Winter holidays can be completely different to those in the warmer months, especially if it’s winter in the place you’re visiting. Some people would argue that there’s not a great deal to do during the winter period, but we disagree completely.

If you’re visiting g a town or a city in Europe, there’s always bound to be plenty of restaurants around, and eating can actually be a holiday activity. For example if you’re visiting Rome, a lot of your time should be spent eating locally produced treats such as pasta dishes and pizzas, plus there’s no harm in gaining a few pounds, especially in the colder months.

Museums and cultural destinations tend to thrive during winter, and many people will take time to absorb some of that culture, visiting monuments, cathedrals and churches. Of course some people are happy to part with their money around Christmas, and there’s no better way to do this than Christmas shopping. For many it can actually be an enjoyable holiday activity, and you can treat yourself.

Hiking is a slightly different activity, but there’s something people love about taking in some fresh air in the open countryside to return home to a cosy house, and perhaps enjoy a spot of lunch. Holiday activities are obviously not going to be the same as those beach holidays in the summer, but it doesn’t mean they have to be less fun.

When people think of India they may tend to think about exotic surroundings and blue skies, but that’s not always the case, especially in the Himalayas. These monumentous mountains separate India from China, and it can actually be a quite a remarkable place to visit with a range of cold wildlife.

The snow leopard is one of the world’s most mysterious creatures and many holiday providers can set up trips to spot a snow leopard, and with that said few will return home with a peak, and I guess you could say that it is part of the fun. This area is certainly not for the faint-hearted, and it can be a lot more demanding than a safari adventure, but if you want to see a range of beautiful cold wildlife then perhaps there is no better place.

As we nearly reach Christmas, you may be pondering a little getaway, and with flights surprisingly cheap around Christmas it could be an ideal time. Of course it depends where you’re flying or travelling out to, and we’re providing you with a few options.

1. Berlin – It’s a beautiful city that screams Christmas. The food is fantastic and there are plenty of markets around where you can buy a smoking hot Bratwurst sausage or a schnitzel. If the snow is falling when you head out to Berlin you’re in for a fantastic winter treat, then again even if it does not snow you won’t arrive home disappointed.
2.  Bruges – Another fantastic city, but it’s extremely unique. If you’re a movie fan, and you love ‘In Bruges’, then you already have  taste of what the city can offer (without the violence of course). The Bruges Christmas market really is like a winter wonderland, and we mean it.
3. Krakow – it’s a polish city known for being one of Poland’s oldest cities, and if you want to see snow covered gothic churches or long stretches of winter lights, this is the place for you, and its picturesque if you’re a keen photographer.

As this year’s end approaches, thoughts about what the next year will hold begin. Below we’ve outlined a couple of places that will think will be big in the world of safari holidays next year.

Zimbabwe

Back in the 1990s, Zimbabwe was the place to be for a top quality safari and, slowly but surely, the country is making a comeback. With superb wildlife, magnificent scenery and expert guides Zimbabwe is one of the most exciting safari destinations in Africa.  Camps such as The Hide, Hwange National Park, and Singita Pamushana Lodge, Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, have begun to regain their popularity and we expect to see interests in Zimbabwe grow even further next year.

Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

April of 2014 will see the opening of Kubatana Camp in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park. In the park’s heyday, the 1960s and 70s, it was visited by many safari enthusiasts (including John Wayne!) and the wildlife was so great it was known as the place where Noah left his ark. Following lots of hard work, the park has been restored and is, once again, a superb wildlife area. It’s famous for its incredible biodiversity, making it a great place to visit for people who have been to Africa already. After some time on safari you can head over to one of the country’s idyllic remote islands for some quality R&R – perfect!

Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Congo

There are two excellent camps in Congo’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Ngaga Camp and Lango Camp which we are expecting to gain popularity in 2014. There are numerous habitats in the area: forests, savannah, rivers and more. The multitude of habitats means a multitude of wildlife too. So there’s a lot to see, from huge forest elephant to tiny, vibrant butterflies. The main reason for visiting is to track the families of western lowland gorilla that live in the forest and this is becoming an increasingly frequent request. We’re expecting to see the number of travellers wanting to track Africa’s gorilla population to increase again next year.