Middle East & Africa attractions

Best known as the ostrich capital of the world, Oudtshoorn has more to offer than just a chance to visit ostrich farms. Set in the Little Karoo—South Africa’s semi-desert—the town is the gateway to the Swartberg mountains, the Cango Caves, and innumerable nature reserves and trails. Visitors can also enjoy local restaurants and wineries.

Hundreds of tombs burrow through the Valley of the Nobles, the final resting place for many of Luxor’s elite. Wall paintings here depict scenes of daily life in ancient Egypt, with images of everything from artisans to animals, making it a more intimate place to explore than the famous Valley of the Kings.

Part of Rabat’s UNESCO World Heritage–listed old city, the Kasbah of the Udayas (Casbah des Oudaïas is a 12th-century citadel at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River. Besides the fortress, city walls, and gates, the kasbah houses whitewashed streets, the Andalusian Gardens, the Oudaia Museum, and a wealth of authentic eateries.

The relatively recently built Bibi-Heybat Mosque in Baku is an excellent recreation of the 13th-century Shirvansha Farrukhzad II lbh Ahsitan II, also called “the mosque of Fatima.” After it was destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936, the site remained in ruins until it was rebuilt in 1994. It’s the Muslim spiritual center in Azerbaijan and a popular tourist attraction, with its three domes, two minarets, and colorful tiles.

Mt. Sinai rises a lofty 7,497 feet (2,285 meters) above sea level and is an important religious pilgrimage site, where the prophet Moses is said to have received the 10 Commandments directly from God. Visit the site’s ancient monastery or hike to the summit for panoramic views of Egypt’s mountainous Sinai Peninsula.

Also known as Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, the little town of Moulay Idriss is Morocco’s spiritual capital and home to the nation’s most important pilgrimage site, the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss. It’s a traditional place, with whitewashed houses rolling over the hills and a relaxed vibe compared to hectic Fez or Marrakech.

Narrow streets inside high city walls weave together historical landmarks in Icherisheher, the neighborhood that makes up the Baku Old City. Around every corner, visitors will find mosques, caravanserai, and the enormous Palace of the Shirvanshahs complex. Carpet shops and food stalls make the area a hit with window shoppers and snackers.

Flames flicker as they emerge from the rugged earth at Yanar Dag inside this historical, cultural, and natural reserve north of Baku. Nicknamed the Burning Mountain for obvious reasons, fires fueled by leaking gas pockets remain burning around the clock and have deep cultural ties to the region and the Zoroastrian religion.

Situated in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Madaba in Jordan, the Madaba Map dates from 542-570 AD and is the world’s oldest cartographic depiction of the Holy Land. While some of this richly detailed map is lost, it’s still more than worth seeing for its depiction of 6th-century Jerusalem and the wider Holy Land.

The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve holds the third-largest canyon in the world, which boasts cliffs that rise nearly 2625 feet (800 meters) from the river bed below. Adventurous travelers can explore the canyon’s lush green scenery, waterfalls, and wildlife on hikes, boat excursions, and rock climbing adventures.

As the most accessible of Cape Town’s three peaks, Signal Hill is a prime spot for catching sunset over the city. In addition to its spectacular scenery, Signal Hill also harbors the Noon Guns, two Dutch naval guns, and the last remaining Peninsula Shale Renosterveld vegetation.

Alexandria’s most beautiful green space, the Montazah Palace Gardens extend along the seafront and around 19th-century Montazah Palace, which is closed to the public. Highlights include beaches, avenues of palms, and an ornate pink bridge, as well as manicured flower beds and well-maintained lawns.

The bright and breezy Baku Boulevard (Denizkenari Milli Park) boasts a wide swath of sidewalks lined with trees, shops, and al fresco cafés. It extends 3 miles (5 kilometers) along the seafront from National Flag Square beyond Freedom Square. Highlights of the boulevard include the 197-foot (60-meter) Baku Ferris Wheel and the Park Bulvar shopping mall.

Jericho is an ancient biblical town, with early settlements traced back 10,000 years, possibly making it the earliest site of human civilization. Located in the occupied Palestinian Territories, and reached by traveling through the Judean Desert, Jericho is filled with archaeological ruins, monasteries, mosques, and other religious and historical sights.

Nestled in the Namib-Naukluft National Park not far from famous Dune 45, the otherworldly salt and clay pan landscape of Sossusvlei is a must-see when in Namibia. Come to experience and photograph the towering red dunes and golden sands framed against a sprawling blue sky.

