World Heritage Sites

Timbuktu , Mali

Site: Timbuktu

Location: Mali

Category: Cultural

Reason: Timbuktu was a thriving center of scholarship instrumental to the spread of Islam in Africa. It retains three notable mosques and one of the world’s great collections of ancient manuscripts.

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This West African city—long synonymous with the uttermost end of the Earth—was added to the World Heritage List in 1988, many centuries after its apex.

Timbuktu was a center of Islamic scholarship under several African empires, home to a 25,000-student university and other madrasahs that served as wellsprings for the spread of Islam throughout Africa from the 13th to 16th centuries. Sacred Muslim texts, in bound editions, were carried great distances to Timbuktu for the use of eminent scholars from Cairo, Baghdad, Persia, and elsewhere who were in residence at the city. The great teachings of Islam, from astronomy and mathematics to medicine and law, were collected and produced here in several hundred thousand manuscripts. Many of them remain, though in precarious condition, to form a priceless written record of African history.

Now a shadow of its former glory, Timbuktu strikes most travelers as humble and perhaps a bit run down.

But the city’s former status as an Islamic oasis is echoed in its three great mud-and-timber mosques: Djingareyber, Sankore, and Sidi Yahia, which recall Timbuktu's golden age. These 14th- and 15th-century places of worship were also the homes of Islamic scholars known as the Ambassadors of Peace.

Most of Timbuktu’s priceless manuscripts are in private hands, where they’ve been hidden for long years, and some have vanished into the black market in a trade that threatens to take with it part of Timbuktu’s soul. There is hope that libraries and cultural centers can be established to preserve the precious collection and become a source of tourist revenue. Some fledgling efforts toward this end are now under way.

Religion wasn’t the city’s only industry. Timbuktu sits near the Niger River, where North African’s savannas disappear into the sands of the Sahara, and part of its romantic image is that of a camel caravan trade route. This characterization had roots in reality and in fact continues to the present in much reduced form. Salt from the desert had great value and, along with other caravan goods, enriched the city in its heyday. It was these profitable caravans, in fact, that first brought scholars to congregate at the site.

In the 16th century Moroccan invaders began to drive scholars out, and trade routes slowly shifted to the coasts. The city’s importance and prestige waned and scholars drifted elsewhere. French colonization at the close of the 19th century dealt another serious blow to the former glories of Timbuktu.

Things in Timbuktu deteriorated to the point that, though recognized as a World Heritage site only a few years before, it was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1990. But with major improvements to the preservation of the three ancient mosques Timbuktu earned its way off that list in 2005.

Timbuktu struggles to draw tourist revenue and develop tourism in a way that preserves the past—new construction near the mosques has prompted the World Heritage Committee to keep the site under close surveillance. Perched as it is on the edge of the Sahara, relentless encroachment of the desert sands is also a threat to Timbuktu.

How to Get There

The name Timbuktu has come to symbolize back-of-beyond remoteness, and even in this day and age it’s not an easy place to reach. The drive from Mali’s capital, Bamako, takes 20 hours and much of it is off-road. But a new airport has eased the travel considerably. Several weekly flights now operate to and from Bamako.

When to Visit

As you’d expect, temperatures can get quite high in this Saharan outpost. April to June is a very hot time, as is September and October. Those planning to reach Timbuktu by public boat service should keep in mind that water is usually only navigable between late July and late November.

How to Visit

After wandering the streets of Timbuktu, consider a desert tour for a taste of the vast, empty lands that made Timbuktu synonymous with the world’s most exotic and isolated destinations.

The Great Wall, China

Site: The Great Wall

Location: China

Category: Cultural

Reason for Designation: China’s Great Wall is one of the world’s great feats of engineering and an enduring monument to the strength of an ancient civilization.

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China’s iconic Great Wall, actually a network of fortifications rather than a single structure, is the product of countless labors over a period of some two thousand years. Qin Shi Huang took the remnants of truly ancient fortifications, walls, and earthworks begun in the fifth century B.C. and linked them into a unified wall circa 220 B.C. as part of a massive project to protect China against marauding barbarians from the north.

By the time construction on most of the stone-and-brick Great Wall, with its turrets and watchtowers, was completed during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) the chang cheng had become the world’s largest human-made object.

