The Best Time to Visit Patagonia
Are you wondering when to go to Patagonia? Both Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia can be visited all year round, but it is necessary to know what to expect. In this travel guide, you can read more about distinctive seasons, their pros and cons, and figure out what's the best time for you to go to Patagonia.
Patagonia is a fascinating region in the southern part of South America, spread between Argentina and Chile.
It's a dream destination for many international travelers, and you won't probably find a single person in the world who wouldn't want to visit this remote corner of the world.
Patagonia features amazing scenery, abundant wildlife and one of the best hiking trails in the world.
If you are asking yourself when to visit Patagonia, you've come to the right place.
We realize for many it is an ideal (far and also expensive) destination, and it is important to be prepared and know what to expect from every season to enjoy your time in the region to the fullest.
Without any doubt, summer is the best time of the year to visit Patagonia.
Being said that, every season has its pros and cons, and sometimes there is more to this topic than meets the eye. You need to ask yourselves essential questions.
Would you prefer to go to Patagonia when the weather is warm, when it's uncrowded, or when you can see penguins, go ice trekking, or when it's cheap?
Therefore, we have created this guide that will walk you through all four seasons in Patagonia.
So without any further ado, here is everything you should know about traveling in Patagonia and the best time to go.
When to Go
As Patagonia lies in the southern hemisphere, it's essential to know that the peak summer season happens from December to March.
If you live in the southern hemisphere, then you are familiar with this fact.
However, for us, who live in the northern hemisphere, it might make things a bit more complicated when planning the Patagonia itinerary.
We visited Patagonia ourselves in December and January, and while this is supposedly the warmest time of the year to go, it was still incredibly cold there due to the strong winds.
So if you are seeking a destination to warm up your body a bit, Patagonia won't cut even in the summer. And the farther south you travel, the colder it gets.
You might think that's pretty obvious, but while you can enjoy a proper sunny day in the Canadian Rockies while wearing just a t-shirt and shorts, you can forget about that in Patagonia.
In fact, Pucon and Puerto Varas at the northwest border of Patagonia would be the only two places we visited on our journey that would tick off this box.
It's not that it's not warm enough. It's just the super-strong summer winds that make the overall experience much colder.
Either way, it's one of the most important things to know about Patagonia.
Weather in Patagonia
So what is the weather like in Patagonia? Patagonia is a remote region that is impacted by harsh weather conditions throughout the year.
If you know the saying that goes, 'there is no bad weather, only wrong gear,' then it's 100% true in Patagonia.
One of the most important things you need to know about Patagonia is that the weather is completely unpredictable.
We would recommend you to start with this helpful blog post we've created - Patagonia packing list.
Here you'll find all the essential information on clothing and camping gear you need to bring with you there.
One thing is certain. Jeans and flip-flops won't cut it this time. Investing in proper gear is a reasonable thing to do.
And while we understand that purchasing hiking equipment worth hundreds of dollars just to walk outdoors is not something you want to do, it's totally worth it for your Patagonia trip.
Make sure to arrive here prepared to enjoy all your adventures, activities, and the best day hikes in Patagonia fully.
Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia
As we mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, Patagonia is a geographical region shared by two countries Argentina and Chile.
Moreover, Patagonia covers more than a million square kilometers, so you can imagine that this is a vast area.
The best areas in Patagonia to visit are located on the western and southern sides of this region.
The central part and the eastern coast of Patagonia are not that exciting from a tourist point of view, and only a handful of travelers explore this area.
Some coastal areas can receive more precipitations but have warmer temperatures, while inland steppe regions are often colder and receive less rain.
The border between both countries in the southern part of the region is not completely straight, and it needs to be crossed a few times in order to visit all the best places.
Here is the example to make things a bit more clear (or even more confusing).
If you go to Villa O'Higgins, then you are in Chile.
Then you travel to El Chalten in Argentina, but to see Torres del Paine, you need to cross borders once again back to Chile.
And Ushuaia is, as you've probably known already, in Argentina.
Luckily, crossing the borders between both countries is pretty easy and straightforward.
Patagonian Winds
We believe that the summer has more advantages than disadvantages over other seasons, but there is one (annoying) thing we can't fail to mention.
In summer, wind speeds exceeding 100 km/h are no exceptions in Patagonia.
