Don’t miss out: 10 travel experiences to plan ahead

Seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan, or herds of animals on the move during Africa’s Great Migration may be your idea of the trip of a lifetime, but many people worldwide feel the same way.

To be in with a chance of being there in person, in the best setting and accommodation possible, take our specialists’ advice and plan well in advance.

Or, if you’ve already ticked off these incredible travel highlights, we’ve also suggested some interesting, and often just as exciting, alternative events and experiences.

See New England ablaze in autumn colours

When it comes to autumn, New England takes first prize. The turning trees and foliage of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Rhode Island transform the whole region. The countryside becomes a riot of scarlet, gold, crimson, orange, ochre, and vermilion.

The most dramatic shades can be found in mountainous areas such as the towns of Stowe in Vermont and Jackson in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Here, the higher elevation causes greater changes in temperature, leading to alterations in leaf colour. Scenic self-drives, like New Hampshire’s sinuous Kancamagus Highway, have lookout points where you can stop to admire the technicolour canopy.

When to book

The best properties in the region are characterful B&Bs, located in traditional New England villages with red barns, white-steepled churches, and covered bridges. Being small, they sell out quickly for the peak New England autumn period (from late-September to mid-October). If you’re hoping to visit New England in autumn 2024, start planning your travels now to get the best choice of rooms and inns.

How about seeing the autumn colours in Upstate New York?

If your heart’s set on seeing autumnal landscapes, think about coming a little further south and west as an alternative.

Autumn arrives a little later in New York State, around mid-October. Less well-known than New England, it nonetheless still attracts many local people, so planning at least six months in advance is advised. The Adirondack Mountains and the Hudson Valley (which you can experience via a train ride from Albany to New York) have some of the most vibrant leaves, while the Finger Lakes near Ithaca offer great walking trails.

Get me there

Read more about New England in fall or take a look at our Classic New England self-drive itinerary idea for inspiration.

Hike the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

It’s routinely described as one of the world’s best walks. This 43 km (26 mile) trek allows you to follow in the footsteps of Inca messengers: you’re walking the very path they trod to reach the fabled citadel of Machu Picchu, suspended between two peaks high in the Peruvian Andes.

Camping along the way, you’ll journey through some arresting scenery: dense cloudforest, vertiginous summits, and the remains of abandoned Inca outposts that non-trekkers never get to see. The ultimate reward? Your first glimpse of Machu Picchu (and its surrounding views) will be from the Sun Gate as the site emerges from the dawn mist.

When to book

It’s only possible to hike the Inca Trail with a permit, and they sell out fast. If you’re thinking of undertaking the Inca Trail in 2024, now’s a good time to speak to a specialist and start planning your trip so you get the best chance of trekking the trail on your preferred dates. The best weather conditions for the walk are between April and October.

Have you considered the Salkantay Trail?

Already completed the Inca Trail or were unable to get a permit? This ancient byway through the Andes has good availability all year round, with most trips also undertaken between April and October.

It finishes in Aguas Calientes (you take the train up to the Machu Picchu site the following day). The terrain is challenging; the landscape varied: glacier-fed lakes, tangled jungle, mountain passes, Inca ruins, cloudforest, and fruit plantations. Traversing Mount Salkantay, a sacred peak still worshipped by local people, is the literal and figurative highpoint. There’s also the chance to meet indigenous coffee farmers and weavers en route. And for those who enjoy creature comforts, this trek allows you to stay in comfortable mountain lodges, rather than camp.

Get me there

Read our guide to trekking the Inca and Salkantay trails, or browse our trip ideas like this Incas uncovered itinerary for inspiration.

Spend Christmas in Cape Town

Looking to escape the Northern Hemisphere winter? Step forward, South Africa — and Cape Town in particular.

For the quintessential experience, a visit during the festive season is a great option. New Year celebrations bring South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ to life, plus you’ll likely experience Mediterranean-like, warm, clement weather in December. It’s the ideal time of year to enjoy Cape Town’s active, outdoors-focused lifestyle.

Along the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and throughout the city, you can make like the sporty locals, strolling and cycling around. Alternatively, it’s a great time of year to Alternatively, it’s a great time of year to explore one of the many hiking trails in Table Mountain National Park.

