Things to Do & Must-See Attractions in Middle East & Africa

Capped with snow throughout the winter months and cloaked with wildflowers through the summer, the rocky plateaus and lush valleys of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains provide a striking backdrop for hiking and mountain biking treks, as well as cultural visits to Morocco’s remaining Berber tribes. Sprawling along the frontier of the Sahara, the range runs from the Atlantic coast to the northern Rif Mountains.

The Pearl-Qatar, a luxury housing and entertainment development on an artificial island shaped like a pearl, has quickly become Doha’s premier shopping and dining destination since its announcement in 2004. Once completed, The Pearl-Qatar will feature 13 islands with a host of luxury villas, apartments, three five-star hotels and 21.5 million square feet (2 million square meters) of retail, restaurant and entertainment space.

Visitors to The Pearl-Qatar will already find a host of shopping options— everything from home furnishing to men’s and women’s fashion—as well as nearly four dozen restaurants and cafes. Options include gourmet burger shops, an Argentine steak house, Japanese sushi bar and a French bistro. The Marsa Malaz Kempinski Hotel is the first of three planned luxury hotel properties on the islands.

Measuring a mighty 4,150 miles (6,680 kilometers) from end to end, the Nile is the world’s longest river. It’s also the lifeblood of Egypt, flowing through the heart of the Sahara desert, and passing through cities, including Khartoum, Aswan, Luxor, and Cairo, before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea at Alexandria.

“Katara” was the ancient name given to the Qatar Peninsula — a fitting name for this collection of Qatari-style buildings that comprise the Katara Cultural Village. The venue seeks to connect Qatar’s ancient heritage with its modern status as a cultural hub through this cluster of theaters, performance venues, galleries and restaurants serving Qatari and international cuisine.

The Katara Cultural Village also maintains its own private beach — a mile-long (1.5-km) strip of sand complete with a children’s play area. For an extra fee, visitors can water ski, kneeboard, parasail or take a boat ride from the beach.

Located just south of the city, Nairobi National Park is Kenya’s first game reserve and the only protected area in the world that sits so close to a nation’s capital. Visitors to the vast wildlife park are likely to spot black rhinos, lions, giraffe, and zebra, as well as some 400 bird species.

With a huge Roman-era theater, an ancient aqueduct framing a golden beach, and more, Caesarea is home to some of Israel’s most striking ruins. Built by Herod the Great around the time of Christ, the remains of this once-thriving port extend beneath the ocean, while waterfront restaurants and bars let you soak up the views in style.

The massive, white Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the central place of worship for citizens of the United Arab Emirates, accommodating roughly 40,000 people. Highlights inside include white marble columns with mother-of-pearl engravings, expansive Iranian carpets, and intricate crystal chandeliers.

With its bold blue color scheme, towering palms, and gigantic cacti, set around pools of water lilies and gardens filled with exotic plants, the Majorelle Garden (Jardin Majorelle) is one of the most idyllic spots in Marrakech. Owned by designer Yves Saint Laurent, it’s also one of the city’s most visited attractions.

Set inside Al Fahidi Fort, the Dubai Museum recounts the Emirates’ history up until the oil boom, which forever altered its skyline. Dioramas and artifacts convey what daily life was like for Dubai’s earliest communities, while life-sized re-creations of the city’s early souks and wharfs bring the past to life.

Located 7 miles (14 kilometers) west of Tangier, near Cape Spartel, the Caves of Hercules is one of the area’s top attractions. Discovered in 1906, the cave extends for 18.6 miles (30 kilometers) and is both natural and man-made. It features two openings, one to land and one to sea, with the latter known as the “Map of Africa” for its distinctive shape.

With its regal cliff-top perch overlooking the ocean and a soaring 210-meter high minaret (the world’s highest) that shines a beam toward Mecca during the evening hours, everything about the Hassan II Mosque is grandiose. The magnificent mosque is among the largest in the world, with space for up to 100,000 worshippers.

One of the most mysterious Seven Wonders of the Ancient World (and the only one still standing), the Pyramids of Giza—the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, and Pyramid of Menkaure—still live up to more than 4,000 years of hype. Seeing these 4th-dynasty pyramids and their guardian Great Sphinx rising from the Giza Plateau is a must on any trip to Cairo (and the reason many travelers find themselves in Egypt).

Dubai’s internationally famous Gold Souk has its roots in the 1940s, when Indian and Iranian traders began setting up stalls in the area. Today, it’s one of the world’s busiest jewelry markets, with hundreds of shops and stalls selling just about everything that glitters—namely, gold. An estimated 20 percent of the world’s gold passes through the souk, with a whopping 10 tons for sale in the market at any given moment.

Set about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Cairo, Saqqara (Sakkara) was the burial place for the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, now in ruins. The site features a small sphinx and several pyramids—the most famous of which is the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which represented a major advance in building techniques.