August:
Bolivia / Poland / Tanzania
Bolivia
From being awe struck with the surreal landscapes of the Salar De Uyuni, the world’s largest and highest salt flat and Lake Titicaca, where locals believe the sun and moon were born, to taking a floating wildlife safari at Rurrenabaque, Bolivia is the land of natural wonders. The best season to visit is the dry season where road travel is easy, skies are sunny and landscapes are the best for photography.
Enjoy views from beautiful mountains like La Cordillera Real, Sorata, and El Choro, fish for Piranha in the Amazon rivers, meet indigenous tribes and get acquainted with their fascinating traditions.
Explore Tupiza for impressive canyons, Oruro for refreshing and loud carnival parades, Tiwanaku for it’s megalithic stone arch “The Gate of the Sun”, and the culturally rich Cochabamba for the finest cuisine.
Visit towns like the charming Sucre for whitewashed churches and monasteries, Tarija the Mediterranean style town with colonial architecture, and take day tours from Santa Cruz to captivating sand dunes, waterfalls and rainforests.
Take a guided mine tour at Potosi, and visit National parks like Madidi National Park for it's diversity with over 1200 bird species, Toro Toro National Park for dinosaur footprints and animal shaped rock formations, and Sajama National Park for a dormant volcano and reflective lagoons.
Poland
For the best of nature and adventure, head to Poland, home to the splendid Tatra mountains and mystical salt mines.
August hosts the Arabian Horse festival showcasing horse parades and a visit to the oldest farm in Poland. See fireworks at the International Festival of fireworks in Szczecin and balloons at the Internationals Balloon competition in Naleczow.
Adventure seekers can dive in the Gulf of Gdansk, famous for its ship wrecks, and go rafting on the Dunajec river, through limestone rock formations. Drive a military vehicle or go skydiving over the Tatra mountains. There is also bungee jumping, quad biking and husky sledging in the snow.
Explore the old Jewish Ghetto area of Warsaw and visit the land of a thousand lakes: Masurian Lake District. Visit the churches of Gizycko and the medieval castle of Malbork. Wander in lavender fields, be awed by Gothic and Baroque styled churches and taste the famous Gingerbread of Torun. Take funicular rides atop the Gubalowka hill and shake a leg with locals over music and dance at a Highlander tea session. End your Polish adventure with Polish wine tasting and a cooking session where you learn the national dish Pierogi.
Tanzania
From sensational wildlife viewing in jungle lodges to the picturesque coastal destination of Zanzibar with blue skies and white sands, Tanzania in August has a lot to offer. Are you game?
The pleasant weather in August attracts crowds to the safari circuit, as the climate becomes drier, with arid landscapes and sparse waterholes. Foliage is now grazed down by hearts of buffalo and antelope making the sightings easy.
Head to Tarangire National Park for spotting elephants lazing around in the plains or drive through the Iraqw tribe farmlands to Karatu to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Descend 600 metres to the crater floor, home to prides of Lion, Elephant, Cheetah, Antelope, Wildebeest and the rare Black Rhino. Tour the forests and the Savannah lands and explore the Olduvai Gorge, known for it’s archaeological discoveries.
For those who like quieter safaris, there are Selous and Ruaha which offer walking and boating safaris.
And then there is the famed Serengeti National Park: home to variety of animals: predators and herbivores!
Visit a soda lake: Manyara in the Rift Valley and later the Lake Manyara National Park, famous for it's tree-climbing lions. The game safaris here offer a rendezvous with Giraffes, Hippos and Zebras!