Closely interwoven bands of layered rock skirt a sea of gigantic ancient boulders, coming together to form a surreal panorama that melts into Arizona's vast landscape. From high above the topmost point of the canyon, the mighty Colorado River appears as a muddy sliver, belying the tumultuous nature of its waters that carved through ancient layers of rock and birthed the steep canyons surrounding it. Over several millennia, the river snaked its way through the rugged landscape, constantly deepening and pushing the edges of the canyon, oblivious that its aggressive course unraveled years of geological history. For years, the canyon was home to indigenous Native American tribes, before Spanish explorers and American trappers settled into the river basin. Today, the Grand Canyon continues to instill a deep sense of wonder and mystique in whoever visits it, an eternal ocean of auburn rock that spreads majestically under deep blue skies.
A magnificent silhouette against Africa's horizon, the colossal Mount Kilimanjaro lies at the heart of the eponymous national park. It is a sight to behold any time of the year, with its summit reaching a spectacular height of 19,341 feet (5,895 meters), making this Africa's highest peak. It is also the world's tallest freestanding mountain; a towering hulk of rock that rises from the otherwise flat terrain. Mount Kilimanjaro is actually a dormant volcano, with three volcanic cones - Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo - that descend into lush greenery and sprawling grasslands. The base of the mountain is sheathed in dense forests, the native habitat for a number of species including buffaloes, leopards, monkeys and elands. Each year, this towering beauty is known to attract more than 25,000 trekkers, of which only a few are able to scale the daunting slopes to the summit.
An astonishing testament to the tempestuous side of nature, the Ngorongoro Crater is a colossal volcanic caldera that was born two to three million years ago. This gaping hole, resembling a giant eye socket, was the result of a seemingly self-destructive eruption that rendered the volcano to collapse, leaving behind a massive cavity in its wake. Straddling the natural wonders of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the expansive wilderness of the Serengeti, the crater finds itself in the midst of an incredibly rich geological landscape. The crater and its surrounds are home to a prolific mammal habitat endemic to the African continent, a remarkable flora, and a mineral-studded base that spawns vegetation fed on by wandering zebras and wildebeest. The collective beauty of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro invite hordes of visitors throughout the year who undertake the safari to view the conservation and its surrounds in its glorious raw beauty.