10 of the world’s most beautiful valleys

Wanting to reconnect with nature? Well, in this article, we’ve covered 10 of the world’s most beautiful valleys. Get ready to soak in phenomenal views, admire nature’s grandeur and take some well-earned photos on your adventures.

At the base of snowy Mount Makalu in Nepal – the fifth-highest mountain in the world – lies the Barun Valley. 

It’s a mystical place, with lime green moss, waterfalls, forests and orchids seemingly floating amid the clouds. 

It’s also home to various rare animal species, including the endangered snow leopard. This extraordinary biodiversity combined with the valley’s outstanding beauty makes it an awe-inspiring natural spectacle.

Take a trek through this remote terrain, following the Barun River – known locally as Chukchuwa – which becomes a glacier come winter.

The world-famous surf and pearly-white sand beaches aren’t the only reasons travellers love Hawaii. This tiny archipelago is a mountainous natural paradise, and the same can be said for Kauaʻi, home to Kalalau Valley. Known as the ‘Garden Isle’, the rainforest covers much of its surface. 

This valley is only accessible on foot, by kayak or by helicopter – however, hiking the Kalalau Trail is probably the most rewarding way to get there. 

As one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, on your hike, you’ll catch your first glimpse of its steep, flower-covered cliffs that run down to the royal-blue ocean.

Spanning from Jordan in the Middle East way down to Mozambique in southern Africa, the Great Rift Valley is a colossal geological wonder. 

It’s a series of connected rift valleys created by the movement of tectonic plates that date back millions of years and are 4,000-miles long. 

Its volcanism has also produced Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, hot springs and deep lakes but most importantly, is gradually splitting the horn of Africa from the continent. 

The scale of the rock formations and the openness of the plains stretching out beside them feel like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Not to mention, the diversity of fossils, flora and fauna – including several species found nowhere else on Earth – is incredible.

You’ll find the Valley of the Ten Peaks in the heart of the Canadian Rockies and its scenery makes it one of the world’s most beautiful valleys. 

Specifically located within the Banff National Park, standout features of this spot include the jagged mountainous landscape, the alpine meadows and the lakes that reflect the valley’s beauty.

As this is one of the most famous valleys, you’ll be able to find the renowned Moraine Lake here. Take the Rockpile Trail around the Lake, so named for the grey boulders that sit on the shoreline, before the slopes turn into pea-green pine forest. 

The view from the top of this trail is known as the ‘Twenty Dollar View’, as it was featured on the back of Canadian $20 bills between 1969 and 1979.

No photo can do justice to the Yosemite Valley – one of the most famous valleys in the USA. The incredibly sheer granite cliffs were licked smooth by glaciers over millions of years, making them the ultimate challenge for rock climbers. 

Follow the Merced River through meadows along the valley floor, with the Sierra Nevada mountains standing in the distance between Yosemite’s giant rock formations. 

Then hike up to Bridalveil or Yosemite Falls (the latter being the highest waterfall in the USA) through pine-scented forests to be rewarded with panoramas of the surrounding national park. 

When the sun lowers towards the end of a clear day, the rock faces turn icy blue as they’re cast into the shadows and the golden light makes it extraordinary.

This beautiful Norwegian valley winds around the Romsdalsalpene mountains following the Rauma – a salmon river – for 60 kilometres. 

Rock climbers gravitate towards the valley’s peaks and steep slopes, including Trollveggen, Europe’s tallest vertical rock face and the 1,550 metre-high Romsdalshorn peak. 

But there’s plenty to enjoy for those who don’t want to scale a rock face. You’ll be able to visit the Slettafossen waterfall, whose white water thunders through a 30 to 40-metre-deep gorge. 

Other amazing sights include parts of the valley that have been affected by rock slides, as enormous boulders have fallen from the mountains into the river and the forest.

Lauterbrunnen Valley, deep in the Swiss Alps, is truly bewitching. After all, J.R.R. Tolkien found inspiration for the kingdom of Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings on a hike here.

The valley was formed by receding glaciers and has wooden, alpine chalet inns and 72 waterfalls cascading over the vertical limestone cliff faces. 

Also, the views of the snow-capped mountains – surrounded by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau peaks, are quite the spectacle.

Walking through wildflower meadows along the valley floor, you’ll be breathing some of the freshest air imaginable and listening to the therapeutic sound of water tumbling over the rocks.

Hunza Valley, sometimes referred to as ‘heaven on earth’, is one of Pakistan’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders.

You’ll find this valley in Gilgit-Baltistan, covering a vast 7,900 square kilometres. This valley boasts outstanding mountains such as the Karakoram Range amongst peaks that you’ll be able to admire for hours, like Passu Cones. 

Not to mention that the whole experience is just a sensory delight. Revel in the sweet tang of the apricot orchards floating through the air as you listen to the melodious chirps of rose finches soaring through the skies.

Adventurers unite – Chamonix Valley in the French Alps doesn’t only offer outstanding natural beauty, but an adventure hub, suited to those who love to explore nature. 

Float down the snow-capped mountains on a ski trip or traverse up the dramatic rockfaces that stand tall in the valley. 

Feeling particularly adventurous? Well, you’ll be able to get your adrenaline pumping if you decide to paraglide through the valley. 

Admire the snow-capped views from above, with landscapes that look like they’ve been plucked straight from a festive card.

Jiuzhaigou Valley in China is so outstanding it was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992 and a World Biosphere Reserve in 1997.

Expect to be greeted by vibrant waterfalls, dense forests and turquoise lakes that have all been formed over centuries.

Stretching a whopping 72,000 hectares, Jiuzhaigou Valley boasts snow-capped peaks, transparent waters and fresh air.

So, there you have it – some of the world’s most breathtaking valleys. From the serene peaks of Canada's Valley of the Ten Peaks to the biodiverse Barun Valley in Nepal, these landscapes offer a glimpse into some of the world’s best natural beauty. Which valley will you explore next?