Top 30 Most Unexplored Places on Earth

China
Located in Northwestern China, the Taklamakan Desert is one of the largest deserts in the world - about the size of Germany, to be precise! In local folklore, its name is said to mean “the place of no return.” So, you know, it’s not exactly the prime spot for a vacay. Taklamakan’s vast size and harsh conditions make it extremely difficult to explore, with the desert characterized by towering sand dunes measuring 200 meters high, extreme temperatures, and, being a desert and all, a fatal lack of water. While historically part of the Silk Road, its harsh landscape has deterred all but the most daring travelers. It is still being studied and worked on to this day, with China announcing a major digging project in 2023.

USA / Russia
A chain of islands stretching from Alaska to Russia, the Aleutian Islands is a remote and rugged archipelago that is totally unwelcome of human habitation. The islands are only accessible by boat or plane, so even getting to them is quite the adventure - and a costly one at that. The islands are also known for their strong volcanic and seismic activity, gale-force winds, heavy rains, rugged terrain, and rough seas. So even if you get to the islands in the first place, you are met with extreme and dangerous conditions that make exploration difficult - never mind permanent habitation.

Mozambique
Found in the Mozambique province of Zambezia is Mount Namuli, an isolated mountain rising almost 8,000 feet above sea level. Namuli is a hotspot for biodiversity, and its lower slopes are used by locals for the production of tea. However, much of its interior remains unexplored. Even getting to the mountain is extremely difficult, as it’s surrounded by a dense rainforest and road access is notoriously poor. As for the mountain itself, it’s composed of high vertical cliffs and rugged terrain. Thus, an expert knowledge in mountaineering is a must. The area is especially noted for its ornithological activity, but exploring it is an absolute pain in the you-know-what.

Pacific Ocean
A small atoll in the Pacific Ocean, Palmerston Island is home to one of the world’s smallest communities. The island was first recorded by Captain Cook in 1774 and was settled by a 19th-century explorer named William Marsters. He and his Polynesian wives bore many children, and their descendants continue to occupy the island to this day. Only about 24 family members remain on Palmerston, which is extremely remote and without an airstrip. Visitors must obtain special permission to enter, and a supply boat only arrives on the island once every three months. It has maintained a distinct way of life that has been largely unchanged or untouched by external influences, making it one of the most unique places on Earth.

Chile
By their very nature, deserts aren’t exactly welcoming places. The Atacama is certainly no different. This is one of the driest places on Earth, receiving virtually no rain. We’re serious - some areas of Atacama haven’t received rain in more than 500 years! Characterized by barren landscapes, massive salt flats, limited water sources, and a total lack of vegetation, the Atacama Desert is completely inaccessible for human exploration. Its Mars-like terrain offers little sustenance for life, and venturing through a seemingly endless desert seems like quite a monumental task. A task that very few people have been willing to undergo.

North Africa
The granddaddy of all deserts, the Sahara is found in North Africa, stretching from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and finally, the Atlantic. And with a combined area of over 3.5 million square miles, it is the largest hot desert on Earth. In fact, it is larger than Brazil, and nearly the size of China! The Sahara is a vast expanse of sand dunes, dry lakes and valleys, and rock, coupled with the harsh realities of extreme temperatures, lack of infrastructure and resources, and political instability in surrounding countries. Oh, and of course there’s also the punishing terrain, deadly animals, and devastating dust storms to consider. So, yep, it’s a little difficult to just wander around.

Guyana
Found in Guyana is Kaieteur National Park, a large forested area known for its breathtaking waterfalls. This includes Orinduik Falls and the world-famous Kaieteur Falls, a towering 800-foot sight that is considered the world’s largest single-drop waterfall. While the waterfall itself is quite popular, the surrounding area is not. For one thing, it is completely inaccessible by land, and the falls themselves can only be reached by plane via the Kaieteur International Airport. The dense jungle surrounding the falls contains organisms that are totally unique to the region, and the local Amerindian tribes have lived in the area for thousands of years.

Southern Ocean
The southernmost continent of our world, Antarctica is a vast, icy wasteland that covers over five million square miles. Five million square miles of absolutely nothing. It is freezing, dry, and insanely windy, and its interior remains largely unexplored due to the extreme conditions. Only a small number of scientific expeditions have been able to venture into the interior of Antarctica, and even these were beset with great fatalities. Whether it’s freezing to death, starving from the lack of provisions, or getting lost in the endless expanse of white, exploring Antarctica is unbelievably dangerous. There are some places humans just weren’t meant to go, and Antarctica is one of them.

