All four seasons (sometimes in one day!) can play their part in shaping your experience throughout Latin America, so let’s delve deeper into the rolling peak and shoulder seasons that dominate the sky, land, and sea on your next trip to this stunning big outdoors continent.
The Patagonia region in southern Argentina hits a peak from December to February with the best weather for pursuing outdoor activities. If you’re looking for a Christmas / mid-winter getaway, the beaches from late December through January are popular times along the Argentine coastline as well. For skiers, July is the best time to hit the big resorts of Mendoza and picturesque areas like Bariloche.
Buenos Aires enjoys ideal temperatures in shoulder seasons, and it’s also a good shout for seeing Patagonia with the beautiful Lake District displaying spectacular autumnal colours in March and April. The wine region of Mendoza harvests grapes in autumn and treats locals to high-quality wine festivals, and you can also enjoy gaucho festivals in The Pampas at this time of year.
A country with mountains, semi-arid forests, sky-mirrored salt flats, jungles, and some of the highest cities in the world clearly has a lot to offer! As a result of this contrast, Bolivia also has variable weather patterns to match. The dry season makes sense for enjoying more comfortable outdoor pursuits and avoiding any road closures en route to its off-the-beaten-track highlights.
The upside to more rain is visitors can enjoy aquatic activities in fast-flowing crystal clear rivers, as well as the effect it has on the landscape aesthetics. It’s a great time to head to the flooded Uyuni salt flats, which create their famous mirror to the sky. This is also the prime time for a cultural journey for events such as the Carnaval in Oruro and the Alasitas Festival in La Paz.
From the incredible NYE party on Copacabana beach to the charismatic chaos of Carnival around February/March time, it’s particularly busy in Rio de Janeiro and various other popular beach destinations along the coast in Brazil’s summertime, making for a great chance to escape the winter in the northern hemisphere and soak up some tropical temperatures.
Occasional thunderstorms aside, it typically stays warm and pretty pleasant throughout the year in the state of Rio, so there is no bad time to go! Pick the shoulder months of November and April if you are looking for a slightly quieter time, though.
With such a striking array of landscapes and latitudes, Chile experiences the changing seasons greatly through the year, but Patagonia is at its peak from December to February with the Big Outdoor conditions at their warmest. On the coast in places such as Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, you’ll find busy beaches from Christmas until February, as people flock south particularly to Pucón and the Lakes District.
Spring and autumn in Santiago are ideal temperatures here, and the Lakes District is pleasant from September to November. If it’s the leaf-peeping blazing colours of autumn you’re after though, then March and April are best down south when the vegetation turns golden. Chilean vineyards also have grape harvests and wine festivals in March to enjoy.
Peak summer is a terrific time to travel through Colombia because, aside from the rainforest, conditions stay dry. In the Andes you can expect to see the sun out most days, allowing for pleasant hikes along gorgeous trails with clear viewpoints. Low humidity levels and warm temperatures make sunbathing and swimming a fine prospect on the Caribbean coast, where Cartagena and Santa Marta bustle in the new year. Surfers will enjoy the big swells that bring waves to the beaches and the amazing Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona.
Bogotá, Cartagena, Cali, and Medellín – the city of eternal spring where conditions are always pretty pleasant – are rainier in April and May, but by July to August another mini-dry season appears. For animal lovers, the best time for whale-watching on the Pacific coast is July to October. Colombia’s Caribbean islands of San Andrés and Providencia remain dry until May, so shoulder season is an opportunity to explore their beautiful beaches and colourful coral reefs.
In low season around the Andes, Medellín, Cartagena, and the Caribbean coast, it rains the most – but this is a very opportunistic time to visit the Amazon, where lower water levels there mean easier hiking, wildlife spotting, and fewer mosquitoes.
These are the ‘dry’ seasons in Costa Rica, but you’ll still see some rain as it’s such a lush tropical country! Peaks hit between December and April on its Pacific Coast and between March and September on the Caribbean side, with ideal sunbathing conditions on incredible beaches during these periods.
Around this time the rain picks up and tourists dwindle, meaning easier and cheaper accommodation options. However; off-the-beaten-track travel is challenging as the rain creates muddier routes and rivers begin to swell.
Ecuador is a very variable country, with the warmest and driest months in the sierra being June to September, but be aware microclimates can alter conditions accordingly. In the lowlands, it can get hot on clear days. The coast has the most clearly defined wet and dry seasons, and the best time to visit these areas is from December to April when frequent showers alternate with clear blue skies and temperatures stay high.
During these drier months, you’ll be able to traverse the Ecuadorian Amazon without caking yourself in too much mud and avoiding the big downpours that are a daily occurrence at other times of the year. This is also a good time to beat the crowds and visit the Central Highlands for visiting the stunning Avenue of Volcanoes.
Diving and snorkeling in the Galapagos are improved by calm seas and excellent water clarity, as these amazing islands see a general climate of hot, sunny days interspersed with the odd heavy shower from December to June. Expect dry and overcast weather for the rest of the year when the garúa mists occur, and be aware that El Niño years have an impact on this archipelago with added rainfall, so check before you go.
June to August is peak hiking season in Peru and a great time to make an Inca trail trek (or take a pleasant train ride!) to Machu Picchu, and explore the ancient Incan capital of Cusco and the surrounding Sacred Valley. The sunnier weather in the cloud forests of the Peruvian Amazon lures birdlife out into the open for quality wildlife spotting as well.
Inland, December to February may be the wet season, but on the coast, it’s prime time to see Peru’s paradisiacal beaches shine. Sunbathing on the warm northern beaches in literal hotspots like trendy Máncora is recommended. Boat trips to the mangrove forests near Tumbes, or to the rocky sealife sanctuary of Islas Ballestas near Paracas, where sea lion pups are born in January, are magical. From Paracas you can also head to Huacachina for some colossal sand-boarding fun!
For trekkers who prefer to have the mountains to themselves, this is the best time to go. As the footfall in the interior drops off, it’s pre-peak season on the coast as temperatures being to rise. In September, Lima bustles with tasty Mistura, a food festival showcasing exceptionally varied Peruvian cuisine.
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