What's Trending Now: Magical Desert Rides

Let’s take a magical desert ride

An insatiable desire for ever-more remote destinations is manifesting itself in desert-based experiences that are so far off the beaten path they’re in a world all their own.

Wadi Rum, Jordan

Tickets for the SpaceX colony on Mars might be out of reach, but that doesn’t mean you have to forego the red planet altogether. For one of the most alien experiences on earth, fans of glamping in faraway lands are making their way to resorts set in the red-dirt desert of Wadi Rum. Here, visitors stay in Bedouin-style tents or groovy geodesic domes with all the luxe of a nice hotel, including private bathrooms and windows that look out over the Mars-like landscape.

Dubai, UAE

After touching down in Dubai, novelty seekers are taking off on night safaris in the desert with local guides who are experts at finding nocturnal creatures and the best spots for ogling the inky night sky. We’re talking highly Instagrammable experiences involving vintage Land Rovers, hot-air balloons, camel treks, telescopes, and night vision binoculars. Overnight options range from camping beneath the stars to surprisingly comfortable desert resorts.

Cruising the Nile

Cairo, Egypt

Departing from Cairo, Uniworld’s eight-day Nile River voyage aboard the all-suite River Tosca is a feast for the culturally curious escapist. Guests get to visit the temple of Karnak, entrancing Luxor, temples dedicated to Hathor and Horus, and the mother of them all: Hatshepsut. Land excursions from Cairo get even more remote. In Farafra, the hot springs, salt lakes, and chalky white formations of the White Desert are said to be a mystical experience.

Where the cool kids are going

The Atacama, Chile

If high altitude destinations are your cup of tea, head for San Pedro de Atacama and the driest desert in the world. Far from the bright lights of Santiago, visitors here are reveling in rugged ATV safaris, horse trekking, hot springs, hiking, stargazing or simply gazing at the out-of-this-world landscapes.

Negev, Israel

If you’re the type of person who wakes up thinking, “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool to go sandboarding in the desert?” then set your sights on Israel. Word is, the dunes of Negev offer perfect boarding conditions for all ages. Just outside the hightech city of Be’er Sheva, the best surfing dunes offer a mix of steep runs and kinder, gentler slopes. Apparently, finding the right board wax for dune conditions is the secret to a smooth ride.