Wondering where is the best place to travel to in February? Craving somewhere to cheer you out of your winter blues? Read on to find out about the best destinations for festive February flair. Brazil tops the list as it’s carnival season: cities hum to the beat of parades of dancers in a cultural extravaganza like no other. On the opposite side of South America, off the coast of Chile, the people of Easter Island are also celebrating their annual Tapati cultural festival. Team this up with a visit to the mainland where the summer months bring warm, dry weather. Foodies shouldn’t think twice about flying the distance to New Zealand for gastronomy galore at the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival. Work off the excess indulgence on summer hikes through the glorious landscapes of Marlborough Sounds.
Chile
February is Chile’s summer and the weather is warm and dry. This elongated country has magnificent scenery from top to toe. Patagonia, in the far south, is not that far from Antarctica and the summer months are a great time to explore Torres del Paine National Park. In the central belt, this time of year tends to be when the residents of Santiago take their holidays, which makes visiting the capital more relaxing. Easter Island holds its annual Tapati cultural festival; together the whole island celebrates their culture through music, dance and traditional sports. Discover Chile
Brazil
While the Amazon and Rio de Janeiro can be visited all year round, summertime is best with warmer and sunnier days. Although February is southern Brazil’s wet season, it is also when the biggest party in the world occurs, carnival! Competing for the title of Brazil’s best carnival are the cities of Salvador, Rio and Olinda – the vibrant and exuberant festival is an expression of culture that has been running for over 100 years. The main event at Rio’s carnival is the Samba parade; take your seat in the Sambadrome and watch the extravagant floats and costumed dancers go by. After which, you can soak up the atmosphere at one of the city’s street parties. Discover Brazil
New Zealand
February is one of the warmest months in New Zealand and a perfect time to fly straight from a British mid-winter into glorious mid-summer. It is also the month when the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival takes place on the beautiful Brancott Estate. The region is particularly known for its crisp sauvignon blancs, and there are countless wines to sample and local produce to taste, as well as tutorials from the region’s leading winemakers. The Marlborough Sounds are a series of intricate waterways with spectacular coves, islands and peninsulas, crystal clear waters and lush, coastal forest. There are spectacular walking trails in the region, or it can be explored from the water on a ferry cruise, aboard a hired kayak or on a luxury yacht tour. Discover New Zealand
We have highlighted the standard of accommodation featured on a tour immediately above the tour itinerary.
In some cases, tours include some departures in one category and some in another: you can see and select the different tour types under ‘tour variations’. For these tours, the itinerary is generally the same and just the standard of accommodation varies. However, if there are any variations in the excursions included, these are shown within the itinerary.
Superior: Most Cox & Kings tours fall under this category and are based in 4- or 5-star accommodation, or the best available.
Luxury: These tours will usually feature 5-star de luxe accommodation throughout.
Standard: Simpler in emphasis, these itineraries typically feature 3- and 4-star accommodation throughout.
Discovery: This type of holiday is best suited to the hardier traveller, as it will typically include some quite basic accommodation, possibly longer and rougher road journeys and, in some cases, more arduous activities, such as trekking.