Russia
A great, barren peninsula in eastern Russia, Kamchatka is another place not meant for humans. Its landscape is truly something else, being a varied region with active volcanoes, geysers, and glaciers, not to mention its incredible number of brown bears and Pacific salmon. It sounds like a dream, but we have been unable to crack it. Much of Kamchatka remains unexplored due to its harsh climate, incredible remoteness, and the presence of strong volcanic activity. Vladimir Lenin offered Kamchatka to the United States in 1920, and it was left completely inaccessible following World War II when it was made a restricted military zone. Today, about 300,000 people occupy the entire area, with two-thirds living in the cities of Yelizovo and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

India
Some places are inaccessible because of their location. Some because the people there just don’t want you. North Sentinel Island is both. Found in the Andaman Sea, North Sentinel Island is home to the Sentinelese, an indigenous tribe known for their great hostility towards outsiders. They have successfully resisted contact with the modern world for centuries, despite continued attempts by anthropologists and explorers. Some people have even died after reaching the island, including American missionary John Allen Chau, who was killed while preaching Christianity to the natives. The Sentinelese have remained completely isolated from the outside world, and it is currently illegal to get within five nautical miles of the island.

Hranice, Czech Republic
Anything labeled as an “abyss” is sure to kickstart the imagination. Found near Hranice, Czech Republic is the Hranice Abyss, a massive pit cave measuring one kilometer - or over 3,000 feet - deep. The cave is so mysterious that it wasn’t extensively studied until the 21st century. In 2016, the cave’s depth was measured at 1,553 feet, and it wasn’t until 2020 that scientists made the one-kilometer observation, making the Hranice Abyss the world’s deepest freshwater cave. And even though scientists know it’s one kilometer deep, the studies were conducted via geophysical techniques, not a manned excursion. As such, the Hranice Abyss remains completely unexplored.

Pacific Ocean
Officially a part of the British Overseas Territory, Pitcairn Island is nearly inaccessible. It reportedly takes over 30 hours to boat from New Zealand to Pitcairn, and legend has it that planes have never landed on the island. Pitcairn is officially populated with 47 natives, most of whom are descended from the famous “Mutiny on the Bounty.” A very popular story, captain William Bligh was overthrown by Fletcher Christian and a small group of disgruntled crewmen, and this group eventually settled on Pitcairn with their Tahitian captives. Their distant descendants continue to live on Pitcairn, and the Bounty can still be seen under the waters of Bounty Bay. They remain closed off thousands of miles away from modern civilization.

Australia
Found on the northeastern tip of Australia is Cape Melville, encompassing both Cape Melville National Park and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Despite its official distinction, Cape Melville is completely isolated, with the nearest metropolis being Brisbane - an expansive 1,000 miles away. Very few people have walked and explored the Melville Range, a local rainforest and mountain range that is protected by unique granite outcrops. In 2013, a team of scientists discovered three new species of gecko, skink, and frog that had been living in isolation on Cape Melville for millions of years. As biologist Conrad Hoskin told AFP, “The top of Cape Melville is a lost world.”

Bhutan
Meaning White Peak of the Three Spiritual Brothers, Gangkhar Puensum is found in the Kingdom of Bhutan and is the highest unclimbed mountain in the world. Measuring just over 24,800 feet, Gangkhar Puensum is about 400 feet higher than runner-up Muchu Chhish in Pakistan. The mountain has remained so mysterious throughout the years that some people didn’t even know where it was - including the first climbers, who got lost reading the inaccurate maps of the area. Attempts at scaling the mountain were made throughout the ‘80s, but none were successful. However, climbing has been banned since 1994, a combination of local spiritual beliefs and a lack of rescue resources. As such, the peak of Gangkhar Puensum remains untouched by human hands and feet.

Pacific Ocean
It’s amazing how much of the ocean remains unexplored. Discovered back in 1910 by a German vessel, New Hebrides Trench measures 25,000 feet deep, 750 miles long, and 45 miles wide, and it’s found between the South Pacific islands of Vanuatu and New Caledonia. Not only had the trench been completely undetected until the early 20th century, but it wasn’t even explored until 2014. It was then that a scientific expedition sent down an unmanned lander equipped with cameras and captured the likes of eels, prawns, and various crustaceans. It was the first time in human history that the creatures of New Hebrides Trench had been photographed.

