January is prime summer season in Chile with great weather, longer days for enjoying outdoor activities, and, yes, more foreign visitors—especially in Patagonia. Meanwhile, locals head to the beaches while fun celebrations occur all over the country. This monthly guide will tell you what to do and where to go (and how to beat the crowds).
For Chileans, it doesn't get better than February (it's their favorite month to vacation). With temperatures reaching their peak and lots of summer events, people flock to the country's beaches and lakes, as well as Patagonia and Easter Island. Let this monthly guide help you find the best places to visit and things to do.
March is a great month to travel to Chile as the country transitions from summer to fall. This is when high-season crowds begin to thin out, making popular destinations more peaceful, like Torres del Paine. Visitors will also catch glimpses of changing leaves and can participate in grape harvesting in the wine valleys. Read on to learn more.
Chile's fall season is in full swing in April with cooling temperatures and bright colors. Crowds thin out in Patagonia, making this a great time to visit, while Santiago, the central wine valley, and the Atacama Desert offer plenty of scenic road trips and Easter celebrations. Let this monthly guide help you find the best places to visit and things to do.
May is a great month to enjoy this diverse, far-flung country. Crowds are long gone with summer, and it's still too early for skiing. Fall, then, is the time to head to the country's great outdoors to enjoy the foliage and observe spectacular landscapes in peace. Read on to learn more.
With the onset of winter, Chile's famous Andes become snowcapped and ready for visitors in June. This is a great month to experience the ski resorts, cities, and desert, especially while parts of Southern Patagonia empty out for the season. Let this monthly guide show you the best sightseeing, nightlife, and culture during the shortest days of the year.
July is peak winter season in Chile, and that means ski resorts are open for business in the central Andes and Lake District. This is also a great time of year to visit Santiago, the wine valleys, and northern Chile for desert landscapes, coastal towns, salt flats, and starry skies. Read on for more tips on where to go and what to expect in Chile this month.
August signifies the last month of Chile's ski season with lower prices than July. In the south, winter rains begin to taper off making this a good time to head to Patagonia with days starting to get longer for more outdoor adventures. Read this monthly guide to learn more.
September brings early spring weather to central Chile, with warm, sunny days in Santiago and great surfing waves in the north. Though it's just the start of shoulder season, the country is full of life for locals during this month. Case in point: loads of festivities for Chile's Independence Day.
October is a great time to travel in Chile, with spring wildflowers blooming in northern and central Chile, surf waves in the north, and Patagonia starting to come out of hibernation. You can also join in the fun with Oktoberfest taking place in the Lake District. Read on to learn more.
November is a gorgeous month to visit Chile. Patagonia finally blooms into spring, while the north moves into warmer, drier weather. It's an excellent time to visit the coastal towns and desert in the north, as well as Torres del Paine, while the crowds and high prices are still a month away.
This is the magical month in Chile when spring transitions to the summer season making for some stunning weather all the way from north to south. The first half of the month is still quiet—ideal for outdoor activities in the Lake District and Patagonia—and then things start bustling around the holidays, especially Valparaiso, which puts on a big New Years Bash. Find out what to do and where to go with this December guide.
