Summer is closer than you think, and the world's most extraordinary destinations won't wait! Whether you're chasing a last-minute escape for this year or claiming your spot for 2027, here are six sensational summer journeys to inspire you.
Rapa Nui: Mysteries Written in Stone
Your first glimpse of the colossal stone moai of Easter Island will likely stop you dead in your tracks. Standing among these enigmatic stone figures in the shifting light of late afternoon, the Pacific Ocean stretching to the horizon all around you, it’s impossible not to feel the full weight of this mysterious land. Who were the people who created these Sphinx-like stone masterpieces? What did they believe? And how, on the most remote inhabited island on the planet, did they do this?
The Sphinx-like stone moai of Easter Island honor and house the spirits of important ancestors.
Easter Island (or Rapa Nui, as its Polynesian people have always known it) sits alone in the South Pacific, over 2,000 miles from the coast of Chile, and that very isolation is a large part of its magic. June through September brings the island's coolest, driest, and least-crowded conditions, ideal for hiking the volcanic craters, cycling the coastal roads past ceremonial platforms, or simply sitting and watching as the sun rises behind fifteen towering moai in what may be the most cinematic scene in all of travel. The small but proud Rapa Nui culture remains alive and deeply woven into the food, music, and warm welcome one feels in this timeless, windswept paradise at the end of the Earth.
Moai at Ahu Tongariki, Rapa Nui's largest ceremonial center, kept a watchful eye over the ancient village that once existed there.
If a week of blissful daily explorations immersed in history, nature, and culture isn’t enough, consider extending your Chilean adventure to include the otherworldly Atacama Desert. Pleasantly cool days from June through August are perfect for hiking, biking, and soaking in hot springs, and the cold, clear nights showcase the very best stargazing this world-renowned destination has to offer.
Ecuador’s Andes: South America’s Best-Kept Secret
Picture yourself waking up in a delightfully comfy bed in a historic hacienda nestled in the scenic highlands of Ecuador’s high Andes. The dissipating morning clouds reveal snow-capped volcanoes towering above the rolling green countryside, and a majestic Andean condor drifts upward in the distance.
Ecuador's Avenue of the Volcanoes can be explored on foot, bicycle, or horseback.
For active travelers seeking cultural depth and dramatic scenery, Ecuador’s Andes offer a rewarding and far less-visited alternative to Peru. During the summer dry season, clear skies make it ideal to explore the legendary Avenue of the Volcanoes on foot, by bike, or on horseback, with chances to spot giant hummingbirds, vicuñas, and maybe even the elusive spectacled bear.
The spectacled bear is South America's only native bear species, and they construct nests in trees for sleeping and eating.
The experiences in Ecuador’s highlands go beyond the landscapes. Wander vibrant local markets with your guide, learn traditional recipes in family kitchens, or visit artisans whose intricate embroidery and weavings reflect generations of true mastery.
If time allows, finish your journey with a relaxing small-boat cruise through the Galapagos Islands. The cooler June through August season is perfect for hiking, wildlife viewing, and snorkeling alongside sea lions, seabirds, and migrating whales.
The Galapagos' North Seymour Island is one of the best places to see male frigatebirds inflate their red pouches to attract mates, especially between March and July.
Into the Woods: Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park
There is nothing more delightful than watching two bright-eyed baby gorillas play just several feet away from you, a joyful mass of leaping, chasing, tumbling fuzz set against a sea of endless greenery. A couple of tired female gorillas lazily munch fresh green leaves while keeping an eye on the youngsters, and a sudden, loud crashing sound sends your heart into your throat as a giant silverback suddenly emerges from the thick bush, stopping to survey his family and ponder his next move (relax - he’s just going to snack with the ladies!).
Rwanda is arguably the most accessible place to see mountain gorillas in the wild.
Tracking mountain gorillas in the wild is one of the most profound wildlife encounters you can have, and Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park is arguably the most accessible place to visit them. Just a two-hour drive on excellent roads from the unexpectedly cosmopolitan city of Kigali, with reasonable hiking access through bamboo forests, Volcanoes National Park delivers an experience few places can match. For those who want to go deeper into Rwanda's primate riches, an extension to Nyungwe Forest rewards you with chimpanzees swinging through the canopy, and Volcanoes also offers the chance to track the almost impossibly beautiful golden monkey. June through September is the most comfortable and reliable time to visit Rwanda, when trails are firm underfoot, skies are clearer, and the forest reveals its bounty of birds and primates without the drama of equatorial downpours.
Volcanoes National Park is one of the best places to spot the rare and endangered Golden Monkey.
Central Vietnam’s Summer Sweet Spot
Stretching over 1,000 miles from north to south, Vietnam's wildly varied climate makes timing everything. While the north roasts and the south drowns in monsoon rains during our summer months, Central Vietnam enjoys a meteorological sweet spot of sunny, dry weather from June through August.
