Uganda tops CNN’s list of beautiful places worldwide

Mountain gorilla in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Courtesy photo

What you need to know:

  • According to CNN, it would be impossible to get a unanimous decision on the most beautiful places around the world, but strongly believe Bwindi Impenetrable Forest tops the list if someone is planning for tour.

Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest has been ranked by CNN as the world’s beautiful place. It is located in south-western Uganda in the Kanungu District The forest is one of the last redoubts of the mountain gorilla. Its biodiversity extends far beyond its most famous inhabitants, however; 348 bird species and 220 butterfly species can be found within its 331-square-kilometer expanse. Over 400 call this UNESCO-protected national park home, with the chance for visitors to trek to and meet habituated groups.

According to CNN, it would be impossible to get a unanimous decision on the most beautiful places around the world, but strongly believe Bwindi Impenetrable Forest tops the list if someone is planning for tour.

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Samburu has been ranked the second. The place is relatively inaccessibility, and is a haven for some of Africa's most beguiling wildlife. The grassland and acacia-dotted landscapes of its national reserve are home to the endangered reticulated giraffe and Grevy's zebra, as well as the pioneering Elephant Watch Camp, run by conservationist Saba Douglas-Hamilton.

Morocco’s Mount Toubkal has been ranked third and termed as the "the roof of North Africa"as it is 4,167 meters above the sea level. The path to its summit zigzags across empty valleys, past holy shrines and up steep snowfields before emerging onto a ridge that falls away to give climbers unrivaled views across the Atlas Mountains. It's a peaceful world away from the buzz of nearby Marrakech.

The above are the only beautiful places from the African continent that made it to the CNN’s list of 23 most beautiful places from across the world. Below is a full list:

4. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
China's first UNESCO World Heritage site, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province is known for its towering sandstone pillars.

5. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Its enduring popularity has made Ha Long Bay one of the hottest natural attractions in Southeast Asia. But that doesn't stop it from being the most beautiful place in Vietnam.

6. El Nido, Philippines
At the northerly tip of the Philippine island of Palawan, El Nido is the ideal base for a diving adventure. Bacuit Bay, to the west, is the best place to start, with lagoons and shallow bays playing home to an unbelievable array of marine life.

7. Rotorua, New Zealand
With its otherworldly landscapes and close connections to native Maori culture, Rotorua is New Zealand's crowning glory. Hot Water Beach, on the shores of Lake Tarawara, is the ideal place for a dip in the geothermal-heated waters.

8. Kata Tjuta, Australia
Formerly known as the Olgas, Kata Tjuta, in the heart of Australia's Red Centre, is one of the most sacred sites in Aboriginal culture.

9. The Maldives
The sand of its 1,200 islands is as white as it gets, the water a deep blue that puts all other seas in the shade. The Indian Ocean nation of the Maldives has developed into the world's premier tropical hotspot for a reason.

10. Petra, Jordan
The perfectly preserved ancient Nabatean city of Petra is renowned for the narrow passage of the Siq which leads to the famous Treasury, or Al Khazna.

11. Atacama Desert, Chile
With the clearest skies on the planet, Chile's Atacama Desert is the ultimate destination for stargazing.

12. Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica
Shrouded in near permanent cloud, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica is the most magical corner of this tiny, biodiverse country.

13. Ciudad Perdida, Colombia
Accessible only by foot, Colombia's Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) is one of the most fascinating ancient ruins on Earth.

14. Dominica
Dominica is known as "Nature Island" for a reason. This tiny Caribbean state, focused on hot springs and rainforest treks rather than flopping on the beach, is nothing like its neighboring islands.

15. Svalbard, Norway
In the middle of the Arctic Ocean, between the North Pole and mainland Norway, the Svalbard Islands are the perfect destination for polar exploration.

16. Lake Bled, Slovenia
The glistening blue water. The soaring backdrop of the Julian Alps. The famous church perched on an island at its center.

17. Cappadocia, Turkey
Turkey's Mediterranean coast gets all the attention when it comes to getting some much-needed rest. But Cappadocia, deep within the Anatolian plains at the country's center, is the country's greatest gem.

18. Positano, Italy
Known for its killer boutiques and waterside restaurants, not to mention the Byzantine Church of Maria Assunta, it makes for the perfect summer getaway.

19. Lake District, UK
Dramatics Mountains, moody weather and ancient lakes have all helped make the UNESCO-protected Lake District an inspiration for artists, dreamers and wanderers.

20. Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
series of 16 lakes connected via waterfalls that are constantly changing the formation of the tufa rocks over which they flow makes it one of the best places in the world

21. Vancouver Island, Canada
With over 2,000 miles of coastline, almost 10,000 lakes and acres of soaring mountains, Vancouver Island is like Canada in miniature.

22. Denali National Park, Alaska
Its six million acres of wild space make for the perfect escape, whether on a mountaineering adventure or a bus ride along the Denali Park Road.

21. Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
No river meander captures the imagination as much as Horseshoe Bend. Here, the Colorado river turns back on itself having spent thousands of years carving a route through the desert.

22. Badlands, South Dakota
Renowned for its rich fossil beds, Badlands, named by the native Lakota tribe for its arid and extreme terrain, is unlike anywhere else in the United States.

23. Monument Valley, Utah
Monument Valley is the Wild West of the imagination. Its bright red mesas and buttes, standing high above the desert, are the stuff of legend.