On the day of our hike to Grey Glacier, the official sign at the trailhead showed wind gusts of 120 km/h.
And while we obviously didn't have any equipment to measure the actual speed, we could feel that this was not an ordinary wind.
We needed to walk a bit faster this hike as we had only limited time to reach the main viewpoint and get back, and the first few kilometers, we really struggled to keep our planned pace.
Make sure that you bring a windproof rain jacket. Otherwise, you will suffer immensely.
Activities
Before you dive into the planning part of your trip, you should decide first on what activities you want to do in Patagonia.
As obvious as it seems, this will also define the nature of your trip.
Subsequently, the amount of activities you can do in Patagonia is overwhelming regardless of the season.
In the warmer months, you can go hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, fishing, or horseback riding.
When the colder months arrive, you can go skiing, dog sledding, or take one of many wildlife tours.
Cruises or boat trips are usually available all year round, so if that's your thing, you have one thing less to worry about.
Wildlife Watching
Patagonia is famous for wildlife watching, and some areas such as the UNESCO site Valdes Peninsula are home to great colonies of penguins, fur seals, or elephant seals.
You can also see there many bird species, guanacos, southern right whales, or even orcas.
But the trick is to plan your trip carefully according to the seasonal Patagonia wildlife calendar.
So the southern right whale's tours usually run between July and September, while the orcas come close to the beach to hunt the seal pups from February to May.
And Magellanic penguins can be seen from September to April before they migrate north to the seas of Brazil or Peru.
Those are just a few examples to show you that the best time to visit Patagonia varies from person to person, depending on preferences.
Services
Getting around Patagonia is not difficult if you have a car. We traveled around Patagonia mostly by public buses and found it pretty comfortable as well.
However, if you are using public transport, then you should know that buses don't run that frequently between towns and villages in the off-season.
For example, three to four buses run every day between El Calafate and El Chalten in peak season. However, there is only one bus per day in the low season.
It can make the planning part much harder, and we believe it would best suit long-term travelers.
In some areas, the bus services might even be closed, so that is something you should also really look into.
But even when driving by car your problems are not solved. Some routes might be closed, and the driving conditions can be tricky.
Accommodation during the Patagonian winter is way cheaper than in the high season.
But some hotels or guesthouses might be closed for winter, which kind of negates this positive thing.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
When to Visit Patagonia
As we've mentioned earlier, every season in Patagonia has its pros and cons.
And just because you read that the summer is the best time of the year for a Patagonian trip, make sure that it ticks off all your boxes.
It is really important to decide what you want to see and do and then match with your favorite season.
And remember, the weather in Patagonia is unpredictable, and you can get all four seasons in one day, even during the summer.
Summer
Summer is the best time to visit Patagonia. Period.
Summer in Patagonia features long days, which is super important if you plan on doing a lot of hiking or even driving.
You can expect between thirteen to fifteen hours of daylight in Patagonia during this time of the year.
Moreover, the days are warmest in summer, though the strong winds usually bring down the actual feel-like temperatures, as we mentioned above.
While you have the best chance to have good weather on your trip to Patagonia, two major factors might have an effect on your final decision.
Yes, there are crowds in Patagonia in summer.
But only hikes near El Chalten such as Laguna de Los Tres and Laguna Torre, Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate, and the entrance to Torres del Paine together with Mirador Las Torres felt really crowded.
In fact, even in the summer season, you can find off-the-beaten-path places in Patagonia such as Pumalin National Park or Patagonia National Park, where you will barely meet a single living soul during the day.
To avoid the crowds when traveling, it only requires from your side just to go a bit further than the rest of the visitors.
Travel Resources
Apart from some crowded trails, prices are another thing that might persuade you to postpone your travel plans a bit.
To combat higher prices, we recommend reserving accommodation in Patagonia in advance when arriving in the summer.
And don't forget to read this blog post on finding cheap accommodation.
Autumn
Early autumn in Patagonia is all about stunning colors and calmer weather. While the temperatures drop a bit, the winds are less ferocious, and you can get perfect hiking conditions if lucky.
And believe us, luck is what you will need when it comes to weather in Patagonia.
The autumn foliage in Patagonia changes the scenery once again, and some forested areas are truly breathtaking.
Therefore, many travelers consider the end of April to be the best time to go to Patagonia.
Also, autumn is a paradise for photographers who want to capture all this beauty on their cameras.
