Now that it’s getting chilly outside, a desert is probably starting to sound really good right about now. Believe it or not, they aren’t all just endless landscapes of rock and sand. Whether it’s and surfing or camel riding, these destinations have so much to do. There are some truly drop-dead gorgeous deserts out there that we think should definitely make your must do list! Check some of these great places out:

Simpson Desert, Australia

The Simpson Desert is the fourth largest desert in Australia. It’s filled with beautiful sand dunes in shades of red, orange, white and pink. The area is loaded with flowers and wildlife that you can’t find anywhere else, and watching to the sunset of Rainbow Valley looks absolutely stunning. Because there are no cities in the desert and is surrounded by four national parks, getting there and exploring can be difficult. But, it’s SO worth it!

Arabian Desert, Southwestern Asia

This gorgeous site spreads across a whopping 90,000 square miles, yet still manages to be just the second largest desert in the world. Being as immense as it is, it takes up almost all of the Arabian peninsula. While you’re there, be sure to visit the world’s most stunning archeological sites, Madain Saleh, a structure dated from the year 1293. Although you may think all deserts must be exceedingly hot all day, that’s not the case here! The Arabian desert, despite reaching up to 131-degrees Fahrenheit during the day, has freezing nights! Also, if you immediately think of Aladdin and start singing the song, “Arabian Nights,” we totally support you.

Atacama Desert, Chile

You’ve definitely seen photos of this one. The Atacama Desert is the world’s driest and receives nearly no rain at all, with some areas never having ANY recorded rainfall, EVER. The arid landscape almost looks out of this world, with some people even comparing it to the surface of Mars. The Atacama is also well known for its amazing star gazing. You can’t miss this one! It’s a once in a lifetime experience.

Sahara Desert, Northern Africa

The Sahara Desert is arguably the most well known and beautiful desert in the world. It’s the largest hot desert and the third biggest in the world. The sand dunes spreading across the Sahara are world-renowned, as they make up almost 25 percent of the desert. Some dunes even reach higher than 500 feet. If we’re honest, we’ve always wanted to go sandboarding down some dunes. Try it out!

Gobi Desert, Central Asia

The Gobi desert is situated in northern China and southern Mongolia. It is known for its unique dunes, mountains and wildlife, like camels and snow leopards. Unlike the Sahara, only 5 percent of the Gobi is made up of sand dunes, and a lot of the land is rich with vegetation. If all of this isn’t reason enough to visit, the Gobi is also where the first dinosaurs laid their eggs, making it a famous site for dinosaur discoverers in the past. Whether it’s visiting the excavation sites or riding a camel through the desert, you’re sure to have a glorious time.

There you have it! There are so many beautiful deserts to see in the world that are worth the trip, especially when the rest of the world is bundling up in layers. Safe and happy travels from our team here at Must Do Travels.