Explorers may have sighted Queen Maud Land’s coast in 1820, but its grand mountains, such as the Troll Castle [pictured] remained unknown until 1939, when Germans made aerial photos. Today the region’s virgin peaks and otherworldly terrain exert a magnetic pull on top climbers [such as the six-person expedition, covered in this gallery, who summited never before scaled peaks].
Journey to Alaska's Emerald Isle, where huge Kodiak brown bears roam freely, the seas and streams teem with salmon, and the lush landscape is more than just a backdrop.
Explore New Zealand, home to what British writer Rudyard Kipling once called the eighth wonder of the world, and come face-to-face with Kiwis, Kaikoura Canyon, and much more.
Follow the Orinoco River as it flows through the heart of Venezuela, and get a glimpse into the cultures, wildlife, and rain forests that thrive on this ancient waterway.
Take a vacation: Experience the simple luxuries of sun, sand, and sea, and get to know some of the few places in the world that can truly be called paradise on Earth.