The best destinations for Christmas travel

Christmas is, for many, the best time of year to set off on an adventure. Better weather in some destinations, better prices in others: more and more people decide travel during the Christmas holidays.

At Tuareg, we always prepare a special programme for them, opening new routes and adapting our best itineraries for those who decide travel at Christmas can make the most of these days.

In addition, the groups formed at this time are very special. Whether to avoid endless Christmas dinners, or to celebrate New Year’s Eve differently, people traveling on these dates are determined to break with the established. No going home for Christmas!

If you're one of these people, you can't miss our recommendation about the best destinations to travel at Christmas.

• Travelling to the desert at Christmas
• Hiking and trekking trails
• History and archaeology at Christmas
• Trips to discover other cultures
• Nature and animal encounters
• Travel to Southeast Asia at Christmas

Trips to the desert at Christmas

They say Christmas is a time of tradition, and the desert is one of ours. The truth is, travel to the desert at Christmas is an advantage for those who struggle with heat, as daytime temperatures are usually lower, making activities easier.

This is the case of Sudan, where desert temperatures are much more pleasant. If you plan to camp, however, as on our Sudan trip or our trip to Algeria at New Year’s Eve, you will need a good sleeping bag.

We will stay in adapted local homes, camp along the route and use a pre-established camp located in front of the pyramids of Meroe, giving us the chance to discover the customs of the Nubians, which differ greatly from those of other Sudanese people.

The Tadrart is quite a demonstration of how the landscape is in eternal construction. With the passage of time and the action of the wind the sand accumulates at the base of the rock formations and, little by little, goes shaping places of extraordinary beauty, beyond description, with red dunes and an impressive canyon hiding extraordinary sculpted rock formations and crystal-clear springs.

Hiking trips and trekking routes at Christmas

If you want to do a active trip at Christmas, like ours trekking in Jordan, cooler temperatures allow us to go further. The same applies if we are considering a trekking in Nepal, where daytime temperatures are better suited to physical activity. Nights are cold, so sleeping indoors is preferable.

Another place where we will find good weather is in Tanzania, where we can propose a ascent to Kilimanjaro. At this time of year, we are likely to find clear skies and fewer crowds than in summer. Temperatures are fairly stable year-round, so it will be no colder than in another season.

A 10-day tour combining the country’s essential sights — Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea — with a day of trekking through beautiful natural areas such as Dana Biosphere Reserve. A perfect trip for discover Jordan at Christmas and combine history with nature without sacrificing either.

The stages follow teahouse trails used by local people through bamboo and rhododendron forests. The trip is completed with visits to Pokhara and Kathmandu Valley.

The only route that allows us climb Kilimanjaro from its northern side, with fewer visitors. The ground is drier here, and the early stages offer better chances of good weather. The route’s profile and duration allow excellent acclimatisation, contributing to its high summit success rate.

History and Archaeology Trips at Christmas

We were saying that because of the weather, travel to Sudan at Christmas and New Year's Eve is a good idea. If you love history and archaeology and prefer quieter visits to the main tourist sights, this is certainly your trip.

For a cultural trip closer to home, we recommend Albania, Macedonia and northern Greece at New Year. This journey combines 3 destinations with extraordinary history and breathtaking natural landscapes that often surprise travellers. Though we cannot avoid the cold, there are fewer tourists than at other times.

The route combines visits with easy walks, including the impressive Vikos Gorge in Greece, Elshani village in Macedonia and the surroundings of Metsovo. The New Year’s Eve will be in Ioannina - Greece - on the shores of Lake Pamvotida.

Cultural trips at Christmas: history and ethnic groups

If history is your passion, Christmas and New Year are a good time to visit the of Ethiopia. This region has cool weather, pleasant by day and cold at night, with clear skies allowing visits without rain. If ethnic groups interest you more, the of Ethiopia offers similar climatic conditions in terms of precipitation, although the climate will be warmer.

In Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka is the setting for the Cultural Triangle, with imposing temples and palaces. We also climb through tea plantations and vegetable gardens to mountain towns whose buildings recall their colonial past.

Impressive canyons, ravines and gorges cut through this immense plateau, with mountains that rise to 4000 m. Throughout this journey prepared for the end of the year we will discover traditional markets, churches erected on the cliffs of the Tigray and places as special as Lalibela.

The route heads north to visit the so-called cultural triangle, with imposing temples and palaces declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. A safari in one of the nature reserves will allow us to observe hundreds of elephants in their natural habitat.

Christmas Nature Trips: Safaris and Natural Parks

If you want. go on safari at Christmas, our recommendation is trip to Tanzania, a chance to visit the famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro parks without crowds. These are the “short rains” months, which need not prevent a good safari.

But Tanzania is not the only option to enjoy a Wildlife Trip at Christmas. Another recommendation is: trip to India to seek the Bengal tiger. December and January are ideal, with cool weather, little chance of rain and excellent conditions for seeing this magnificent cat. A perfect trip for Christmas or New Year.

North of Tanzania It still has remote corners we will take you to discover. In the far north, beside the Kenyan border, lies Maasai country, watched over by its sacred mountain, Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, and adorned by the otherworldly Lake Natron.

Some of the protected natural spaces of the Indian subcontinent, are the habitat of tigers who have survived to population growth. This route combines northern reserves and national parks with the temples and palaces of the imperial cities of Rajasthan.

We'll always have Southeast Asia...

As many of you know, the Christmas and New Year match the best months for travel to Southeast Asia. Therefore, we always recommend our trips to Thailand, a Vietnam and Cambodia and a Myanmar. They all have a combination of culture, adventure and nature that makes them a sure success.

Buddhist temples and monasteries accompany us in the trip to Myanmar: Mandalay and Bagan. From Lake Inle the journey goes into the remote state of Kayah, to meet the different ethnic minorities.

Thailand Today it is a country in constant change and modernization. In Bangkok We will be able to experience these changes and contrasts, while in the north, we will enjoy nature and mountain villages. We will spend a day in an elephant reserve and end up in the Krabi beaches.

And if you want to know all our trips for Christmas and New Year's Eve, you can always visit our Christmas Travel section.