When we think about famous landmarks, we picture crowds, cameras, and history — but often, just steps away, nature is quietly thriving. If you know where to look, you can find incredible wildlife near some of the world’s most iconic sites. Here’s a guide to famous landmarks where the wild is closer than you think.

Grand Canyon, USA Beyond the vast canyon views, the Grand Canyon National Park is home to bighorn sheep, California condors, mule deer, and even elusive mountain lions. Early mornings or quieter trail sections like the North Rim offer better chances to spot them without the crowds.

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Machu Picchu, Peru While tourists focus on the Incan ruins, the surrounding cloud forest bursts with life. Keep an eye out for spectacled bears, vibrant hummingbirds, and the rare Andean cock-of-the-rock. The Inca Trail itself crosses diverse habitats full of hidden wildlife.

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Great Wall of China Parts of the wall weave through protected nature reserves. In areas like Badaling and Mutianyu, you might encounter wild pheasants, foxes, or even golden snub-nosed monkeys in the wilder stretches beyond the tourist paths.It’s nice to go for a walk in winter, isn’t it? I’m sure it’s like an ice slide.Just kidding!

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Uluru (Ayers Rock), Australia The iconic red rock of Uluru stands in a desert teeming with adapted wildlife. Look for perentie lizards (Australia’s largest lizard species), dingoes, and even thorny devils scuttling across the sands. Sunset and sunrise walks offer magical sightings.

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Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe While the falls themselves are breathtaking, the surrounding parks, like Mosi-oa-Tunya and Zambezi National Park, host elephants, giraffes, hippos, and a rich array of birdlife. It’s one of the few places where you can pair epic landscapes with big game viewing in a single day. I still remember my geography teacher and how persuasive he was with the lesson about Virginia Falls. It made you want to travel the next day.

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Stonehenge, England Surrounding the ancient stones are protected grasslands full of wildlife. Skylarks sing overhead, rabbits dart through the fields, and foxes quietly roam at dusk. The nearby Salisbury Plain is also home to rare species like the great bustard.

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Petra, Jordan The dramatic sandstone city hides unexpected desert wildlife. Rock hyraxes sunbathe on the cliffs, while Sinai rosefinches flit among the rocks. With luck, you might glimpse an elusive Nubian ibex scaling the steep valleys. So stunning and immense that people look like ants next to it.

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Table Mountain, South Africa This natural landmark rising above Cape Town is a biodiversity hotspot. Dassies (rock hyraxes), porcupines, caracals, and a wide range of bird species call it home. Even a short hike can surprise you with close encounters.

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Wildlife doesn’t end where the famous landmark begins. Sometimes, it quietly thrives just around the corner — waiting for travelers who take a slower, more curious look. Next time you visit an iconic site, bring binoculars. The real show might be happening just beyond the postcard view.