SATV Kathmandu Nov 02: From red-leaf hunting in Japan to Scotland's "big tree country", here are four destinations to experience the season's vibrant show.

Travelling to view the changing leaves at their peak has been an American tradition since at least the 19th Century, when Henry David Thoreau and Emily Dickinson wrote rapturously on the beauty of the season. More than a century later, millions cruise the interstates and parkways flecked with foliage, seeking cabin stays, camping weekends, apple-picking outings and hikes. They crisscross Texas, explore New York's Catskills and Adirondack mountains by bike and by boat; hike North Carolina's Blue Ridge and Rockies, and, whether welcomed or not, clog Vermont with cars. And they don't know what they're missing.

Spectacular changing leaves can be seen in forests around the world, from the fiery maple leaves of Japan to the golden colours that spread across Scotland's rolling highlands. Each country offers travellers unique ways to view the foliage and celebrate the season as a whole.  

Here are four places around the world where autumn comes alive in full colour.

Quebec, Canada

The same sugar maples that light up New England blaze over the border into Quebec. Both coasts of the country boast spectacular colour changes, but the province of Quebec is one of the best locations to view them, whether you're looking for a city escape or to immerse yourself in nature. "Quebec offers a spectacular – and less crowded – alternative for US travellers to New England's traditional foliage routes," said Josie Lapke, a representative from Bonjour Quebec, the province's official tourism site. "With vivid reds, oranges and golds stretching from the Laurentians to the Eastern Townships."

The Parc d'environnement naturel de Sutton, for example, offers birds-eye views of the yellows and reds of Mount Sutton, whether by a slow, scenic chairlift ride or via zipline for the more adventurous. For a more urban adventure, the Jacques-Cartier National Park located just outside of Quebec City offers the best of both worlds.

Japan

In Japan, the turning of the leaves is a national event known as momijigari, or "red leaf hunting", a nod to the fiery colour of the maple trees this time of year. The season for changing colours in the country lasts from mid-October through early December, with some of the best spots to experience momijigari being the Yoro Valley in Chiba, for its location just outside Tokyo; the landscape around the Unesco World Heritage site of the Tenryu-Ji temple for its beautiful setting; and the wild splendour of the Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido. November is considered the best time of year to hunt leaves in Japan, however this can vary by elevation.

Autumn is also one of the best times of year for another Japanese tradition: shinrin-yoku, or "forest bathing" – the practice of mindfully walking in nature. This kind of therapeutic hike is one of the most impactful ways to take in autumn in Japan. This is also a season of festivals, including the Nagasaki Kunchi Festival, which has celebrated the autumn harvest with dance and performances since 1634.

South-west Germany

Despite its name, Black Forest National Park in Germany is home to some of the most spectacular autumn colours around, with leaves that turn a vivid orange from September to November. According to Liv Boeing of the German National Tourist Office, the yellows and oranges of the Black Forest Region are best seen via car: "[When you] take the B500 [highway], you can see all the fall foliage of the Black Forest area," Boeing told the BBC. "You can start in Baden-Baden, which is very well known as a spa town. It's a beautiful old historic town with really nice five-star hotels." Plus, there's no better way to practice the German art of waldeinsamkeit, or "forest loneliness" – a way to appreciate solitude in the outdoors.

More like this:

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• Germany's sophisticated alternative to Oktoberfest

For an even more leisurely trip, view the changing colours of the grapevines over a glass of Riesling in the Moselle region, known for its 2,000-year-old winemaking tradition.  

The Highlands of Scotland

The Scottish Highlands turn rich shades of orange and red in the autumn, making it one of the most beautiful, yet often overlooked, places in Europe for autumn colour. Though the summer months see a spike in visitors every year because of the long daylight hours and popular festivals elsewhere in Scotland, like Edinburgh's Fringe Festival, the throngs may be missing out on the country’s crisp autumn days, beautiful foliage and cosy hotels, like the Highland Club, a former fort and monastery, or RocPool Reserve, which offers a more modern boutique feel.

The season peaks from the latter half of October to early November, with myriad ways to experience the landscape: from the hiking trails of Cairngorms National Park to the more than 200,000 acres of "big tree country" in Perthshire – or even a leisurely cruise on Loch Lomond.