When to book

Christmas visits to Cape Town need to be planned at least a year in advance, with many places and properties unavailable by February. So if you’re thinking of visiting for Christmas 2024, speak to one of our specialists soon.

Why not go to Cape Town at Easter instead?

The weather should still be warm in the Cape at Easter. In fact, some of the city’s hottest days often occur during March and April. If you’re looking to combine a visit to Cape Town with a safari in the Kruger, the Easter period works well too: the Kruger’s wet season will have just come to an end. For travel at Easter, plans should be made three to four months in advance to secure the best guesthouses and family-friendly hotels. However, if you’re more flexible about accommodation, there are sometimes options that only require planning just a few months before.

Get me there

Combine a visit to Cape Town with time in the Winelands, or add a city stay onto a safari in the Kruger and time at Victoria Falls.

See cherry blossom season in japan

They’re an icon of Japan, a symbol of transience, and the cause of a huge annual celebration. For a short period of time each year toward the end of March, hanami — literally meaning ‘looking at flowers’ — becomes the national pastime. People gather to admire the blooms, picnicking and relaxing under them as the winter chill gives way to milder spring weather.

Cherry trees bedecked with rose-hued or dusky pink petals are entrancing no matter where you go. Yet certain settings embellish their beauty, such as Kyoto’s gold-leafed Kinkaku-ji Temple. The deer-populated forests and pagodas of Miyajima, a small island off the coast near Hiroshima also make for a great backdrop, as does the traditional small town of Takayama in the Japanese Alps.

If you prefer to avoid crowds, fewer visitors get as far north as Tohoku, where the trees are still blooming as late as mid-April. Black-and-white Hirosaki Castle is particularly striking amid the sea of pastel pink.

When to book

Given the cherry blossoms’ popularity among both national and international visitors, you should begin planning your trip now for the 2024 season. Availability quickly dwindles for Kyoto and other first-choice locations and accommodation, and many places may already be full — in which case, a visit in 2025 is more realistic.

What about seeing Japan in November?

If you’ve already seen the blossoms, or are open to appreciating a different kind of scenery, consider going to Japan during November. It’s less crowded, but nature puts on displays that are just as visually striking. Miyajima Island, for example, has glorious foliage: the leaves of its Japanese maples turn a deep, dark red as the season progresses.

Get me there

Learn more about Japan’s seasons or find inspiration for your trip by browsing our Japan itinerary ideas.

Stay at a bear-watching lodge in Canada

Deep in British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, grizzly and black bears roam wild. They forage for clams along shingle shorelines, grapple for salmon in rock-strewn rivers, and emerge from hibernation with playful cubs in tow. By staying at a dedicated bear-watching lodge, you can witness them first hand.

These remote lodges give you the opportunity to head out each day with naturalist guides who know the best places to find them, whether you look out for tell-tale signs of their presence like pawprints or scat by foot, scour the shore by boat, or watch the salmon-migration drama unfold from strategically placed viewing platforms along the river.

When to book

Bear-watching lodges have limited rooms to keep the experience intimate, so they fill up fast — particularly during the salmon-run season (September to October). We recommend booking at least a year in advance if you’re planning to visit then, and at least eight or nine months in advance for other times of year.

Consider a wilderness cruise or lodge stay

While not purely focused on bear-watching activities, remote stays like Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge and Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort share similar settings among temperate rainforests and glassy sounds. There you can explore British Columbia’s wildlife (including bears), go heli-hiking, forage for seafood with a chef, or simply relax with spa treatments and open-air hot tubs.

Another option is to cruise along British Columbia’s coast aboard an intimate vessel with no more than 24 passengers and a small but passionate crew. Along tucked-away corners and narrow inlets, you can spot bears, otters, and bald eagles and visit Kwakwaka’wakw villages for an insight into the region’s First Nations culture.

Get me there

Plan a bear-centric trip like our Bears of British Columbia itinerary idea, or take a more general approach using our Canada’s western wilderness and wildlife trip idea for inspiration.

