The best places to visit in January 2024

17.11.2023 - 14:53 / lonelyplanet.com

Do you know when you want to travel but just can’t decide where? We’re here to break down the best places to go in each month of the year so you can find the perfect travel experience for you. 

As we look forward to 2024, 366 days of epic adventures, cultural experiences, foodie forays and wondrous wildlife encounters stretch out before us. But it can be hard to know exactly where to kickstart the year of travel. 

Whether you’re looking for inspiration or information, Lonely Planet has done the legwork for you, answering the travelers' perennial question: where to go when? If you want to start the year right, these are some of the top passport-fillers for January to inspire your travels or add to your bucket list. 

Why now? Bask in near permanent daylight in this enormous white wilderness at the end of the world.

At the end of the world in Antarctica temperatures "soar" to freezing point (or a little above) and near-permanent daylight mean endless, warm days (well, it’s all relative) for catching sight of the sprawling penguin colonies with their newly-hatched chicks, seal pups and whales as well as sailing between gargantuan icebergs. 

Why now? Track the world’s biggest primates in the dry(ish) season.

Perhaps a thousand or so endangered mountain gorillas survive worldwide, of which nearly half roam the dense forests of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It’s an experience you’ll need to earn, tackling steep, muddy trails at altitudes up to 3000m (9483ft). But if you snag one of the limited permits available for each of the park’s 19 habituated families, the rewards are luminous. 

Why now? Discover a winter wonderland of steaming hot springs, traditional villages and snow sports.

Winter’s a magical time to explore the historic settlements of Japan's central Honshu region, when snow dusts temples, castles and traditional wooden houses. Outside of the ski resorts, crowds thin after the late-December holidays and before cherry-blossom season. In the Japanese Alps, ‘snow monkeys’ (Japanese macaques) soak in hot springs near Yudanaka. 

Why now: For endless cultural experiences in the heat of the summer. 

For an alternative to the seasonal celebrations, head to Australia’s largest city for the Sydney Festival, an eclectic three-week showcase of burlesque acts, circus and dance performances, art installations and family activities. 

Why now? Tramp snowy paths and munch fabulous food in the quietest season.

In winter in the Ligurian Alps, wonderfully crisp air and snowy forest trails lure snowshoers to Aveto and Antola natural regional parks and yet-more-rugged Beigua Geopark, where snowshoe hire is available and marked circular trails offer sea views. All are within touching distance of regional