World's last great quiet places

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Bernie Krause has found aurally uncorrupted places on almost every continent. Not surprisingly, most of them are in remote locations.

Gordon Hempton, who has been recording soundscapes for 30 years, says that we’re in danger of losing places of purely natural sound unless people speak out against noise pollution and governments enact laws to limit its reach. Here, Krause and Hempton share their top picks for noise-free spots.

Selous, Tanzania
Closest major city: Dar es Salaam (155 miles)

For the bold natural-sound seeker, Tanzania’s remote Selous is an adventurous alternative to the more-visited Serengeti. Vast areas of the reserve are rarely traveled, and visitor numbers and all human activity are carefully monitored and controlled by the Tanzanian Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. Among the wildlife you’ll find (and hear) are hippos wallowing in oxbow lakes, Cape buffalo grazing in the grasslands, and lions, whose roars often pierce the night’s quiet.