A recent government mapping project revealed that the entire Great Wall structure spans some 5,500 miles (8,850 kilometers) from the Korean border west into the Gobi desert. Of that total 3,889 miles (6,259 kilometers) were actual wall, while 223 miles (359 kilometers) were trenches and (1,387 miles) 2,232 kilometers were natural defensive barriers, like rivers or steep hills, incorporated into the system.

Though new sections of the wall have recently been uncovered, several sections of the structure have vanished during the past half century or so. Mao Zedong himself encouraged destruction of parts of the wall and reuse of its materials in the 1950s, and rural farmers still make use of the wall’s earth and stone for practical purposes.

Some 50 percent of the original ancient structure has already disappeared, and perhaps another 30 percent lies crumbling into ruins—even as Chinese and international organizations struggle to preserve what remains of this unique treasure.

How to Get There

Most tourists explore the wall from Beijing. The most popular section (Badaling) is 42 miles (70 kilometers) from the city. This section boasts impressive views, and with crowds come all the modern trappings of development. Those seeking less popular or unrestored sections of the wall have many suitable choices within easy driving distance of Beijing.

When to Go

The wall has endured centuries of seasons and remains ready to host visitors year round. The Beijing region has icy winters, but the hardy will find far fewer crowds than during the peak summer seasons. Autumn is often delightful near Beijing with mild weather (43° to 64°F/6° to 18°C) and reduced tourist crowds. Wind and dust can be common in springtime. China is a nation of festivals, so consider timing a visit to coincide with a celebration in the shadows of the wall.

How to Visit

As is appropriate for a monument so massive, there are many ways to visit the wall. Some visitors aspire to admire the views from popular tourist sections, pose for pictures, walk the wall, and take advantage of amenities from restaurants and shops to cable car rides. Others choose to explore rugged sections of the structure on extended hikes and climbs of unrestored “wild wall” sections, though these can be dangerous and are often located in rural areas well off the typical tourist path.

Mountain Railways, India

Site: Mountain Railways of India

Location: India

Category: Cultural

Reason: India’s scenic mountain railways are marvelous triumphs of engineering that have provided essential infrastructure for socio-economic advancement in isolated rural areas.

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The British colonization of India left behind at least one institution that’s still maintained and cherished to this very day—a sprawling railway system. Though tracks span the length and breadth of the subcontinent, no part of the system is more impressive than the three mountain railways grouped as a single World Heritage site: the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and the Kalka Shimla Railway.

These lines offer riders an unmatched travel adventure in rugged mountainous terrain and stand the test of time as outstanding feats of engineering. Perhaps their most important role, however, was as socio-economic lifelines for isolated communities in this mountainous region. The railways helped to link rural people together as part of a rapidly modernizing India.

The small-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway—often called the "toy train" for its diminutive size—opened in 1881. The engineering project that established this rail line was nothing short of monumental. The original 51-mile (82-kilometer) run climbed from 400 feet (120 meters) at Siliguri to some 7,407 feet (2,257 meters) at Ghum. The serpentine track employed an endless series of switchbacks, loops, hairpin turns, tunnels, and bridges to gain serious altitude at a sustainable grade.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway spans 29 miles (46 kilometers) of mountainous terrain in Tamil Nadu state. Unlike the Himalayan railroads to the north, this steam-driven line climbs through southern jungles, rising toward its terminus at Udhagamandalam. In this hill station, once called Ootycamund or “Ooty,” British administrators sought relief from the heat.

The Nilgiri line was proposed in 1854 but regional topography was so daunting that work did not begin until 1891. It lasted nearly two decades before the line opened in 1908. The single-track line climbs toward the clouds from 1,070 feet (326 meters) to 7,228 feet (2,203 meters)—an incredible achievement a century ago and no less one today.

The narrow-gauge Kalka Shimla Railway, which runs some 60 miles (96 kilometers) and climbs some 4,659 feet (1,420 meters), was designed and executed during the late-19th century so that India’s foreign rulers could more easily escape the heat at the Raj’s summer capital—the hill station of Shimla.

