https://nikkijeffery.inteletravel.uk/booktravel.cfm, https://linktr.ee/epicadventuresandtravel

Epic Adventures and Travel, Mandeville, Yeovil (2026)

30/09/2026

It is the last day of September, which makes this the right moment to say the thing I say every year and that people thank me for in January.

Winter sun is decided in October. Not in November when the clocks have gone back and the mornings are dark, and certainly not in December when everyone finally cracks. By then you are choosing from what the organised people did not take.

The mechanism is dull and reliable. Long-haul fares and the best rooms in the best winter hotels for December through February are booked months ahead by people who plan. There is a finite amount of both. As they go, the price on what remains rises and the choice narrows. It is not a sales tactic, it is just arithmetic, and it happens the same way every single year.

So, roughly, the map.

The Caribbean comes into its dry season around December and holds it through the winter. Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua are at their best exactly when we are at our worst, and the direct flights make them more straightforward than people assume.

Closer to home, the Canaries and Cape Verde are the sensible-value end of winter sun. Reliable warmth, a manageable flight, no jet lag, and a price that does not require a special occasion to justify it. Cape Verde in particular is still under-appreciated in the UK.

And the bigger trip. The Maldives, Thailand and the Gulf are all in their peak season through the northern winter. Those are the ones where booking early genuinely changes what you get, because the good villas and the sensible fares go first and there is no late version of them.

You do not have to commit to anything in October. You do have to start in October, which mostly means deciding roughly what you want and letting me watch for it.

And if you have no idea which of those is even your kind of trip, that is what the quiz is for. Two minutes: https://epicadventuresandtravelquiz.netlify.app

ABTA protected, P7384.

28/09/2026

The famous market cities are famous for good reasons and I will happily book you into any of them. But December in Vienna or Prague means being one of a very large number of people having the same nice time at the same time, and if crowds take the edge off it for you, there are better options that nobody talks about.

Three that stay manageable.

Salzburg. There are markets in front of the cathedral in the old town and another up at the fortress, and behind all of it are the Alps, which is a backdrop the bigger cities cannot compete with. It is small, so two nights genuinely does it justice rather than skimming it, and it has the music side of things running through December if that appeals. It is the one that looks most like the picture in your head.

Colmar. Alsace at its most improbable. Canals running between timber-framed houses painted in colours no planning committee would approve today, and five separate small markets tucked into a centre you can walk across in a quarter of an hour. It is close enough to Strasbourg to combine the two if you want the famous one and the quiet one in the same trip.

Bruges. The easy one logistically, since you can get there from London by rail and a short connection, which takes the flight problem off the table entirely. The Markt has an ice rink in December, the canals do their thing, and the chocolate situation is completely out of hand in the best way.

The practical upside of all three is the same. Smaller crowds, shorter queues, and hotels that have not tripled their rate because they can.

If you like the sound of a quieter version and are not sure which fits, my Holiday Match Quiz will point you: https://epicadventuresandtravelquiz.netlify.app

ABTA protected, P7384.

25/09/2026

It is World Tourism Day this Sunday, which is as good an excuse as any to talk about the thing that actually stops most people booking a holiday.

It is not money and it is not time off. It is not knowing where to go.

By some distance the most common message I get is not "book me Santorini". It is a version of "we really need a break this winter and we have absolutely no idea where". And every time, the person apologises for it, as if being undecided is a failure of imagination.

It is not. It is a straightforward information problem. There are thousands of viable options, they all photograph beautifully, and there is nothing obvious to narrow them down with. Faced with that, most people open twenty tabs, get overwhelmed, close them all and book the same place they went last time. Or book nothing at all and let the winter go by.

So I put the conversation I would have with you on the phone into a short quiz. Nine questions, about two minutes. It asks the things that actually change the answer. Whether you want to switch off completely or come home feeling like you saw something. Whether warmth is the point or you would rather have snow and a fire. Whether you want somewhere familiar and easy or somewhere you have never been. Whether you are travelling with people who need looking after, small children, older parents, someone who does not walk far.

