Samarkand is one of Central Asia’s most storied cities, famed for its role as a crossroads of culture, science, and trade along the Silk Road. The heart of the city is the Registan, a grand square framed by three ornate madrasas decorated with vivid mosaics, intricate tilework, and soaring arches.

Leros Island, Greece, rests quietly in the Aegean Sea, offering a combination of sun-drenched beaches and historical landmarks that invite exploration. The main town, Agia Marina, spreads along a natural harbor, where fishing boats and small yachts sway gently against the backdrop of colorful houses climbing the hillside. Winding streets reveal a mix of architecture, from traditional whitewashed homes to neoclassical buildings.

Sajama National Park lies in western Bolivia near the border with Chile, within the highlands of the Oruro Department. It protects a broad landscape of volcanoes, high-altitude grasslands, wetlands, volcanic formations, and native queñua forests. The park is centered on Nevado Sajama, Bolivia’s highest mountain, whose snow-covered summit rises above the surrounding Altiplano.

Niue is an island in free association with New Zealand, in the South Pacific Ocean. Niue is located about about 286 mi. east of Tonga.

Tsavo East National Park is one of Kenya’s largest protected areas, covering about 13,747 square kilometres in the country’s southeast. Its landscape is largely semi-arid, with open plains, scrub, rocky outcrops, and river corridors shaped by the Tsavo, Athi, Galana, and Voi rivers. The park is particularly associated with its dust-red elephants, whose appearance comes from the animals coating themselves in the park’s distinctive red soil.