GOONSAFARI
It’sa myththatpeak-seasonsafaris
arebestforwildlifespotting.Take
SouthAfricaas theexample.Low
seasonrunsfromMayto September,
thecountry’swinter,whichmeans
pricesdip.Butthisis alsothedry
seasonin nationalparkssuchas
Kruger,whenthethinned-outbush
makesit mucheasierto spotthe
residentelephants,hippos,lions,
rhinos,zebraandleopards.
FRainbowToursoffersaneleven-day
tour,withflightsincluded(£3,460;
rainbowtours.co.uk).Kruger
MpumalangaInternationalAirport
(KMI)is thegateway.Formore
informationonthepark,seesanparks.
org/parks/kruger.Dodgepeaktimesandyou’llseea whollydifferentsideto populardestinations
NYONEWHOHASTRAVELLEDDURINGPEAKHOLIDAYTIMES
knowsthepitfallsonlytoowell:overcrowdedairportsand
stop-startmotorways,sky-highflightpricesand exorbitantroom
rates,packedbeachesand rammedcities,colossalqueuesfor
museumsand landmarks.It’s also no secretthat someof the world’smost
amazingdestinationsare feelingthe tourismsqueeze.But that’sno reason
to stay put; you just needto get strategicaboutwhereto go and when.
Embracingthe off-seasonis one suchgameplan.Beyondthe obviousperks
of cheaperaccommodationand flights,manydestinationscomeinto their
own in the low and shoulderseasons,withoutthe nerve-frayinghordes
detractingfromtheircharmsand authenticity.
If you do your research,you can applythis approachto prettymuch
anywhere.Parisis indeedlovablein April.The Taj Mahalsees crowdsthin in
September,at the tail end of the monsoonand just beforethe high-seasonrush.
Italy’sculturalmother-lodecities,Rome,Veniceand Florence,heaveand
swelterin summer,but they can be gloriouson a crispNovemberday. Then
thereare the honeymoonfavourites– the Caribbeanislands,the Maldivesand
Mauritius,wherethe risk of the odd showerin the low seasonis a smallprice
to pay for comparativelygreatdealsand blissfullyemptybeaches.
PHOTOGRAPH: DHAVAL DHAIRYAWAN
Embrace the off-season