Middle East & Africa Travelers Recommend

The living home of the world’s three major religions, Jerusalem is also a vibrant city for outdoor sightseeing. The Old City is north of the City of David, and it’s here that you’ll get a shiver down the backbone as you walk through history. Old City highlights include the David Street souk for bargaining, the open-air market surrounding Damascus Gate in the Muslim Quarter. With so much history and so many faiths, Jerusalem has more than five dozen museums and hundreds of historic sites to explore. Admire swirls of calligraphy at the institute for Islamic Art, the archaeological discoveries of the British Mandate at the Rockefeller Museum, and imagine how life was lived in the days of Jesus at the Wohl Archaeological Museum. Many visitors to Israel make the pilgrimage to Bethlehem to visit the birthplace of Jesus, only 10km (6 miles) south of Jerusalem. The Church of the Nativity is the focus, built on Manger Square over the grotto where Jesus was born.

Tel Aviv has transformed over the last century into a vibrant, modern city on the sea. Walkable, bike-able and diverse in its dining and entertainment options, Israel's second-largest (and rapidly growing) city makes an excellent base for exploring the rest of the region and all of Israel. Whether you're interested in delving into ancient history, floating in the Dead Sea or climbing a dormant volcano, you can do it on a day trip from Tel Aviv. Go Back in Time at Masada Perched atop a plateau surrounded by towering cliffs, the ancient fortress of Masada is one of the nation's most historically significant sites (and the first to become a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001). The journey between Tel Aviv and Masada cuts through the rugged Judean Desert—a perfect place to stop and watch a sunrise or sunset.

Once you’ve experienced the glitz and extravagance of Dubai, plan to spend at least a day in the Dubai Desert taking in this beautiful natural landscape. As a nation made up of mostly desert, the United Arab Emirates have become a top destination for desert adventures, many available just outside of Dubai. By far the most popular desert experience near Dubai is sandboarding. On a Dubai 4x4 Sandboarding Safari, you’ll get to experience the rolling dunes of the Dubai Desert two ways. First, you’ll enjoy the scenery from a 4x4 vehicle as it takes you from the city into the desert. Next, you’ll strap on a board and experience the exhilaration of gliding down the dunes. Sandboarding is actually easier to master than snowboarding, so it’s a great family friendly activity for any age.

Dubai may be best known for its ultra-luxurious hotels, upscale eateries and world-class shopping, but the city packs a major punch when it comes to outdoor adventure as well. As you might expect from a city lying in within the Arabian Desert, many of the area’s outdoor attractions revolve around sand. Sandboarding, one of the most popular sports in the desert, has become a quintessential Dubai experience in recent years. After making the journey via four wheel drive into the scenic desert, you’ll strap on a board for the fun and exhilarating coast down an Arabian dune. Another adventurous option for visitors who prefer to stay behind the wheel is taking on the dunes on an ATV or dune buggy. Extend your desert safari overnight for the chance to sleep under the stars. Seeing Dubai from above might just be more impressive than seeing it on the ground, and one of the most thrilling ways to capture that bird’s eye view is in the basket of a hot air balloon.

Outdoor adventure can be found all over Cape Town. Whether you're an animal lover or adrenaline junkie, a surfer or a cyclist, you'll certainly find something fun to do during your stay. Take a running, cycling or walking tour of the city to see its most significant sites, including 3,558-foot (1,084-meter) Table Mountain. This towering landmark is a popular spot for hiking and mountain biking. Wildlife enthusiasts have a host of game and nature reserves to choose from in their quest to see Africa's Big Five, while the Big Cat Sanctuary offers insight into the country's feline inhabitants, with a chance to observe lions, Bengal tigers, caracal and leopards. Meanwhile, the Atlantis Dunes, 30 minutes outside of Cape Town, set the scene for two more land-based adventures: quad biking and sandboarding. Cape Town also has plenty of aquatic adventures on the menu, including sea kayaking and surfing.

If you’ve explored the Marrakech medina and haggled for bargains in the sprawling souk, heard storytellers weave their magic in the Djemaa el Fna square, and dined al fresco on Moroccan cuisine, it’s time to travel further afield to discover more of the magic of Morocco. Marrakech sits in the foothills of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, North Africa’s chain of mountains linking Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Here, the High Atlas range is cut by the Draa River and Ourika Valley, 30km (19 miles) from Marrakech. The oasis-like Ourika Valley is a popular day trip destination from Marrakech, offering glimpses of waterfalls, unspoilt landscapes and encounters with Morocco’s traditional Berber people. The ancient Berber trails winding across the Atlas Mountains cover some pretty rough terrain, so it is best traveled by off-road 4WD on a longer day trip excursion.

Marrakech makes an excellent base for venturing into the rolling dunes, palm groves, beaches and foothills of the Atlas Mountains for some thrilling outdoor adventures. When you think Morocco you probably also think desert, and rightfully so. Camels still serve as a primary mode of transportation here, and a camel trek through the Palmeraie just outside the city is one of the best ways to experience this striking landscape. To contrast old and new, combine camel trekking or horseback riding with some 4WD quad biking as well. You can also take a trip to the mountains, the Atlas Mountains' proximity to Marrakech makes them a perfect day trip destination for adrenaline-seeking travelers. The Atlantic Coast of Morocco is also within day-trip-distance of Marrakech. But you don't even need to leave the city to enjoy the great outdoors. Bicycle, Segway and walking tours are fun, easy and eco-friendly ways to explore the city.

Dubai has transformed in the last 100 years from a port town to the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, and a center for great shopping, glitz and glamor and high romance. With tall skyscrapers filling the skyline, this is where Tiger Woods famously teed up from the helipad of the tallest hotel in the world – the Burj Al Arab Sailboat Hotel. Make your way over to the Dubai Museum to take in four millennium’s-worth of discoveries. After learning about how Dubai transformed from a small fishing town to the business hub it is today, take an abra across to Deira. This water taxi is a well-used form of transport and will give you a great opportunity to take in the sights of the city as you cruise across the creek. Make the most of the many souqs (markets) in Deira to haggle for anything from a belly dancing uniform to a block of gold! This fantastic tour will give a real taste of what the United Arab Emirates is like outside of Dubai.

When many people dream of the Arabian Desert, they dream of exotic belly dancers, camel riding and, more recently, tearing through the dunes in a 4x4. The 1001 Arabian Stars Private Safari is a great option. Starting in the early afternoon, you are taken through the dunes in a 4x4 to a camel farm. After riding the camels, you will watch the sun set across the sand. As night falls, the camp becomes alive with belly dancing, delicious barbeques and sheesha smoking. This is a great way to experience how life was for the Arab settlers in the Dubai desert. The next morning, you will be returned to your hotel. If you’re tight for time or don’t fancy sleeping in the desert, then there are several one day tours available too, in which you drive towards the Hatta village, which has existed since the 16th century. The Hatta village lies on dry river beds, which wind up the mountain towards a glorious oasis, where you can cool off in the turquoise rock pools.