Holidays in June

Once just a stopover on the journey from Moscow to Beijing on the Trans-Mongolian Express, Mongolia is enjoying a new lease of life as a destination in its own right. For those seeking a bit of adventure and who covet the great outdoors, Mongolia is a dream. Head out into the unspoilt wilderness of the steppe and Gobi Desert with just a few nomads for company. Begin in Ulaanbaatar to explore the curious mishmash of Soviet architecture and Buddhist monasteries, with developing glass tower blocks, international restaurants and shopping malls. 

Belarus is one of the best kept travel secrets in Europe. As one of the last bastions of communism in Eastern Europe, Belarus offers a different travel experience from its Baltic neighbours but visitors are assured of a genuine friendly welcome. Minsk offers an impressive display of grandiose Stalinist architecture; Lenin still stands proudly in the main square. Trade Soviet style for can classical attractions like the Cathedral of the Holy Ghost, Mariinsky Cathedral or Mir Castle. Venture further to find wide plains, picturesque villages, ancient ruins and monasteries, deep forests, scenic landscapes and thousands of lakes.

Straddling the Arctic Circle, Greenland is the world’s largest island, with inland ice covering 85% of the country. Starkly beautiful, the least densely populated country in the world is one of the last true wilderness destinations. Vast icebergs rise from the sea and groaning glaciers move up to forty metres per day. Towns and villages are linked only by sea or air, so travel like a local and take a dog sledge journey through the Kangerlussuaq wilderness, or spot whales and seals on a boat trip around Illulisat, cruising between deep fjords. During the summer, set off to spot polar bears or during winter, search for the northern lights.