16 Best Places to Travel in August

Temperatures: Low 47° F • High 55° F

Highlights: Culture, museums, hiking, waterfalls, scenery

Other recommended travel times: March • July • September

Iceland brings the unique to the fore, with surrealist landscapes and dynamic history, especially in the warmth of summer. From mountain roads to secluded trails, the Midnight Sun to glinting glaciers, Iceland embraces and celebrates the season.

Whether looking for an active adventure or eager to visit a remote village, you can discover the rustic charm, elegant luxury, and breathtaking drama of nature’s raw beauty.

Learn more: Iceland Tours & Vacations • Iceland Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 59° F • High 63° F

Highlights: Culture, scenery, ancient ruins, museums

Other recommended travel times: April • June • September

Scotland can feel mysterious or familiar in August as images of skirling bagpipes and lonely castles, Gothic alleyways and mystical lakes become a reality.

The warmth and longer days result in larger crowds and popular festivals, with remote, heather-covered landscapes, mountains that loom over deep glens, and vibrant cities that share celebrated roots creating unending charm.

Learn more: Scotland Tours & Vacations • UK Tours and Vacations

Temperatures: Low 53.6° F • High 62° F

Highlights: Culture, scenery, ancient ruins, museums

Other recommended travel times: March • April • May

The Irish landscape sparkles in autumn, with warm, lasting sunlight bringing the island’s captivating folklore and picturesque scenery to life.

From prehistoric tombs to lush, rolling hills and windswept coastal cliffs, Ireland blushes with drama. Visit castles, listen to traditional stories, and witness the reasons Ireland’s scenery has inspired poets, artists, musicians, and travelers from around the world.

Learn more: Ireland Tours & Vacations • Ireland Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 65° F • High 70° F

Highlights: Culture, villages, museums, hiking

Other recommended travel times: February • June • July • September • December

Norway in August is legendary. With unspeakable beauty along the fjords and blanketed in light throughout the day and into the Midnight Sun, the mixture of colors and culture are spectacular.

The natural splendor accentuates the culture from Oslo to the mountaintops, the rich traditions of the sea and views of sloping glaciers. Stirring landscapes, captivating wildlife, and a distinctive Scandinavian sophistication create the enchanting spirit of Norway.

Learn more: Norway Tours & Vacations 

Temperatures: Low 63.5° F • High 70° F

Highlights: Culture, cuisine, villages, hiking, scenery, museums

Other recommended travel times: May • July • September • December

Austria in August places remarkable culture and enchanting scenery at your fingertips. From Vienna to the Dolomites, Austria has an effortless brilliance that waltzes between high culture and outdoor adventure.

From Baroque palaces to elegant cuisine, soaring mountain peaks covered in snow to vibrant spa towns offering remnants of the powerful empire, when in Austria you can bask in wonderful scenery, while absorbing classic charisma.

Learn more: Austria Tours & Vacations • Austria Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 76° F • High 55° F

Highlights: Culture, cuisine, villages, hiking, scenery, museums

Other recommended travel times: May • June • September • December

Germany in August erupts with festivals and celebrations that accentuate the combination of cultural charm and scenic grandeur.

The country connects culinary temptations with beautiful palaces, fairytale towns with contemporary cities, all with a welcoming culture that reveals epic landscapes, from valleys to vineyards.

Enjoy a thrilling ride in a luxury car, visit the storybook villages of the Brothers Grimm, or follow the path of the Berlin Wall, with each corner of Germany revealing another aspect of its culture.

Learn more: Germany Tours & Vacations • Germany Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 43° F • High 67° F

Highlights: Wildlife, culture, scenery, wine, cuisine

Other recommended travel times: January • February • March • April • May • June • September

South Africa embraces the diversity for which it is famous in August. Adventure, history, and drama create the greater picture of the country as the peak of the Southern Hemisphere’s winter ebbs. Whales erupt from the water offshore and wildlife huddles around waterholes in the dry season.

With golden savannas and enchanting deserts, coastal cliffs and vibrant cities, you can experience splendid panoramas in search of wildlife or a cosmopolitan exploration that takes you from colonial fortresses to thriving townships.

Learn more: South Africa Safaris • South Africa Tours & Vacations

Temperatures: Low 46° F • High 82° F

Highlights: Warm weather, wildlife, culture, scenery, seclusion

Other recommended travel times: April • October

Botswana in August is a spectacle of nature and luxury. The abundant natural world takes center stage in the cooler, drier months as the wildlife roams across protected landscapes from the Okavango Delta to the Kalahari Desert.

Search for elephants, listen for a lion’s bone-rattling roar, experience the comforts of a secluded safari lodge, or visit the San Bushmen before embracing stars like you’ve never seen them before. August reveals that Botswana is not just a safari destination, but one of the best destinations for such an experience.

Learn more: Botswana Safaris • Botswana Safari Guide

Temperatures: Low 68° F • High 80° F

Highlights: Warm weather, safari, wildlife, culture, beaches

Other recommended travel times: February • June • July

Kenya is full of magic and majesty in August. The warm, dry weather can highlight rumbling herds of wildebeest during the Great Migration or clear, azure waters along the coastline.

