A Bucket List Trip is an investment in ourselves and an opportunity to make memories to last a lifetime. It can also be expensive. We should take care to consider options, the “best time to go” being at the top of the list.

However, the best time to go on a Bucket List Trip really depends on the type of experiences we seek. A particular month might be “best” for wildlife viewing, while another month might be “best” for lush scenery. When a destination is chosen, WorldLee Journeys recommends preparing a list of the experiences important to you well before investing your hard-earned dollars.

Bucket List Trip Ideas

We have prepared the following monthly 12-month guide to assist you in the planning process. Happy reading😊.

January is the perfect time to take a Panama Canal Cruise

Many consider sailing through the Panama Canal, which connects the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list trip experience. They are fascinated by modern engineering and delighted by Central America’s incredible biodiversity, lush landscapes, and rainforests.

In Panama, the cruise season runs from October to April. January falls under the dry season, with February ranking as the driest month of the year. Additionally, January and February feature more temperate temperatures, making them the best times to partake in physically demanding outdoor sports like trekking and kayaking.

February is a great time to explore Antarctica.

Expedition season is from November to March. If you are wanting to see fluffy baby penguins toddling around while the sun shines for up to 24 hours a day, without high season prices (Dec-Jan), February is the best time to go. Temperatures can reach as high as just above freezing.

It’s also one of the greatest months to go on Zodiac excursions to witness the breathtaking white icescapes against the blue skies and spot whales, including humpback, minke, and orca.

March Overwater Bungalows in the Maldives

The Maldives is great, even in monsoon season (May-Nov) But if you have a choice, one of the greatest times to travel is March when the skies are bright and blue, the days are long, dry, not overly humid, and the light transforms the water into a stunning shade of turquoise. This is the time of year to see manta rays, tigers, and whale sharks, and the seas are perfect for snorkeling and diving.

April Go on Safari in South Africa

Late April is a good time to visit the game reserves in the Kruger area, and if you are traveling this far, it’s also the perfect time to include Botswana or Zimbabwe. The wet season is over, and the weather is mild.

Peak Wildlife viewing is from May to September, but the animals don’t know the difference between late April and early May. A late April or early October departure will allow you to take advantage of better deals.

May Beat the heat and the summer crowds on a River Cruise in Europe

Plants and flowers begin to bloom in the spring March to May. After shedding their leaves during the winter, spring is frequently regarded as the most beautiful season. The vibrant green and colorful bursts they produce alter the landscape. Countries all over the continent start to warm up in May.

This allows visitors to explore the cities and natural beauty on a European River Cruise to their heart’s delight without feeling too hot or cold and, most importantly, before crowds flock for the start of summer in June.

June Alaska Inside Passage

The weather in Alaska in June is pleasant, with mostly dry skies and warm temperatures. Cruising the inside passage in June is ideal compared to the other summer months as rainfall is less and shore excursions are less likely to be rained out.

June weather in Alaska also brings out the flowers and makes the landscape even greener. June and July are ideal for viewing humpback whales.

While June is the start of the peak season, all the major cruise lines have ships in the area meaning there any many cruise options to choose from.

July Lost City of Incas Peru

The time of year to travel to Peru is during the winter (May to September) because it is the driest season. This is especially true if you want to visit Cusco or hike to Machu Picchu.

While the summer (December to March) is warmer, it is also the wettest, with lots of heavy rain making hiking less enjoyable.

August Migration of the Wildebeest Kenya

The dry season, which lasts from late June to early October, is the ideal time to explore Kenya as these are the best wildlife viewing months. There are also fewer mosquitoes.

The wildebeest migration typically enters the Masai Mara region of Kenya in August. This is when the wildebeest queue for miles to attempt to cross the crocodile-infested Mara River from Tanzania in search of fresh grazing. If the thrill of viewing the crossing is what you are after, it occurs in reverse in October when it departs for Tanzania’s Serengeti once more.

September Northern Lights

The aurora borealis is a fascinating travel experience also known as “the northern lights,”. Around the autumnal equinox (September 22), the earth’s axis tilts more in the direction of the solar wind, increasing the likelihood of this geomagnetic reaction in the atmosphere.

The following locations are perfect hideaways for viewing the northern lights since they include ice-free lakes and mountains as well as cooler (rather than freezing) winter air in September.

Reykjavik Iceland, Lapland Finland, Tromso Norway, Fairbanks Alaska, Yellowknife Canada, Nuuk Greenland

October Explore the Pyramids of Egypt

If you wish to beat the heat and the crowds that flock to Egypt from June to Sept, October to April is the best time to visit Egypt.

The weather is cooler, but the sun is still out. Egypt is at its most pleasant temperature during this time. Daytime temperatures will reach 25-30°C, but the evenings are much cooler making Cairo and the Pyramids the ideal places to visit at this time.

November Cenotes and ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

Temps in November range from 20-33 °C making the Yucatan Peninsula, the birthplace of ancient Mayan civilization, the perfect place to visit in November.

Here you’ll find ancient ruins alongside tropical jungles, rainforests, spectacular beaches, sunken cenote swim holes, and Mexican food to die for. Tulum and Playa del Carmen are personal favorite areas well worth further investigation.

December Embrace the festive season with a visit to one of the many German Christmas Markets

The biggest, best, and oldest Christmas markets are found in Germany. Imagine a festive atmosphere filled with cheer, oompah music, fairy lights, picturesque winter landscapes, and medieval architecture.

Berlin, Frankfurt, Dresden, and Nuremberg are busy markets, but this is also part of their charm. However, there are still some undiscovered treasures, such as Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Eisenach, Weimar, and Leipzig, where you may immerse yourself in centuries’ worth of magnificent Yuletide customs.

Airfares are based on the date of departure and stay low until the 9th of December. Prices increase substantially from then on due to family travel home for Christmas.

The Bucket List Trip list could go on and on for each month, but we’d be here for days! My hope is that this article has provided helpful ideas for future travel and exploring our amazing planet.

If you have any questions about these or any other destinations, hit Reply and send your questions to me.  I read and reply to every email personally and would love to hear from you.

Dare to live the life you’ve always wanted. If you aren’t sure where to go first, you can start with our guide, Don’t Miss Out on your Dream Bucket List Holiday

Until next time,

LeeAnne

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