Modern-day 7 wonders for every traveller’s bucket list

The most awe-inspiring experiences on the planet

Of the original Seven Wonders of the World, only the Great Pyramids remain. And while The Great Pyramid of Giza, The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and The Colossus of Rhodes were on every traveller's bucket list, they may now be overruled by the modern traveller. A new list has been compiled by Aaron Millar, featuring seven new awe-inspiring 'wonders' for 2017.

So make your itinerary and get packing!

1. The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona 

At first glance, Gaudi's Sagrada Família will leave anyone stunned. The construction of the grand cathedral commenced in 1882 and to this day remains incomplete. The grandeur of the plant-like columns, a roof shaped like leaves and amphibians that stand watch on the doors are all part of Gaudi's nature-inspired design. The Sagrada Família is truly an architectural masterpiece.

PHOTO: CNTRAVELLER

2. Large Hadron Collider, Switzerland

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the biggest and most complicated machine to have ever been built and took a staggering 100,000-person-years of work to complete. Inside the elaborate machine, sub-atomic particles are fired at 99.999999 per cent of the speed of light through tunnels colder than outer space and collide in an explosion 100,000 times hotter than the centre of the sun. The Large Hadron Collider is truly one of the most advanced wonders of modern times.

PHOTO: REUTERS

3. The great Wildebeest migration, Kenya and Tanzania 

Possibly the most astonishing wildlife event on the planet, the annual wildebeest migration across the Serengeti and Maasai is one to add to your list. Wildebeest in excess of 1.5 million make the 1,000-mile circular journey each year to chase storm clouds in search of fresh grass to pasture. Dozens of miles are filled with herds as dust clouds form with the thunder of their hooves.

PHOTO: AFP

4. The Amazon Rainforest, South America 

The Amazon Rainforest is home to 10 per cent of all species known to man, making it the most important ecosystem on Earth. Not only does it produce 20 per cent of the world's oxygen but also stores one fifth of the planet's fresh water. The value as a living forest is more of a wonder than the facts and figures that accompany it.

PHOTO: REX

5. Aurora Borealis, Arctic Circle 

While the stars leave us in awe, the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, have filled us with mystery in recent time. Vast curtains of colour shifting from green to blue fill the sky like dancing waves. The spectacular light show is caused by particles from the sun colliding with gases from the Earth's atmosphere. Witnessing a light show is definitely a must for any bucket list.

PHOTO: REUTERS

6. Rio de Janeiro Carnival, Brazil 

Welcome to the biggest party on the planet. Brazil's Rio de Janeiro Carnival marks five days of non-stop dancing, drinking and drumming where huge parades and Samba dancers take over the streets. The wild atmosphere is colourful and infectious to say the least. At the carnival is where you will truly feel the joy of being alive.

PHOTO: ANOTONINO BARTUCCIO

7. Bristlecone Pines, California

Bristlecone Pines are found in the higher mountains of California, Nevada and are the oldest known living non-clonal organism on Earth. At over 5,000 years old, they predate the Great Pyramids, the birth of Christ and the invention of the Alphabet.

PHOTO: CNTRAVELLER

This article originally appeared on Conde Naste Traveller