Making the most of a new month: Unique February events from across the world. Photo / 123rf
Making the most of a new month: Unique February events from across the world. Photo / 123rf
There isn't a Kiwi out there who needs to be told February is the best month of summer, but with Covid-19 (see also: party pooper) stunting our plans, let's take a look at where else on the planet February delivers some excellent travel experiences.
Ice treks on the River Zanskar
While a balmy February in Aotearoa provides the opportune time to complete a Great Walk, while in India, specifically the Zanskar Valley, the region's namesake river completely freezes to form a road. This hard layer of ice is known as Chadar, hence why the 105km stretch of walkable river is referred to as Chadar trekking. If you're keen to take on the terrain, at altitudes of 3600m and temperatures of –8 degrees Celsius, allow at least 10 days to navigate the rocky river canyon, staying overnight at basic yet beautiful campsites and scouring the ice for snow leopards.
Why February? The river freezes; all other months may require a raft.
In February, the Zanskar Valley's namesake river completely freezes to form a road. Photo / Getty
For all those who make the most of the summer luge in Rotorua and Queenstown, Switzerland's annual Cresta Run takes tobogganing to the next level, notably because you travel headfirst, also known as skeleton tobogganing. This natural ice run is built from scratch every year, connecting the town of St Moritz to Cresta via a 1.2km bobsled, and while it might sound perilous, beginners are more than welcome. Simply join the St Moritz Tobogganing Club and choose a practice session with a veteran tobogganist. Just try to avoid running aground on the notorious Shuttlecock corner, which will result in ridicule and compulsory wearing of the shameful "Shuttlecock Tie".
Why February? The Cresta Run is only open between Christmas and the end of February.
The Cresta Run is a natural ice run is built from scratch every year, connecting the town of St Moritz to Cresta. Photo / Getty
Nordic Skating in Sweden
Last winter you gave the pop-up ice rink a whirl and now you're ready for Nordic Skating: long-distance ice-skating across frozen lakes and rivers. Come February in Sweden, you can spend the entire day on Stockholm's Lake Mälaren. As it's the fifth largest lake in Europe, spanning 120km, you certainly won't be hitting the same corner every two minutes. Alternatively, multi-day skating adventures will see you gliding across Sweden's frozen interior for up to 80km per day, albeit with an experienced guide and a nightly guesthouse to rest weary legs.
Why February? December to March = ice, ice, everywhere.
Come February in Sweden, you can spend the entire day ice skating on Stockholm's Lake Mälaren. Photo / Getty
The Sahara Desert Marathon
Perhaps you're still on a runner's high from last weekend's Auckland Marathon and dead-set on taking on another challenge. In which case, you have a full year to prepare for a 42km showdown in the Saharawi camps of Tindouf (Algeria). Held during the last week of February, very little of the course runs through deep sand, but it is necessary to negotiate a rocky landscape and a few gnarly sand dunes. If you found Auckland's 27-degree heat a little stifling, this one is at least undertaken in the desert's coolest season – and at dawn.
Why February? Visit the world's largest desert, an event that also helps finance and develop humanitarian programmes for the refugee children of Western Sahara.