At the end it tells you what kind of traveller you are and where that points for this winter.

You can send me the result and I will build on it, or you can take it away and do your own research from a starting point instead of a blank page. Both are genuinely fine. It is free either way and I am not going to hound you.

Take it here: https://epicadventuresandtravelquiz.netlify.app

ABTA protected, P7384.

23/09/2026

Every travel advert has two acronyms in small print at the bottom, and I would guess fewer than one in twenty people could tell you what either of them does. They are worth two minutes of your time, because they are the difference between a bad week and losing several thousand pounds.

ATOL. This one covers flight-inclusive packages, and it is a legal scheme run by the Civil Aviation Authority rather than a trade badge. Every ATOL-protected booking pays into a fund. If the company holding your money fails before you travel, you get your money back. If it fails while you are abroad, the fund gets you home. That is not the company promising to look after you. That is a scheme that works precisely because the company is gone.

ABTA. This is the trade association, and it does two useful things. It sets a code of conduct that its members have to work to, on how bookings are handled, how changes and cancellations are managed, how quickly complaints are dealt with. And it provides an independent route if you and your agent disagree, which means you are not reliant on the goodwill of the person who took your money. It also gives protection on plenty of non-flight arrangements that sit outside ATOL entirely, which matters more than people realise now that so many trips are rail, cruise or accommodation-only.

Paying by credit card is a good habit and it is not a substitute. Section 75 and chargeback both depend on your bank, on the timing, and on exactly who received your money. On travel bookings, money often passes through more than one company, and if the one that failed is not the one you paid, the position gets complicated fast. Card protection is a useful second layer. It is not a first one.

On anything I book, this is standard rather than something you have to ask about or pay extra for. ABTA on everything, ATOL where the booking includes flights, and I would rather you understood what that means than just saw the logos.

If you are about to pay a deposit anywhere, mine or anyone else's, message me first and I will tell you what protection you are actually getting. That offer is genuine and it costs you nothing.

ABTA protected, P7384.

21/09/2026

A heads-up for anyone with Lapland in the back of their mind for this December, because the window on it is closing and it closes earlier than people expect.

Lapland works differently from a normal family holiday. It runs on very small numbers. The husky and reindeer slots are limited by how many dogs and animals exist. The good Santa experiences cap their groups deliberately, because forty children in a queue in the snow is nobody's Christmas. The handful of properties that do the whole thing properly, with the right guides and the right transfers and a Santa meeting that is not a photo booth in a shed, are contracted a year in advance and sell through the autumn.

By November what remains is usually the long day trip from a regional airport, up and back in eighteen hours with two exhausted children, at a price that has already climbed twice. It can still be a lovely day. It is not the trip people picture when they say Lapland.

The same arithmetic applies to Christmas week generally. Flights between roughly 23 and 27 December are fixed capacity against the single most concentrated demand of the year. There is no version of that where waiting improves your position.

So this is the honest moment to start, and the thing I would want to know first is the ages of the children. Lapland is magical at five and can be a bit thin at twelve, and there are better ways to spend that budget on an older family. I would rather tell you that now than sell you the wrong week.

Tell me the ages and what you are hoping for, and I will show you what is genuinely still available at today's prices.

ABTA protected, P7384. ATOL protection applies to flight-inclusive bookings. Message me with "Lapland".

20/09/2026

🗺️Journey to the Pride Lands - A Family Safari & Beach!🌴

9-night Journey to the Pride Lands Family Safari, followed by 4 nights at Southern Palms Beach Resort. Nairobi (9 nights) and Mombasa (4 nights), 13 nights total for 2 adults and 2 children.

The price is based on 2 adults and 2 children (up to 11 years) travelling on the private 'Journey to the Pride Lands' safari. It includes 2 nights at the Boma Hotel in Nairobi on bed and breakfast, 2 nights at Sweetwaters Tented Camp on full board, 1 night at Nakuru Sopa Lodge on full board, 1 night at Naivasha Sopa Lodge on full board, 2 nights at Serena Mara on full board and 1 night at The Boma Hotel Nairobi on bed and breakfast, followed by 4 nights in a Superior Deluxe Room on all-inclusive at Southern Palms Beach Resort on the Mombasa Coast.