Greenland
Officially the world’s largest island, Greenland has been inhabited for over 4,000 years. Norsemen famously colonized the southern reaches of Greenland beginning in the 10th century, and this is where most natives continue to live. The country’s most populous cities - Nuuk and Sisimiut - are found in the southwest. Contrasting this is the Northeast Greenland National Park, a massive area that is larger than 85% of the world’s countries. No one permanently lives within the boundaries of the park, and aside from scattered research stations, it remains completely barren. That is, aside from the native mammals like musk oxen, polar bears, and Arctic foxes.

Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
While nearly one million people live within the Russian republic of Sakha, they are mostly concentrated within specific areas. For example, the capital city of Yakutsk holds ⅓ of the region’s inhabitants with a population of 311,000. The rest of the republic, which is roughly the size of India, is basically a frozen wasteland. Sakha has a reputation for being horrifically cold, and Yakutsk resides on continuous permafrost. The small town of Verkhoyansk once reached -90 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the coldest temperature ever recorded above the Arctic Circle. The locality of Oymyakon is also recognized as the coldest inhabited place on Earth, with a daily mean of -50 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the winter months and a record high January temperature of just 2 degrees.

Southern Africa
Found on the western shorn of Namibia is the Namib, a vast desert and UNESCO World Heritage Site that stretches nearly 1,000 miles long. Most of the desert is inaccessible and contains very few human settlements, bar a small number of outposts and indigenous groups like the Herero and Nama Khoikhoi. A large portion of the desert is contained within the Namib-Naukluft National Park, which is only accessible via specialized aircraft and dirt roads. The Namib is not a friendly place, and the historic San peoples were forced to drink the juice from the tsamma melon for water. When you think of vast, barren, dry, and disgustingly hot deserts with blowing sand dunes, you think of The Namib.

South America
A geographical region encompassing both Chile and Argentina, Patagonia is a wild and unpredictable landscape. To the east are barren deserts and steppes, and to the west fjords, glaciers, and rainforests. The southwest portion of Patagonia is particularly inhospitable owing to its dense, remote forests and massive ice fields. This includes the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, which spans 6,500 square miles. The ice field wasn’t explored until the early 20th century, and some portions remain both untouched and unseen. Included within the ice field is Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, which is rarely visited owing to its seclusion and taxing geographical features.

New Zealand
Fiordland National Park is the largest of its kind in all of New Zealand, encompassing 4,868 square miles. The park takes its name from the many fjords that define the landscape. Deep trenches formed long ago by glaciers, the fjords cut through rainforests, mountains, and lakes to awe-inspiring effect. Despite it being a national park, much of it has yet to actually be explored due to its inaccessibility and massive size. New plant and animal species almost certainly reside there, just waiting to be discovered. Fun fact: scenes from the Lord of the Rings trilogy were actually filmed in the Fiordland.

Pacific Ocean
The deepest oceanic trench on Earth, Mariana Trench is found in the Pacific Ocean in the middle of Japan, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. It measures over 1,500 miles in length and is at least 36,000 feet deep, making it nearly 10,000 feet taller than Mount Everest. The pressure found within the deepest parts of the trench makes exploring incredibly difficult, and only a small number of people and exploratory crafts have made the descent since the trench was found in 1875. Despite the pressure, the Mariana Trench is home to a number of creatures, including snailfish, single-celled amoebas, and amphipods measuring one-foot in length.

Iceland
Beautiful in a desolate sort of way, this island is a relatively new addition to our world. Surtsey was formed by volcanic eruptions between 1963 and 1967 off Iceland’s southern coast. Largely free of human interference, the island is closed off to the public; only authorized researchers have permission to land. As a newly developed island, it was initially devoid of life. Soon enough, however, different types of birds, insects, and plants began to appear on the island, and that’s what makes it so exciting from a scientific perspective. Here, researchers have the unique opportunity to observe the process through which local ecosystems are established.

