10 most dangerous natural attractions in the world — and one is in the UK

Mont Blanc was named as the most dangerous natural attraction in the world (Picture: Getty Images)

Natural wonders of the world – like mountain ranges and national parks – draw thousands of tourists each year, but they don’t always make for the safest trips.

It was only in August that teen Wyatt Kauffman miraculously survived a 100ft fall at the Grand Canyon, while at the start of the month two Canadian campers and their dog were mauled to death by a grizzly bear in Banff National Park.

We aren’t saying you shouldn’t visit these stunning corners of the globe, but there are certain places that are more dangerous than others.

And the riskiest natural attraction of them all is… Mont Blanc.

The mountain range straddling France and Italy and creeping into Switzerland is responsible for around 100 deaths on average each year.

It’s popular with skiers and climbers and is pretty chilly. With researchers at Johns Hopkins estimating that about 600,000 Americans alone are injured each year from skiing or snowboarding, this figure doesn’t come as a big surprise.

Mount Fuji is the third most dangerous natural attraction according to Holidu (picture: Getty Images)

The mountain was also reported in the context of an accident on average 22 times per year.

Holidu’s round up of the most dangerous natural attractions found that the UK was second on the list with Ben Nevis in Fort William, Scotland.

While it only sees on average three deaths per annum, it’s also reported in relation to 20 accidents each year.

In fact, the top five most dangerous destinations are all mountains, with Mount Fuji in Japan placing third.

The UNESCO heritage site sees seven deaths per annum and 11 notable accidents, as one of Japan’s three holy mountains. It welcomes 300,000 visitors each year.

Placing fourth is the infamous Mount Everest in Nepal, which averages eight deaths each year and seven accidents of note.

At least 322 people have perished on Everest since records began in 1922, with the area above 8,000 metres elevation being called the “death zone”.

The famous Tunnel View at Yosemite which is the sixth most dangerous natural attraction (picture: Getty Images)

Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania ranks fifth on the most dangerous list with an average of 10 deaths and eight notable accidents a year.

It’s the highest mountain in Africa at 5,895 metres high and used to be used for the celebrity Red Nose Climb for Comic Relief.

In a change of scenery, Yosemite National Park in California ranks sixth on the list with a staggering 41 notable accidents and 11 deaths each year.

The leading cause of death in Yosemite are falls, with one example being a married couple falling 800 feet to their death after attempting to take a selfie at Taft Point.

Drownings and rock falls are also big causes of death in the national park since it’s home to more than 2,000 lakes and waterfalls.

The Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, both made the most dangerous list (picture: Getty Images)

Table Mountain (South Africa) and Matterhorn (Switzerland) are seventh and eighth on the list, with 15 and 12 annual deaths respectively.

Known as the ‘jewel of the Swiss Alps’, the Matterhorn cannot be accessed by cable car – so the only way to get to the top, is to climb. 

Number nine on the list goes to the famous Grand Canyon, another national park destination. It sees 12 deaths and 21 reported accidents of note each year.

Back in 2019 three people fell to their deaths within weeks of each other. Two men, 50 and 67, had lost their footing while taking photos, while a 69-year-old woman died after falling from a rocky point, west of the Pipe Creek Vista.

Rounding out the top 10 was the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland which sees nine deaths each year but it also ranked ninth for the most beautiful natural attraction.

Although the Lake District, which ranks eleventh, sees 17 deaths on average and 27 notable accidents.

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The most dangerous attraction sees 100 deaths on average each year.