair Park, to the Tower Life Building, to the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Pearl Brewery. During the annual springtime Fiesta San Antonio, the River Parade features flowery floats that literally float.

Manhattan in New York

Manhattan is one of the most popular tourist destinations of New York City. Located primarily on Manhattan Island at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York. The borough and county consist of Manhattan Island and several small adjacent islands: Roosevelt Island, Randall's Island, Wards Island, Governors Island, Liberty Island, part of Ellis Island, and U Thant Island; as well as Marble Hill, a small section on the mainland adjacent to the Bronx. The original city of New York began at the southern end of Manhattan, expanded northwards and then, between 1874 and 1898, incorporated land from surrounding counties

The Grand Canyon in United States

A steep gorge by the Colorado River, Arizona in the United States, the Grand Canyon has some truly enjoyable scenery. It is 277 miles in length, 4 to 18 miles in width, and about a mile deep. Scientists believe that the canyon was created by the Colorado River over a six million year period. Native Americans built settlements in the caves within the canyon before the emigration of Europeans. It was also considered to be a site of pilgrimage by the Pueblo people. The first recorded visit to the Grand Canyon by the Europeans was in 1869.


Although it is not the deepest canyon in the world, it is known for its extremely large size and beautifully intricate landscape. The Grand Canyon National Park is said to be one of the first national parks in the United States and it attracts more than five million visitors a year. Weather conditions in the Grand Canyon vary greatly between seasons as well as varying at different elevations. While winter snow is experienced by the higher forested rims, the inner gorge has a desert temperature because of the low elevation.

Canadian Rockies in Canada

Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA. They are a visitor’s wonderland and the playground for western Canada. They are older than the American Rockies and are formed from over thrusting. Canadian Rockies house five national parks, and four of those national parks combine to form a single UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of beautiful mountain landscapes, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, glaciers, peaks, limestone caves, and fossils. Mount Robson is the highest peak of the Canadian Rockies and climbing it is considered a challenge. These beautiful mountains are a haven for hikers and walkers alike.