VISIT SRI LANKA IN THE EASTER HOLIDAYS

Sri Lanka is a great country for families at Easter. UK families in particular can enjoy the convenience of direct flights to Colombo. Active and animal-loving children will find much to enjoy, from seeing elephants in the wild in one of the national parks, to climbing the steep staircases of Sigiriya Rock. You can explore ancient city ruins or cave temples crammed with Buddha statues, visit tea plantations via a spectacular train ride, or marvel at the waterfalls and views from World’s End.

When to book

Easter is a hugely busy period for family travel to Sri Lanka and all of the best family-friendly hotels will be full for 2024. We suggest that you plan your trip for Easter 2025 before the end of March next year.

Think about visiting Sri Lanka during the summer holidays

There are real benefits for families visiting the country during our summer months. You can relax on the east coast’s beaches, where the sea is shallow, calm, and safer for young swimmers, unlike other parts of Sri Lanka’s steep-shelving coastline.

Cultural attractions like the cave temples, plus safaris and elephant-spotting in the north of the country, are also possible during this period. You can even go off the beaten track and visit Jaffna, which is culturally closer to India and dotted with Hindu temples in very bright hues.

If you’re hoping to visit Sri Lanka in the summer holidays, start planning your trip by November at the latest.

Get me there

Our Highlights of Sri Lanka trip idea, alongside our guide to visiting Sri Lanka as a family, should give you some inspiration when planning your trip.

Observe the Great Migration in Kenya's Masai Mara

It’s something all wildlife lovers dream of seeing. A cyclical annual phenomenon, herds of wildebeest, gazelle, and zebra move between the plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania and the grasslands of the Masai Mara, Kenya, following the rains in search of pasture and to give birth to their young. Their movement attracts predators in turn: lion, leopard, cheetah, and hyena follow the migration.

One of the highlights of the Great Migration is the river crossings, which take place in the Masai Mara in August or September. This is when herds reluctantly ford the rushing Mara River in a mass stampede. Crocodiles lie in wait in the water, and big cats stalk the banks. Witnessing a crossing can take patience, but our guides know the best spots. It’s nature at its most elemental and dramatic: animals risk their lives to cross, while others fight for their own survival by hunting their next meal.

The Masai Mara’s range of camps, plus the excellent English language skills of its guides, makes this one of the most in-demand destinations for wildlife enthusiasts in Africa.

When to book

To be in with a chance of going on safari in the Masai Mara during the Great Migration, you’ll need to plan your trip at least 12 months in advance. Any later than that, and availability in our preferred camps and lodges is limited.

But what about observing the Great Migration in the Serengeti instead?

You can also see river crossings in the northern Serengeti between July and September. This area draws fewer visitors than the Masai Mara, so you’ll have a greater sense of wilderness. You may even prefer to visit the southeastern Serengeti during December to March, when herds calve and graze, as the next generation prepares to make the epic voyage north. Again, for both experiences, travel plans need to be made a year in advance.

Get me there

You can experience the Great Migration as part of a luxury trip combining Kenya’s best safari and beach areas, or use our Classic northern Tanzania safari idea as inspiration if planning to witness the migration in the Serengeti.

Witness the Black-necked Crane Festival in Bhutan

It’s a trip of a lifetime for any enthusiastic birdwatcher. Bhutan’s annual festival celebrating the arrival of endangered black-necked cranes, which come to spend winter in the country’s Phobjikha Valley, is a momentous occasion.

Every year in November, the courtyard of the Gangtey Goenpa Monastery comes to life. Local people gather to watch or perform folk music and plays around the theme of conserving and protecting the cranes. With children singing and masked dancers (often in the guise of cranes), there’s a jovial atmosphere and you’ll get a fascinating glimpse into this little-known, isolated Himalayan kingdom.

When to book

Due to Bhutan’s low-volume travel industry and its limited accommodation options, make your reservations a year and a half in advance. Next year is already filling up, so planning your trip soon is essential if you wish to go in 2025.

Or how about seeing black-necked cranes in their natural environment in winter?