The line delves through 102 tunnels, the largest of which is 3,750 feet (1,143 meters) long. It also crosses 864 bridges, many of which are viaducts with several levels of arched galleries reminiscent of ancient Rome’s aqueducts.

These railways are a historic holy trinity for train aficionados, but they are more than dusty relics of an empire. All three are still fully operational today, and a ride on any of them reveals the incredible engineering achievements that brought rail service to these rugged locales.

The railways face intermittent problems due to political unrest in some regions. They are also at the mercy of seasonal storms, which can wash out tracks (and roads) and necessitate extensive repairs. Maintenance of these treasures can be difficult and expensive, but their high appeal to tourists helps to keep them running.

How to Get There

The lower stations of these mountain railways are accessible by conventional Indian rail lines or by bus/automobile.

When to Visit

Potential riders should be wary of weather-related closings, including high snowfall in the northern mountains and rainy season washouts.

How to Visit

These train trips epitomize the old saying about the journey being as memorable as the destination. There are intriguing stops along each of these lines, leaving it up to the traveler to decide how long to linger en route. For those interested in seeing each line as a continuous ride there’s nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the scenery.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Site: Great Barrier Reef

Location: Australia

Category: Natural

Reason for Designation: This sprawling coral reef system is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet.

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You can spend a lifetime exploring the Great Barrier Reef and still not see all of this colorful coral realm—it’s nearly the size of Montana. Sprawling off the east coast of Queensland, Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is not a single reef but a group of more than 2,800 distinct entities. It stretches over 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) north to south and covers some 135,000 square miles (350,000 square kilometers) in total.

The reef system is the largest structure on Earth built by living organisms, tiny hard corals that are no bigger than a fingernail. When corals die in countless numbers their limestone-secreted skeletons build upon one another to form the bedrock of the reef. The magnificent structures we see today were produced by a slow process played out over millions of years. Reefs grow only about half an inch (1.3 centimeters) a year.

Some 2,000 different fish species have been identified on the Great Barrier Reef, and new ones are found each year. Scientists estimate that the reef is home to 4,000 mollusk species and over 250 different shrimp species. Even the corals that construct the reef itself are diverse—numbering some 400 species.

This colorful aquatic ecosystem is home to a staggering diversity of plant and lower animal life but is also frequented by larger species like dugongs, sea turtles, sharks, and dolphins.

In order to protect these biological treasures, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, still the world’s largest national marine sanctuary, was designated in 1975.

Some two million tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef each year, driving an eco-economy that has been estimated to top one billion dollars annually.

How to Get There

Most day trips to the reef leave on boats from coastal centers like Cairns or Port Douglas. Most of the reef is dozens of miles offshore and must be reached by boat journeys of one to several hours.

When to Go

The Great Barrier Reef lies in tropical waters where temperatures are warm enough to offer enjoyable swimming and diving year round—though averages can vary 10°F (5.5°C) from winter to summer. Peak tourism time on the reef is April through November, but even in winter ocean water temperatures typically top 72°F (22°C). Daytime temperatures during the summer months (December to March) can be quite hot—particularly in the northern regions of the reef.

How to Visit

High-speed catamarans take day-trip visitors to the reef, often docking at special base camp platforms equipped for snorkeling, diving, or exploration via glass-sided semi-submersibles. Other boat tours, including sailboats, provide a more leisurely experience. Private charters are available for snorkeling, diving, whale watching, or fishing adventures—including overnight live-aboard vessels for journeys to more remote locations. Aircraft and helicopter flights offer a bird's-eye view of the massive reef system, much of which lies close to the surface in clear, warm waters.

Casa Milà, Spain

Site: Works of Antoni Gaudí

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Category: Cultural

Reason: The Catalan Modernism so important to the cultural identity of Barcelona finds perhaps its greatest expression in the works of one man.

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Seven distinct properties built in and around Barcelona offer many different delights but represent the singular vision of one man—architect Antoni Gaudí.

Gaudí's creative genius—and the curves, shapes, and ornamentations it produced—literally changed the face of architecture and building technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Gaudí recognized the formal order inherent in most architecture before his time—and deliberately turned it upside down. As a result his buildings seem strikingly unique and almost surreal even after a century.

