What are the seven wonders of the world?

Imagine a cave so enormous that it has its own weather system. Welcome to Son Doong, the largest cave in the world and one of the most popular natural wonders of the world. Located in Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park in Vietnam, it is equally breathtaking as it is mysterious.

Inside the massive underground world, rare plants flourish and unique monkeys reside among colossal stalagmites and stalactites. Cloud formations pierced by light streaks linger inside the cave’s countless chambers, some reaching a staggering 200 meters high. Getting inside is not easy, however. With a year-long waitlist, the cave is explored by just a few tourists per year as part of a 5-day expedition offered by Oxalis Adventure, the only company with rights to tour the underground world.

Among the seven wonders of the world is a place created by something literally outside of our world. Barringer Meteorite Crater, over 1,000 meters in diameter, is where a 50 meter-wide asteroid crashed into Earth some 50,000 years ago. Located a couple of hours east of the Grand Canyon in the northern Arizona desert, the crater is truly an astonishing sight to behold as time seems to have frozen, painting history before our eyes. Although hiking into the crater is not permitted, tourists can view the crater from the rim with an $18 ticket, which includes museum admission and access to an observation deck.

As early as the 7th century BCE in China, a series of separate walls were erected by numerous empires and states with the purpose of fortifying security against enemies. The Great Wall of China as we know it today is the emergence of these series of walls, birthing one of the new seven wonders of the world.

It is one of the largest building construction projects ever undertaken in history. With some parts of the wall reaching 14 meters high, the Great Wall of China stretches over 21,000 kilometres long along the northern border of China. The two most popular parts of the Great Wall to visit are Badaling and Mutianyu, both located about 70 kilometres north of Beijing’s city centre. Tours are offered for roughly $30, including tour guides and minibus transportation.

Nestled along the Yamuna River in Agra, India, the Taj Mahal looks like heaven on earth. With construction costing the equivalent of nearly $1 billion, the 17th-century, ivory-marbled architectural wonder boasts styles from Turkish, Persian, Islamic, and Indian influences.

More moving than the remarkable building itself, however, is the famous tale of love connected to it. One of the most iconic ancient wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal was built by Emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The emperor’s tomb is also housed in the heart of the 42-acre complex. Foreign tourists can visit the man-made wonder with a $15 ticket, which mandates a 3-hour visitation time limit to address overcrowding issues.

Vibrant colours painting the night sky canvas caused by cosmic particles entering earth’s atmosphere have been famously referred to as Northern Lights, undoubtedly one of the most sensational natural wonders of the world. This cosmic light show can be viewed from numerous locations in the world, including Alaska, Canada, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, and some parts of Russia. The higher the latitude, the more likely you will see them dazzling the clear, dark skies.

The Nepalese refer to Mount Everest as the Goddess of the Sky while the Tibetans named it the Mother of the World. It is arguably one of the most popular natural wonders of the world. Peaking at 8,803 meters, Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth.

Summiting the iconic mountain is one of mankind’s greatest feats. To do so not only requires physical ability but also financial sacrifices: the costs of permits, hiring guides, survival equipment, food, and other fees total from $30,000 to $100,000. The majority of climbers start their journey from Nepal’s side and spend a few weeks acclimating to the altitude at Everest Base Camp until Everest’s climbing season begins, which usually lasts for a few weeks in May.

The Lost Incan City closes out our list of the seven wonders of the world. A mesmerizing time capsule back to the peak of the Incan Empire during the mid-15th century, Machu Picchu is an archaeological citadel renowned for its unique dry-stone architecture, astrological alignments, and panoramic views of the Peruvian Andes. It is a testament to the advanced and forward-thinking progress of a past civilization. The ancient ruins are open year-round for tours. To visit, you can take the 3.5-hour scenic train ride from the nearby city of Cusco to Machu Picchu. The other and most famous way to reach the man-made wonder is by hiking along the Incan Trail.