Few places in the world will overwhelm your senses with contrasts as intense as Morocco’s sharp white sun against towering golden limestone cliffs. Experience the expansive vistas of palm trees framed by snow-capped peaks and settle down at night to slow-cooked dishes bursting with the flavor of preserved lemons, green olives and cumin.

Take time to soak in the romantic city of Casablanca or imperial Marrakesh and their narrow and ever-winding streets, bustling with merchants, artisans, storytellers and snake charmers. Leave these behind and head out to see robed and hooded nomads traversing the desert beside masses of camels, sheep and goats. Conquer North Africa’s highest peak, Jebel Toubkal, along the Atlas mountain range. Reach startling summits are reached through stunning craggy valleys without the need for technical climbing experience.

Surprisingly, the Atlas mountains are still one of the world’s great secrets; the area is as gorgeous as the Alps, the Andes, and the Himalayas – but with significantly fewer visitors. There are many paths through these mountain valleys; one of our favorites leads to lively waterfalls and traditional Berber villages, whose people seem untouched by the west and still live today in the same manner they have over the last several centuries.