The natural world offers up a heap of stunning spectacles each and every year, and 2019 will not disappoint. From mesmerising light displays to amazing animal migrations and eclipses, we reveal when and where to see these natural phenomena, plus the other items you can tick off your bucket list during a trip.

This annual event occurs when the moon passes directly behind the Earth and into its shadow. As a result, it takes on a striking red hue which has led to the phenomena being dubbed the 'blood moon'. This year's total lunar eclipse takes place on January 21 and is expected to begin at 2.30am GMT and last for just over five hours, ending at 7.48am. It will be visible in North America, South America, parts of Europe and Africa.

The lunar eclipse will be visible in the very early hours of the morning across many parts of the UK. Rural locations with clear, dark night skies offer the best chance of getting a good view of the blood moon. Low levels of light pollution, amongst other features, has led Exmoor National Park (pictured) to be declared Europe's first International Dark Sky Reserve, so it's the perfect place to pitch up and get your binoculars out.

Horsetail Fall is a seasonal waterfall that flows down the east face of El Capitan (a vast rock formation in California’s Yosemite National Park) in winter and early spring. It's a sight to behold in and of itself, but during a 10-minute window over a few days in mid-to-late February it becomes even more special. The setting sun tilts at just the right angle and casts a glowing light that transforms the spectacle into a 'firefall', so named for its likeness to free-flowing lava.

Horsetail Fall can be seen as part of a 4-mile round-trip hike in the park, so it's the perfect day trip if you're planning to camp in Yosemite itself. You may also want to pair your visit with a stay in San Francisco (pictured), under a four-hour drive away. It's famed for its colourful Victorian homes, cable cars and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and you can make a pit stop at one of the West Coast's historic Gold Rush towns on your way.

The beating heart of New York City is the last place you'd expect to see Mother Nature at work. But for two evenings in May and two in July, the sun sets straight between the city’s skyscraper canyons, bringing residents and visitors together for a truly awe-inspiring moment. Predicted dates for 2019 are May 29 and 30 and July 11 and 12. Those keen to witness the phenomena first hand should head to 14th, 34th, 42nd, 59th and 79th streets.

Make a weekend stay of your spell in New York's most densely populated borough and take in famed landmarks including Central Park, the Empire State Building and the bright lights of Times Square. Visitors can also hop on the subway to explore the trendy New York neighbourhoods of Harlem and Brooklyn, where you'll find the popular beaches and fairground rides of Coney Island (pictured) too.

The breathtaking Niagara Falls are three waterfalls located on the border between the US state of New York and the Canadian Province of Ontario. During winter, temperatures can plummet to as low as -25°C, turning the falls' cascading torrents of water into mesmerising ice formations. The surrounding area is also blanketed in a thick covering of snow, creating a truly magical winter scene.

Toronto, Ontario's capital city, is under a two-hour drive from Niagara Falls, making it the ideal base for your stay. There's plenty to see and do in the city. Popular itinerary items include cheering on Major League Baseball team the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre stadium or visiting the car-free swathes of Toronto Islands.

Discover 50 photos that will make you fall in love with Canada.

The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, is a natural light display occurring between late September and late March visible in multiple locations across the world, including Alaska, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Finland and even Scotland. Because of the wide geographical area covered by these the majestic purple and green bands of light, there are plenty of viewing spots to choose from. The array of Northern Lights apps (such as My Aurora Forecast) should help you gauge when to gaze skyward.

Finnish Lapland is more than just the official home of Santa Claus, it's also a great place to view the Northern Lights. Team your stay with a wealth of outdoorsy activities that make the most of this winter wonderland, including dog sledding, skiing and wilderness treks. At the end of an adventurous day, cosy up in your log cabin with a cup of hot chocolate in hand.

See more amazing after dark adventures here. 

Between October and November each year, approximately 120 million red crabs make their annual migration from the forests of Australia's Christmas Island to the surrounding tropical waters to breed. Paying no mind to the island's residents, which they outnumber 60,000 to one, they can be seen waltzing along the streets of Christmas en-mass. It can be a tricky time for tourists exploring the island by foot.

A national park extends over the majority of the 52-square-mile island, and hikers can explore everything from rainforests to waterfalls. Pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life appeal to diving enthusiasts, while animal lovers can indulge their passion via bird watching and turtle spotting.

From January to late March Japan’s wealth of cherry-blossom trees reveal their blooms to the waiting crowds, and the age-old tradition of 'hanami' (cherry-blossom viewing sessions) is still popular. Family and friends will gather to marvel at this stunning floral display in public spaces including Ueno Park in Tokyo and Philosopher's Walk in Kyoto, a pedestrian path that follows a cherry-tree-lined canal.

Appreciate the full beauty of this phenomena by taking one of the many dedicated cherry blossom photo tours which cover locations such as Hiroshima and Osaka (pictured). The latter is home to a thriving nightlife and street-food scene, as well as Sumiyoshi-taisha, one of the oldest Shinto shrines in the country. Also, see our full guide on what to see and do in Tokyo here. 

