August
Where to go in August
Where to go in August
School holidays make August peak time for family escapes. We’ve some great options in Iceland guaranteed to keep boredom at bay. It’s also a great month for venturing off the beaten track. How about a self drive through the Yukon, Canada’s wilderness state. Or marvel at the spectacular icebergs of Disko Bay off Greenland’s west coast.
Family summer holiday in Iceland
With the school summer holidays in full swing, now’s the time to take the kids on a self-drive or summerhouse holiday in the Land of Fire & Ice – the ultimate outdoor adventure playground. Temperatures can reach 25ºC and even by the end of the month you can expect around 16 hours of daylight – ample time for taking advantage of the huge range of activities available. Whale watching will be the near the top of most children’s wish lists, but there’s also horse riding, glacier hiking, snowmobiling, superjeep safaris into the volcanic interior, snorkelling in the Silfra fissure (a flooded canyon at the junction of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates) and unforgettable adventures inside dormant volcanoes and lava tubes or through tunnels carved in an icecap. You can watch a geyser erupt, feel the spray on your face from a gigantic waterfall and then top it all with a soak in an outdoor geothermal pool. Boredom is not an option!
Icebergs of Greenland's Disko Bay
Embarking in Kangerlussuaq, a small town on the west coast of Greenland, a late summer voyage aboard a small expedition ship (carrying no more than 200 passengers) takes you into a spectacular world of soaring mountains, cerulean glaciers and giant icebergs. During August, you’ll be able to navigate the coastline and call in at isolated settlements, scattered with colourful wooden houses. A highlight is the 40km-long Ilulissat Icefjord where multistorey icebergs are calved from the enormous Jakobshan glacier before drifting into Disko Bay. In August, you can hike from the town of Ilulissat into the Icefjord, or take a boat trip amongst the big, blue bergs.
Swiss train adventure
Escape the summer heat by embarking on a rail journey through the mountains of Switzerland, travelling on its iconic panoramic trains. Although temperatures in low-lying areas can exceed 30oC during August, it is much cooler in the mountains. Lying beneath the pyramid-shaped Matterhorn, the resort of Zermatt (at 1,608m) typically has August highs of around 18oC. Our Grand Tour of Switzerland links four scenic trains – the Golden Pass, Glacier Express, Bernina Express and Gotthard Panorama Express. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the incredible views, with plenty of time for exploring medieval villages, taking a boat trip on Lake Lucerne or hiking in the mountains.
The path less trodden in Canada
Escape the summer crowds by joining a guided hiking holiday in the Canadian Rockies, taking the kids dinosaur hunting in the Badlands or setting off on an epic self-drive through the Yukon. Based in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, our escorted Hiking the Rockies itinerary includes guided day hikes off the main tourist trails, exploring a spectacular alpine landscape of glaciers, turquoise lakes, wildflower meadows and rocky peaks. For an unforgettable family summer holiday, our Canadian Family Adventure: Glaciers and Dinosaurs features horse riding, canoeing, nature walks and an Ice Explorer ride on the Athabasca Glacier, as well as a chance to search for dinosaur fossils in the Alberta Badlands.
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