We are two friends who travel regularly. We have already booked our flights for an 8-day trip to Iceland in the first week of March 2016. The aurora borealis is on top of our minds but we would like to include all the natural wonders of this exotic country. We know that the winter days might be very short but we would like to use the nights to increase our chances of seeing the Northern Lights. Please advise a good itinerary.

The Northern Lights can be elusive and unpredictable: you need the right combination of season, weather (clear skies on cold nights), location (away from city lights), length of stay (the aurora borealis occurs in cycles of sightings over a couple of days followed by 4-5 nights of inactivity) and just plain luck. Track sites like

We are planning a 10-12 day family trip to Kashmir in the second half of March 2016. In the aftermath of last year?s floods, are things back to normal as far as tourist infrastructure is concerned? Can you help plan an itinerary to and from Srinagar airport? We are all fond of walking and exploring places. An itinerary that includes some off-beat locations and adventure activities would be really nice. Please suggest good hotels to stay as well.

A classic Kashmir valley itinerary features 2-3 days at Srinagar packed with local sightseeing (including the fabled gardens and boating on the Dal, naturally) and shopping. Plan for at least one night on a houseboat—WelcomHeritage’s Gurkha houseboats (from Rs 10,000; www.welcomheritagehotels.in) on Nagin makes for a quieter stay. There’s the essential day trip to Sonmarg,

Four of us are planning to visit Dubai during the third week of January 2016, with accommodation arranged by our friend. We need an itinerary for a week?s stay, including must-see places and shopping tips, and a trip to Abu Dhabi.

You are landing in the middle of the Dubai Shopping Festival (www.visitdubaishoppingfestival.com), when the city is carpet-bombed with dazzling line-ups: food festivals, shopping extravaganzas, exotic headline acts, dedicated tours, never-before events, and not-to-be-missed fireworks. Meanwhile, here’s a timeless Dubai itinerary that you can try to fit in alongside: take a walking tour of historic Bastakiya;

Hi Marco, At the onset thanks a lot for the immense help you provide. The first thing I check in the OT issue each time is your Q&A section, and that is why I think you are the best person to help me right now. We are a group of 4 women planning a trip to Goa from 22nd to 26th March. I have been through blogs and posts but it has got me confused. We are looking for budget accomodations, and plan to use bikes/scooty to travel along the state. We want to cover as many places as possible in both North and South Goa – beaches, forts, some nightlife/clubbing. Is it better to stay in North or South Goa? Could you suggest us a plan for our trip. Please share hotels/homestays, places to visit, how to reach, restaurants, water sports details etc. Will it be advisable to undertake a trek to the Dudhsagar Falls, considering the time frame of our visit as well as safety. Also, we are planning to catch a bus on 26th evening to Mumbai. Could you suggest some good bus operators. Thanks a lot.

We are a couple in our 50s with two sons in their 20s, planning a trip to the Northeast from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. We would like to travel from January 7-24, 2016. Please suggest an itinerary to visit Guwahati, Kaziranga, Majuli, Shillong and Cherrapunjee, with budget accommodation. Is it necessary to book accommodation and jungle safaris in Kaziranga in advance? If yes, please guide me.

Both Guwahati (for Shillong and Cherrapunjee) and Jorhat (for Majuli and Kaziranga, the latter being less than half the distance from Jorhat than Guwahati) are well-connected by air and rail, and will bases for you on this trip. It’s nice that you have ample time to spare—not a common sight in these pages—so let me

We are a middle-aged couple who want to go on a 12-to-15-day tour to Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg and Prague. We want to fly from Delhi to Budapest, and fly back from Prague. We want to take local trains and not Eurail while travelling intercity. Our total budget is Rs 3.5 lakh. Could you please give us some idea about decent two-star hotels in which we could stay in these cities? We would also like to know about the trains that we can take, and the must-see places.

You will find all the advice you need on trains at seat61.com. Rather than two-star hotels, which can be far-flung, ill-situated or pokey, if you look for more comfort at the same cost, may I suggest rental apartments as a great alternative—you can get more options, space and facilities in excellent locations for a lower

Hi, We are planning a family trip of 10-12 days to Kashmir in second half of March 2016. The group age ranges from 4 years to 65 years. We have all been to Kashmir in the past, but before a decade. In the aftermath of the last year floods, are things back to normal as far as tourist infrastructure is concerned? Also, can you also help plan an itinerary; we would like to fly to and from Srinagar airport? We are all fond of walking and exploring places. So if you could help make an itinerary which also includes some off beat locations, it would be really nice. Also do suggest good hotels to stay. Also if any adventure sport activities are available, we would love to explore the same. Regards Sachin

We are two brothers in a family of eight, including three adult children. We wish to take my 70-plus-year-old father to either Dubai or South East Asia for 5-7 days, including a cruise for a day or two. We are vegetarians; we are all fit to travel. Our budget is Rs 5-8 lakh, Chennai to Chennai. We wish to travel during the Christmas/New Year holidays. Please guide us.

Given your group size, the range in ages (and, presumably, interests), the destinations you have in mind for your budget, plus the cruise-inclusive duration, I am recommending a personally customised package tour from travel brands like www.thomascook.in, www.coxandkings.com or www.sotc.in. Ask them to show you possible cruise-inclusive itineraries in Dubai, Singapore and Thailand (Bangkok plus