In Pics Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh by Abhishek Hajela (Lonely Planet. Spiti Valley is one of the most popular hotspots in North India and every. Check out Lonely Planets South India & Kerala guide, Goa & Mumbai guide. Belfast & the Causeway Coast, Northern Irelandġ0. Found insideDrawing on the knowledge and passion of Lonely Planets staff. Lonely Planet's top 10 countries for 2018ġ. A desert mountain valley in the North Indian state of. Riven by deep river chasms, this is a high-altitude desert backed by snow-topped mountains and punctuated by tiny villages set in patches of striking greenery. People are choosing more and more often to travel in large groups, with the kids, parents and grandparents all going on an adventure - whether it be a cruise, safari or something else - together." Spiti means the middle land as it is perched in the Himalayan Mountains between India and Tibet. To the east, a rough jeep track leads over the soaring Kunzum La into Spiti, Himachals mini-Ladakh. tours over high Himalayan passes to Ladakh and Spiti from June to September. "People are wanting to discover great vegan and vegetarian options around the world and cross-generational travel is a massive trend. Lonely Planet, John Noble, Michael Benanav, Abigail Blasi, Lindsay Brown. In terms of travel trends for 2018, Zeiher said we should see a big upswing in vegan and vegetarian and cross-generational travel. Taranaki was named as one of the best regions to in the world visit in 2017, while the West Coast has also featured. He also thinks the road trips on offer in NZ are "extraordinary" and that it offers "a lot of bang for your buck" in general. Zeiher is particularly partial to Waiheke Island, which was included in Lonely's Planet's top 10 regions to visit in 2016, and Cape Reinga, which he discovered on a recent trip for a friend's wedding and found "absolutely glorious". "But the big factor is that x- or wow-factor that propels it to the top of people's lists of places they want to go," said Lonely Planet spokesman Chris Zeiher. Now in its 13th year, the yearbook is aimed at showcasing destinations which offer travellers new things to see and do, have something special happening in the year ahead or its contributors consider overlooked or underrated. A loop around Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park and drive through Haast Pass to Queenstown marked the recommended grand finale. Coverage includes: Shimla & around, Kinnaur, Rampur, Sarahan, Sangla Valley, Rekong Peo, Kalpa, Rekong Peo to Sumdo, Mandi, Rewalsar Lake, Bhuntar, Parvati Valley, Kullu, Naggar, Manali & around, Dharamsala, McLeod Ganj & around, Southwest of Dharamsala, Dharamsala to Mandi, Chamba Valley, Lahaul and Spiti. From Wellington, travellers were advised to catch the Interislander to Nelson and explore Abel Tasman's beaches before driving "super-scenic Route 6" and spending the night in Ces Clarke Hut. Visitors with two weeks to spend in New Zealand were encouraged "to enjoy the urban scene in Auckland" before hitting "unique" Hot Water Beach, checking out the "bubbly mud in sulphur-scented Rotorua" and getting a taste of the country's nine existing Great Walks on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The variety of landscapes and experiences on offer made NZ a top-10 choice, Zeiher said.