Best Time to Visit South America

Updated: 14th May 2020

Seasons and Weather

There is no such thing as a bad time to visit South America. Given the size of the continent, it should come as little surprise that at any point in the year there are a number of different climates in action. Generally speaking, the closer to the equator a country is (Ecuador and Peru, for example) the more consistently warm it is, and the higher the altitude of a city, the colder it will be. It is also important to remember that the seasons in South America are the reverse of that in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning that summer falls between December and February and winter between June and August.

Man jumping over salt flats in Bolivia - South America Tours - On The Go Tours
Spring is a good time to visit the Salar de Uyuni in South America

Spring in South America

The weather during spring (September to November), as with all the seasons, greatly depends on where in South America you are travelling. In the northern part of the continent the weather will be hot and there will be less rainfall during this period of the year. This is an excellent time to visit the Amazon rainforest as it is off peak and therefore much less crowded and the lighter rainfall means fewer mosquitoes and that more trails will be accessible. It is also a good time to explore Bolivia and the famous salt flats as they will be dry enough to explore fully but temperatures won’t be too cold. This is also a good time to visit the Galapagos Islands as rainfall is at a minimum, temperatures are reasonable and much of the island’s wildlife is active.

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