Best time to visit Patagonia

Best time to visit Patagonia in Chile is the summer season from the end of the year through to March. Hey, there maybe a few crowds but there's plenty of Patagonia to go round with Torres del Paine National Park finding the best of the weather although it can still get chilly in the south and highlands, including areas like Tierra del Fuego National Park.

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Best time to visit Patagonia

Patagonia’s weather is characterised by unpredictability; warm, windproof and waterproof layers are essential year round – especially given the relentless wind.

Dec-Feb bring warmth and longer days, with southern nights lasting a scant six hours, though night frosts and sleet can occur in the highlands even in summer. Mid Nov-mid Dec are less crowded, with beautiful spring blooms. Mid-Mar - late Apr also allow you to avoid the tourist hordes, and photographers should come prepared to capture the wonderful autumn colours and spectacular sunsets.The best time to visit Patagonia also depends on the region; it is huge, and there are great variations, not just from north-south. Coastal regions are wetter and milder, while the inland steppe is chillier and arid.

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Tierra del Fuego Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

-2

MAY

-3

JUN

-5

-1

JUL

-5

-2

AUG

-5

-1

SEP

-4

OCT

-3

NOV

-2

DEC

Our Patagonia Vacations

Patagonia, month by month

If you’re heading to Patagonia in January or February then be prepared for surprising heat in the north, in places like Peninsula Valdés, as well as rain in the south, Tierra del Fuego, for example. Temperatures dip across the region pretty much from March through to October with nights, especially, proving particularly chilly. April and May are both thought of as the best months to visit Patagonia due to the colourful autumn foliage and fewer crowds, with northern regions still retaining some warmth against the milder climes of the south. May, June, July and August are cold and wet in and around Tierra del Fuego with many areas becoming frozen and often inaccessible to tourists. That said, winter months in Patagonia have plenty of clear blue sky days and less wind but more southerly national parks, such as Torres del Paine National Park and Isla Magdalena, are usually shut. September and October bring spring to Patagonia, and are also one of the best times to visit if you want to steer clear of the amassing crowds and don’t mind wrapping up against harsh winds. As temperatures start to rise during November and December popular parks and natural landmarks start to get busy. However, this is a massive area and if you don’t mind sharing, booking well in advance or getting further off the beaten track there are a great many Patagonia adventures to go round.

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Megan Parkinson, from our supplier Chimu Adventures, shares with us her best time to visit Patagonia: "The key season to go is Oct-April, because that’s when the weather is at its best. My personal tip is to go during the shoulder season though, because it’s very busy in Dec and Jan, but if you go earlier on in the season you’ll get cheaper hotels and it’ll be a lot quieter. A really lovely time to go is around the end of March, because you get a lot of the beautiful autumn colours and it’s quieter. So going at either end of the season is a really nice time to go."

Our nature pick: Penguins

Patagonia is the best place to spot penguins outside of Antarctica, and they’re here in the warmer months of October-April. Head to the beaches around Ushuaia and Peninsula Valdés – or to Punta Tombo if you want to walk amongst South America’s hugest colony of Magellan penguins.

Travel Team

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Toll free 1-866-821-6866

Calling us from outside the US?

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Festivals & events in Patagonia

Kayaking with whales

You can kayak with whales in the lagoons around Peninsula Valdes! Southern right whales travel to this nature reserve between late September and early December, and you can see them breaching, slapping their tails and tending to their babies from the shore – or from your kayak.

National Festival for the Longest Night of the Year

In impressive, South American style, the "National Festival for the Longest Night of the Year" actually lasts for nine nights. Held in Ushuaia, the festival begins with a torch light parade on 20th June, and there are fireworks and live music.

Pumas

While most travelers avoid the depths of winter, feline fans should head south for the season. It’s the best time to visit Patagonia if you want to spot big cats – including the elusive puma. The cold encourages them to descend from chilly mountaintops into warmer valleys – which are not longer filled with tourists who might scare them away.

More about Patagonia

Patagonia travel guide

A triangle of land at the end of the world, with calving glaciers, shattered fjords and jagged mountains, Patagonia stirs the heart of red-blooded adventurers.

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Patagonia is surprisingly vast, but our suggested itineraries help you explore the parts that interest you most - whether that's trekking, marine life, glaciers or local culture.

Things to do in Patagonia

Patagonia is a one stop shop for adventure seekers.

Torres del Paine National Park

Torres del Paine National Park is one of the brightest jewels in Chilean Patagonia’s well-bedecked crown.

Los Glaciares National Park

Home to some of the world’s only advancing glaciers and dramatic mountain scenery, Los Glaciares National Park in Argentine Patagonia is not to be missed.

Walking in Patagonia

While cars can cover the distance, slow down to a walking pace and you’ll experience what this region is really about.

Buenos Aires & Patagonia

Combine Buenos Aires and Patagonia for a vacation that takes you from chic city streets to wild mountain vistas.

How to travel in Patagonia

From small group vacations led by expert local guides, to road trips behind the wheel of your own hire car, here’s how to travel in Patagonia to make the most of its world-class trekking, stupendous landscapes and glorious, glacier-filled national parks.

Traveling in Patagonia with kids

Traveling in Patagonia with kids is an offbeat suggestion for a vacation.

Patagonia travel tips

Our vacation companies have shared their most helpful Patagonia travel tips to help your vacation run more smoothly - from unusual places to hike to lesser known cruise routes.

Responsible tourism in Patagonia

Responsible tourism in Patagonia takes many forms - as befits this vast region that spans two South American countries.

More relevant guides

Written by Vicki Brown

ABTA member P7085 so you are fully protected

Photo credits: [Page banner: Justin Vidamo] [Intro: Wolf Schram] [Megan Parkinson Quote: Justin Vidamo] [Kayaking with whales: fabiansirni] [National Festival for the Longest Night of the Year: Roven Images] [Pumas: Gonzalo Baeza]

Best time to visit Patagonia