When to go to Argentina

January is the height of the Argentine summer, with hot temperatures and excellent trekking conditions. It’s the best time of the year to visit the Patagonia, including El Calafate and Bariloche. It’s also a great time to visit Tierra del Fuego and climb the towering Andean peaks, with warmer temperatures, clearer skies and less chance of snow.

January is peak season in Argentina and as the temperatures soar, so do the crowds and prices. The hot weather around the rest of the country makes it a great time to hit the beach regions, with great spots including Mar del Plata, Pinamar, Villa Gesell and Carilo.

It’s best to avoid the northern lowland regions such as Salta in the Northwest from December to February, as the temperatures are scorching and heavy storms can make roads impassable. Buenos Aires and the Pampas also experience searing conditions.

The blazing temperatures continue into February, the final month of the Argentina summer. It’s another great month to visit Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, and conditions are excellent for trekking the Andes mountain ranges, including the towering Aconcagua.

February is still peak season in Argentina, with high temperatures, high prices and large crowds. Buenos Aires and the Pampas are hot and muggy, while the scorching northern regions experience flash flooding.

Those who brave the summer heat in Buenos Aires will be rewarded with some fantastic events including Fashion Week in February and Carnaval from January to early March. Like Brazil, Argentina has its own lively Carnaval parades, but with fewer tourists than Rio. You’ll witness raucous parades, dazzling floats, incredible costumes and dancing, and water fights in the streets.

March is an excellent month to visit Argentina. Summer is winding down however the Patagonia is still accessible for trekking, and autumn is arriving, bringing pleasant temperatures and stunning red and orange foliage.

It’s the best time to visit the Mendoza wine regions and you can catch the wine harvests and the famed Mendoza Wine Festival, held in the first week of March. The festival celebrates the grape harvest with an extravaganza of dance, music and visual effects.

You’ll see hundreds of dancers and actors in traditional dress performing incredible choreography to portray the customs and work of the harvest. The performance includes laser lights bouncing off the surrounding hills, incredible fireworks and the crowning of ‘The Queen’ of the harvest.

Another beautiful month to visit Patagonia and the Mendoza wine regions. You’ll witness the colours of the changing trees, with red, orange and golden foliage illuminating the landscapes across Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and and the Mendoza and San Juan wine provinces.

Head to Mendoza and the Lake district to see the vineyards lit up in copper and golden hues and dazzling orange beech groves. It’s an excellent time to catch some breathtaking photographs. Temperatures are cooling and crowds are thinning across the country.

March to May is one of the best seasons to visit Buenos Aires and the Lake District, although visitors should be aware that the Easter holiday (usually falling in March or April) is a major event in Argentina, bringing large crowds across the country.

May is a pleasant time to visit most destinations across the country, with cooler temperatures and quieter crowds. It’s a great time visit Buenos Aires and the Lake District, although Patagonia and southern Argentina will be quite chilly with unpredictable weather conditions. You may also catch the beginning of the ski season in the Andes before the crowds arrive for the peak ski season from June to August.

Another great destination for May is Argentina’s wetlands in Esteros de Ibera. May is a cooler month and the region offers excellent wildlife spotting opportunities. As the country’s wildlife mecca, you can spot some unique animals including the capybara, Pampas deer, giant anteater, jaguar and yellow anaconda.

June heralds the beginning of winter and ski season in the Andes ski resorts. Bariloche is one of the best places to hit the slopes with the best snow in the country. It’s also a great time to visit Buenos Aires and the northern regions of Argentina, with pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds.

It’s a poor time to visit southern parts of Patagonia, as many areas become inaccessible due to ice and blizzards. Trekking is not recommended, although northern Patagonia will likely remain open for business and it’s the best time to spot the big cats of the north, including the elusive puma. For more incredible wildlife spotting, head to the Peninsula Valdes, where the southern right whales arrive in late June.

As the prime winter holiday month, July is one of the busiest months with local crowds flocking to the Andes ski resorts. The best of the ski season begins around mi-July, running until early September.

It’s a great month to visit Buenos Aires, the Pampas, central Argentina, Salta and the northern lowlands, with fresh mornings and cool evenings, perfect for wandering the lively streets. It’s not recommended to visit Patagonia during the winter months, as trekking becomes dangerous, and blizzard makes many areas impassable.

August is another excellent month for the ski season in the Andes mountain ranges, with heavy snowfall and the Andes ski resorts in full swing. Bariloche is a ski hotspot, while Buenos Aires, the Pampas, Mendoza, Lake District and Salta in the northwest are all great places to visit with the cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.

Head to the capital for the Buenos Aires Tango Festival, held for two weeks every year in August. The festival features performances by the world’s best tango dancers, art exhibitions, and plenty of free events and opportunities for visitors to learn the tango.

Ringing in the start of spring, September is a gorgeous month to visit Argentina. Crowds are low, temperatures warm up, landscapes bloom with lush foliage, and wildlife comes out in full force. Head to the Peninsula Valdes for sightings of whales, penguins, seals and plenty of sea birds.

Spring is also a wonderful time to visit Argentina’s northwest, particularly Salta, where you can ascend through the Andes mountains to see the Salinas Grandes salt plain, incredible rock formations in Purmamarca, sweeping valleys, charming towns, stunning wineries and ancient ruins along the Calchaqui Valleys circuit.

October is another fantastic spring month to visit Argentina. Buenos Aires is pleasant and less crowded, Salta and the northwest are stunning, and the Peninsula Valdes sees excellent sightings of whales, seals, penguins and sea birds.

It’s a beautiful month to visit the Lake District around Bariloche, when the snow has melted, revealing a carpet of colourful wild flowers. Despite the October rainfall, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy including hiking, mountain biking, horse riding and kayaking. Southern Patagonia is beginning to reawaken, although trekking conditions are still not yet ideal.

You can also celebrate the traditional National Beer Festival, held to commemorate Oktoberfest. The best place to celebrate is Villa General Belgrano, a small district near Cordoba, to the north of Buenos Aires. Here, they celebrate for eleven festive days, with parades and beer drinking traditions. 

The last month of spring before heading into summer, November brings warmer temperatures and a lull in crowds before the hectic rush of summer. It’s one of the best months to visit, as you’ll benefit from a pleasant climate and lush landscapes without the large crowds of tourists that flock between December and February.

Buenos Aires shines, Mendoza and the Lakes District sing, and southern Patagonia is more welcoming. November is also one of the best months to visit Salta and the northwest, as it lights up in greenery throughout the normally arid landscapes.

December is the first month of summer and peak season in Argentina. It heralds the best trekking season in Patagonia, with the warmest, clearest weather of the year, however prices rise and accommodation books out quickly during this time, so plan your trip well in advance.

It’s a great time to see the thundering Iguazu Falls at their fullest, as this region is at its wettest from December to February. Although it’s not a great time to hike the surrounding trails or visit San Martin Island (heavy rains can force closures), you’ll still get to witness the mighty Iguazu Falls in full force.