From outer space, our planet looks like one beautiful giant blue and brown ball – not the overpolluted place we inhabit. Unfortunately not all of us will get the opportunity to view the planet with the naked eye. Nevertheless, it is possible for you to get into the stratosphere and feast your eyes on the beauty of these places below. Here is a selection of 20 of the best views from the sky.
1. Palm Jumeirah artificial island, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Image by Carter S
Launched in 2007, the Palm Jumeriah, located on the Dubai coastline, is a real beauty to watch from the sky. The 5.72-hectare island, the world largest man made island, is shaped like a palm tree with a 2 km trunk and 17 palm leaves. A bird’s eye view of the island allows you to see the surreal paradise it is.
2. Bungle Bungle Range, Purnululu National Park,Western Australia
Image by yewenyi
In Purnululu National Park, Western Australia, biological processes have, over a period of 20 millions years, been carving beehive-shaped cone towers out of sandstone known as the Bungle Bungle Range. From the sky, the red shaped stones are an unparalleled work of art.
3. Mount Everest, Himalayas, Nepal
Photo by Michael Foley Photography
At 8, 848m, Mount Everest is not only the highest mountain in the world but also one of the most beautfiful ranges in the world. If you can’t do what Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay achieved in 1953, then an aeroplane flight over the mountain is a great way to see the snow-capped mountain range.
4. Cape Town, South Africa
Image from Legend Tours
Everyone who has flown over the Mother City knows how stunning the city is from the sky. The coastline, Table Mountain and the buildings all merge into one breath-taking sight. (Cape Town Time-Morph panorama :1884-2013)
Book a place to stay in Cape Town.
5. Panorama Route, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Image by Karmor
Stashed away near the R532, Panorama Route is forged from scenic creations such as the third largest canyon in the world, Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, the Three Rondavels and Bourke’s Luck . A view of the area from the sky allows you to see the lush green areas, deep chasms and two rivers meeting (Treur and Blyde River).
Book accommodation on the Panorama Route.
6. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia
Photo by Charles Haynes
There’s nothing more captivating as watching the rainbow as it sinks into the 110 m deep Victoria Falls. An aerial views of the sky shrinks the 1,700m wide waterfall into one beautiful water mass.
Book a stay near Victoria Falls.
7. Garden Route, South Africa
Image from Africa Travel Concept
From the adventure-filled town of George to the semi arid Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo, is the Garden Route, one of the most scenic areas in South Africa. Situated at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean, the lush green zone is surrounded by beautiful mountains and scenic indigenous forests with rivers flowing between it. From the sky, the Garden Route appears as one large garden lined with a beautiful coastline.
Book accommodation on the Garden Route.
8. Okavango Delta, Botswana
Image by justin
On the ground, Okavango Delta is brimming with wildlife, adventure and flora. From the stratosphere, it is easy to appreciate the tranquility and spectacular views offered by this area.
9. Namib- Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Image by gorbulas_sandybanks
The Namib Desert, believed to be over 55 million years old, may be one of the most inhospitable and sparsely populated areas in the world but it offers a great view from the sky.
10. Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Image by kjetil.mbergem
Three million years ago, a volcano collapsed in what is now known as the west of Arusha, Tanzania. This culminated in the formation of a 30000-hectare caldera called the Ngorongoro Crater. With Lake Mogadi flowing through it and a variety of wildlife, the crater is always a wonder to watch from the sky.
11. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Serengeti great migration. Image by Getaway.
Home to wildebeest, zebra and leopard, the 300 000-hectare Serengeti, located north of Tanzania and south west of Kenya is one of the most fascinating ecosystems in the world. Between July and October, over two million animals migrate from the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya in a phenomenon known as The Great Migration. Watching these animals galloping across the plains is a fantastic experience.
Check out a few ways to have an adventure in the Serengeti here.
12. Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Image by Martin Heigan
An aerial view of Golden Gate Highlands National Park near Clarens allows you to see the 11 600-hectare of beautiful veld, amazing geology and animals such as zebra and wilderbeest fused together. You can watch the golden sandtone with bearded vulture in the Eastern Free State skies.
Book a stay at Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
13. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Image by kyle miljof
This list wouldn’t be complete without including Africa’s tallest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro. At 5,895 metres, Kili’s head is stuck between the clouds, and the snow at the top of the mountain is a wonderful sight to behold.
Take an adventure to climb Kilimanjaro here.
14. Addo Elephant National Park
Photo by Scott Ramsay
Home to five of South African biomes: Nama Karoo, fynbos, Albany thicket, forest and Indian Ocean coastal belt, Addo Elephant National Park covers an area of 180 000 hectares. What makes flying over the park exciting is spotting the buffalo, spotted hyena and the 650 elephants (2,8 elephants every square kilometre) that roam between the spekboom.
15. Quilalea Private Island
Image from Mozambique Islands
Mozambique is home to a group of islands but the Quilalea Private Island, just north-east of Mocambique stands out. The 35-hectare island is surrounded by the warm Indian Ocean and has five five beaches. From the sky, the island is a green spot trapped in deep blue waters.
16. Terraced rice fields in Central Madagascar
Photo from dupont.com
To deal with the rapid population growth, the Madagasacan government created terraced rice fields in the heart of the country. Little did they know that this project would provide a spectacular aerial view.
17. Poivre Island, Seychelles
Photo by poivreseychelles
Everyone who has been to Seychelles can attest that the chains of islands is simply gorgeous. However, the 110-hectare Poivre Island and its evergreen vegetation takes the top spot when it comes to aerial views.
18. Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa
Image from artpublishers.co.za
If you’re too lazy to climb the Drakensberg mountains, then a view from the sky is the best way to see the 3,482 -high mountain range. The green vegetation between the golden sandstones is amazing to watch especially during winter snows.
19. Moshav Nahalal, Israel
Photo from P2p Foundation
Architect Richard Kauffmann’s circular design of Nahalal makes the Moshav (co-operative settlement) a unique and spectacular view from the sky.
20. Augrabies Falls National Park, South Africa
Image by Scott Ramsay
The sheer intensity with which the Orange River flows through the Augrabies Falls is breathtaking. From the sky, you can smell the water as it pierces through the 60-metre into a 240-metre gorge.
Book a stay near Augrabies Falls
Main image by Michael Foley Photography
