Extreme ecotourism – 7 rocky and salty wonders of the world

Sometimes these amazing, mysterious and strange natural formations are quite difficult to get to, but if you really want to see the most unusual places on the planet, then it is worth making an effort. Some, such as the Giant Road in Ireland, are accessible to even the least adventurous ecotourists, while others require a long walk through the desert.
We offer to get acquainted with the most interesting places of the planet from the USA to China, where rocks and salt deposits created a real natural miracle.

Giants Road, Northern Ireland It seems like this valley was created by human hands, doesn’t it? The Giant Road in Ireland is an exceptionally natural phenomenon, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. Liquid basalt, which has increased fluidity, about 50-60 million years ago formed a huge plateau of lava, and after cooling it pulled like dried mud. As a result, cracks appeared, which created structures similar to columns. Local legend, of course, says otherwise, that this valley was part of the path through the North Strait and gave the giants the opportunity to meet, where the name of this place came from. The Giant Road is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, being a world heritage site and the most popular tourist attraction of this country.

Sliding Stones, Death Valley, California, USA These stones seem to be alive, as they mysteriously travel across the surface of the dried-up Lake Raistrac Playa, located in Death Valley National Park in the United States. They leave a trace on the ground without any intervention from humans or animals, and a reliable cause of this phenomenon has not been found. The stones move every two or three years, sometimes turning over and, judging by the trail, passing a distance of hundreds of meters. It is believed that they are pushed by a strong and constant wind, carrying through a thin surface layer of saturated clay, but no one saw them in the process of movement with their own eyes. It is best to go on your own to the harsh Death Valley to test your courage and endurance.

Stone Forest, China In China’s Shilin Stone Forest, rocky limestone columns rise to dizzying heights. Many of these formations even resemble fossilized trees, where the name of the place came from. The formations appeared as a result of limestone leaching. It is believed that the stones are more than 270 million years old, and they cover an area of about 40 thousand hectares. In addition to the above-ground stone forest, there are also underground rock formations in the cave, occupying about 300 hectares.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia The largest salt marsh in the world with an area of as much as 10.5 thousand square kilometers can be seen in southwestern Bolivia, near the mountain range of the Andes. It is located at an altitude of 3600 meters above sea level and is a whole layer of salt, reaching up to 3 meters in thickness, on a salt lake containing 50-70% of the world's lithium reserves. Due to the unusual plane and uniform whiteness of this surreal place, you can create interesting photos with optical illusions. While the salt marsh is almost completely devoid of wild life and vegetation, there are several islands on its territory that harbor giant cacti, Andean foxes and rabbit-like viscaches. In addition, three species of South American pink flamingos breed here every November. On the islands you can find fragile structures similar to corals. On the territory of the Uyuni salt marsh, there are no other ground landmarks except heaps of salt.

Valley of Witch Tubes, Turkey The stone formations, aptly named “witch trumpets,” are located in Cappadocia, Turkey, and are actually soft volcanic deposits formed by volcanic eruptions 3 to 9 million years ago. The resulting columns and minarets-like formations often have something like hats, making them resemble mushrooms or fabulous towers. Because of the softness of the stone, the locals for many centuries cut down houses, churches and other structures in this extremely unusual, alien-like landscape.

Lunar Valley, Argentina Perhaps the strangest and most majestic structures of natural stone can be found in the Argentine Lunar Valley, which has the official name of the Provincial Park Icigualasto. The valley covers about 62 thousand hectares, and it looks like the surface of an alien planet, where the landscape has not changed since the time when dinosaurs roamed it millions of years ago. It is not easy to get there, and you can only get to the park under the supervision of a guide. At the gate every day lined up a lot of cars, which rangers with tourists go on a journey through the amazing desert area, dotted with red stones, as if from Mars. Among the most notable rock formations are a valley with perfectly round stones carved by the wind for thousands of years, as well as a natural sphinx and a mushroom-like tower.

Bryce Canyon, Utah, USA One of the most spectacular and beautiful places in America is the Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, where you can see many huge natural amphitheaters made of geological rocks called the “Aeolian pillar”. The structures formed as a result of erosion shimmer with the brightest shades of orange, yellow and red. Despite its beauty and scale (it covers almost 14.5 thousand hectares), Bryce Canyon has not gained the popularity of other nearby national parks, which is largely due to its remote location. During the picturesque route, there are 13 observation points where you can admire the huge amphitheaters, and during the transitions along the hiking trails you can get acquainted with this splendor closely.



Source: facepla.net