Situated about a six-hour drive from Los Angeles the Grand Canyon is one of the most well recognised natural landmarks on the planet.
It is also one of the most remarkable.
The Grand Canyon as we know it today is about 5000 square kilometres in size. The Colorado River runs straight through the middle of the Canyon.
Despite the name, the Grand Canyon is not the largest canyon in the world, it is the fourth largest. The largest canyon in the world is the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet, followed by the Capertee Valley in Australia and the Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal.
The rocks are formed of many layers of rich red colours, with some of the layers dating back 70 million years. You truly get to see a glimpse of the past at the Canyon.
What is a canyon? Simply put, according to National Geographic, a canyon is is a deep, narrow valley with steep sides.
In the spring, despite the weather in surrounding areas like Las Vegas being super warm, the Grand Canyon can still get to below freezing temperatures. It is not uncommon for a snowstorm to suddenly send tourists (like myself) into a bit of a frenzy and reaching for their warm scarves and gloves.
The Grand Canyon was one of the highlights of the recent trip I took to the United States of America. I went in a bit sceptical when people told me how good it was, but that scepticism was unfounded. It was one of the most stunning places I have ever been too.