Which month, which place?
Twelve months, twelve pages. Each one covers the countries in high season at that time, why the month works and what to expect.
- January
While winter bites in the northern hemisphere, the Gulf, the Red Sea and Southeast Asia are in their mildest months. January is when warm weather comes with the least rain.
United Arab Emirates · Egypt · Thailand - February
February is short and the quietest month of winter. The Gulf and the Red Sea are still mild, the Caribbean and Laos are dry, and Europe has not woken up yet. It is the best window of the year for avoiding crowds.
United Arab Emirates · Qatar · Egypt - March
March belongs to the Far East. Spring begins in Japan and South Korea, and this is the busiest departure month in our catalogue: 48 Japan and 30 South Korea departures on published tours. The Gulf and the Red Sea are living their last easy weeks before the summer heat.
Japan · South Korea · Egypt - April
April carries two springs at once: the cherry blossom finishes in the Far East while North Africa and Central Asia enter their mildest stretch. In our catalogue April is the second busiest departure month after March.
Japan · South Korea · Morocco - May
May is when the Mediterranean wakes up: 23C, four rainy days and no summer crowds yet. In the same month the dry safari season opens in southern Africa and Japan turns its deepest green.
Greece · Spain · Japan - June
June offers two extremes: the dry safari season in southern Africa peaks with a measured zero rainy days, while the Mediterranean lives the last month when summer heat is still bearable.
Zambia · Zimbabwe · Greece - July
July is the hottest month in the Mediterranean and the best month in northern Europe and southern Africa. If the goal is avoiding rain the measurement is clear: zero rainy days in Zambia and Zimbabwe, two in Portugal.
Zambia · Zimbabwe · Georgia - August
August is Europe at its most crowded, but the southern hemisphere runs the other way: whale season in South Africa and the last, clearest weeks of the dry season in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Zimbabwe · Zambia · South Africa - SeptemberThis month
September is the Mediterranean’s second spring. Departures in our catalogue shift to Greece and Italy: 81 Greek and 49 Italian departures measured on published tours. In the southern hemisphere, spring begins.
Greece · Italy · South Africa - October
October is the busiest month in our catalogue: 422 departures measured on published tours, most of them to the Mediterranean and western Europe. The reason is in the weather: Greece at 23C, Italy at 22, Morocco at 27, and all three under four rainy days.
Italy · Greece · Spain - November
November runs in two directions: North Africa and the Gulf open their winter season while Europe prepares for the Christmas markets. In our catalogue Egypt peaks at 55 departures, Morocco at 30 and the United Arab Emirates at 15.
United Arab Emirates · Egypt · Morocco - December
December splits in two: the Gulf and the Red Sea at their most comfortable on one side, the Christmas markets of central Europe on the other. What they share is New Year, and in this month the dates are the price.
United Arab Emirates · Egypt · Germany