Top 10 unmissable festivals and events around the world

Spectacular festivals, epic wildlife moments and once-a-year wonders – time your travels around these unforgettable events.

The greatest wildlife show on earth

A safari holiday in Africa is guaranteed to leave you in awe at any time of year, but witnessing the dramatic spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration is on every wildlife lovers bucket list. Between July and October, over a million wildebeest, gazelles and zebra complete their journey from Tanzania to Kenya, searching for fresh water and grass before heading back south. Take to the skies on a magical balloon safari, and if lucks on your side, you'll be able to see this mass movement in all its splendour.

How to get there

Our Tanzania's Great Migration safari travels to two different areas of the Serengeti, which lets you follow the herds more closely. 

See the cherry blossom festival (Hanami) in Japan

During this world-famous festival, stroll through Japan’s parks laden with pink cherry (sakura) trees. Blossoms represent the beauty and fragility of life and begin in February, spreading north to Kyoto and Tokyo in April and May. Catch mesmerising displays at hotspots like Tokyo’s Ueno Park, home to 800 blossom trees, and UNESCO-listed Nijo Castle in Kyoto. The ancient tradition of flower viewing, Hanami, is treated with great reverence in Japan and involves picnicking beneath the trees with friends and family.

How to get there

Our Highlights of Japan Tour combines the highlights of Tokyo and Kyoto with ancient, off-the-beaten-track towns and spectacular mountain scenery.

Get the party started in New Orleans

Mardi Gras is a festival bursting with music, fun and glittering costumes. The streets of New Orleans come alive with jazz spilling out of bars, live performers and vibrant parades, where each 'krewe' will try and wow you with their elaborate float. Away from the party scene, you can marvel at the balcony-laced townhouses of the French Quarter, feed your soul with hearty creole cuisine (jambalaya, gumbo and crawfish boil, to name a few of our favourites) and cruise down the Mississippi on a steamboat.

How to get there

Whether you're here for the Mardi Gras mayhem or the city’s soulful charm, we’ll tailor your time in the Big Easy. Want a bigger adventure? Our Music Meccas itinerary takes you from Nashville’s honky-tonk halls to New Orleans’ electrifying jazz scene.

Join Rwanda’s one-of-a-kind naming party

In September, Rwanda holds a grand naming ceremony for its baby gorillas. Kwita Izina, which means ‘to give name to,’ follows the tradition of community baby naming in Rwanda and celebrates the country’s superb gorilla conservation efforts. The week-long festival is held in Volcanoes National Park, home to around 340 of the world’s remaining 1,000 mountain gorillas, and takes place every September to coincide with World Gorilla Day on the 24th and mark the month when famed conservationist Dian Fossey set up Karisoke Research Center here in 1967. September is also dry season, making it the best time to take gorilla trekking tours in Rwanda.

How to get there

On our Majestic Rwanda trip, get close to chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park, soak up Rwandan culture and track mighty mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park.

Crop Over like a local

Barbados’ Crop Over is a two-month-long party that wraps up on the first Monday in August with Grand Kadooment Day – a riot of soca beats, sequinned costumes and high-energy ‘jump-ups’ through the streets of Bridgetown. What started as a festival marking the end of the sugarcane harvest is now the island’s biggest bash of the year. Visit in late July and early August for non-stop dancing, plenty of rum punch and some of the best vibes in the Caribbean.

How to get there

We've picked the cream of the crop of Barbados hotels. Stay on the Platinum Coast for laid-back luxury or soak up the action on the south coast – St. Lawrence Gap is the island’s go-to spot for late-night liming.

Get wet and wild in Thailand

For those who love a little fun and don't mind getting soaked in the process, Thailand's Songkran festival is a water-fight on an massive scale. During April, all over the country locals flock outside to celebrate the coming of the New Year. The water throwing symbolises the washing away of any bad luck from the previous year, and family-friendly street parties are livened up with water cannons, water guns and buckets in the streets – providing welcome refreshment from the hottest time of the year.

How to get there

Songkran is usually celebrated in April. You can join in the fun all over Thailand, most notably in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui and Phuket. See our favourite Thailand itineraries here. 

Catch the salmon run in Canada

Every autumn, millions of salmon take on the ultimate challenge – battling upriver to spawn, leaping through rapids and dodging predators along the way. It’s an against-the-odds showdown. Bears are ready and waiting and, overhead, bald eagles circle before swooping down for their share of the feast. September to November is the best time to see it all unfold, with hotspots like Adams River, Campbell River and Vancouver Island’s wild coast offering some of the most spectacular vantage points. Throw in crisp air and fiery autumn colours, and you’ve got the perfect backdrop for a thrilling road trip.

How to get there

Our Best of British Columbia Road Trip takes you on an unforgettable self-drive loop from Vancouver to the wild coast of Vancouver Island and beyond. Scenic highways, rugged landscapes and incredible wildlife encounters included.

Whale watch in South Africa

Come to Hermanus, South Africa, in September to spot hundreds of graceful southern right whales during this week-long festival. This is peak time for whales to calve and rear their young in the sheltered bay. Listen out for the Hermanus whale crier, who wanders the clifftops signalling sightings with a horn, and take boat trips to observe these marine heavyweights. During the festival, Hermanus hosts street parades, fun runs, markets and food stalls. Visit the eco-tent to learn about ocean conservation; the festival’s roots hark back to Wendy, a whale that locals saved after being beached here in the 1930s.

How to get there

Our Classic Garden Route Self-Drive  itinerary is a great introduction to the highlights of South Africa.

Go 'leaf peeping' in New England

Driving through New England in the fall is up there with all the great American road trips. Wind through breathtaking scenery and charming towns as this seasonal show comes to life, trees bursting ablaze with red, gold and amber. Along the way, you'll find apple-picking farms, pumpkin patches and cosy inns with seasonal produce on the menu. Don't miss a stop in the Halloween hometown of Salem to complete your autumn-themed trip.

How to get there

The best time to see the dazzling fall display is late September and October. Our Best of New England road trip takes you from the historic streets of Boston to the rugged White Mountains and the coastal charm of Cape Cod.

See a rainbow of colour in India

A trip to India is an explosion of colour and noise whenever you visit, but especially so during March. Spring brings the arrival of Holi, a Hindu festival that marks and end of winter and is a celebration of life and love. There are bonfires, street parties and concerts, and of course, plenty of 'gulal' – the brightly-coloured powder that is thrown around joyously. Joining in is a must; be sure to pack old clothes, as you can fully expect to return to your hotel dusted head-to-toe in fuchsia, greens and yellows.

How to get there

Holi is celebrated across India, but the most spectacular festivities take place in Delhi, Jaipur and Varanasi. Our 12-day India’s Golden Triangle and Varanasi itinerary takes you right to the heart of the celebrations, combining India’s iconic sights with the colour and chaos of this unforgettable festival..

This feature was updated on 10th March 2025. The information within this feature is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of print. Feature by Heather Flanagan.