Mt. Sinai, Egypt
To catch the sunrise on Mt. Sinai, travelers first climb a rocky trail from 2:30 to 5am, alongside Bedouin tribesmen and their camels. Then they sit and wait for the dawn’s rays to pierce the darkness and illuminate a jagged, lunar-like landscape.
The sensation of being on Mt. Sinai as the sun appears in the morning sky is impossible to forget. Even if you’re not religious, you can envision Moses having a divine experience here.
After trekking back downhill, stop at St. Catherine’s Monastery to see a direct descendant of the Bible’s burning bush.
Ganges River, Varanasi, India
Varanasi is believed to be one of the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, with a past that stretches back 3,000 years.
Trudge its narrow, dirty streets in the predawn hours before emerging atop one of the ghats that line the sacred Ganges River to the sight of a vibrant sunrise and Hindu pilgrims bathing and praying at the water’s edge.
Alternatively, take in the scene from a rowboat that ferries visitors up and down the river.
Haleakala Volcano, Maui, Hawaii
On the island of Maui, you can drive from sea level up to 10,000 feet in about two hours and end your journey near the peak of Haleakala. More than a million people make this journey annually, many of them in the predawn hours so they can watch the sun rise over Haleakala National Park.
Once it does, you can hike into Haleakala Crater. Or, hop a van up to the peak and mountain bike back down.
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