In addition to these famed sights, you can also discover lesser-known treasures. Visit the desertlike world of the Bardenas Reales natural park in southeast Navarre, Neoclassic architecture at the Congress of Deputies and colorful stained-glass windows in the Cathedral of León. Or make a trip to the small medieval town of Albarracín, a walled lordship that has stood for centuries.
This 360-degree imagery was collected by our Trekker, a backpack equipped with Street View technology that allows the wearer to capture imagery while walking. To capture details of the fine art and architecture inside these magnificent sites, we enlisted the help of the Trolley. And for more sprawling locations, the trusty Trike captured imagery while its rider pedaled.
If this collection piques your interest to see these locations in person, you’re in good company. In fact, according to the survey on the Impact of Online Content on European Tourism, more than half of EU travelers consult Internet sites and social media in order to get information about trips. But even if you’re not planning un vacación anytime soon, the wonders of Spain are now just a click away.
Published by Amita Khattri, Street View Program Manager
We were invited to Gombe National Park to capture a record of this historic place, where today the Jane Goodall Institute manages the longest-running chimpanzee research study in the world. It was here that Dr. Goodall first witnessed chimpanzees fishing for termites using a blade of grass as a tool to dig them out of their mounds. Using tools was an act previously believed to be unique to humans. Her observations revolutionized our understanding of chimpanzees—animals that share 98 percent of our DNA—and redefined the very notion of “human.” More than 50 years later, protecting chimpanzees and their habitat is central to the mission of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI).
Pushing through the brush, carrying the Street View Trekker, we collected thousands of 360 degree images along the narrow paths of the park to share with the world. We first stopped at a location Jane calls “The Peak”—her favorite vantage point. I could imagine her looking out over the canopies, peering tirelessly through her binoculars, writing in her notebook, and observing these beautiful animals as they swung through the trees.
In the spirit of preservation, the Institute plans to use Gombe Street View as a unique archive of this special place, available to future generations of researchers. This imagery complements JGI’s current monitoring efforts using satellite imagery and mapping to protect 85 percent of the remaining chimpanzees in Africa. Young people will also be inspired to explore the wild through the 360 degree imagery as part of JGI’s educational program, Jane Goodall's Roots and Shoots.
We hope you enjoy exploring this living laboratory for yourself!
Posted by Allie Lieber, Program Manager, Google Earth Outreach
Special thank you to Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Lilian Pintea, Bill Wallauer, Dr. Anthony Collins and many more members of the Jane Goodall Institute in the United States and Tanzania, as well as TANAPA, for all of the knowledge and time they contributed to this project.
While you admire its grandeur, remember that the river is also at risk. One of the United States’ most important resources, the Colorado River provides drinking water for 36 million people from Denver to Los Angeles, supports a $26 billion recreation industry, and irrigates nearly 4 million acres of land that grow 15 percent of our nation’s crops. But it’s also one of the most endangered, dammed, diverted and plumbed rivers in the world, thanks to a century of management policies and practices that have promoted the use of Colorado River water at an unsustainable rate. By the time it reaches the Gulf of California in Mexico, the river is barely a trickle—a ghost of its once magnificent self. You can see evidence of the river’s decline In Street View, like the high water mark (showing 1950s driftwood on top of the rock), or sedimentation along the river’s edge down by Lake Mead.
We’re proud to partner with Google and Street View to raise awareness of the need to protect and restore the river. It’s time to speak up and protect the wonder of the Grand Canyon and the riches of a healthy Colorado River. Join American Rivers and help us protect and restore this iconic river of the west—for today and for future generations.
Posted by Chris Williams, Senior Vice President of Conservation, American Rivers
Whether you want to travel across the Pacific or around the block, we hope you’ll use Street View to explore all the incredible places in the world. And if we’ve inspired you to plan your next vacation to Hawaii, you can also explore these amazing Street View Treks on GoHawaii.com, the official website for HVCB.
To learn more about this program and apply to be the next Trekker, visit g.co/trekker.
Take a walk down the narrow trails and exposed paths of the Grand Canyon: hike down the famous Bright Angel Trail, gaze out at the mighty Colorado River, and explore scenic overlooks in full 360-degrees. You’ll be happy you’re virtually hiking once you get to the steep inclines of the South Kaibab Trail. A click of your mouse or tap of your finger can also transport you to the rim of nearby Meteor Crater, enabling you to preview this otherworldly site.
The Colorado River, one of the many impressive scenes in the Grand Canyon
This breathtaking imagery collection was made possible with the Trekker. Our team strapped on the Android-operated 40-pound backpacks carrying the 15-lens camera system and wound along the rocky terrain on foot, enduring temperature swings and a few muscle cramps along the way. Together, more than 9,500 panoramas of this masterpiece of nature are now available on Google Maps.
A breathtaking 360-degree view from the famous Bright Angel Trail
So no matter where you are, you don’t have to travel far or wait for warmer weather to explore Grand Canyon National Park. Check out some of our favorite views on our World Wonders site where you can find more information, facts and figures about the Grand Canyon, or in the updated Street View gallery, and happy (virtual) hiking!
Posted by Ryan Falor, Product Manager, Google Maps
hiking the Bright Angel Trail on the South Rim with Trekkers
The narrow ridges and steep, exposed trails of the Grand Canyon provide the perfect terrain for our newest camera system. The Trekker—which its operator controls via an Android phone and automatically gathers photos as he walks—enables the collection of high-quality imagery from places that are only accessible on foot.
Falor controlling the Trekker with his Android device
This week, photos are being gathered from portions of the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park, including the ridge, the famous Bright Angel Trail, South Kaibab Trail, and more. These panoramic views will soon be live on Google Maps, giving everyone from real-life visitors to armchair travelers the opportunity to marvel at this beautiful, majestic site from the comfort of their computers or mobile devices.
The team hiking the Bright Angel Trail
So get ready for the virtual adventure that awaits! And in the meantime, we’ll keep on trekken’ and working hard to bring you panoramic imagery of more visually stunning places we have yet to explore and share on Google Maps.
Posted by Ryan Falor, Product Manager, Google Street View
