From the North Pole to the summit of Mount Everest, it might seem like intrepid explorers have already conquered every remaining frontier.
However, you might be surprised to learn just how many places on Earth have never been visited by a single living human.
From the impenetrable heart of ancient forests to the frozen peaks of sacred mountains, these are the last few truly untouched locations.
And, in the hidden depths of caves, there could be hundreds of miles of pristine territory that are still waiting to be discovered.
Like the terrifying peak of Gangkhar Puensum, the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world, some of these sites have been left untouched for religious or spiritual reasons.
However, areas like the crushing depths of the Arctic Ocean’s Gakkel Ridge are simply too hostile and dangerous for humans to reach.
Meanwhile, out in Earth’s last true wildernesses of Antarctica and Siberia, vast uncharted regions remain untrodden despite decades of attempted exploration.
Read on to find out where the most mysterious locations on Earth are hidden.
While it might seem like explorers have pushed back every frontier, there are actually many places yet to be visited by a single human. Pictured: Glaciers and rock outcrops in Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica
Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica
Located in West Antarctica, Marie Byrd Land is one of the only true examples of Terra Nullius.
Literally meaning no-man’s land, that status means these 620,000 square miles (1.61 million square km) of frozen expanse are the legal property of no nation.
Scientists estimate that 99.6 per cent of this area remains pristine wilderness totally untouched by humanity, compared to just 32 per cent of Antarctica as a whole.
Due to its vast size, covering the same area as Alaska, and extreme conditions, most of the region has never been visited by humans despite decades of exploration.
However, the region is also of critical scientific importance.
Andrew Fleming, Head of the Mapping and Geographic Information Centre at the British Antarctic Survey, told the Daily Mail: ‘It includes Thwaites Glacier, the focus of the major International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration research programme.
‘As one of the largest glaciers draining the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, the future behaviour of Thwaites Glacier and the surrounding ice sheet is of global significance, as it could contribute substantially to sea-level rise.;
Located in West Antarctica, Marie Byrd Land is one of the only true examples of Terra Nullius – meaning no-man’s land
Northern Forest Complex, Myanmar
Spanning more than 12,000 square miles (30,296 square km), the Northern Forest Complex is one of Earth’s last true wildernesses.
This dense jungle spans the mountainous land in the far North of Myanmar, stretching between the borders of India and China.
It is one of the largest tracts of intact forest in Southeast Asia, estimated to contain 6,000 species, of which 1,500 are believed to exist nowhere else.
The area was already extremely remote, and only sparsely inhabited by native groups, but access became even more restricted in the 1960s.
As political conflict swept through Myanmar, the nation closed the Northern Forest Complex to most researchers for the last 70 years.
This means that many of the forest’s deepest areas are still yet to be explored.
Gangkhar Puensum, Bhutan
The Northern Forest Complex in Myanmar covers more than 12,000 square miles (30,296 square km) of mountainous terrain, most of which remains unexplored
Standing at 24,836 feet (7,550 metres) and looming a full 9,800 feet (3,000 metres) above its neighbours, Bhutan’s Gangkhar Puensum is the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world.
Harsh weather, a remote location, and a lack of proper mapping make the climb challenging, but this is not why the peak has been abandoned.
Instead, Ghangar Puensum cannot be climbed because of strongly held religious beliefs.
The Bhutanese people believe that mountains are sacred because deities live at their summits.
Several attempts were made in the 1980s, but climbers always turned back out of respect for local custom.
In 1994, the government banned climbing above 6,000 metres and, in 2003, completely prohibited mountaineering in the country.
So, while taller and more deadly mountains have been conquered, Gangkhar Puensum may remain unclimbed forever.
Machapuchare, Nepal
Bhutan’s Gangkhar Puensum is the tallest unclimbed mountain in the world thanks to a strict religious prohibition on mountaineering in the country
This holy mountain, otherwise known as ‘Mount Fishtail’ after its notched summit, is arguably one of the least visited places on Earth.
The incredible twin peaks tower 22,943 feet (6,993 metres) above the Annapurna Conservation Area, in Northern Nepal.
According to the legends of the local Gurung people, the mountain is the home of Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism.
This means that the mountain has been almost entirely untouched throughout human history.
In 1957, a British expedition obtained permission to climb the peak but turned back within 150 metres of the summit, having promised the King of Nepal they would not touch the peak.
Since then, no new permits have been issued to climb, and the mountain remains untouched.
Summa Ri, Pakistan-China border
But not every unclimbed peak has been left for spiritual reasons.