Hoi An is the perfect basecamp for your adventure, a lantern-lit historic trading port whose pedestrian old town feels less like a city and more like a film set. Cycle through surrounding rice paddies, watch fishermen haul in their catch at dawn, and witness the mesmerizing work of local weavers on an artisan countryside tour. Indulge in the local delicacies Hoi An is famous for, like handmade white rose dumplings, smoky cao lau noodles, and a perfect Bahn Mì topped with tangy pickled vegetables.
The historic trading port of Hoi An is one of Vietnam's most vibrant and historic cities.
Just outside town, the haunting sandstone towers of the My Son temple complex rise from the jungle. A short drive north along the rugged central coast brings you to the imperial city of Hue, where you will discover dynastic palaces, extravagant royal tombs, and lotus-filled moats.
Time your travels a few weeks earlier or later, and the weather window shifts just enough to include the electric street life of Hanoi or the buzzing energy of Saigon, giving you a more comprehensive look at this tasty and intriguing slice of Southeast Asia.
The Imperial City of Hue boasts a magnificent palace, sacred temples, and ornate ceramic works that adorn gates, temples, and tombs.
Where the Wild Things Are: South Africa’s Kruger and Kalahari
North American summer is prime safari season across Africa, and South Africa's private reserves neighbouring the legendary Kruger National Park are at their very best. Stalk leopards on a morning game drive through the Sabi Sands, scanning the treetops for a tail lazily hanging down or an impala carcass swaying morbidly in the breeze. Watch a mother white rhino and her calf munch contentedly on sun-bleached grass, blissfully unaware of the lion pride napping in the shade of a Marula tree nearby. Few places offer more reliable leopard sightings than the Kruger’s private reserves, where habituated cats go about their business with magnificent indifference to your vehicle. It is not uncommon for guests to see the Big Five within 24 - 48 hours of entering these reserves, and night drives and off-road driving take your safari to a whole other level.
The private reserves adjacent to Kruger National Park are one of the best places in Africa for leopard sightings.
From the Kruger, it's a straightforward journey to one of our favorite reserves in all of southern Africa: Tswalu Kalahari. Sprawling across rust-hued semi-arid hills, this supremely exclusive private reserve (South Africa’s largest) pairs very few guests with deeply knowledgeable private guides and an unwavering conservation ethic. June through August is denning season for African wild dogs, offering the rare privilege of watching pups emerge into the Kalahari light while the rest of the pack stands guard. Cheetah, rhino, and pangolin, one of Africa's most mythically elusive creatures, are all a possibility (we missed out on pangolin during our stay, but several Moraway guests have been lucky enough to spot them at Tswalu!). But the most unforgettable moment? Crouching at dawn beside a family of habituated meerkats as they rise on their hind legs to greet the morning sun, sentinel-straight and utterly unfazed by your presence.
Watching the sun rise with a colony of habituated meerkats at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is an unforgettable experience.
Madagascar: The Island of Elsewhere
June through August mark Madagascar's dry winter months and the perfect time to explore this intriguing island, where 90% of its wildlife exists nowhere else on earth. Hike through spectacular jagged limestone tsingy formations in search of dancing sifakas and leaf-tailed geckos, or stand still in an ancient rainforest as the haunting wail of the Indri Indri permeates the canopy. Each day brings a new sense of discovery that never quite gets old - we've been twice and will almost certainly go back!
The dancing sifakas of Madagascar's spiny forest will wow you with their acrobatic moves as they leap sideways across the forest floor.
Offshore, humpback whales migrate to Madagascar's warm waters from June through September, and the waters around Ile Sainte-Marie offer world-class whale watching as boats drift quietly alongside mothers and their calves.
While many travelers come for the endemic flora and fauna, they soon discover that the people and cultural heritage are an equally rewarding surprise. The Malagasy blend African, Southeast Asian, and Arab influences into something entirely their own, with fascinating traditions and taboos that vary across the island (the most intriguing being Famadihana, a ritual where deceased ancestors are exhumed from their tombs and re-wrapped in fresh silk shrouds, then paraded around before being re-interred). To travel through Madagascar is to be reminded that its most extraordinary quality isn't just what lives in its forests - it's everything about it!
The Antandroy people of southern Madagascar, or "people of the thorns", have a unique, high-energy dance style that is thrilling to watch as the sun sets amidst ancient baobabs.
Summer has a way of sneaking up on us, but it's not too late to make something happen this year if you have some flexibility. And if you're thinking further ahead, don't wait: lodge availability across Africa is already filling fast for early 2027. Whenever you're ready, reach out and let us help you plan your ultimate summer escape!
Your Wild Adventure Aficionado,
