The Best Places to Travel in October 2024

The temperatures should be lovely and rainy season should finally be drawing to a close in October, making our departure on the 12th an ideal time to hop onboard this border-crossing Rail Trip in Southeast Asia. The two-week itinerary starts and ends in Bangkok, but you’ll also take in the ancient ruins of Sukhothai, the street food of Chiang Mai and an ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Across the border in Laos you’ll hop onboard a boat to cruise down the Mekong, stopping off to visit remote villages, sacred caves and the remarkable Kuang Si Falls. After returning to civilisation in Vang Vieng and kayaking down Nam Song river, we’ll return to Thailand and catch the overnight train back to Bangkok.

The weather in Morocco is glorious in October, so if you’re missing the sunshine of summer, join us in Casablanca in October (on the 7th in 2023 or the 5th in 2024). After visiting Africa’s largest mosque we’ll transfer to nearby Chefchaouen, famed for its bright blue streets. Discover an ancient Roman city en route to the old city of Fes, where you’ll dine with a local family. Next up is the Sahara – far milder in October compared to previous months – where you’ll spend a night wine tasting and stargazing at a luxury desert camp. After a sunrise camel ride we’ll head up into the Atlas Mountains for a hike through Dades Gorge. The tour ends up in Marrakech, where a foodie extravaganza awaits in the form of a street food tour and authentic Moroccan cooking class.

The quieter months of shoulder season are perfect to fully immerse yourself in the great outdoors of epic Ecuador. This country is small but it packs one hell of a punch when it comes to natural beauty, coming in many different forms, as you’ll witness on our eight-day tour. Explore the volcanic landscape of Cotopaxi National Park on horseback, cycle through the tropical greenery of the Banos Waterfall Route and whitewater raft your way down Jatunyacu River – one of the main tributaries of the Amazon. You’ll also be staying at some truly special accommodations, from a country lodge to an Amazonian retreat and an Andean spa resort.

It’s generally best to avoid the desert nations in the heart of summer, but October is the ideal time for a Middle Eastern adventure in Jordan. Get some autumn sun in without getting unbearably hot as we road trip from Amman to Aqaba. In the capital city you’ll be treated to an incredible street food tour and wine tasting – you’ll be hearing a lot more about Jordanian wine soon, trust us – before heading to the ancient city of Petra, one of the most remarkable Unesco-listed sites on the planet. Next up is the rocky desert valley of Wadi Rum, a favourite playground for Hollywood blockbusters, which you’ll tour via 4×4 before a night of desert glamping. In Aqaba you’ll get to swim and snorkel in the Red Sea, while in Wadi Mujib it’s more of a floating vibe with the Dead Sea. Not bad for just over a week of October adventure, right?