20 Surreal Landscapes That Look Like They’re from Another Planet
Some places on Earth are so unique and otherworldly that they seem like they could belong to a distant planet. From towering rock formations to vibrant, alien-like deserts, these landscapes offer a surreal experience. Many of these locations are shaped by natural forces over millions of years, creating environments that feel entirely disconnected from the rest of the world. Whether it’s the deep blue of an ancient sinkhole or the jagged peaks of a remote mountain range, these destinations are sure to leave you in awe. Their striking beauty and unusual features make them seem like scenes straight out of a science fiction movie.
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Mount Roraima, Venezuela
Mount Roraima is a flat-topped mountain located in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela. It is part of the Tepui range and is one of the oldest formations on Earth, dating back over two billion years. Its unique shape and isolated ecosystem give it an otherworldly appearance. The summit is often shrouded in mist, adding to its mystique, and it is home to species of plants and animals that are found nowhere else on Earth.
The landscape surrounding Mount Roraima is equally stunning, with vast stretches of jungle, waterfalls, and dramatic cliffs. Its isolated position creates a truly unique environment, where visitors can explore natural wonders that feel completely separate from the rest of the world. The flat-topped structure of the mountain also gives the feeling of stepping into another realm, almost like an alien world.
The Dolomites, Italy
The Dolomites are a mountain range in northeastern Italy, known for their jagged peaks and dramatic cliffs. These mountains stand out for their striking, pale-colored rock formations that seem to glow in the sunlight. The rugged landscape has earned the region the nickname “The Pale Mountains.” The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized for their unique geological features.
The region offers a range of surreal sights, from towering spires to deep valleys, all of which have been shaped by millions of years of geological processes. The distinctively sharp profiles of the mountains give the area a distinct look that can resemble a foreign planet. Its picturesque villages and alpine meadows further enhance the otherworldly feel of this stunning destination.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China is home to towering sandstone pillars that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar. These natural formations rise sharply from the forest floor, giving the area an ethereal, almost unreal appearance. The park’s towering peaks, some reaching over 1,000 feet, create a dramatic contrast against the lush greenery of the surrounding forest.
Visitors to Zhangjiajie can explore the park’s many hiking trails, suspended glass walkways, and observation platforms, all of which provide breathtaking views of the landscape. The surreal stone columns, rising like needles from the ground, make the park appear as if it belongs on another planet. The mist that often envelops the peaks adds to the mystical atmosphere of this stunning natural wonder.
White Sands National Park, USA
White Sands National Park in New Mexico is a vast desert landscape covered in pure white gypsum sand. The stark whiteness of the dunes against the bright blue sky creates a surreal, almost otherworldly appearance. The wind continually shapes the sand dunes, creating fluid, sweeping curves that seem to stretch endlessly across the horizon. The landscape has a sense of stillness, interrupted only by the occasional gust of wind.
The park is also home to unique flora and fauna that have adapted to the harsh conditions. At night, the landscape takes on a magical glow under the light of the moon, further enhancing its dreamlike quality. White Sands is a place where it feels as though time stands still, offering a glimpse of a world untouched by human hands.
Antelope Canyon, USA
Antelope Canyon, located in Arizona, is a slot canyon famous for its stunningly narrow passageways and dramatic, flowing shapes. The canyon’s walls are sculpted by wind and water, creating smooth curves and striking patterns of light and shadow. The orange and red hues of the rock, combined with the way light filters through the narrow openings, give the canyon an almost otherworldly appearance.
Visitors to Antelope Canyon are often struck by the way the light changes throughout the day. Sunlight filtering through the narrow openings above illuminates the canyon’s walls in a way that makes it appear as though the rocks themselves are alive. The narrow, twisting corridors of the canyon only add to the sense of being in an alien world, where every turn reveals a new and stunning perspective.
The Atacama Desert, Chile
The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth, with some areas receiving less than 0.04 inches of rain per year. The barren, rugged landscape is dotted with salt flats, volcanic peaks, and eerie, dried-up riverbeds. The stark, reddish terrain and vast open spaces create a sense of isolation, making it feel as if visitors have entered another world entirely.
In addition to its arid beauty, the Atacama Desert is known for its otherworldly features, such as the Valle de la Luna, which resembles the surface of the moon. The surreal salt formations, combined with the dramatic color contrasts of the desert, create an environment that feels more like a distant planet than a location on Earth. The clear night skies also make it an excellent place for stargazing, further enhancing its celestial atmosphere.
Lake Natron, Tanzania
Lake Natron, located in northern Tanzania, is a highly alkaline salt lake that has a striking and eerie beauty. The lake’s bright red and orange hues come from the high concentrations of minerals, giving it a surreal, fiery appearance. The surrounding landscape is stark and arid, with volcanic hills rising above the flat expanse of the lake’s surface. The water’s high alkalinity prevents most life from thriving, giving the area a desolate and uninhabited feel.
