Trip tips

Rugged and vast, Canada is a road-tripper's dream. Driving gives you the freedom to travel at your own pace – pull over and take in the scenery along the way or break up the journey with hiking and kayaking.

After months of stifling social restrictions and the stressful confinement of lockdown, you’re probably itching to escape. So, as air travel cautiously awakens from hibernation, now’s a good time to start planning for a “post-Covid” trip – and there’s no better destination for re-energizing the soul than the mesmerizing desert landscapes of Namibia.

Walking: just putting one foot in front of the other, right? How hard can that be? Yes, a walking trip is something that anyone can do, but it is also something that needs preparation.

New Zealand’s roads and trails cut through incredibly diverse landscapes: snow-capped peaks and watery fiords, fertile plains, subtropical forest, glacial lakes and rugged coastline can all be explored on four wheels. Here is a selection of our favourite road trips in New Zealand.

South Africa's ever-changing landscapes, pristine coastlines, quirky small towns and abundance of wide open spaces have cemented the country's reputation as one of the world's best road trip destinations.

Taking a more sustainable approach to our travels has never been easier – or more important. In recent years, Wales has emerged as one of the world’s most eco-friendly destinations. In fact, there's a sustainable Wales for all types of traveller, with rewarding sustainable trips for every season.

Brittany has long been one of the jewels in France’s crown. Its beaches and holiday homes are flooded each summer by Parisians on their grandes vacances and Brits piling off cross-channel ferries. It’s easy to see why. From rugged stretches of coast to classy beach resorts, there’s no arguing that this region is among France’s most beautiful. But there’s more to Brittany than the campsite and coast trail. This is also one of France’s finest regions for food lovers. Come slightly out of season and not only can you get the windswept sands all to yourself, but there’s also a veritable array of culinary delights to get stuck into. Here are our suggestions for a Brittany food trip.

This bespoke travel itinerary was curated in partnership with Xbox One X and is part of Visit Xbox 2019. Put your self in the game and visit some of the incredible destinations that inspired the open world to Forza 4. Book this trip

Southeast Asia is a dream for the curious traveller, with ancient temples, bustling markets, postcard-perfect beaches and everything in between. The region rewards those who go off the beaten track, but there's also plenty of the big hitters that you simply shouldn't miss. Here are 30 things to consider for your first trip:

We all need to escape everyday life once in a while. But sometimes you need to convince your family, friends, boss – or even yourself – that's it's really worth booking that flight. Here are eight reasons why you should start re-packing your bags and planning your next trip.

You’ve seen or read about the top sights in Alabama – US Space & Rocket Center, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Gulf State Park – but now it’s time to put the pedal to the metal and head off on an RV road trip. With its huge variety of experiences, you can explore the best this southern state has to offer all from the comfort of your own RV (recreational vehicle/motorhome). Take as many stops along the way as you want, stay for as long as needed and just enjoy that wide, open road. Read on to discover your Alabama adventure, from start to finish.

The Aragonese Pyrenees offers spectacular hiking, with dramatic landscapes characterized by plunging canyons, steep wooded hillsides and glassy rivers. This summer, Rough Guides writer and photographer Marta Bescos spent a weeklong trip traversing the Ordesa Valley. Here, she chronicles her route, with all the details so you can follow in her footsteps. Being out and about in the great outdoors is the perfect way to escape city life post-lockdown, where social distancing couldn’t be easier.

Planning your first trip around the world can be daunting. There's an awful lot to discover out there, from retina-burning white beaches tapering off into gin-clear waters to mountain ranges hiding echo-bending canyons and fascinating wildlife.

Travelling through Namibia can be an incredible experience. This is a country that contains some of the least inhabited and most romanticised locations in traveller lore: the great Kalahari Desert with its population of indigenous San people from whom we are all thought to have descended; the Skeleton Coast replete with shipwrecks littering its shores; and Etosha National Park, home to the most fruitful black rhino watching on the African continent.

Keith Drew sees Britain's Somerset in a different light from behind the wheel of a six-man motorhome.

The Kii Peninsula, incorporating Wayakama and Mie prefectures, is located in the central belt of Japan’s main island, Honshu. There are plenty of wonderful things to do here. An abundance of spellbinding natural beauty means outdoor activities aplenty, and it’s here that you’ll find some of the country’s best diving, trekking and cycling. Check out Rough Guides top 12 places to visit on your first trip to the Kii Peninsula. 

From the enchanting streets of Havana to the luscious green town of Viñales – Rough Guides writer Alasdair Baverstock finds out why a Cuban road trip is one of the best ways to see the country's interior.

Need a holiday but not sure who to travel with? Travelling alone can be empowering and fulfilling. Whether you’re a seasoned solo traveller or going it alone for the first time, this quiz will help you find the right destination.

Stop off at bucolic beauty spots, reroute for a city buzz. Take detours down country lanes, pause for sheep in no hurry to cross. A road trip isn’t just about getting from A to B – the journey is as important as the destination. And driving electric means you’re helping the environment too. We’ve put together a two-week, eco-friendly UK road trip planner. It steers you from the furthest south to north, with stops for some of the island’s best bits along the way.

Switzerland — a destination you voted one of the most beautiful countries in the world — offers travellers a rewarding range of experiences. And there’s no better way to experience that range than on a Grand Tour of Switzerland. This unforgettable road trip route covers everything from glaciers and palm-backed lakeshores, to charming villages and buzzy cities.

Wales is truly a year-round destination. To put it simply, there’s no bad time to visit this beautiful country – a place where changing landscapes are unveiled with every season, and where there’s plenty of fun to be had, whatever the weather (and no shortage of cosy pubs, hotels and restaurants to retreat to should it take a turn for the worse).