Though travel is not an option for many around the world right now, geocachers around the globe have become “World Explorers” by finding geocaches with different Wonders of the World. Last October we shared a list of actual geocaches placed at the modern Wonders of the World. Now that we have two new sets of wonders, we also have a new list of actual geocaches placed at the Natural Wonders of the World. With the chance to make a find and see some of the most breathtaking natural spaces on our planet, these caches are definitely worth adding to your geocaching bucket list.
The Wonder: Aurora Polaris
The Cache: Bønntuva, GC900BB
The polar lights are created in the upper atmosphere at both the North and South poles when solar winds collide with the Earth’s atmosphere. This creates a magical phenomenon of colored lights dancing across the sky. This geocache is located in Tromsø, Norway which is in the middle of the zone for the polar lights and is one of the best places in the world to observe the aurora. With the city’s high latitude, it is continually light during late spring and summer and no aurora is visible between late April and mid-August.
The Wonder: Guanabara Bay
The Cache: Baía da Guanabara, GC5HQHG
Created by thousands of years of erosion, Rio de Janiero’s Guanabara Bay hosts a rich and diverse ecosystem with over 130 islands. Geocachers can find this geocache, as well as one of the best views of the bay, on Urca Hill near the western tip of the bay.
The Wonder: Mount Everest
The Cache: Mount Everest – Base Camp, GC79EHT
At over 8,800 meters (29,900 feet) Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world from mean sea level, but don’t worry, you don’t have to reach the summit in order to find this EarthCache. Cachers can find all the information needed to log this EarthCache at the base camp for the mountain which reaches 5,364 (17,597 feet) meters in height.
The Wonder: Parícutin Volcano
The Cache: UCM PARICUTIN, GC47E36
Parícutin Volcano is located in west-central Mexico and first erupted in 1943, making it one of the youngest volcanoes on Earth. The volcano is now dormant and geocachers can safely visit the location to marvel at this Natural Wonder and to find the Traditional Cache hidden there. The cache is very near the top of the volcano and only two geocachers have made the find so far.
The Wonder: Great Barrier Reef
The Cache: Green Island, GC69VG4
The largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Australia. It is one of the ocean’s richest habitats and is home to 1,500 species of fish, and 411 types of coral. Green Island, just a ferry ride away from the coastal city of Cairns, is right in the middle of the reef and offers visitors a chance to see some of this Natural Wonder, and to log this EarthCache.
The Wonder: Victoria Falls
The Cache: Victoria Falls, Zambia, GCGZZ6
Victoria Falls is located on the Zambezi River in southern Africa on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. During the rainy season, the falls drop over 500,000,000 liters (17,000,000 ft³) of water per minute into the river bed below. A rain coat might come in handy for finding this Virtual, so you don’t get drenched by the spray from the waterfall.
The Wonder: Grand Canyon
The Cache: Geology of the Grand Canyon, GC6GVQZ
The Grand Canyon is located in Arizona, in the southwest part of the United States. The Colorado River has carved its depth over the last five to six million years and the result is a Natural Wonder of awe-inspiring beauty. Cachers will appreciate the majesty of the natural landmark as they answer the questions to log this Earthcache and learn about the incredible geology of the Grand Canyon.
Have you visited any of the Natural Wonders of the World? Which ones? Which one are you adding to your bucket list? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to keep finding geocaches to earn the Ultimate Explorer souvenir!
Source: Geocaching