TOGETHER WITH

Since the 1950s, Western science has known that the two key ingredients for any psychedelic trip are “set” and “setting.” Popularized by American Seikinnow and psychedelic evangelist Timothy Leary, the phrase refers to one's mindset and environment during a journey. "Set" is your internal weather – your mood, expectations, anxieties, and intentions. "Setting" is everything outside of you: the room or a landscape you're in, the people nearby, the music playing, the temperature of the air, even the subtle social cues that signal whether you're safe or on the brink of no return.

For decades, psychedelic guides and researchers have emphasized the same advice. If you want a smoother ride, intentionally curate your set and setting to be as comfortable as possible. Think of everything you might need while under the influence of a psychedelic ahead of time. This intentional planning can help mitigate some of the potential discomfort or perceived chaos psychedelics can sometimes make you feel, or what we generally refer to as a “bad trip.”

But once you understand how to tend to your set and setting, another question inevitably arises: Of all the places in this great big world, where should you trip? Is it safe to trip at the beach or in the desert? How about abroad? If we Earthlings are so sensitive to our environments while tripping, logic would then suggest that there are some places on Earth that are practically designed for the psychedelic experience. And not just any ol’ psychedelic experience, either. We’re talking about ones that will reshape who you are through beauty, awe, and oneness. Here are the 10 craziest, most interesting, and beautiful places in the world to take your preferred psychedelic.

In general, deserts are wild places to trip. Humans have long visited them in search of quiet, perspective, and spiritual revelation. What makes Joshua Tree unique is its namesake vegetation (not actually a tree, but a type of yucca plant). Even without anything special in your brain, it looks like a Dr. Seuss fantasy. Inside the National Park are several campgrounds situated within walking distance to long, flat hiking trails, where you can spend hours feeling like you’re on Mars. Climb the boulders or enjoy their shade until the sun goes down, at which point the desert landscape treats you to nature’s most incredible light show: a clear, open view of the night sky.

Amsterdam is a classic psychedelic destination: “magic truffles” containing psilocybin can be purchased at special shops, as can marijuana, which the Netherlands decriminalized long before it was cool. The city itself is a wonderland of canals, bridges, parks, and museums, but if the Van Goghs just aren’t hitting, try the Museum of Fluorescent Art. The museum—also called “Electric Ladyland,” after a song by Jimi Hendrix, whose psychedelic 60’s rock plays inside—features a variety of art, crystals, and objects that glow under UV lights. The colorful environment is, for lack of a better word—trippy. Book in advance, as museum creator Nick Padalino likes to tour visitors around the small, cozy space. Afterward, relax with a joint at Original Dampkring Coffeeshop.

It doesn’t matter which one—any forest undisturbed enough to be called “old-growth” is sure to dazzle and immerse intrepid trippers. The longer a forest grows without being logged or developed, the richer and more harmonious its ecosystem becomes. You can almost feel the relationships between the trees, shrubs, vines, and fungi that have spent centuries finding just the right places to exist for collective equilibrium. Old-growth forests typically have multi-layered canopies with open gaps (so everyone can get a little sun) and tall trees covered in luminous moss. Many of these special places are still under threat of logging. Still, pockets exist around the world: try the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the famous Białowieża Forest of Poland, or Jedediah Smith State Park in California (where scenes set on Endor, the Ewoks’ home moon, were filmed for Star Wars).

Some people prefer tripping in nature. Others delight in the chaos of cities. On the High Line, a revitalized stretch of what was once an elevated railroad in Manhattan, you get a little bit of both. After growing wild for 25 years, the 1.5 mile–long park’s landscape has been cultivated into several gardens with hundreds of species of plants, including artificial wetlands overlooking the Hudson River. There’s an open lawn, a sundeck, and multiple skywalks with stunning views of the surrounding city. It usually only takes 45 minutes to walk, but given the bounty of plant life and ever-changing art installations, someone in the right state of mind could easily wander it for hours. I guess that’s why they call it the “High” Line…

If you somehow find yourself in Ishinomaki, a small city on the east coast of Japan, take the hour-long ferry to Tashirojima, popularly known as “Cat Island,” where felines outnumber humans four to one. And if you somehow find yourself with psychedelics (which are highly illegal in Japan), you can spend the day getting extra-warmly acquainted with the cats and kittens, who really are everywhere—see if you can count all the cat-themed shrines. The island is quiet, covered in lush vegetation, and surrounded by open sea. Plan ahead, and you can even stay in one of five quirky cat-shaped cabins inspired by Japanese manga.

Psychonauts the world over are drawn to Egypt for its ancient history and numerous archeological marvels, but if you find yourself about to peak in Giza — the Cairo suburb where the most famous pyramids are located — it’s best to go off the beaten path to escape the crowds and pushy tourist touts. Located just south of the bustling metropolis, the Saqqara pyramids once served as a necropolis for the bygone capital of Memphis, and they offer a calmer and quieter venue for psychoactive time travel. With hardly any ropes or barriers to get in your way, you can explore the world’s oldest stone building, the stepped Pyramid of Djoser. Other Star Wars-esque constructions are a short drive away.  

Hidden away on a far-flung patch of desert scrub, the Sun Tunnels don’t look like much: Just four gigantic concrete tubes arranged in a cross pattern. But if you take some time and let your preferred plant medicine sink in, you’ll begin to understand the sublime magic of this epic land-art installation, which was created by Nancy Holt in the mid 1970s. The tunnels are big enough to sit and hang out in, and they’re lined up so that the sun shines directly through them during sunrise and sunset on the biannual solstices. Small holes represent the constellations of Draco, Perseus, Columba, and Capricorn, and sound can carry between the tunnels with remarkable clarity, creating a natural boombox that will keep you transfixed throughout your trip. 

Falling somewhere between an art exhibit and a portal to a new dimension, Meow Wolf makes a point to overstimulate visitors to the max in its efforts to provide a journey through the unexpected and unknown. There are five Meow Wolf locations across the Southwest United States, and each of them offers a unique installation and plenty to explore: Think hidden passageways, colorful audio-visuals, and lots of things that glow. Here you can microdose or macrodose and you’ll trip hard either way. 

Cemeteries can be a powerful setting for a trip, offering a way to reflect on the flowing tides of life and death. But you don’t have to be in a dour mood to get swept away by Highgate Cemetery, a Victorian burial ground that doubles as a nature reserve. Situated among dense thickets of brambles, ferns and native trees, the gothic tombs and catacombs evoke a Scooby-Doo-type spookiness in the best way. And if your visuals are strong enough, who knows, you might end up crossing paths with the ghost of someone buried there, like Karl Marx or George Michael. 

It takes an intrepid plane ride or a 14-hour bus trip to make it from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad all the way up to the snowy peaks and crystalline river waters of the far-northern Hunza Valley, so make sure to save your drugs until you actually get there. Nestled within the Karakoram mountain range, Hunza is a popular tourist destination for both local and international travelers, and thanks to the high altitude (at an elevation of 7,999 feet), you may get a buzz just by sitting around and doing nothing. But once you actually start tripping, you’ll get a feast for all senses, especially with yak meat available to satiate your munchies. 

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