Gaudí's efforts included not only building design but also decorative style and overall settings; his touch was applied to everything from sculpture to gardens. As UNESCO noted in its criteria for listing the sites: “Gaudí's work exhibits an important interchange of values closely associated with the cultural and artistic currents of his time, as represented in Catalonian Modernism (a contemporary movement akin to Art Nouveau). It anticipated and influenced many of the forms and techniques that were relevant to the development of modern construction in the 20th century.”

The Casa Batlló is a renovation, not an original construction, yet one accomplished with such style and skill that it has become one of Gaudí's best known projects. Notable here is how the shapely, strange building was washed in color with an extensive facade of ceramics and mosaics.

The Parc Güell is not a building but a green oasis in the midst of the city. Yet Gaudí's distinctive style is seen throughout, from the benches to the porticoes, and lends the entire space an almost magical air.

The Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera (The Quarry), is awash with balconies both on the exterior and surrounding the interior atrium. All have sensual curved lines, echoed throughout the building, that seem to mimic living structures—a theme seen in many Gaudí works.

Gaudí also left his mark on perhaps Barcelona’s most famous landmark: La Sagrada Familia Cathedral.

Gaudí wasn’t the building’s original architect—he took over from Francisco de Paula after his death in 1883. Nor was he its last; work on the building continues to this day. Nonetheless, Gaudí's distinctive style can be seen in his completion of the chapel of San José, the crypt, and the door of El Nacimiento.

Visitors to the cathedral and other UNESCO-recognized Gaudí properties, whether they know the architect or not, instantly recognize a unique style that has come to characterize Modernist Barcelona and symbolize the city to the present day.

How to Get There

Barcelona is a major urban center and the full gamut of public and private transportation options are available for visitors.

When to Visit

Barcelona retains its considerable charms 12 months a year. As in many European cities, August can be hot and crowded. Late spring (April to May) and fall (October and November) tend to be the rainier months.

How to Visit

It’s certainly possible to explore the works of Gaudí independently and in fact some—like La Sagrada Familia—will be seen by almost all visitors to Barcelona. But aficionados should consider one of the many Gaudí tours on offer. Many guides are full of fascinating Gaudí knowledge and may even be able to gain access to private areas.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Site: Costiera Amalfitana (Amafi Coast)

Location: Italy

Category: Cultural

Reason: This quintessentially Mediterranean landscape blends centuries of artistic and architectural accomplishments with one of nature’s perfect panoramas.

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Italy's Amalfi Coast boasts a classic Mediterranean landscape, a sensual blend of both natural and cultural wonders. The breathtaking terrain includes dramatic coastline topography scattered with terraced vineyards, orchards, and pastures—often with enchanting views of the vibrant waters below.

Kind climate, abundant resources, and natural beauty have drawn people to this coast for many centuries, and the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Saracens, Arab-Sicilians, and many others have left their mark. Amalfi communities often cluster along cliffs, their terraces blending into the rock to add their own picturesque charm to the natural beauty of the coast. Upon closer inspection, towns like Amalfi and Ravello are home to many examples of artistic and architectural excellence—not a surprise, since this stretch of the Sorrento Peninsula has long attracted famous artists of all stripes.

Amalfi itself thrives as a picturesque tourist center but in the 11th and 12th centuries the city centered the Amalfi Maritime Republic and was a naval power to be reckoned with throughout the Mediterranean. Amalfi’s ports also saw extensive trade with North Africa, and the city retains cloisters of Arab-Sicilian architecture throughout, as well as the Arsenale—a partially preserved medieval shipyard from a glorious era.

In Paestum, columned temples to Poseidon, Hera, and Athena stand in what was, from the seventh century B.C., the Greek city of Poseidonia. These breathtaking structures are among the best preserved of their kind to be found anywhere in the world.

Until the 1800s the coast’s steep terrain meant that overland access to the region was possible only by mule. While many oases of quiet can still be found here, particularly away from tourist centers, the Amalfi Coast has changed irreversibly since then. But echoes of far more distant eras remain, including ancient cathedrals, gardens, and Roman villas like Anacapri’s Villa di Damecuta, possibly built by Tiberius.

