What's On in October: Autumn Colour, Closing Toasts, and Nine Nights of Devotion

October is the month the Northern Hemisphere turns properly toward autumn. In Japan, this marks the start of one of the country's most beloved travel seasons, as forests and temple gardens begin their slow shift from green to gold and crimson.

In Germany, Oktoberfest winds down through its final days. In India, this is one of the most significant stretches of the entire calendar. Nine nights of Navratri build into Durga Puja and Dussehra, kicking off a run of festivals that carries all the way through to Diwali in November.

Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere is deep into spring, with wildflowers and mild temperatures making it one of the best windows of the year to visit Australia and southern Africa.

If you've been waiting for the moment travel starts to feel like a change of season rather than an escape from one, October delivers. These are the events worth travelling for in October.

What it is: Oktoberfest has been held annually in Munich since 1810. A combination of beer tents, Bavarian food, funfair rides, and traditional parades, organised each year by the City of Munich.

Where: Theresienwiese, Munich, Germany.

When: Despite the name, most of the festival runs in September. But it always closes out in the first days of October, giving the month its own distinct final stretch, complete with the last tappings, closing parades and a noticeably different, more local crowd than the opening weekend.

Why it's worth travelling for: The closing days trade some of the opening-weekend frenzy for a slightly calmer, more communal atmosphere, while still delivering the full spectacle: more than a dozen large tents, live Bavarian brass bands, and the ceremonial traditions that have run largely unchanged for two centuries. It's an easy pairing with the wider autumn colour and culture on offer across Bavaria and the Alps at this time of year.

Plan around it: Oktoberfest is free to enter, but table reservations in the tents fill up fast, especially for evenings and weekends. Book well ahead of your travel dates, and check the current year's exact closing date, since it shifts slightly year to year.

What it is: A linked run of Hindu festivals celebrating the nine forms of the goddess Durga over nine nights (Navratri), building to Durga Puja (an elaborate, community-wide celebration especially significant in Bengal) and concluding with Dussehra (Vijayadashami), which marks the triumph of good over evil.

Where: Celebrated across India, with Kolkata's Durga Puja pandals among the most visually spectacular expressions anywhere in the country, and Gujarat's Garba and Dandiya dance celebrations equally iconic during Navratri itself.

When: The nine nights of Navratri typically fall in late September or October each year. In 2026, Navratri runs from 11 to 20 October, with Durga Puja concluding the festival from 17 to 21 October.

Why it's worth travelling for: Kolkata transforms almost entirely during Durga Puja week. Elaborate temporary pandals (temple-like structures) appear across the city, each one a work of art, drawing crowds who pandal-hop through the night. In Gujarat, Navratri is instead a nine-night dance celebration, with entire communities gathering each evening for Garba and Dandiya Raas. Together they represent one of the most immersive, community-driven festival experiences anywhere in the world.

Plan around it: As with all Hindu lunar-calendar festivals, exact dates shift annually. Always confirm before booking. Kolkata's accommodation and flights book out well ahead of Durga Puja week, and it's worth knowing that Navratri celebrations vary significantly by region, so choose your destination based on which specific tradition (pandals versus Garba) you want to experience.

What it is: The Japanese tradition of momijigari ("hunting for red leaves") means travelling to see the country's forests, gardens, and mountains turn to deep reds, oranges, and golds. It's a seasonal counterpart to spring's cherry blossom viewing, and taken just as seriously.

Where: Northern Japan and higher-altitude regions like Nikko and Hokkaido turn first, with colour progressing south through Kyoto, Tokyo, and eventually Kyushu into late November. Kyoto's temple gardens (particularly Arashiyama, Tofuku-ji, and Eikan-do) are considered some of the most beautiful settings anywhere for the display.

When: Colour typically begins in northern and high-altitude areas in early-to-mid October, reaching Kyoto and Tokyo through November.

Why it's worth travelling for: Like cherry blossom season, momijigari is a genuine national event. Weather bureaus and tourism boards publish detailed foliage forecasts, and entire itineraries are built around chasing peak colour through the country. The combination of traditional architecture, temple gardens, and vivid autumn colour makes for some of the most photographed scenery in Japan.

Plan around it: Peak colour timing shifts by a couple of weeks each year depending on weather, so check current foliage forecasts before locking in an itinerary. Popular viewing spots in Kyoto get very crowded on weekends during peak weeks. Early mornings or weekdays are markedly quieter.

• Southern Hemisphere spring in full bloom: Australia's spring and wildflower season and mild spring temperatures make October one of the most pleasant months to travel there.
• Europe's outdoor festival season winds down, with October marking Europe's autumnal transition from summer travel patterns into the cosier, market-and-culture-driven rhythm of the Northern Hemisphere's colder months.