Flights are with Qatar Airways (via Doha), departing London Heathrow on 22 July 2027 for 13 nights (plus one night on the plane in both directions). The safari includes 6 game drives in 4x4 safari vehicles, a boat excursion and a walking safari. Also included: a Nairobi city tour, a visit to the Kazuri Bead Factory, and visits to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Giraffe Centre in Nairobi. Private car transfers are included in Nairobi and Mombasa.

👍Visit Thomson Falls, which resembles a scene from Simba's sojourn in the jungle with Timon & Pumba
👍Visit Kazuri Bead Factory and learn to make your own African beads
👍Capture a family picture as you cross the Equator
👍Kids can become a Ranger for the day and assist the conservation team, ticking off wildlife in their own workbook
👍Visit the Jane Goodall chimpanzee sanctuary
👍Enjoy a boat excursion on Lake Naivasha and a guided walking safari
👍6 game drives in 4x4 safari vehicles spotting all the big five animals

London Heathrow from £5675pp with Qatar Airways (via Doha)
Offer code: 1453809
Deposit £170pp
All local taxes are included

Tailor your holiday and add extra nights in Mombasa. Send me a message and I'll check live availability and get real current prices over to you.

Nikki, Epic Adventures and Travel
➡️Epic Adventures and Travel is an affiliate of InteleTravel whom hold ABTA - number P7384
InteleTravel U.K. are appointed agents for our suppliers that hold ATOL⬅️

19/09/2026

😍 Canadian Rockies Self Drive 🥰

14 nights, 2 adults, one epic loop through some of the most jaw-dropping scenery in the world.

Start with 3 nights in Vancouver at the Sandman Hotel Downtown, then head into the mountains for 2 nights at the Crystal Lodge in Whistler. North to Kamloops for 1 night at the Prestige Kamloops Hotel, then on to the mountain town of Jasper for 2 nights at the Tonquin Inn.

From there you're driving through the Alberta National Parks: 1 night at the Lake Louise Inn, 2 nights in Banff at the Banff Aspen Lodge (breakfast included), before finishing with 3 nights in Calgary at the Sandman Signature Downtown Hotel.

👍 Natural, picturesque beauty at every turn
👍 One of the most scenic drives through the Rockies you'll ever do
👍 Real time in the villages of Whistler and Banff, not just a drive-through

Flights are direct with Air Canada from London Heathrow, departing 12th May 2026 (10 nights out, plus 1 night on the plane home).

From £2159pp
Deposit £75pp
Offer code: 1455485

A few things to know before you commit, because I'd rather you know now than be surprised later:
● A one-way car hire fee of $200 is payable locally
● A resort fee of $15.29 per room per night applies in Lake Louise
● A National Park fee of $12.25 per person per day applies in Jasper and Banff National Parks (or grab the Parks Canada annual pass from $83.50pp if that works out better for you)

Travel: 04 May 2027 to 19 May 2027
Book by: 30 September 2026

Prices are real and checked at the point I send them, but they do move, so if this one's calling your name, get in touch and I'll pull live pricing and availability for you the same day.

Fancy this one, or want me to see what else fits? Drop me a DM and let's talk it through.

Nikki, Epic Adventures and Travel
➡️Epic Adventures and Travel is an affiliate of InteleTravel whom hold ABTA - number P7384
InteleTravel U.K. are appointed agents for our suppliers that hold ATOL⬅️

18/09/2026

Christmas market trips are short, and short trips are unforgiving. On a fortnight you can lose half a day and shrug. On two nights, half a day is a quarter of the holiday. That is why the small decisions matter more here than almost anywhere else.

Four things I check on every one of these, and you can check them yourself if you are booking alone.

Are the markets open on your dates? This catches more people than anything else. Most run from around the last weekend in November to 23 December, but the dates move year to year, and several close before Christmas Eve rather than on it. Some of the prettiest smaller ones only run at weekends. Look up this year's dates specifically. Last year's are not a guide.