The lake is also famous for its hauntingly beautiful salt formations, which can crystallize on the surface. These formations often create unique textures and patterns, making the landscape look otherworldly. The lake is home to flamingos, who use its alkaline waters to breed, adding a touch of life to the otherwise barren surroundings. The combination of color, texture, and isolation creates a landscape that seems entirely out of place on Earth.
Iceland’s Vatnajökull Glacier
Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe, covers over 8% of Iceland’s landmass. The glacier is a stunning sight, with massive ice sheets stretching across the landscape and towering over the surrounding volcanic terrain. The ice caves and ice formations within Vatnajökull are particularly surreal, with their deep blue hues and delicate patterns. Visitors often feel as though they have stepped into a different world when walking among the ice formations.
The surrounding environment of Vatnajökull is equally striking, with black sand deserts, volcanic mountains, and glacial rivers. The contrasts between the icy blue of the glacier and the dark volcanic rocks create a landscape that seems more fitting for an alien planet than Earth. The glacier’s ever-changing ice flow makes it a dynamic environment, with new ice caves and formations appearing each year.
The Painted Hills, USA
Located in Oregon, the Painted Hills are a striking example of natural beauty. The landscape is known for its vibrant, multicolored layers of earth, which range from deep reds to golden yellows and soft browns. The hills have been shaped over millions of years by erosion and weather patterns, giving them their distinctive striped appearance. The vivid colors create a surreal effect, making the hills look like a painting rather than a natural formation.
The Painted Hills are most striking during sunrise and sunset, when the changing light enhances the already vivid colors of the landscape. The hues shift and change, offering a constantly evolving view that feels out of place in the natural world. This unique and colorful landscape continues to draw visitors, providing them with a glimpse into a terrain that looks like it could belong to another planet.
Socotra Island, Yemen
Socotra Island, part of Yemen, is one of the most unique places on Earth. The island is home to a variety of plants and animals that are found nowhere else, including the iconic dragon’s blood tree. These trees, with their umbrella-like canopies and red sap, create an alien-like atmosphere. The island’s bizarre plant life and stark, windswept landscape make it feel like a place from another world.
In addition to its extraordinary flora, Socotra is surrounded by crystal-clear waters and limestone cliffs. The island’s isolation from the mainland has allowed for the development of a truly unique ecosystem, one that is unlike anywhere else on Earth. Its rugged landscapes, combined with its strange plant life, create a surreal environment that feels more like a dream than a real place.
The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
The Giant’s Causeway is a natural formation of interlocking basalt columns on the coast of Northern Ireland. These columns, created by volcanic activity millions of years ago, form a unique landscape that looks almost man-made. The straight lines and geometric shapes of the columns create a visually striking pattern that contrasts with the wild coastline and sea.
The columns rise from the water, some reaching heights of up to 12 meters. Their arrangement creates an illusion of symmetry and order, adding to the mystical and surreal quality of the landscape. According to local legend, the causeway was built by a giant, and its mythical association only adds to the landscape’s otherworldly allure.
The Fairy Pools, Scotland
The Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye in Scotland are a series of crystal-clear pools and waterfalls. The water in these pools is remarkably clear, giving it an almost magical appearance. Surrounded by rugged mountains and rolling hills, the pools are tucked away in a secluded valley, making them feel like a hidden, enchanted world.
The pools are particularly popular for their vibrant blue color, which contrasts beautifully with the green landscape. The crystal-clear water, combined with the rocky surroundings, creates a scene that looks like something out of a fairytale. The serene atmosphere and remote location further enhance the sense of stepping into another world, far from the bustle of everyday life.
Mount Etna, Italy
Mount Etna, located on the island of Sicily, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The mountain is constantly reshaped by volcanic activity, and its eruptions create a dramatic landscape. The black, lava-covered slopes of the volcano contrast sharply with the surrounding green hills and the blue sea, making it a visually striking location. Visitors can explore the craters and lava fields, which give the mountain an almost otherworldly appearance.
The landscape around Mount Etna changes constantly, as new lava flows reshape the area with each eruption. The fiery glow of the volcano at night adds a surreal, almost mystical quality to the landscape. The combination of fire, rock, and the unpredictable nature of volcanic activity makes Mount Etna a truly unique and otherworldly destination.
The Maroon Bells, USA
The Maroon Bells, located in Colorado, are two towering peaks that rise above a serene mountain lake. The peaks are known for their distinctive maroon-colored rock formations, which give the mountains their name. Surrounded by lush green forests, alpine meadows, and pristine lakes, the Maroon Bells are a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and photographers. The beauty of the mountains is heightened during the fall, when the foliage transforms into vibrant hues of gold and orange.
