An alternative way to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Toast the New Year in faraway lands and replace the traditional grapes with olives, nuts or whatever you can find along the way.
Even if just for once, we suggest 12 destinations, or in other words, 12 trips to leave the fading year behind and start a new one doing one of the things you enjoy most: travelling.
Look at the travel selection in small groups, with itineraries designed to spend Christmas and/or New Year’s Eve in truly special places.
12 destinations to welcome the new year away from home
Travel to Thailand. Bangkok, trekking among ethnic minorities and southern beaches
A fascinating trip to Thailand from Bangkok to the northern jungles to meet ethnic minorities, trekking from Chiang Mai to remote, little-visited villages. Railay Bay near Krabi awaits at the journey’s end. How do you say Happy New Year in Thai? Like this: S̄wạs̄dī pī h̄ım̀
Travel to Tanzania. Large spaces of the African savannah
Northern Tanzania’s savannahs are a safari mecca. We will visit its two most iconic parks, jewels of natural heritage: the Serengeti and the crater of Ngorongoro. There are no vines or grapes here, but one of the planet’s most impressive concentrations of wildlife. The route includes an initial Lake Manyara safari and a visit to the Hadzabe around Lake Eyasi, almost a journey back to the Neolithic. We travel by 4×4 and stay in lodges and tented camps for a good level of comfort.
Travel to Iran. Classical Persia: Shiraz, Yazd, Isfahan and the capital, Tehran
The route we have prepared brings us closer to architecture and Islamic art in the sophisticated ancient cities of the Classical Persia, and the archaeological remains of the ancient empire. Its cultured, welcoming people help us reflect on its history.
Travel to Morocco. Hiking in the Draa Valley
South of Ouarzazate, the Draa Valley is Morocco’s largest oasis, with palm groves and cultivated fields among adobe kasbahs and ksour. Small communities preserve ancestral customs, including hospitality and kindness to travellers. A New Year celebration with dates?
Travel to Albania. A cultural and active route through Albania and Macedonia
The least-known country in Europe is beginning to open up and reveal its treasures. In December, snow covers the northern mountains, so we focus on World Heritage Sites rich in culture and archaeology. We will spend two days exploring Ohrid in neighbouring Macedonia.
Travel to Sudan. Black Pharaohs
Discover Nubia’s archaeology and people, following the Nile from Khartoum. We stay in equipped local houses, camp and use a camp facing Meroë’s pyramids, bringing us closer to Nubian customs. How about New Year’s Eve in the desert?
Travel to South Africa. Exploring Western Cape. Walking through nature reserves
A private van with an accompanying guide-driver from Barcelona, comfortable accommodation and Western Cape nature reserves to explore on scenic walks. A better way to start the year? Fancy some southern summer? There they celebrate Kaapse Klopse.
Travel to Vietnam. Mekong Delta, northern villages and Ha Long Bay
A special Christmas trip to Vietnam combining the essential sights with rural Sapa and An Binh Island in the delta, plus visits to bustling Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In the Halong Bay we sail through a labyrinth of three thousand islands and rocky outcrops rising from the Gulf of Tonkin.
Travel to India. Travel to classic India and nature reserves of the North. In search of the Bengal tiger
Some protected areas of the Indian subcontinent shelter tigers that have survived the human population explosion. This route combines northern reserves and national parks with the temples and palaces of Rajasthan’s imperial cities.
Travel to Iceland. Ice, fire and hot springs
Volcanoes, glaciers, hot springs, waterfalls and geysers: nature’s forces in action. Contrasting landscapes unfold in a wild setting. We use 4×4 vehicles and walk to reach remote places, staying in hotels and traditional Icelandic farms. The Northern Lights may brighten any night. Hamingjusamur Nýtt Ar!
Travel to Lebanon. Mediterranean coast, Mts. Lebanon and Bekaa Valley
A comprehensive journey through a small country central to history and our culture. From early civilisation and Phoenician Sidon, Tyre, Beirut and Byblos to Tripoli’s medieval Crusader remains, via Roman Baalbek and the flourishing Islamic era, Lebanon has been a gateway to the East.
Travel to Jordan. Trekking through Jordan, Dana, Petra and Wadi Rum
A route combining essential visits to Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash and the Dead Sea with trekking through beautiful natural settings: Dana Biosphere Reserve, Wadi Rum and Wadi Mujib near the Dead Sea. A perfect Christmas combination of history and nature.
All these Christmas special trips and more, you can consult them at the Viajes Tuareg website.