One of the most enjoyable things to do on the Amalfi Coast is to simply find a spot where you can soak it all in. Among the top locations is Monte Solaro, a B&B in Anacapri with stunning views of the twin bays Salerno and Naples.

How to Get There

Trains connect Naples with Sorrento and Salerno. Boats also run to many Amalfi Coast towns during the warmer months.

When to Visit

Consider visiting in the spring (May) or fall (September-October), when the crowds drawn to this world-renowned beauty spot are at their lowest.

How to Visit

There are many ways to experience the coast but none quite like an end-to-end drive of its precipitous, winding, coastal highway. The National Geographic Road Trip: Amalfi Coast, Italy offers one outstanding itinerary. For those who’d rather leave the driving to others, bus services run up and down the coast.

Pueblo de Taos, New Mexico

Site: Pueblo de Taos

Location: New Mexico, U.S.

Category: Cultural

Reason: This adobe settlement has housed a Native American community for more than seven centuries.

Several U.S. Native American sites enjoy UNESCO World Heritage site status but only one is a living community—Taos Pueblo.

The Pueblo Indians have lived in this fascinating complex of multistoried adobe homes and ceremonial structures since they were built in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. When the first Spanish explorers set eyes on the settlement in 1540 it looked much as it does now, and the descendents of the original inhabitants remain here to carry on ancient traditions.

The Pueblo Indian culture most likely sprang from the Anasazi Indian tribes that lived in the Four Corners region of the U.S. during prehistoric times. Taos Pueblo in New Mexico is just one, though perhaps the most impressive existing example, of numerous pueblos built in the Taos Valley as far back as in the 900s. Pueblo Indian traditions say that their people have lived at the Taos Pueblo site for a thousand years. Though self-sufficient, the pueblo was not isolated—it was a major center of trade between the Rio Grande pueblos and the Plains Indians.

Today about 150 people still make their homes full-time in the pueblo. Others maintain houses there but live elsewhere in more modern homes on some 99,000 acres (40,000 hectares) of Pueblo Indian land. In accordance with tradition, no electricity or running water is allowed in residences inside the adobe pueblo.

Adobe is a strong mixture of earth, water, and straw—used to construct buildings with thick walls and timber-supported roofs. Though durable enough to last through many centuries, the structures are often coated with new layers during maintenance. Until recent times the Taos Pueblo’s first floors had no entrances. For purposes of defense, they were accessed by external ladders, which led to the roof, and then by internal ladders, which led from the roof down into the structure.

The Taos Pueblo is a sovereign nation governed by a Tribal Council of elders who appoint a governor and war chief. Though the inhabitants are 90 percent Catholic, they still celebrate some ancient religious rites passed down from their Native American ancestors. In addition to English and Spanish, Pueblo Indians speak their native language of Tiwa.

The pueblo welcomes visitors, who are an important part of the local economy. In 2010, the tribe celebrated the 40th anniversary of Richard Nixon’s 1970 decision to return Blue Lake to the Pueblo Indians. This sacred religious site in the mountains, which also sources the Rio Pueblo that runs through the pueblo as its only water source, had been seized for national forest land in 1906. Its return restored the spiritual heart of the pueblo and notched a major victory for Native American rights.

How to Get There

The pueblo lies just outside of the modern town of Taos, New Mexico. Albuquerque is the nearest international airport, located some 135 miles (215 kilometers) south of Taos.

When to Visit

Taos Pueblo is open daily but closes periodically for tribal rituals. It also closes for a ten-week period in late winter to early spring.

How to Visit

The key word for visitors is respect—remember that the pueblo is a community. Obey “restricted area” signs and don’t wander into buildings that aren’t clearly marked open to the public—they may be private homes. Visitors must pay a fee for photography and ask members of the tribe before taking their picture.

Old Quebec, Canada

Site: Historic District of Old Quebec

Location: Canada

Category: Cultural

Reason for Designation: North America’s premier walled city is an architectural treasure and a monument to European colonial history in the New World.

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Often called a bit of Old Europe on American soil, Quebec is the only walled city north of Mexico. The legendary French explorer Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec early in the 17th century, and the ramparts, gates, and other fortifications that subsequently surrounded the city serve as a rock-solid reminder of its role in the colonial wars for control of the Americas. The city was the capital of New France until 1760, after which time it centered the new British colony before becoming part of an independent Canada.