The reflection of the Maroon Bells in the tranquil waters of the lake adds to the surreal nature of the scene. The combination of the red rock, clear blue skies, and surrounding wilderness makes the landscape feel otherworldly. The dramatic changes in color throughout the seasons provide a constantly evolving spectacle, making this location a true gem for nature lovers.
Valle de la Luna, Chile
Valle de la Luna, or Valley of the Moon, is located within the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. This otherworldly landscape is characterized by jagged rock formations, salt flats, and deep, dry canyons. The region’s stark, almost lunar-like terrain is a result of millions of years of erosion, creating unique, sweeping shapes in the sand and stone. The terrain’s reddish hues and rough texture give it a striking appearance, almost as if it could belong to a distant planet.
As the sun sets over the valley, the landscape transforms into a surreal spectacle, with the golden light casting long shadows across the craggy rocks. The extreme aridity and isolation of Valle de la Luna contribute to its eerie, desolate feel, making it one of the most stunning and remote landscapes in the world. Visitors often feel like they are standing on the surface of another planet.
Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, USA
The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in New Mexico is home to a vast, otherworldly landscape filled with hoodoos, or tall, thin spires of rock. These formations, shaped by millions of years of wind and water erosion, stand out in stark contrast to the desert surroundings. The bizarre, sculptural shapes and deep, multicolored layers of rock create a surreal environment that feels more like a work of art than a natural landscape.
The wilderness area is remote, offering a quiet, untouched atmosphere where visitors can explore the alien-like features without the distractions of modern life. The ever-changing light throughout the day casts different shadows on the spires, creating new perspectives and enhancing the eerie beauty of the place. Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a haven for those looking to experience a truly unique landscape.
Lake Baikal, Russia
Lake Baikal, located in Siberia, is the world’s deepest and oldest freshwater lake. Its clear, blue waters are surrounded by snow-capped mountains and dense forests, creating a stunning and surreal contrast. During winter, the lake freezes over, revealing dramatic cracks and ice formations that look like something out of a dream. The sheer size and depth of the lake, combined with its unique geological features, make it one of the most mysterious and striking natural wonders on Earth.
Lake Baikal is also home to a variety of endemic species, including the Baikal seal, adding to its sense of isolation and wonder. The lake’s pristine waters, surrounded by untouched wilderness, make it a landscape that feels removed from the rest of the world. Its surreal beauty is further enhanced by the rich history and cultural significance it holds for the indigenous people of the region.
The Great Blue Hole, Belize
The Great Blue Hole is a giant underwater sinkhole located off the coast of Belize. This massive, circular hole in the ocean stretches over 1,000 feet in diameter and reaches depths of over 400 feet. The contrast between the deep blue of the hole and the lighter blue of the surrounding shallow waters creates a surreal visual effect, as if there is a hole leading to another world beneath the sea. The Great Blue Hole is a popular spot for divers, offering a glimpse into the deep, mysterious ocean.
The surrounding reef adds to the surreal landscape, with vibrant marine life and coral formations creating a living, colorful ecosystem. The combination of the blue hole’s vastness and the clear waters above it gives this underwater landscape an ethereal, otherworldly appearance. It is a place where visitors can explore both the beauty of the ocean and the mysteries hidden beneath its surface.
Wulingyuan Scenic Area, China
The Wulingyuan Scenic Area in China is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its dramatic sandstone formations and lush forests. The area contains thousands of pillars, caves, and ravines that rise out of the forest floor, creating a landscape that seems like something from a fantasy world. These stone spires, formed by millions of years of erosion, create an awe-inspiring and surreal atmosphere. The dense mist that often blankets the area further enhances the mystical quality of this unique location.
The vast, forested landscape is also home to a rich diversity of wildlife and plant species, adding to the area’s sense of mystery and beauty. With its towering peaks and secluded valleys, Wulingyuan offers a tranquil escape into a world that feels entirely disconnected from the rest of the Earth. The combination of dramatic rock formations and lush greenery creates a landscape that truly feels otherworldly.
Tsingy de Bemaraha, Madagascar
Tsingy de Bemaraha is a vast, jagged limestone formation located in western Madagascar. The landscape is known for its towering, needle-like limestone pinnacles, which are sharp and dramatic in appearance. These spires of rock create a maze of narrow passageways, caves, and cliffs, making the area seem like an alien terrain. The Tsingy, which translates to “where one cannot walk,” is a challenging but stunning environment, with its difficult-to-navigate paths only adding to the surreal experience.
In addition to its striking rock formations, the area is home to a variety of rare and unique wildlife. The remote location and the difficulty of accessing the area have helped preserve the distinct ecosystem, making it feel like a hidden world. Tsingy de Bemaraha is a place where visitors can experience nature in its most raw and untouched form, with a landscape that feels as if it belongs to a distant planet.
This article originally appeared on Avocadu.