World Wonders
Best in September

August | October

7 'New' Wonders | Best Wonders | Travel Pictures | World Maps | World Wonders Tour Operators

Machu Picchu, Peru. Amazingly scenic and well and mysterious old city built by the Incas on a hilltop surrounded by virgin mountains. Best: April-June, Sept-Nov. OK July, Aug. [winter]. Avoid: Dec-March [rain]. More Macchu Picchu tourist information | Peru Pictures | Peru Travel Guide

Petra, Jordan. An arid fairyland of temples and other monuments in multicoloured rock, unlike anything else on the planet. Best: March-June, Sept-Nov. Avoid: winter [cold] & summer [hot]. More Petra tourist information | Jordan Travel Guide | Petra Pictures.

Great Wall, China. A truly magnificent and timeless piece of engineering, offering terrific walks too if you have the time.
Best: April-July, Sept, Oct. Avoid: winter. More Great Wall tourist information | China Great Wall Pictures | China Travel Guide

Persepolis & Isfahan, Iran. Persepolis is packed with tombs, palaces, sculptures and friezes in a beautiful location near Shiraz while Isfahan contains an ebullient scattering of colourful architecture. Best: April-June, Sept, Oct. Avoid: winter. More Persepolis tourist information

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia. An intact and intricately carved 9thC Buddhist temple housing a thousand Buddhas.
Best: Apr-June, Sept, Oct. Avoid: Dec and Jan; July, Aug. More Borobudur tourist information | Indonesia Travel Guide - Indonesia Pictures

Rapa Nui [Easter Island], Chile. Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is a distant and undeveloped South Pacific island hosting few people but hundreds of huge, enigmatic stone statues known as moai. Best: Sept - April but OK most of the year. Avoid: May [wet] and June-August. More Easter Island tourist information | Easter Island Pictures | Chile Travel Guide

Palmyra, Syria. An ancient and ruined city in the middle of dusty, Syrian nowhere.
Best: March-May, Sept-Nov. Avoid winter and mid-summer. More Palmyra tourist information | Syria Travel Guide | Palmyra Pictures

Cappadocia, Turkey. This wacky landscape is more of a geological wonder than a man made one, although men have dug homes for hundreds of years into some of the thousands of 'fairy chimneys'.
Best: May-Sept. Avoid: Nov-March [cold and damp]. See Turkey Pictures [including Cappadocia] | Turkey Travel Guide.

*Stonehenge, England. Massive shaped stones dated 4,000 years ago, Stonehenge is near London and other excellent ancient sites. Best: May-Sept. Avoid Oct - Feb. Stonehenge Pictures and information | England Pictures | England Travel Guide

*Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. The Sphinx and three pyramids at Giza, on the desert's edge near Cairo, are a sensation - if you can survive the hawkers. Best: Oct-May. More Giza Pyramid tourist information | Pyramid Pictures | Egypt Travel Guide

*Kyoto & Nara, Japan, picture top right. A large number of superb temples, Zen gardens and ancient tea houses surrounded by modern Japan. Best: March - May, Oct - Nov. Avoid: June-August. More Kyoto tourist information | Japan Travel | Japan Pictures

World Wonders Tour Operators offering travel to the countries with the best ancient sites are here:
World Wonders Tour Operators

* Not the best month for these world wonders, but ok

Pictures: top left Petra home , Jordan; top right Easter Island.