The majestic Oukaimeden valley, set inside Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, is a popular day trip from Marrakech. A lush gorge carving its way through a tableau of jagged peaks, the valley is dotted with traditional Berber villages and prehistoric rock art sites, plus it offers year-round outdoor adventures—including wintertime skiing.

A modern-day theme park where you can shop, dine, and be entertained all in one place, the Global Village is one of Dubai’s most unique attractions. Immerse yourself in the sights, cuisines, and creations of more than 90 different world cultures as you explore the themed pavilions, shop for traditional handicrafts, watch spectacular live performances, and have fun on the fairground rides.

Trails, waterfalls, and wildlife draw visitors to lush Tsitsikamma National Park. Set along South Africa’s scenic Garden Route and spanning 50 miles (80 kilometers) of coastline, the park stretches from the mouth of the Storms River to Nature’s Valley. Embark on various adventures here, from a multi-day hike along the Otter Trail to one of the world’s highest bungee jumps.

A flawless crescent of deep, fine sand, which rolls on for miles to the south of town, Agadir Beach (Plage d’Agadir forms the heart of this seaside resort. A wealth of cafés and restaurants offer food and drink, with loungers for sun worshippers, while water sports run from Jet Ski to boat trips and deep-sea fishing adventures.

Set beneath a mountain many believe to be the Biblical Mt. Sinai, St. Catherine’s Monastery has a heritage dating back to the fourth century AD and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Still a working monastery, St. Catherine’s has defensive walls that house chapels, a library museum, and what is claimed to be a descendant of the Biblical burning bush.

Thought to be one of Arabia’s oldest marketplaces, Muttrah Souk is a maze of shop-crammed lanes and squares hidden off Muscat’s Muttrah waterfront. Open day and night, the souk lures travelers with its Arabian Nights atmosphere and outlets piled with Omani handicrafts, household goods, clothes, and spices.

Lebanon’s spectacular Jeita Grotto makes an exciting day trip from Beirut. Once considered as a finalist for the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, this dramatic cave is divided into two levels: a lower grotto and an upper grotto, which contains the White Chamber, home to the world’s largest stalactite.

Rising more than 2,000 feet (600 meters) above the Atlantic Ocean, Lion’s Head peak presides over Cape Town and can be spotted from nearly everywhere in the city, but the real treasure is the view from the peak. Hike the steep trail the top to be rewarded with views of the coastline, cityscape, and neighboring Table Mountain.

Opened in 2011, the Royal Opera House Muscat is Oman’s premier cultural institution and one of its signature sights. Visitors come to attend operas, concerts, and shows; enjoy its upscale shopping and dining mall; and marvel at its stunning Arabesque and Italianate design.

Perhaps nowhere is South Africa’s transition to democracy more apparent than on Constitution Hill. For over a hundred years, buildings here functioned as a feared prison complex, holding everyone from common criminals to activists Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, and even Winston Churchill (briefly during the Boer War. Since 2004, the site has been home to South Africa’s Constitutional Court.

Discover the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts, housed in an 18th-century fondouk (a type of travelers inn) in Fez, Morocco. Offering visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in the city’s past, the museum showcases ancient artifacts as well as exhibits displayed in the splendor of the building’s elegant courtyard.

Once a colonial beef ranch, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy is now a leading wildlife sanctuary. Backdropped by Mount Kenya’s snowy peaks, the 90,000-acre (36,422-hectare) savanna preserve is home to several safari must-sees, including East Africa’s largest black rhino population and the last northern white rhinos in the world.

Home to the Western Wall, Judaism’s most sacred site, as well as synagogues, religious schools, and a Byzantine-era stretch of the ancient Cardo thoroughfare, the Jerusalem Jewish Quarter is one of the Old City’s traditional four quarters. Rabbis, scholars, and ritually clad Orthodox Jewish believers still stroll its ancient streets.

Egypt’s oldest surviving mosque, the Mosque of Amr ibn Al-As offers a window into the city’s medieval beginnings and cultural mores, and is one of Old Cairo’s most intriguing sights. Constructed in 641 and rebuilt many times since, you can can explore the mosque outside prayer times to experience its impressive prayer hall, courtyard, and minarets.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Masada, an ancient fortress built by King Herod the Great, dates back to 37 BC. It’s location on a cliff overlooking the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea is a spectacular spot from which to watch the sunrise.