Be prepared that the temperatures drop from March to October, so you should bring some warmer layers with you.
Winter
Can you visit Patagonia in winter? Sure, you can. But there are lots of buts and ifs. Simply put, the winter in Patagonia is not for everyone.
In fact, it's the least favorite time to go there, and most travelers avoid this time of the year.
The winter in Patagonia starts in June and ends in September, and it's the most challenging period of the year to visit.
Firstly, the days are shorter in Patagonia, which is something you should really consider before you start planning the trip.
The most important thing to know about Patagonian winter is that plenty of services might be closed.
If you've been to the Canadian Rockies or Iceland in winter, then you might already have a rough idea about the conditions in these mountainous and remote locations.
And Patagonia is no exception.
Unlike summer, when the only thing you need to worry about is the hotel's availability, it will be a very different story during the wintertime.
Be prepared that popular activities in Patagonia such as camping, kayaking, or even hiking might not be possible to do or would require additional gear and experience.
Also, driving in winter in Patagonia in places such as Carretera Austral can turn out to be challenging, especially for inexperienced drivers.
While the numbers of tourists arriving in Patagonia outside the peak season are growing, it doesn't mean that the winter experience is for you.
We wouldn't probably recommend the winter to first-time travelers to Patagonia, as we would suggest you look into shoulder seasons.
But again, if you luck out on the weather, you might have the time of your life there without any crowds.
Spring
If the weather cooperates, October to November in Patagonia can be beautiful as well.
Like many places in the world, spring is the time of the year where everything wakes up after long and cold winter.
Therefore, you will get a chance to see this natural wonder from a very different perspective.
You can get eleven to fourteen hours of daylight in Patagonia during the spring, which makes quite a difference when you plan to spend your time actively.
Spring is a perfect time for budget travelers and outdoorsy people who want to save money while traveling but don't mind unpredictable weather.
When to Visit Tierra del Fuego
At the southern end of Patagonia lies Tierra del Fuego, also known as the fabled Land of Fire, as it was named by Magellan, who sailed there in 1520.
Tierra del Fuego receives more than 200 cloudy days, cold winters, cool summer, and lots and lots of precipitation.
Therefore, it's not exactly easy to choose in what season to arrive there.
Being said that, the summer is the best time to arrive in Tierra del Fuego. You will have the best chance for milder weather to enjoy the outdoor activities.
Given the excellent location, Ushuaia is also a starting point for Antarctica tours.
The window to visit Antarctica from Ushuaia is quite narrow, as the tours run between late October and early April.
We did some hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park in January, and while the scenery was absolutely breathtaking, it was pretty chilly out there.
Our Patagonia Experience in December and January
As we traveled for a year around South America and Central America, we knew that our trip couldn't be planned so well in advance.
However, we tried to plan the whole trip in a way that we could arrive in Patagonia in the summer.
Retrospectively, it was a great decision as we had mostly good weather with only a few truly rainy days.
The only day that we had to wait it out as it rained really hard was in Puyuhuapi, home to Queulat Hanging Glacier.
We were able to avoid some other heavy rain days by traveling between destinations as we did on the way to Villa O'Higgins.
The best weather we had was up north near Pucon and Puerto Varas.
We could really enjoy hot days, and we even hiked wearing only shorts and t-shirts. The weather was beautiful, and some local people even swam in Lago Villarrica.
That all changed when we started our Carretera Austral journey.
We quickly realized that our windproof rain jacket would be our new best friend for the next few weeks.
Our boat trip to Marble Caves foretold us what the weather would be like that the further south we got.
It all again changed in El Chalten. The problem was not the temperature but the winds.
In fact, it wasn't that cold, and if the trail was sheltered, you could hike only wearing a shirt (on a clear day).
But the ubiquitous wind made sure that once you left the protection of the forest, you had to put on another layer or two.
Torres del Paine experience was pretty similar.
I still vividly remember that we made one evening a short evening walk on the beach in Ushuaia, and it was so incredibly cold and windy that we couldn't wait to get back to our room and have a hot cup of tea.
The southern part was extremely windy in the summer. Funnily enough, the wind was everywhere, not just in the mountains.
So even a short stroll around the village was quite an adventure.
Ending our Patagonia trip in Buenos Aires, which was hot and humid, was like arriving in a completely different world.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
