There are so many sights and experiences to see in the world, so many cultures to experience and so little time to do it. Travel isn’t just about packing your backs, making sure you have your business travel insurance or personal travel insurance in place and then jetting off to your next adventure (unless your a travel writer), so careful thought has to be undertaken in order to maximise your time. This calendar takes a look at some of the stunning sights our planet has to offer throughout its four seasons:
Spring
Black Sun
In the beginning of Spring in several regions of Denmark (particularly southern Jutland), thousands of starlings take to the skies every night in spectacle the local’s term ‘Sort Sol’ meaning ‘Black Sun’. The name comes from the fact that the birds are so numerous they literally block the sunset from view.
In the hours after sunset, huge flocks of the birds take flight, undulating and weaving their way through the night’s sky before deciding on a location to settle down. Flocks have been known to number up half a million birds.
Summer
Migration of the Wildebeest in Kenya
A wondrous natural event, the migration of the wildebeest takes place between the months of June and August on the African plains of the Serengeti and Masai Mara. Thousands of wildebeest and zebra migrate across these great plains, in search of greener pastures to graze on, as the seasons change and the circle of life rolls on. Tracking this great event are predators including lions and cheetahs, on the lookout to make a meal out of this epic migration.
The best way to see and experience the migration for yourself is to go on safari, where experienced guides will lead you to the action. The dates of the migration can be spontaneous, so check regularly with your guide for updates.
Autumn
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is one of Mother nature’s most magnificent sights. Watch the immense power of the mile wide Zambezi River as it plunges over the 108 metres high basalt wall. Victoria Falls can be viewed by helicopter, which gives truly panoramic views of the Falls as well as the diverse wildlife on the ground.
Visiting the Falls in autumn allows visitors to see the full power of the water, swollen with the rains of the season.
Winter
Northern Lights
A well-known, yet none-the-less incredible natural phenomenon; the Northern Lights provide a spectacular display in the night’s sky. It appears when solar wind particles collide with air molecules in the earth’s atmosphere, to give a mesmerising sight of coloured lights dancing in the distance.
Also known as the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights can be viewed in two main locations: Swedish Lapland and Iceland. Sightings cannot be guaranteed, however the best time to view them is the darkest months of November to March.