Quebec’s Upper Town (Haute-Ville) is perched on cliffs overlooking the St. Lawrence River and providing views of the countryside for many miles beyond.

The iconic structure of Upper Town, indeed of all Quebec City, is the castle-like Château Frontenac. The grand hotel was built by the Canadian Pacific railroad at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and has dominated the city’s skyline ever since. But Château Frontenac remains a relative newcomer in an architecturally rich ville where many museums, churches, homes, and scenic lanes date back to the 1600s.

The star-shaped Citadel, which dominates the city and the St. Lawrence, was constructed after Americans attacked British Quebec in 1775-76. Suspended below the fortress, on the cliff face, lies the Promenade des Gouverneurs. This boardwalk and the adjoining Terrasse Dufferin offer a unique opportunity for strolls that showcase the commanding clifftop views prevalent on the edge of the Upper Town.

Accessible by steep stairs or via funicular car, Old Quebec’s Lower Town has its own historic charms. The Basse-Ville sprang up around the city’s harbor and was in fact the original neighborhood of the city. Homes, shops, and ancient streets sprawled here at the base of the cliffs center around Place Royale—a square on the site of the garden of Champlain’s Habitation (1608).

Adjacent to the Citadel and the streets of the old city, the Parc des Champs-de-Bataille preserves the grassy, cliff-top Plains of Abraham—where French hopes of New World dominance were forever dashed on September 13, 1759. Though the French lost the battle, and with it their American empire, visitors will discover that here in Quebec French culture has enjoyed an enduring triumph.

How to Get There

Quebec City is serviced by an international airport and a rail hub. Many U.S. visitors arrive by private car, though passports are now required for such travel.

When to Visit

Those in search of a winter wonderland should visit in February, when the Carnaval d’Hiver (Winter Carnival) is in session. Winter sport, arts, and entertainment are all on offer and the chill air is amply warmed by Quebecois hospitality—and plentiful food and drink. For those with warmer blood, the Summer Festival, held in July, turns much of the Upper Town into a festive outdoor stage.

How to Visit

Old Quebec is made for walking. The city’s ancient streets are narrow, winding, and so rich with unexpected treasures that a leisurely pace is well rewarded. The wide-open Plains of Abraham invite exploration by bike or, in winter, by cross-country ski.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Site: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Location: Peru

Category: Cultural

Reason: Machu Picchu is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

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Machu Picchu is tangible evidence of the urban Inca Empire at the peak of its power and achievement—a citadel of cut stone fit together without mortar so tightly that its cracks still can’t be penetrated by a knife blade.

The complex of palaces and plazas, temples and homes may have been built as a ceremonial site, a military stronghold, or a retreat for ruling elites—its dramatic location is certainly well suited for any of those purposes. The ruins lie on a high ridge, surrounded on three sides by the windy, turbulent Urubamba River some 2,000 feet (610 meters) below.

Scholars are still striving to uncover clues to the mysteries hidden here high in the eastern slopes of the Andes, covered with tropical forests of the upper Amazon Basin. Machu Picchu appears to lie at the center of a network of related sites and trails—and many landmarks both man-made and mountainous appear to align with astronomical events like the solstice sunset. The Inca had no written language, so they left no record of why they built the site or how they used it before it was abandoned in the early 16th century.

Landscape engineering skills are in strong evidence at Machu Picchu. The site’s buildings, walls, terraces, and ramps reclaim the steep mountainous terrain and make the city blend naturally into the rock escarpments on which it is situated. The 700-plus terraces preserved soil, promoted agriculture, and served as part of an extensive water-distribution system that conserved water and limited erosion on the steep slopes.

The Inca’s achievements and skills are all the more impressive in light of the knowledge they lacked. When Machu Picchu was built some 500 years ago the Inca had no iron, no steel, and no wheels. Their tremendous effort apparently benefited relatively few people—some experts maintain that fewer than a thousand individuals lived here.

