4. The Daintree Rainforest, Australia
This rainforest situated north of Brisbane is said to be more than 180 million years old. In other words, this place is twice as old as the Amazon Rainforest. It spans an area of 460 square miles and is said to be Australia’s largest continuous tropical rainforest. Full of lush ferns and other plants and covered with a thick natural canopy, it inspired the movie “Avatar.” Visitors can explore this area a number of different ways. There are guided night walks where one can search for wildlife, a cruise down the famous Daintree River, or go zip-lining through the rich rainforest canopy.
3. Białowieża Forest, Belarus, and Poland
This is one of the most best-preserved forest ecosystems. It’s also the sole remaining primeval, old-growth forest in Europe as well due in part to its unusual variety of fauna and flora. It is home to lynxes, wolves, a number of rare birds, and the country’s biggest mammal, the bison. Indeed, the largest population of European bison can be found right here. Here you’ll also find century-old elm, oak and lime trees. During the Middle Ages, such royalty as tsars and kings considered this forest their personal hunting grounds. It was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
