7 Mountains to See Before You Die

Um, some sights are too majestic to miss out on. You may not be expecting to kick the bucket any time soon, but make sure that these awesome mountains are on your future travel lists anyway. If you LOVE to travel and experience nature, you haven't lived until you have witnessed mountain sights like: 

Aoraki

Never heard of Aoraki? Um, maybe that's because it was once known as Mt. Cook in New Zealand. The name change, however, has changed nothing about the highest mountain in New Zealand, which offers some of the most PERFECT snow-capped summits you'll ever have the chance to see. Aoraki is especially ATTRACTIVE to mountain climbers who feel like tackling a challenge like the 12,000 feet peak. The surrounding scenery is also pretty majestic on its own.

Huayna Picchu

Huayna Picchu makes it onto a lot of mountain lists, not for its AMAZING ancient architecture but for the views surrounding it. Sure, you can visit the famous Macchu Picchu and wonder at the terraced stone cityscapes, but it is absolutely worthwhile to lift your head and look at the majestic slopes all around. The peak is thin on air, but for the most daring it also offers some hiking and climbing features if you want to get as high as possible. 

Ama Dablam

At first glance it is a little difficult to believe that Ama Dablam, located in Nepal, is a natural peak and not some enormous mountain tower carved out by aliens. Located in the Himalayas, which are not exactly wanting when it comes to amazing peaks, Ama Dablam astounds for its beauty more than its climbing challenge or height. Everyone goes to Everest, but if you want something that takes your breath away when you still have plenty of oxygen to breathe, check out Ama Dablam.

The Matterhorn

The Matterhorn peak is an oldie but still a goodie. Located in the Swiss Alps, it is one of the easiest mountains on this list to reach and also one of the most beautiful. It stands like a lone sentinel amidst smaller cliffs, jagged and utterly unique. The Swiss Alps in total are worth the visit, but make sure you put the Matterhorn at the top of your list if you are planning a visit. 

Kirkjufel

Iceland is an excellent tourist destination, mountains aside. But the incredible sights of the northern island nation fortunately include a number of peaks, including Kirkjufell. This vast, almost mesa-like summit is a favorite of painters and camera-junkies, offering a variety of BEAUTIFUL poses throughout the seasons. It is also relatively easy to reach.

Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania, is one of the most famous ancient volcanoes in the world and is a favorite destination for hardcore hikers that want to experience one of the most beautiful locations in the world, let alone in Africa. The mountain is a brooding mass rearing its head from the African highlands, daring visitors to tackle its immense slopes and reach viewing points to look down on the vast stretches of nearby savannah.

The Spectre

What good is a bucket list unless you include at least one adventure to Antarctica? Many of the entries on this list are destinations picked by travelers around the world, but for the greatest challenge you should pick something much less common. The Spectre juts out of the frozen wastes of Antarctica in the Organ Pipe Peaks, a series of beautiful and stark peaks that dominate the land for hundreds of miles. Of course, not many tour packages are available for Antarctica mountain exploring, so you may have to get innovative to see this peak.

Ken Ripoll is the founder of AllstarPassports.com, a Los Angeles Passport expediter specializing in passport renewals and visas to China.