Each year, millions of butterflies descend on the butterfly reserves of Mexico State and Michoacán. Because the average monarch butterfly has a lifespan of just two to six weeks, the 2,485-mile migration path from Canada and the north eastern United States is undertaken by successive generations. The butterfly population at the reserves hits its peak in January and February, making this period the best time to visit.

Located on the Pacific Coast, the state of Michoacán is made up of 113 municipalities, with capital Morelia at its centre. Architecture buffs will love nothing more than meandering along the narrow streets of its historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, taking in the perfectly preserved 17th- and 18th-century pink-stone buildings along the way. The centre is also home to 249 important historic monuments including the mile-long Aqueduct of Morelia, boasting 253 arches.

If you've been lucky enough to witness the Northern Lights, the aurora borealis, then the next item on your list should be the aurora australis. The southern equivalent of this natural phenomenon generally occurs between March and September, and sees streaks of luminous green, and occasionally red, light streak across the night sky. Mount Wellington, in the southeast coastal region of Tasmania, offers one of the best vantage points in the country.

Mount Wellington is located around a half-hour drive from Tasmania’s capital of Hobart. Offering a diverse food scene and a wealth of local attractions, Hobart has something for everyone. Marvel at the impressive collections on offer at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) or, on Saturdays, visit the buzzing, outdoor Salamanca Market close to the waterfront.

For just one night each year cereus, the collective name for a group of flower-producing cacti, open up to reveal their pretty white blossoms. Usually taking place in either May or June, this fleeting spectacle is best seen at Arizona’s botanical garden of Tohono Chul. Here more than 300 of these night-blooming plants are monitored around the clock in the hope that this phenomena is captured as it unfolds.

Tohono Chul is located in a suburb of Tucson, Arizona, a city offering year-round balmy temperatures and a wealth of local attractions. Take in the giant street murals emblazoned across building walls in various parts of the city and, a little further out, marvel at the wide variety of flora and fauna on offer in the 100,000-square-mile Sonoran Desert. Discover more of the USA's natural wonders here. 

 

Each year following the rainy season the largest mammal migration on Earth sees 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra make an epic journey over a 11,583 square-mile area, travelling northwest from the plains of the Serengeti in search of greener pastures. This amazing sight can be seen at its best in May or June in either Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park or Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve.

You can witness the migration as part of a safari in Tanzania and frequent, affordable internal flights mean you can easily explore other parts of this African country too. This could include a spell on the pristine beaches of Zanzibar, a stay in the country's most populous city Dar es Salaam, or a visit to the foothills of the imposing Mount Kilimanjaro.

A place where the sun never sets sounds like something out of a fairy tale, but this is exactly what happens each year in some locations north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle. In the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard the sun can remain high in the sky for up to 16 weeks, with ‘evenings’ being denoted by a crimson midnight sun. Approximate dates for this period in Svalbard are from 20 April to 22 August.

Make the most of your stay with a cruise that takes in this striking location halfway between Norway and the North Pole and witness sights including Arctic wildlife (yes, that includes polar bears), majestic icebergs and abandoned whaling stations. Attractions on the Svalbard Islands themselves include The North Pole Expedition Museum and the Global Seed Vault, where almost a million seed samples are stored in permafrost. Visitors can't go inside the latter, but informative tours take you close to the entrance.

From June to September, hundreds of whale sharks, the largest fish on the planet, gather to feed in the rich waters of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Each year scores of nature lovers take to the water to swim alongside these giants (whale sharks can grow to more than 40 feet in length), as they take up temporary residence in the waters around locations including Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy.

No stay in Mexico would be complete without a visit to the country’s amazing Mayan ruins. Both Chichén Itzá, a pre-Hispanic Mayan city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Tulum (pictured), an ancient port city located along the Caribbean coastline, make easy day trips from the beach resorts of Cancun.

This year, the moon will pass between the Earth and the sun completely obscuring the image of the sun to those on Earth, blanketing it in near darkness. In 2019 the total solar eclipse will take place on 2 July, and locations that will view it in its totality include La Serena in Chile and San Juan in Argentina.

Make a holiday of your stay in La Serena, Chile’s second oldest city, known for its long expanses of coastline, pretty plazas and neo-colonial architecture. Isla Damas (pictured), part of the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve, is a must-do trip from La Serena.

Take a look at the amazing ruins around the world where nature ran riot. 

Each year hundreds of lesser flamingo, a species found in sub-Saharan Africa, flock to the algae-rich waters along Eastern Africa's Rift Valley to feed. Preferred locations for this hardy bird, which have tough skin and scales to adapt to a wide range of environments, are the normally inhospitable, hypersaline waters of Lake Bogoria in Kenya and Lake Natron in Tanzania. The best time to view these stunning creatures is in the peak dry season in July and August.

Trips to Lake Bogoria normally depart from Kenya's capital city Nairobi. While there, take some time out to visit Nairobi National Park, a game reserve a short drive from the city centre, home to giraffes, zebras, lions and more. Back in the city, sup Kenyan tea in the numerous tea houses and soak up some culture and history at the Nairobi National Museum.

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