For the countryside and the coast, considering both heat and crowds, our opinion is mid-May or late September. If you want to rent right in town, however, our advice is different. For Rome, Florence, or Venice, our advice as to the best time to travel is March or April (avoiding the week before and the week after Easter) or November. Alternatively, any winter month (except for Carnevale in Venice). And finally – you won’t believe this – August.

This can be a long one to answer, so give us a call to discuss it. But most people will choose between three basic modes of travel...(1) trains, (2) self-drive car rentals, and (3) motorcoaches. Trains and cars are for independent travelers, who don't want to be with a group and who are willing to manage their own travel through Italy. Motorcoaches are for people who want a tour director to lead them around Italy and who are willing to travel with a group, typically of about 50 people.

Italy has a very favorable climate compared to that of the UK with milder winters and warmer, dryer summers. We recommend visiting Tuscany, Umbria and Le Marche in May, June and July and September to October. Puglia and southern Italy has a longer season and can be visited in March/April until November. It is usually hot in August which may restrict sight seeing if you do not like the weather too hot. The temperature in Puglia in August can soar to over 40 degrees.

The most popular times for weather in Italy are generally (1) from the end of March through June and (2) from September through the middle of November. In March and November, the weather can swing through a broad range of temperatures, cooler but usually not wintry. July and August will certainly be hot and humid, with temperatures in the 90's. December through February, temperatures range from the 30's to the 50's but are typically in the 40's.

Most of the weddings are from April to October because of the good weather. We advise you against chosing August because it is really hot and it is a busy month normally chosen by the Italians for their holidays. Recently it is really cool to get married at winter time in the Alps area.

May – September are generally nice. July and August can be hot with temperatures of 30+C. April and October are generally slightly cooler and even winter periods can be quite mild. It does depend on the region and of course there is a risk of bad weather at any time of the year.

The high season for travel in Turkey generally runs between mid-April through late-October. During the off-season, temperatures are much cooler and snow is possible in mountainous areas. Many visitors enjoy the climate in the spring and fall months, since the weather at that time is mild and attractions are not crowded. Coastal regions are particularly popular with tourists during the summer months.

In southern Africa (Botswana and Zimbabwe) the best wildlife viewing is during the dry season period April through October each year with July, August, and September being the most desirable months. Wildlife viewing is, in part, predicated on the amount of surface water available. During the rains (November through April) wildlife is scattered as there is abundant surface water (puddles, perennial rivers) to drink.

Namibia is an all round destination. Not advice to travel during the rainy season for visitors determined to view wildlife.

This topic is discussed under the heading ???Choosing a Safari'. Basically the choice is between the dry season, when the wildlife congregates around the remaining water supplies, and hence is more findable, and the wet, or ???green' season, when viewing might be reduced, but many species have new young, and the reduction in dust levels makes for much crisper photography. The green season can be best for birding also.

From mid December until early March - the height of the Austral summer coincides with the peak of the Wildlife breeding cycle. Stable, warmer weather allows our ship to venture further south into the ice.

You can visit Bhutan anytime of the year. Visitors tend to stay away during the monsoon months of June, July and August when the weather is sometimes a little wet for sightseeing.

East Africa straddles the equator but remember it is a misconception that everywhere on the Equator is hot. Generally the short rains arrive in October & November when there is a pounding of rain most afternoons before the sun shines brightly again. These rains are not too inconvenient whilst traveling, but it is the endless long rains from February to March when you might want to avoid traveling in East Africa. It's not much fun rolling up a wet tent every morning.

Often the "best time" is dependant upon your interests: In early fall and late spring the water and air temperatures are warmer, allowing more focus on water activitiy like snorkeling and swimming. In mid winter when daytime temps are cooler we focus on desert hikes, plant walks and bird watching in the desert canyon oases. Note that there is a day added onto our mid-winter schedules to allow for wind conditions that can sometimes go on for several days.

Generally speaking, the favorite months to travel are October through January when the days are not so hot, averaging in 32 degree Celsius and nights are in 20 degree Celsius. December and January are the coldest - the temperature may drop to near freezing point at night in the highlands of the Shan State, Kachin State and Chin State in particular. In February the temperature start to rise and March through May it can be unpleasantly hot.

Nicaragua has 2 “seasons”: the dry and the green season. The dry season lasts from mid-November to mid-May; no rain during this time, the most pleasant period being from December to March. April and May are getting a little warmer. Nicaragua generally gets good amounts of rain at the start ant the end of the rainy season, in June and October. But nothing terrible: we usually have between 0 and 2 hours a day, in the late afternoon.