How far is the hotel from the old town? The market is an evening thing. It is the lights, the cold, the smell of the stalls and the wander back afterwards, and that experience needs you to be able to walk back. A hotel out by the airport or the ring road will save you fifty pounds and cost you two taxi journeys and a chunk of both evenings. On a two-night trip that is a poor trade.

Flights or rail, compared door to door? People compare a flight price to a train price and forget everything either side of it. A 6am departure means a 3am alarm and a drive, and you land shattered with the first day gone. A midday train from Paris to Strasbourg gets you there in under two hours, relaxed, with the afternoon intact. Sometimes flying wins. Just compare the whole journey rather than the ticket.

One city or two? This is the one people do not think to ask. Several of the market cities sit close together on good rail links, and a four-night trip can comfortably do two. Vienna to Budapest is under three hours. If you are going that far anyway, a second city can cost surprisingly little and doubles what you get.

If you would rather not do any of that, send me your dates and I will check all four and come back with options.

ABTA protected, P7384.

17/09/2026

🚢 HALLOWEEN AT SEA, ADULTS ONLY
Virgin Voyages, 6 nights from Miami, from £858pp

📅 25 October 2026 on Scarlet Lady

No kids. Just treats. Virgin Voyages is running Halloween sailings through October, with costumes, themed shows, spooky food and drink, and a ship that is 18+ all year round.

Itinerary highlights:
✨ Grand Turk
✨ Puerto Plata
✨ The Beach Club at Bimini
✨ Back to Miami

🎁 Free balcony upgrades and 70% off the second sailor on this sailing

👫 From £858pp based on 2 sharing

Want the Halloween flagship instead? Valiant Lady sails 31 October from San Juan for 7 nights around the Southern Caribbean, with an extra show from the Happenings Cast. Ask me for that one too.

Message me with your airport and I'll price the whole trip, flights included, with live availability and real current prices the same day.

Nikki, Epic Adventures and Travel

T&Cs apply. Pricing and availability correct as of 11/09/26, subject to change.

➡️ Epic Adventures and Travel is an affiliate of InteleTravel, who hold ABTA number P7384 ⬅️

16/09/2026

"We'll wait and see if it comes down" is the most expensive sentence in travel, and I say that as someone who would genuinely tell you to wait if waiting were the right call.

Here is the mechanism, because it is not obvious and nobody explains it.

Flights do not get cheaper because the date is close. Airlines sell seats in price buckets, cheapest first. As the plane fills, the cheap buckets close and the price steps up to the next one. So the fare curve generally rises through the booking period, with wobbles. A last-minute bargain on a popular route to a popular place in a popular week is not a thing that happens, because the plane is full of people who booked earlier.

Hotel late deals are real, but look at what is actually being discounted. Hotels release the rooms they cannot sell, and the reason they cannot sell them is usually visible from the room. The sea-view family room went in March. The one you are being offered in July is at the back, over the service yard, next to the lift. That is a discount on something you did not want.

And school holidays barely discount at all. The number of weeks is fixed by law, the number of families is fixed by biology, and everybody wants the same fortnight. There is no slack in that system for a bargain to appear in.

Now the honest other side, because I am not here to frighten anybody into booking.

Genuine late value does exist. Tour operators do dump unsold contracted allocation. Airlines do occasionally drop a fare on a route that is not selling. But it is narrow, it is specific, it moves within hours, and it almost never lands on exactly the week and destination you had in mind. Finding it means somebody watching the right things on your behalf, not you refreshing a comparison site at eleven at night hoping.

So tell me what you are waiting on. The dates, the place, the budget you have in mind. I will tell you honestly whether I think waiting is likely to pay on that particular trip, and if it is, I will say so and tell you when to move.

ABTA protected, P7384.

Epic Adventures and Travel

30/09/2026

28/09/2026

25/09/2026

23/09/2026

21/09/2026

20/09/2026

19/09/2026

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17/09/2026

16/09/2026

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