In 1911 a Peruvian guide led Yale professor Hiram Bingham up a steep mountainside and into the history books as the first Western scholar to lay eyes on the “lost city” of Machu Picchu. While indigenous peoples knew of the site, Peru’s Spanish conquerors never did—a fact which aided Machu Picchu’s isolation, and preservation, over the centuries.

Today Machu Picchu is far from isolated. In fact it’s a must-see for any visitor to Peru and the draw that compels many to travel to that nation. Machu Picchu’s management challenge is preservation of the site while making it accessible to all those who hope to experience an incredible part of Inca history.

How to Get There

On his first trip to the site Hiram Bingham walked for six days. Today many choose to follow in his footsteps by hiking to the ruins on the legendary Inca Trail. It’s an experience like no other, but one no longer necessary. Train trips from Cusco take only a few hours.

When to Visit

Mountain archaeologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Johan Reinhard offered this tip on how to escape the crowds that typically fill the site by midday. “I traditionally climb to the top of a nearby peak with a pack lunch and wait till the crowds are gone,” he wrote in National Geographic Traveler.

How to Visit

For the fit there is simply no substitute for traveling to Machu Picchu the way the Inca themselves did—on foot. Today the Inca Trail winds through the mountains and along the path of the ancient royal highway. More than 75,000 people make the trip each year and along the way experience some of the associated sites that were part of the Inca network in this area.

It’s no longer possible to do the trek independently. Due to heavy use (and subsequent environmental impact) the trail has become heavily regulated. Visitors must sign up with an organized group to tackle either the classic four-day route or a recently added two-day option.

Amazon Basin, Brazil

Site: Central Amazon Conservation Complex

Location: Brazil

Year Designated: 2003

Category: Natural

Criteria: (ix)(x)

Reason: These tropical forests in the heart of the Amazon basin are some of the most biodiverse areas on Earth and home to many species found nowhere else.

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The verdant green forests of the Amazon Basin cover an area larger than Texas. And the largest protected area within this vast and vital ecosystem is the Central Amazon Conservation Complex—a sprawling 23,000-square-mile (6-million-hectare) site that is itself bigger than Switzerland.

The Amazon is one of the most biodiverse places on the entire planet. It's particularly rich in freshwater species—including more than 3,000 different fish species and the world’s largest variety of electric fish. The region is also home to unique and threatened South American species, including the giant arapaima fish, the Amazonian manatee, the black caiman, and two species of river dolphin.

Within the enormous Central Amazon Conservation Complex several distinct, smaller entities house their own unique environments. Mamirauá Reserve’svárzea ecosystem is a landscape of seasonally flooded forests, floodplains, and swamps where the “white water” is actually yellowish in color due to suspended sediments.

Each year the Amazon—which is so large its system contains 20 percent of Earth’s freshwater—and its tributaries rise as much as 30 feet (9 meters) to replenish floodplain soils and nutrients and recharge lakes and ponds. Fish, reptiles, and other aquatic species take advantage of this cyclical occurrence to move into newly flooded areas and exploit their resources until the waters subside. (Some fish, for example, are known to eat fruit from forest trees.)

Jaú National Park’s igapó (blackwater) drainage is a flooded ecosystem of low, thin trees named for the dark color its water acquires from decomposing organic matter.

While the Amazon is famed for these flooded forests, lakes, and channels, the region is also home to dry tropical forests.

But some of those trees are targeted by logging operations, which, along with mining and the conversion of clear lands to ranching or agriculture, constitute serious threats to the long-term future of the Amazon Basin. Although rules are in place to protect the Central Amazon Conservation Complex and other areas from inappropriate uses, they can be extremely difficult to enforce.

How to Get There

Rivers, not roads, are the transportation hubs in this region, and most of the few visitors to the Central Amazon Conservation Complex arrive by boat, employing everything from canoes to speedboats. Manaus and Tefé are two popular gateway communities for such adventures.

When to Visit

The Amazon is hot and humid all year, so the main seasonal consideration is rainfall. Rain (and river levels) reach their low ebb in November, then begin to build toward annual maximums in June and July.

How to Visit

A visit to this area offers a chance to explore a vast wilderness largely untrammeled by tourist infrastructure. Most tourist access is regulated by the government, however, and independent travel can be a challenge. Visitors typically book boat tours and many stay in local ecolodge camps.