The Aurora Zone’s Autumn Auroras in Lapland in Torassieppi may seem off-peak, but there are bonuses to travelling during the ruska. The lack of snow means darker skies – all the better for aurora, which you might see reflected in the unfrozen lakes.
Warmer climes make the journey more comfortable, but also means the local wildlife is more active. There’s also lots of daylight for hikes in Pallas National Park.
Trip: Torassieppi - Autumn Auroras in Lapland
Who: The Aurora Zone
Type: Small group
When: Oct & Nov
How long: Three nights
How much: From £985
Experience the lush-green of Myanmar’s wet season on TransIndus’s Essential Myanmar tour. October to December is the perfect time for photographs, as the rains are irregular and you can still balloon over Bagan, explore the sites around Mandalay, and visit the floating villages of Inle Lake.
Visits to sights such as Shwedagon Pagoda and the iconic U Bein Bridge will be timed to avoid the crowds, and supplemented by offbeat walks.
Trip: Essential Myanmar
Who: TransIndus
Type: Small group
When: Oct to Dec
How long: 10 days
How much: From £1,495 (exc. flights)
Watch one of the world’s natural wonders turn into a giant mirror. During the rainy season, Bolivia’s famous salt flats are submerged in a layer of water – and the reflections make for great photos.
Audley’s Classic Bolivia tour will further cover a sizeable chunk of the country, driving through the high plains of Uyuni, catching flamingos, lagoons and rock formations at Villa Mar and San Cristobal. Other ports of call are the former capital, Sucre, the mining city of Potosi and the current capital, La Paz.
Trip: Classic Bolivia
Who: Audley
Type: Small group
When: Nov to Mar
How long: 12 days
How much: From £5,260 (inc. flights)
There's a wealth of jungle wildlife on Tucan Travel’s Costa Rica Encompassed tour. Go during rainy season for the incredible opportunity to get close to the nesting green sea turtles, in Tortuguero National Park.
You'll also enjoy a visit to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, and hike to the Arenal Volcano. After all that activity, you'll enjoy some downtime and relaxation on the beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park and Cahuita National Park.
Trip: Costa Rica Encompassed
Who: Tucan Travel
Type: Small group
When: July to Oct
How long: 14 days
How much: From £961 (exc. flights)
Travel during the wet season to go diving with sharks, rays, and dolphins – minus the crowds. Dive Worldwide’s Dive Baa Atoll trip lets you choose from over 35 dive sites. You'll be surrounded by uninhabited islands - but few other divers.
Rainfall is heavy but often short and predictable – so during sunny spells you can relax on sandy beaches amid tropical vegetation and turquoise lagoons.
Trip: Dive Baa Atoll
Who: Dive Worldwide
Type: Small group
When: May to Oct
How long: 10 days
How much: £2,475 (exc. flights)
See St Petersburg at its sparkliest on Regent Holidays’ St Petersburg Short Break in winter. The city never looks picture-postcard prettier than under a dusting of snow.
Wrap up warm to revel in St Petersburg's wintery charm. Visit the Hermitage Museum, the palaces of Tsarskoe Selo and other historic gems. Bonus? Winter's the cheapest time to visit, too...
Trip: St Petersburg Short Break
Who: Regent Holidays
Type: Tailor-made
When: Dec to Mar
How long: Six days
How much: From £930 (exc. flights)
Travel on Oasis Overland’s Gorillas and Gameparks tour in April or May and save some serious cash. In these off-peak months, a gorilla-trekking permit is £225 cheaper!
This particular trip starts and ends in Nairobi, and travels through Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Over 19 busy days, you'll tick off East African game parks, Nile cruising, white water rafting and, of course, close-up gorilla encounters.
Trip: Gorillas and Gameparks
Who: Oasis Overland
Type: Small group
When: Apr & May
How long: 19 days
How much: From £695 (exc. flights)
Even though the classic Inca Trail is closed in February, you can still experience Machu Picchu in all its glory on Dragoman’s Inca Heartland tour. You'll take an alternative route up to this classic travel icon.
If you’re hungry for more relics of ancient civilisation, the trip also visits the Inca city of Cusco and the pre-Inca Sillustani ruins, as well as the floating villages of Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian capital, La Paz.
Trip: The Inca Heartland
Who: Dragoman
Type: Small group
When: Feb
How long: 12 days
How much: From £628 (exc. flights)
Wildlife Worldwide’s Rivers & Rainbows tour operates just at the end of the rains, when the Luangwa River is high. This is the only time boat safaris run.
The river is bursting with life, while leopard, elephants and other game thrive on its banks, as do 450 species of birds. Night drives and treks are available, too.
Trip: Rivers & Rainbows
Who: Wildlife Worldwide
Type: Small group
When: Jan to Apr
How long: Nine days
How much: From £3,375 (exc. flights)
Spotting one of nature’s most impressive big cats, the puma, will be easier thanks to Journey Latin America’s Trek in Torres del Paine tour.
In these cooler climes, you will seldom see other travellers in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, meaning the mammal is less likely to hide in the undergrowth.
It’s not just pumas: geese, guanaco and condors will all be more frequent, while the autumn colours or snow – depending when you go – is great news for photographers.
Trip: Active Chile: Trek In Torres Del Paine
Who: Journey Latin America
Type: Small group
When: Jul to Oct
How long: 13 days
How much: From £4,061 (exc. flights)
Flock to Tanzania during the off-season to see more than 500 species of migratory birds, including the great white pelican, Caribbean flamingo and lesser spotted eagle. The rainy season is the only time of year to see them.
The quieter period during Intrepid’s Serengeti Trail tour means navigating parks such as Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park will be easier. You'll also have an easier time spotting the Big Five.
Trip: Serengeti Trail
Who: Intrepid
Type: Small group
When: Mar to Apr
How long: Eight days
How much: From £996 (exc. flights)
Take in the snow-dusted peaks of two of the USA’s superlative national parks, Yellowstone and Grand Teton, with Wildlife Worldwide's Ultimate Yellowstone Winter Wolf & Wildlife Safari tour.
Spotting wolves, bears and bison will be easier against the snow. Prepare to don your snowshoes for an epic hike through Grand Teton, and enjoy a night under the stars with an evening of astronomy at Spring Creek Ranch.
Trip: Yellowstone Ultimate Wolf & Wildlife Safari
Who: Wildlife Worldwide
Type: Small group
When: Jan to Feb
How long: Seven days
How much: From £4,895 (exc. flights)
Think Cambodia’s rainy season is all relentless monsoons and unbearable heat? Think again. The rainy season in Cambodia is actually short and sharp.
The temple of Angkor Wat and the streets of Phnom Penh glisten after their hose down – and you'll see it all on All Points East's Cambodia Overland tour.
Explore the lush scenery with a forest hike up Bakheng Hill to visit the Phnom Bakheng Temple and the jungle ruins of Preah Khan. Take advantage of the flooded forests for a boat tour to the floating villages of Battambang, before clambering aboard its famous bamboo train.
Trip: Cambodia Overland
Who: All Points East
Type: Small group
When: Sep to Mar
How long: 10 days
How much: From £1,200 (exc. flights)
More off-season adventures: