Best Time to Travel: Month-by-Month Calendar
Eighteen destinations scored for every month of the year. Follow the green rows and ignore the red ones.
There is no single best month to travel — there is only the best month for a specific place. This grid scores each destination from avoid to best for all twelve months, based on weather, access and crowd levels. Scroll the row for a destination and pick a month in the dark green.
Avoid
Possible
Good
Best
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Avoid | Possible | Possible | Best | Best | Possible | Possible | Possible | Best | Best | Possible | Avoid |
| Canada | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Good | Best | Best | Good | Possible | Avoid | Avoid |
| Mexico | Good | Good | Good | Good | Possible | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Good | Best |
| Peru | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Good | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Good | Possible | Avoid |
| Japan | Avoid | Avoid | Good | Best | Good | Possible | Possible | Possible | Good | Best | Best | Possible |
| Iceland | Possible | Possible | Good | Good | Good | Best | Best | Best | Best | Good | Possible | Possible |
| The Alps | Possible | Possible | Possible | Avoid | Possible | Best | Best | Best | Best | Possible | Avoid | Possible |
| Nepal | Possible | Possible | Good | Good | Possible | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Good | Best | Best | Good |
| India | Good | Best | Best | Good | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Good | Best | Best |
| Cambodia | Best | Best | Good | Good | Possible | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Good | Best | Best |
| Thailand | Best | Best | Good | Possible | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Best | Best |
| Indonesia | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Good | Best | Best | Best | Best | Good | Good | Possible | Avoid |
| Southeast Asia | Best | Best | Good | Good | Possible | Possible | Possible | Possible | Possible | Good | Best | Best |
| Australia | Best | Best | Good | Good | Good | Possible | Possible | Good | Good | Best | Best | Best |
| New Zealand | Best | Best | Best | Good | Good | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Good | Best | Best |
| The Amazon | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Possible | Possible | Good | Best | Best | Best | Good | Possible | Avoid |
| Morocco | Good | Good | Best | Best | Good | Avoid | Avoid | Avoid | Possible | Good | Best | Best |
| South Africa | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Best | Best | Best | Best | Good | Good |
Why these months
- United States: Spring and autumn for the desert parks. July and August are genuinely dangerous for midday hiking in the southwest.
- Canada: A short, intense summer window. Most mountain routes are snowbound outside July to early September.
- Mexico: December to March is the dry season. September and October carry the highest hurricane risk.
- Peru: The Andean dry season runs May to September. The Inca Trail closes for maintenance every February.
- Japan: Cherry blossom in late March to April, autumn colour in November. Mountain huts mostly close by mid-October.
- Iceland: June to August for the highlands and midnight sun. Late September onward for the northern lights.
- The Alps: Hut season runs mid-June to mid-September. December to March is for ski touring instead.
- Nepal: October and November are the classic trekking months. The monsoon runs June to early September.
- India: November to March for most of the country. The Himalayan regions shift to a summer season.
- Cambodia: November to February is the cool dry season. The green season is cheap and quiet with afternoon rain only.
- Thailand: Two monsoons: the Andaman coast is best November to April, the Gulf coast February to September.
- Indonesia: The dry season runs roughly May to September, but it shifts by a month or two across the archipelago.
- Southeast Asia: Follow the dry coast. There is almost always a good region somewhere in the region, in any month.
- Australia: The north is best in the dry season, May to October; the south is best November to March. They are opposites.
- New Zealand: December to February is the Great Walks season, and huts sell out months ahead.
- The Amazon: Low water from June to November means walkable trails and concentrated wildlife. High water floods the forest floor.
- Morocco: March to May and September to November. July and August in the interior are punishing.
- South Africa: Winter in the Cape is wet, but it is the dry season for game viewing in the north and east.
How to use this
- 01Pick the region you want, then find its green window. If two regions overlap, you can chain them in one trip.
- 02Check the shoulder months either side of "best". They are usually 80% of the experience for 60% of the crowds.
- 03If you are travelling for several months, follow the favourable window across regions rather than staying put.
- 04Verify against a current forecast and any local event calendar before you book anything non-refundable.
Ratings are general guidance for each destination as a whole. Large countries such as the United States, Australia and India have regions that run on opposite seasons — check the specific place you are going.