With clear skies you could experience the magnificent silhouette of Mount Kilimanjaro from a distance. Visit Maasai warriors, trek with elephants across the savanna, explore conservation efforts, or celebrate the soul-stirring colors that August in Kenya unveils.

Learn more: Kenya Safaris & Vacations • Kenya Safari Guide

Temperatures: Low 70° F • High 79° F

Highlights: Warm weather, wildlife, culture, beaches, scenery

Other recommended travel times: March • July • October • November

The treasures of Tanzania are easily reachable during August as the dry, warm weather makes every corner of the country accessible. The Great Migration makes its way across the great Serengeti and snow caps the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The white beaches of Zanzibar glint against the soothing sea and the coral gardens along Pemba Island brim with unparalleled visibility. Whether looking for a charming coastal getaway or an unforgettable African safari, Tanzania in August has it all.

Learn more: Tanzania Safaris & Vacations • Tanzania Safari Guide

Temperatures: Low 50.5° F • High 70° F

Highlights: Warm weather, wildlife, culture, scenery

Other recommended travel times: September

Clear, dry, warm, and wondrous define Zimbabwe in August. The wildlife descends on the remaining waterholes as seasonal rivers dry.

Relaxed towns provide insight into the culture and the inland plateau opens to views of balancing boulders and the fiery leaves of msasa trees. With incredible archeological sites, views of Victoria Falls, and whispers of the Big Five, Zimbabwe in August reveals all its secrets.

Learn more: Zimbabwe Safaris & Tours • African Safari Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 69° F • High 89° F

Highlights: Warm weather, wildlife, culture, beaches, scenery

Other recommended travel times: February • July • October • December

Costa Rica in August is a treasure trove you can pretty much enjoy to yourself as it’s considered the heart of the rainy season. However, the rains generally fall in the afternoon and within no time the clouds clear and it warms up again.

Whether searching for scalable volcanic peaks or a white-sand beach, eager to venture into the dense jungle searching for endangered species or glide through the treetops on a zipline, Costa Rica is a chameleon of rich experiences perfect for any traveler looking for a tropical paradise.

Learn more: Costa Rica Tours & Vacations • Costa Rica Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 48° F • High 66° F

Highlights: Warm weather, culture, cuisine, hiking, scenery, wildlife

Other recommended travel times: January • March • May • September • October • November

Ecuador is a postcard of diverse landscapes and cultural splendor in August, with travelers from all over the world there to discover its wonders, from the Galapagos to the Andes, the coastline to the rainforest.

Ecuador is dynamic, with colonial architecture, lively rainforests, traditional culture, and the majesty of the volcanic Galapagos islands. Whether searching for penguins or rambunctious toucans, a traditional Andean market or a pristine beach, Ecuador is sublime.

Learn more: Galapagos Tours & Vacations • Galapagos Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 66° F • High 78° F

Highlights: Warm weather, wildlife, culture, beaches, scenery, the Amazon

Other recommended travel times: January • March • November

You can capture the essential rhythm of life in Brazil in August. The Southern Hemisphere's winter creates a comfortable and welcoming ambiance across the country as you settle onto powdery white-sand beaches or witness thundering tropical waterfalls.

Dive into the waters to find coral-fringed islands, wander across red sand dunes, or simply embrace the pleasures of daily life that connect so many Brazilians to the comforts of their home.

Learn more: Brazil Vacations • Brazil Travel Guide

Temperatures: Low 77° F • High 86° F

Highlights: Culture, temples, cuisine, villages, hiking, wildlife

Other recommended travel times: February • May • December

August in Sri Lanka shines the light on an intoxicating tropical paradise. The natural beauty can sweep across soft, white sands overlooking the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean or tea plantations terracing the mountains.

Sri Lanka feels like an undiscovered treasure, with cities that exude colonial influence and millennia of local culture, tropical rainforests that support enchanting wildlife, and irresistible cuisine that reflects tradition and growth.

Learn more: Sri Lanka Tours & Vacations

Temperatures: Low 46° F • High 59° F

Highlights: Wildlife, culture, winter sports, wine tasting, hiking, scenery

Other recommended travel times: January • February • March • June • July • December

New Zealand in August invites you into a distinctive winter wonderland in the Southern Hemisphere. The cool air can turn the natural world surreal as you travel into secluded fjords, trek across coastal glaciers, or ski down welcoming slopes.

But winter takes on more dynamic possibilities across New Zealand’s islands, making hiking, cycling, and viewing bubbling mud pools or hissing springs equally accessible. From Maori culture to winter surf, wine tasting to sailing, August accentuates New Zealand’s inclination for the epic.

Learn more: New Zealand Tours & Vacations • New Zealand Travel Guide

August brings the full force of summer and the depth of winter for an experience you can enjoy no matter the type of travel you prefer.

From the immersive scenery of an African safari to exciting adventures in New Zealand, the rolling hills of Ireland to the jungle terrain of Sri Lanka, August is a fantastic time to enjoy a custom-tailored vacation.

For more ways to indulge in your favorite destination, explore Zicasso’s Guide to the Best Places to Visit by Month and speak with a local travel specialist when you are ready to plan your trip.