Machapuchare, otherwise known as ‘Mount Fishtail’, in Nepal has never been climbed. A British team came within 150 meters of the summit in 1957 but turned back in respect for local religious traditions
Others, like the massive Summa Ri and Summa Ri II, are simply too dangerous and inaccessible for humans to reach – making this the tallest unclimbed mountain where climbing is allowed.
Located in a remote part of the Pakistan-China border, these peaks stand at 23,990 feet (7,312 meters) and 23,956 feet (7,302 meters) respectively, and have never been climbed.
While climbing is not officially banned in the area, attempting to reach the summit is essentially impossible.
Sandwiched in a politically sensitive area, there are no roads, trails or base camp to set out from.
Combined with glaciated terrain, deep crevasses, and avalanche-prone slopes, Summa Ri may remain unclimbed for many years to come.
Nyainqêntanglha East, Tibet
However, if you thought unclimbed peaks were hard to come by, the imposing mountain range of Nyainqêntanglha East will quickly prove that notion wrong.
Stretching some 370 miles (600 km) along and 123 miles (200 km) wide, this impossibly remote mountain range is almost entirely untouched by humanity.
Standing at 23,990 feet (7,312 meters), Suma Ri is the tallest unclimbed mountain that can legally be attempted
In the imposing mountain range of Nyainqêntanglha East, 159 of the 164 peaks above 19,685 feet (6,000 metres) are yet to be climbed
The range is located on the southeastern rim of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and is sometimes known as the ‘Alps of Tibet’.
But, unlike the Alps, the vast majority of the peaks in this area remain unclimbed.
Out of the 164 peaks above 19,685 feet (6,000 metres), 159 are yet to be climbed.
A few western expeditions and a growing number of local climbers have now started to set new routes on untouched peaks, but those hunting for somewhere no human has trodden are still spoiled for choice.
Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean
Moving away from the heights of the mountains, the ocean’s depths hide even more places yet untouched by humanity.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that just 28.7 per cent of the ocean floor has even been mapped, while only 0.001 per cent has been directly observed by humans.
Yet, of all those uncharted regions, the Gakkel Ridge is possibly the most inaccessible and fascinating.
The Gakkel Ridge is a 1,120-mile-long (1,800 km) underwater volcanic mountain range stretching across the Eurasian Basin in the Arctic Ocean, almost none of which has been explored
This is an 1,120-mile-long (1,800 km) underwater volcanic mountain range stretching across the Eurasian Basin in the Arctic Ocean.
Plunging between 15,090 feet (4,600 metres) and 16,730 feet (5,100 metres) beneath the surface, this trench between the North American and the Eurasian continental plates is one of the deepest points on Earth.
However, unlike the Marina Trench, the Gakkel Ridge is also covered by an almost impenetrable layer of sea ice all year round.
In October last year, a Chinese expedition was able to use icebreakers to launch a manned mission into the trench, but only a tiny fraction of its area has yet been explored.
Yucatan Cenotes, Mexico
Chris Lloyd, a geologist and cave explorer from the Association for Mexican Cave Studies, told the Daily Mail: ‘There are not a lot of places on this planet that are truly still unknown; caves are some of those places.’
And no place has more potential for new discoveries than Mexico’s Yucatan Cenotes, natural limestone sinkholes and cave systems that were flooded around 10,000 years ago.
There are about 7,000 cenotes in the Yucatan province, and only 142 are available to visit – meaning that 98 per cent are still unexplored.
Experts think the Yucatan Cenotes in Mexico could be hiding around 1,000 km of unexplored passages
Hang Son Doong, Vietnam, is the world’s largest cave. While the main passage has been mapped, experts believe that many of its subterranean river systems and side passages remain unmapped and unexplored
Some of these may have once been inhabited by prehistoric groups before the waters rose, but there are many hidden depths that no human has ever visited.
Mr Lloyd says: ‘There probably is at least as much more to explore in the cenotes as has already been explored, which means something like another 1,000 km of passages.’
Hang Son Doong, Vietnam
Besides Mexico’s Cenotes, the other great uncharted cave is Hang Son Doong in Vietnam.
Believed to be the world’s largest cave, the mapped areas alone cover 38.5 million cubic meters and extend over 5.8 miles (9.4 km).
Despite decades of concerted exploration, divers are still finding more tunnels and chambers hidden within.
Even in 2019, a team of explorers discovered chambers that added another 1.6 million cubic meters of volume.
While the main passage has been mapped, experts believe that many of its subterranean river systems and side passages remain unmapped and unexplored.
