When to go › January

Where to hike in January

16 of 108 destinations scored for hiking are prime in January — 80 or better on conditions alone. Highest: Oman (94), Chiang Mai (93), Aruba (92). In December 12 are prime; in February, 15.

24 worth considering

January · Hiking

Every destination scoring 55 or better for hiking in January, highest first. Ties are listed alphabetically.

OmanOman · Asia · prime November to March
prime94
Chiang MaiThailand · Asia · prime November to January
prime93
ArubaAruba · Caribbean · prime December to March
prime92
KilimanjaroTanzania · Africa · prime January to February and August to September
prime92
KeralaIndia · Asia · prime December to February
prime91
Manuel AntonioCosta Rica · Central America · prime December to March
prime91
MarlboroughNew Zealand · Oceania · prime December to March
prime91
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico · Caribbean · prime January to March
prime91
Krabi & RailayThailand · Asia · prime December to February
prime90
Wanaka & CardronaNew Zealand · Oceania · prime December to March
prime90
Sri Lanka South CoastSri Lanka · Asia · prime January to March
prime89
St. JohnUS Virgin Islands · Caribbean · prime January to March
prime89
Tenerife & TeideCanary Islands, Spain · Europe · prime November to May
prime89
Thredbo & the Snowy MountainsAustralia · Oceania · prime December to March
prime89
Lanzarote & FuerteventuraCanary Islands, Spain · Europe · prime November to April
prime84
Ushuaia & Tierra del FuegoTierra del Fuego, Argentina · South America · prime December to March
prime81
Annapurna & PokharaNepal · Asia · prime March to April and October to November
good74
QueenstownNew Zealand · Oceania · prime March to April
good70
Serengeti & NgorongoroTanzania · Africa · prime June to September
good68
TasmaniaAustralia · Oceania · prime March to April
good68
BarilochePatagonia, Argentina · South America · prime March to April
good67
El Chaltén & Fitz RoyPatagonia, Argentina · South America · prime March to April and November
good67
Fiordland & Milford SoundNew Zealand · Oceania · prime March to April
good65
Torres del PainePatagonia, Chile · South America · prime March to April and November
good61
Narrow it by region and crowds in the full tool →

Know before you book

Most places have one or two months that are genuinely better — and a booking moment that comes a lot earlier than the trip. I’ll write when one of those is coming up. No schedule, no filler.

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Somewhere missing from the list? Write to info@pennyswindow.com and I’ll score it.