Riviera Maya, Mexico
Riviera Maya has some of the most spectacular cave systems in the world. It’s also home to some of the longest cave systems in the world, such as the Sistema Ox Bel Ha and Sistema Dos Ojos. Freshwater sinkholes, commonly referred to as cenotes, provide natural access to these networks of caves. But while the cenotes themselves are often popular with travelers, the depths of the caves are a different story entirely. The deepest and most remote parts of the caves have never been opened to the public. And considering the ancient Maya civilization used to throw human sacrifices into these cenotes and possibly artifacts, who knows what’s waiting to be discovered down in the depths?

Madagascar
“Tsingy” is the term used to describe the steep, pointed limestone structures and plateaus formed by groundwater erosion in this area of northwestern Madagascar. A Malagasy word, “tsingy” roughly translates to “where one cannot walk barefoot.” As it turns out however, the meaning applies to more than just barefoot exploration, but arguably any sort of exploration; the terrain is very difficult to navigate, presenting numerous formidable barriers to those looking to uncover the park’s secrets. A shame, because scientists already know there are many endemic species - ie. plants and animals found nowhere else on earth The national park’s namesake rock formations are so dense and inaccessible, in fact, that they’re sometimes called “forests.”

Mozambique, Africa
Hard though it might be to believe, this rainforest only came to the attention of the scientific community in the 21st century. Prior to that, it was known to locals, but its unique flora and fauna had yet to be documented. The high altitude rainforest, because of the distinctly challenging geography, requires extensive planning to visit. And because of the role Google Maps played in identifying and understanding the area, it’s commonly referred to in the media as “Google Forest”. Though it wasn’t easy to get there, upon entering the rainforest, researchers have been thrilled to discover a largely untouched ecosystem, including various previously unknown species. And there are likely many more left to be discovered!

Myanmar
If you’re looking for untarnished wilderness and/or a place where you’re sure to make new discoveries, you couldn’t ask for much better. Because Myanmar has been engaged in the longest civil war in history, the Northern Forest Complex has been largely off-limits for some time. The silver lining of this situation is that it’s to preserve the natural forests, but the scientific community is naturally anxious to get in there and explore. And even as the country opens up, many challenges remain. The dense jungle has no roads or paths and the terrain is rather inhospitable, with scorching heat, torrential rain, and mountain peaks thousands of feet in height.

Vietnam
The largest known cave in the world, Han Son Doong is so massive that an entire city block could fit inside it. The cave is estimated to be somewhere between 2 and 5 million years old, but it was only discovered relatively recently. Though a local man is credited with first having found it in 1991, Son Doong Cave didn’t receive international attention until 2009 when the British Cave Research Association (BCRA) organized an expedition. The cave has many unexplored regions in its depths and likely holds countless wonders. As if that’s not enough, collapsed portions of the cave allow in enough light that it even has its own forest.

South America
The stuff of legend, literature, and film, the Amazon Rainforest is perhaps the modern equivalent of a lost world. For one thing, the place is gigantic, measuring over 2 billion square miles. Mapping and exploring the forest has proven incredibly difficult thanks to its enormous size and density, as much of the area is coated in thick forest cover. Many dangerous creatures like piranhas, poison dart frogs, jaguars, and various forms of deadly snakes can also be found within the rainforest, which further deters intricate exploration. In fact, the rainforest is so unknown and unexplored that previously uncontacted tribes were found within an area known as Vale do Javari in 2011.

Papua New Guinea
Because of the various geographical barriers, much of Papua New Guinea is, from a scientific perspective, unexplored; entire forests of flora and fauna have yet to be documented. As such it’s likely home to wonders that we can only imagine. The Star Mountains, for example, are especially hard to visit due to the natural rock formation known as the Hindenburg wall, a limestone barrier that rises to approximately one mile above sea level. The Nakanai Mountains, for their part, are so remote and undisturbed that, in 2009, researchers found approximately 200 species never before seen in just 60 days. Over the last few decades, researchers have found upwards of 1,000 new species on or around the island of New Guinea.

Canada
At 21,331 square miles, Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on the planet. To put that in context, it’s only about 500 square miles smaller than the country of Croatia. But that’s not all that Devon has going for it; the island’s environment is remarkable in that it actually closely resembles that of Mars. Because of the uniquely intense conditions, NASA uses this “polar desert” to train for manned missions to the red planet. Though there is a research station that’s run by the Arctic Institute of North America, no one lives here permanently. In fact, the conditions are so inhospitable that only a small number of birds and mammals can survive, as well as extremophiles - organisms that thrive in extreme environments.

Would you like to explore any of these places? Let us know in the comments below!