The cranes stay until February, so for a few months it’s possible to observe these tall, elegant birds in their natural habitat. If you visit Bhutan’s bowl-shaped Phobjikha Valley, you’ll see them stalking in the patchwork farmland, and among wetlands of bamboo stubble on the valley floor. Local farmers believe that the birds bring luck when they fly over their fields.

Visiting Bhutan in its winter months still requires forward planning and you’ll need to book a year ahead.

Get me there

From visiting Tiger’s Nest Monastery to guided hikes through Himalaya scenery, our itinerary idea covering Bhutan’s highlights and shows you what a trip to this country could look like.

Explore the living-rock ruins of Petra in Jordan

Beyond a narrow passage in multi-hued sandstone cliffs lies the ancient city of Petra. Hewn from living rock over 2,000 years ago, this Nabataean metropolis was known only to local Bedouins for many centuries. Today, you can spend hours exploring its meticulously carved tombs and temples with an expert guide by your side.

Petra is deceptively vast and you’ll likely spend a lot of time on your feet, especially if you want to climb the 800 or so steps to the cliff-top Monastery. So, unless you’re comfortable with soaring temperatures, we recommend going in the cooler months of March to May or September to October.

When to book

You’ll need to book around eight months before you travel to get the best selection of hotels near Petra and the opportunity to go with a private guide. But, if possible, it’s wise to book even further in advance. You may still find some last-minute spots for March to May 2024, if you’re lucky, but we recommend planning now for September or October.

Why not add on a visit to little Petra?

Just ten minutes’ drive away from the main Petra site is Siq al-Barid, affectionately called ‘Little Petra’. While officially part of the Petra Archaeological Park, these smaller-scale Nabataean ruins are often overlooked by visitors to Jordan, so they tend to be much quieter.

Much like Petra, this supposed suburb encloses temples, tombs, and houses intricately carved from slabs of living sandstone set against dramatic desert-mountain scenery. While there, we can also arrange for you to enjoy a private dinner in a cave once used as a Bedouin dwelling.

Get me there

From Nabataean ruins to Roman remains, you can discover ancient cities on an eight-day trip through Jordan.

Spot wild orangutans in the Danum Valley, Borneo

If you’re looking to escape the everyday, look no further than the pristine primary rainforests of the Danum Valley. A lowland conservation area that stretches over 43 sq km (almost 17 sq miles), it’s one of the most isolated places you may ever visit. Untouched by humans until it became a protected area, its canopy soars to around 70 m (around 230 ft) in places.

Families of orangutans and proboscis monkeys swing through the trees, while in the understorey, hundreds of species thrive: wild cats, tarsiers, and the endangered pygmy elephant, to name just a few.

Being so remote, accommodation options are limited. By far the best way to experience the valley is by staying at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge. This ecolodge not only has comfortable accommodation (think Jacuzzi pools and fresh, Malay-style food) but also offers some great activities to help you explore the rainforest in depth.

Canopy walkways lead away into the trees from the lodge. You can also take part in guided walks to viewpoints, visits to tranquil natural pools, or night safaris for spotting nocturnal wildlife.

When to book

If you’re looking to travel to the Danum Valley in the summer of 2024 and are hoping to stay in Borneo Rainforest Lodge, you’ll need to be quick off the mark. Due to the lodge’s popularity and its small number of rooms, it can only welcome a finite number of people. To stay there, aim to have planned your trip by December of this year at the latest.

Have you considered visiting the Tabin Wildlife Reserve instead?

Although the accommodation at the Tabin Wildlife Resort is more basic, this eastern Sabah reserve still offers superb wildlife-viewing opportunities and the chance to be immersed in tropical lowland rainforest. The landscape includes brackish springs and mud volcanoes, which act as a magnet for local wildlife coming to drink from them. You can explore this ecosystem on guided walks and treks, looking out for pygmy elephants, orangutans, many other primate species, and tarsiers.

While not as well-visited as the Danum Valley, Tabin Wildlife Reserve is still in demand during the summer. Book by Easter 2024 at the latest, especially if you’d like a room overlooking the river.

Get me there

Read our Borneo highlights guide for tips on making the most of your time in the country, and browse our Borneo trip ideas as you start planning your visit.