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South America destination guide

The South America destination guide.

South America spans desert, rainforest, high Andes and sub-Antarctic ice, and its seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere. The practical consequence is that the continent has no single best month — only a best month for the particular trip you want. We do not currently hold houses in South America, so treat this as an editorial guide: how to plan the trip, when to go, and what the ground actually asks of you.

Travel tips

Choose the landscape, then the month

Patagonia, the Amazon, the Atacama and the Brazilian coast peak at different times, and two of them are usually wrong whenever you travel. Pick the one you came for and build the rest of the trip around its window.

Respect the altitude

Cusco sits at 3,400m and La Paz higher still. Arrive, do nothing for the first day, drink far more water than feels necessary, and go easy on alcohol. Where an itinerary allows, gain altitude gradually rather than flying straight to the highest point.

Internal flights save days

The distances are continental — Santiago to Patagonia is a long flight, not a drive. Budget for domestic legs, book them early in January and February when Argentines and Chileans are on holiday, and leave a buffer before any international connection.

Patagonia has a short window

November to March is the season, and even then the wind is a constant and the weather changes hourly. Layers, a proper waterproof shell and flexible plans matter more than any packing list detail.

Carry cash, and watch your surroundings in cities

Cards work in hotels and better restaurants, but cash is still king in markets and small towns, and some countries have volatile exchange rates worth understanding before you arrive. In the large cities, ordinary urban caution — discreet phones, booked cars at night — goes a long way.

The best months to go

December to February
High summer in the south: the Patagonian season at full stretch, Rio at carnival, and the busiest, most expensive weeks across Argentina, Chile and Brazil. Book flights and lodges many months ahead. The Amazon is in its wetter, higher-water season.
March to May
Autumn in the south and one of the best windows: Patagonia quieter with autumn colour before the season closes, Buenos Aires and Santiago at their most comfortable, and the Peruvian highlands drying out from April ahead of the Inca Trail season.
June to August
Dry season in Peru and Bolivia, the clearest months for Machu Picchu and the salt flats, though nights at altitude are cold. Winter in the far south closes much of Patagonia, while the Atacama and the Galápagos are pleasant and Ski season runs in the Chilean and Argentine Andes.
September to November
Spring in the south and a strong shoulder: Patagonia reopens from November with long days and fewer people, the Peruvian dry season runs through September, and Brazil warms up before the December peak. Rates sit well below the summer weeks.

Local culture and etiquette

Greetings are warm and physical

A single cheek kiss between acquaintances is standard in much of the continent, two in parts of Brazil and Argentina. Handshakes are firm and eye contact matters. Stepping back from it reads as cold rather than polite.

Meals run late

Dinner at nine is early in Buenos Aires and Santiago, and many kitchens do not open before eight. Lunch is the substantial meal in much of the Andes. Plan the day around that rather than fighting it.

A little Spanish or Portuguese goes far

English is not widely spoken outside hotels and tourist areas. A dozen phrases, used badly, are received generously. Brazil speaks Portuguese, not Spanish, and the distinction is felt.

Tipping is modest and expected

Around ten per cent in restaurants across most of the continent, in cash where possible. Guides, drivers and porters on trekking routes are tipped at the end, and outfitters publish guidance worth following.

Must-visit places

  • Patagonia

    Torres del Paine and the Fitz Roy massif; the season runs November to March and the wind never really stops.

  • The Atacama Desert

    The driest desert on earth, with some of the clearest night skies anywhere — good year-round, best April to June.

  • Cusco and the Sacred Valley

    Machu Picchu and the high Andes; May to September is the dry season, and permits for the Inca Trail sell out months ahead.

  • Rio de Janeiro and the Costa Verde

    Beaches, Paraty and the islands south of the city; December to March is hot and busy, and May to September is drier and calmer.

  • Mendoza and the Argentine wine country

    Malbec at the foot of the Andes, with harvest through March and April.

  • The Galápagos

    Wildlife year-round, with warmer seas from December to May and better diving conditions from June to November.

Where to stay in South America

We hold no houses of our own here yet, so each destination page opens live prices from our booking partners for real hotels, lodges and rentals — with our planning notes, months and questions alongside.

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