The Most Alien Landscapes on Earth (Pics)

[accadacca]

1. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
The largest salt flat in the world reflects the sky during the wet season (above). In the dry winter months, it becomes a mosaic of salt tiles (below).
Photographer: Luca Galuzzi


Photographer: Sergio Pessolano


2. Antarctica
Icebergs drift in dark Antarctic waters.
Photographer: winkyintheuk


3. The Richat Structure, near Ouadane, Mauritania
A circular feature, 50 km across, in the middle of the otherwise featureless Mauritanian Sahara. Picture courtesy of NASA.
Photographer: trodel_wiki


4. Alvord Playa, southeastern Oregon, USA
You might not expect to find a desert in the Pacific Northwest, but this dry lake bed averages only 180 mm of rain a year.
Photographer: rasone


5. Cappadocia, Turkey
Fairy chimneys dominate the landscape between Cavusin and Zelve.
Photographer: Timothy Neesam


6. Socotra Island, Yemen
Socotra’s isolation in the Indian Ocean has given rise to plant life you won’t see anywhere else. Behold the dragon’s blood tree.
Photographer: Sotti


7. Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
Best known as the staging grounds for Burning Man, the Black Rock Desert is also home to alien features such as the Fly Geyser.
Photographer: Stephen Oachs


8. Black and White Deserts, Egypt
Egypt’s deserts come in many colors, including Black (above) and White (below).
Photographer: Gekko82


Photographer: tronics


9. Kauai, Hawaii
Seaside lava ledges make for otherworldly experiences on this often-overlooked Hawaiian island.
Photographer: PatrickSmithPhotography


10. Namib Desert, Namibia
Sand rarely gets as red as it does in the deserts of Namibia.
Photographer: Brian Preen


11. Torres del Paine, Chile
The most alien of the 8 Natural Wonders of Chile, Torres del Paine’s mountain spires cut into the blue sky.
Photographer: winkyintheuk


12. Dead Sea, Israel/Jordan
Lowest point on Earth, deepest salt lake in the world, saltier than the ocean…the list of the Dead Sea’s bizarreness is a long one.
Photographer: Pennina Neumann


13. Strokkur Geyser, southwestern Iceland
Visitors to the Strokkur Geyser are rewarded with this display every five minutes or so.
Photographer: exfordy


14. Lake Turkana, Kenya
Lake Turkana lies in Africa’s Great Rift Valley. Its salty waters comprise the world’s largest desert lake.
Photographer: Yannick Garcin


15. Four Corners region, USA
The Colorado Plateau gets funky at the Arizona-Utah border. That’s where you’ll find Vermilion Cliffs National Monument (above) and Monument Valley (below).
Photographer: gregmote


Photographer: Wolfgang Staudt


16. Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines
Over 1,700 naturally formed mounds (covered with chocolate brown grass in the dry season) dot the center of the island of Bohol.
Photographer: Lemuel Montejo


17. The Sahara
The world’s largest hot desert is as big as the entire U.S. Get stranded out here and you’ll wish you really were on an alien world.
Photographer: Jay Brezinsky


“Tunisian Sahara: Desert Stop!”
Photographer: andzer


Source: http://matadornetwork.com/trips/phot...arth?all_pages

[DiscGo]

Cool post. It makes me want to travel more.

[PolarXJ]

Definitely some cool places.

[Sombeech]

I'm surprised Goblin Valley didn't make the list.

[StudChild]

I'm surprised Goblin Valley didn't make the list.

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