Best places to go on vacation in July

What are the best places to go on vacation in July? Wildlife migrations make countries in east and southern Africa tempting. Or you could head towards the top of the world, where long days leave plenty of time for wildlife watching, kayaking, hiking and Arctic cruises. We also let you know where not to go in July.

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Best places to go on vacation in July

Some of the best places to go on vacation in July are where the days are longest: the Arctic, Nordics, Alaska and Scotland. Some of these laze under almost 24 hours of sunlight. As southern Europe swelters, small ship cruise season is in full swing; sailing trips also put a cooling wind in your sails. A handful of African countries step into their dry and migration seasons, so it’s a good time to see wildlife on safari.

Read our best places to go on vacation in July guide to find out more.

Africa

July is the peak time to see the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania, including the famous Mara River crossing. Book well in advance. It’s the dry season in Namibia, South Africa and Botswana, so you’ll have clear skies and plenty of animals congregating around the ever-shrinking waterholes. It’s very cold at night, however, and during early morning game drives. Hats and gloves recommended.

The Americas & Caribbean

July is peak turtle nesting season in Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. You’ll get rain showers, but that’s no bad thing when it’s a steady 25°C. Peru has dry weather in the Andes and drier-than-usual weather in the Amazon, making this a great time for trekking and seeing wildlife. This is a busy time on the Inca Trail, though, so be sure to book your permit at the beginning of the year, when they’re released. Alaska enjoys close to 24 hours of daylight in midsummer. This is a great time to come and discover the region’s hiking trails and wildlife.

Asia

Borneo can be visited year-round – but this is the driest season, so the best time for visiting the rainforest and Mount Kinabalu. If you’re itching to visit India, and keen to get a good deal, the north of the country is still sunny while the monsoon drenches the south.

Europe

This is a great time to embark on an Arctic expedition cruise, but they’re very popular at this time so book well in advance. In terms of weather and choice, this is the best time to go on a cruise to Croatia. Just make sure you choose a small ship cruise that avoids people-packed places like Dubrovnik. July is one of the best times to go on a sailing or scuba diving vacation in Greece. There’s plenty of sea to go around, so you can stay well away from the massive cruise ships. There’s virtually 24-hour daylight in Iceland and migrating whales can be seen in the surrounding waters. Warmer weather also means great conditions for hiking – just be sure to pack mosquito repellent. The ferry routes in Northern Scotland open up, making Orkney and the Shetland Islands suddenly more accessible. Spain sizzles in July, so make sure to swap miserably hot cities for more manageable climes in the mountains. Picos de Europa is your best bet. Sweden gets its best weather in July – great for exploring the wolf forests and lakes.

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Where not to go on vacation in July

This is the monsoon season across mainland Southeast Asia, southern India and Nepal, causing travel disruption in most of the region – though you'll get some cheap deals. Southern Brazil will be very cold, but other regions are dry and pleasantly warm. Cuba is very wet, hot and humid in July, with the southeast being the worst affected. Soaring temperatures and prices can make traveling in midsummer unpleasant in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Croatia, Romania, Portugal and Spain – especially if you’re planning an activity break. In some countries, such as Italy and Croatia, as well as crowded beaches and hotels, you’ll find thousands of passengers disembarking daily from cruise ships, making for a less than relaxing vacation. It’s peak mosquito season in Finnish Lapland, as well as the peak vacation period for Finns. Places will be crowded, pricey and booked up well in advance. Morocco is too hot to travel inland or for activities such as hiking, cycling and desert camping. Much of southern Patagonia becomes inaccessible and freezing – and it’s all topped off with few daylight hours. It’s cool and wet in South Africa’s Western Cape.

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