TRAVEL IDEAS: OCTOBER

Morocco is now firmly back on the radar for an October holiday - at this time you can expect lovely hot days in Marrakech; the Atlas Mountains are beautiful; snow has yet to fall in the foothills, and Essaouira and the coast are still warm enough to visit for a beach holiday. Oman is also an ideal destination for a half-term getaway, either to the north (to the family favourite Zighy Bay via Dubai) or to Muscat and surrounds. October is also a wonderful month to visit India, or explore Bhutan for clear views of the mountains. All Indian Ocean islands and coastal destinations are good and getting hotter - in Mozambique it’s a good time to spot humpback whales and go diving, and the Madagascar season is in full-swing. In East Africa the annual Great Migration is still taking place, the large herds have migrated into Kenya’s Masai Mara (we have high hopes about a new Naboisho Conservancy camp from Great Plains Conservation), in Tanzania the Serengeti is dry and animals are seeking permanent water - a good time to see large herds of elephant in Tarangire from firm favourite Little Chem Chem.  

Steeped in culture and history, Zanzibar is stepping out of the shadow of the archetypal Indian Ocean island retreats of the Seychelles and Maldives to emerge as must-visit destination on the 2019 wanderlist. Cementing this status is the arrival of Zuri Zanzibar, a new Design Hotels member. Located on the breathtaking northern coast of Unguja, the Tanzanian archipelago’s main island, Zuri Zanzibar boasts an idyllic setting on 300m of private beach. The hotel’s 55 bungalows, suites and villas are nestled in tropical gardens and have uninterrupted views over the glittering turquoise waters. The six 130sqm Suites offer semi-private access to the beach, as well as a Jacuzzi, while the 260sqm Ocean Front Villas are ideally suited to families. However, it is the 500sqm Ocean Front Luxury Villa which is the resort’s showstopper, complete with private beach, 12m pool, zen pond and three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. Prague- and London-based studio Jestico & Whiles are responsible for the design concept, which incorporates natural, regional materials and traditional craftsmanship. Elements such as the thatched roofs and traditional East African artwork emulate a traditional Zanzibari village.

Once the Indian monsoons have subsided we are left with a refreshed lush and green subcontinent with warm (clear) sunny days and cooler nights. It’s the beginning of the Shakti Kumaon season - a place to disconnect to reconnect - leaving all things digital and technical behind ready to embrace the outdoors. This journey brings together a mix of the village walks in the remote (and unspoilt) area of Uttarakhand and award winning lodge Shakti 360 - ‘a one of a kind mountain experience’. Along with your guide you’ll walk from village to village in the Almora region of Uttarakhand looking out over the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas… Leti 360 offers an exclusive stay with only 4 cottages perched up high offering panoramic views of the mountain ranges. Both service and cuisine here is of the highest standard and each room comes with a view you can admire from your bed, thanks for the glass structured walls.