River Cruising with no single supplements – it’s like Christmas has come already! Avalon Waterways make it easy for solo travellers to step aboard one of their ships with open-air balcony Panorama Suites in Amsterdam on the Rhine this December or in Paris on the Seine next August, from £1,446pp (cruise only). Includes wine or beer at mealtimes, tips, shore excursions and door-to-door pick-up service of up to 100 miles.

Jodhpur, Ranakpur and Udaipur –the ‘purs’ of Rajasthan reveal aspects of India beyond the ‘Golden Triangle’. Ahead lie exquisitely carved temples, the second largest fort in the world and the Lake Palace Hotel where scenes from 007’s Octopussy were filmed. TransIndus are the UK’s leading India specialists with on-the-ground knowledge and over 30 years’ experience.

If you enjoyed the Antarctica footage in Sir David Attenborough’s ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’ series on BBC1 last Sunday, how about travelling to see the wildlife, glaciers and natural wonders of this extraordinary continent for yourself? Discovery cruise experts Hurtigruten have 25% off Antarctica sailings aboard their new hybrid-powered expedition ships when booked by 15 December.

Visit four historic European capitals by train aboard Railbookers most popular tour, from London to Grand Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Budapest in just 9 nights, then flying back to the UK (or returning by rail if you prefer.) Pries start at £1,449 pp with daily departure dates, and include hotel stays with breakfast in each capital, the Brandenburg Gate Museum, Berlin Walking tour, Hop-on, hop-off tours of Prague and Vienna and an evening cruise on the Danube.

Bookings for Holland America Line’s 2021 Grand World Voyage have just opened and it looks to be a journey of cultural immersion like no other. Circling the globe in 128 days, this epic cruise will make 47 calls, visit 35 UNESCO sites, and features nine overnight stays. Explore the Amazon. Photograph lions in the wild. Visit the Great Barrier Reef. There is so much World to see!

It’s part of the great American dream – hitting the road and driving across the USA. Or at least some of it – in this case, from Las Vegas to Death Valley, Yosemite National Park, San Francisco and LA. Avis delivered the very comfortable car and California delivered the outstanding scenery – making the trip the perfect combination of freedom, flexibility, freeways and great fun.

If you love birdsong, forest walks and a touch of luxury, you’ll love Forest Holidays where log cabins come with hot tubs, underfloor heating and floor-to-ceiling windows in lovely woodland settings across the UK. There’s loads to do for the grown-ups – bike trails, canoeing, archery and night-vision walks with rangers – as Carole Tidball found out in the Forest of Dean.