7 Most Extreme Places on Earth

Our planet consists not only of beautiful beaches and relaxing silent forests but also of extreme and severe places. Life is too short to enjoy the warm sand and fresh grass, let’s check where we can go to be explorers, not tourists.

Vostok Station

Antarctica

Antarctica is full of extreme places by default holding population, not over 4000 people. Russian Vostok Station is installed there, in forever frozen and forever dry land. The lowest level of temperature was recorded in 1983, and it was -89.2 degrees Celsius. That means that harsh conditions of the land situated near the South Pole are not for living, so brave men and women coming here should better be well-prepared for a strict trip. This trip is possible only by air or on specialized vessels able to break through the ice desert to the station. 

Death Valley

California

From the frozen land to the hottest one. The Death Valley is still holding a world record of 56.6. degrees Celsius temperature fixed a hundred years ago, and today it’s the hottest place on the Earth. This area of California state is the lowest point of the USA, and at the same time extremely narrow, that’s why air circulation there is so bad. The space of the hottest area of the planet is around 7800 sq. km what’s a bit less than space of the smallest states. In winter, it attracts people from Los Angeles who are not ready to visit this extreme place in summer.

Atacama Desert

Chile

A new climate champion is here. The Atacama Desert situated in Northern Chile is well-known as the driest place around the world. By the way, this dessert looks so much like another planet that NASA tested a rover for Mars on this parched terrain full of dunes and geysers. Another space advantage of such an extreme place is the great visibility of the Milky Way. You won’t meet the inhabitants of this place except for tourists who live in several hotels across this dry area. 

Gansbaai

South Africa

One of the most dangerous water areas is right here. The reason is simple; the largest population of Great White Sharks lives here just a couple of miles from the seaside of Gansbaai. The home of predators with powerful jaws is a small channel between two islands that should be named “the jaws channel” better.

Salar de Uyuni

Bolivia

A salty territory of 4000 sq. miles of Salar de Uyuni reminds fantastic places from books. The biggest salt concentration on the planet weighs billion tons of and, to tell the truth, one of the most spectacular views of the world. This deserted area must be a bottom of a prehistoric sea or a grand lake that disappeared millions of years ago. Millions of people now arrive to see this less extreme but more amazing natural wonder of salt. 

Oymyakon

Russia

We reached the land of permafrost, ex-soviet settlement for prisoners of repressions. Nowadays, this place is still inhabited by half a thousand Yakut people. Oymyakon is not a destination for tourists as it has only one small hotel and average temperature from -50 to -60 degrees Celsius that sounds not much attractive.

Chimborazo

Ecuador

An inactive volcano Chimborazo is established as the farthest point from the center of the planet, beating even Everest at over 6300 meters high. This extremely wonderful volcano was erupting for last time more than 1500 years ago, and since then, people who climb it stands closer to open space than everywhere else. It’s a popular object for climbers who left several common routes. Reaching the farthest point from the Earth center seems to be a great motivation to visit this extreme place!