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Top 10 Hidden Gorges

Originally published 04 March 2010

Scoured out by water erosion, gorges come in all ages, shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common - they never fail to impress. We showcase 10 of the world's lesser known gorges.

Audley's top 10 hidden gorges

1 Tiger Leaping Gorge, China

Tiger Leaping Gorge is an incredible 3,900 metres deep, making it one of the deepest gorges in the world. Legend states that a tiger once jumped across the gorge at its narrowest part - hence its name. It is a 2.5 hour drive from Lijiang.

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2 Nahanni National Park, Canada

With gorges deeper than the Grand Canyon and waterfalls twice the height of Niagara, the vast Nahanni National Park is one of the finest national parks in North America. There are no roads in this spectacular park so sightseeing is generally by float-plane.

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3 Fish River Canyon, Namibia

Fish River Canyon is often compared to America's Grand Canyon (it is after all the world's second largest after the one in the USA) and is one of Namibia's least visited wonders. It is an ideal place for trekking while evenings can be spent camping down in the canyon.

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4 Blyde River Canyon, South Africa

The Blyde River Canyon, located in Mpumalanga, South Africa is around 1,000 metres deep. As with most deep gorges the best way to see it is by from the air - and being not far from Kapama Private Game Reserve - you can also combine it with a safari.

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5 Todra & Dades Gorges, Morocco

The beautiful Dades Valley is home to the dramatic Todra and Dades gorges. Todra is a remarkable cleft through the mountains, with as little as 10 meters between the steep canyon walls in some places. The Dades Gorge comes complete with a gentle stream and welcoming auberge and café.

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6 Bungle Bungles, Australia

Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park in Western Australia is a UNESCO World Heritage National Park. Further into the range there is a hidden world of gorges and pools where fan palms cling precariously to the dome walls. One of the best ways to see them is from the air.

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7 Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

Sometimes referred to as "The Cradle of Mankind", due to some of the oldest human remains being found here, Olduvai Gorge is located in the eastern Serengeti Plains in northern Tanzania. You can easily combine your safari with a visit here.

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8 Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk National Park, Australia

At the centre of this magnificent national park is Katherine Gorge. Often seen as 13 separate gorges, it is in fact one continuous fissure carved out by the Katherine River as it twists and turns. You can explore it by canoe or with others on a larger boat as part of an organised sightseeing trip.

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9 Taieri Gorge, New Zealand

From Dunedin, near the southernmost tip of New Zealand's South Island, you can take the scenic Taieri Gorge Railway as far inland as Middlemarch. In doing so you journey into majestic mountain scenery that is otherwise almost completely inaccessible.

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10 Humahuaca Gorge, Argentina

Located to the northwest of Argentina, and once a route for the Incas, Humahuaca Gorge offers spectacular scenery to those who visit. Humahuaca is also home to the huge and very impressive monument to the heroes of the Independence, which dominates the town.

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