Chile When To Go

Chile’s different climatic zones ensure that a variety of weather conditions prevail year-round, making a wide array of activities available at any time of the year. Chile is divided into three significant climatic areas: the arid north, the cool and damp south, and the temperate, almost Mediterranean, Central Valley, which experiences heavy rainfall between May and August and bright sunshine the rest of the year. The spring and summer seasons in Chile (between Oct. and March, as in all countries of the southern hemisphere) tend to see the most tourist traffic, as foreigners and Chileans from far and wide flock to the white-sand beaches of the glamorous Viña del Mar and other coastal resorts. Santiago is warm and sunny this time of year (25°C/77°F Dec.-Mar.), trekking is pleasant in Los Lagos (13°C/55°F Oct.-Apr.), and the erratic weather of Patagonia simmers down to warmer days (daytime highs 15°C/ 59°F Oct.-Mar.). The peak tourist season that ushers in fully booked hotels, packed discotecas, and exorbitant prices is between the end of December and the beginning of February, when locals are on summer vacation.

The Chilean winter, however, is not an altogether unpleasant time to travel—ski slopes among the Andes are at their best, the Atacama Desert in northern Chile offers warm and sunny days on beautiful beaches, and almost all prices are discounted by 5-30%. The downside? Many smaller towns in Middle Chile and Los Lagos are practically deserted, temperatures in the Far South are frigid, and heating is not always pro¬vided in budget accommodations, leaving you shivering under thin sheets. Consider heading to Chile during “shoulder season” travel periods (Oct.-Nov. and Mar.-Apr.), when extremes of weather are less frequent, prices are moderate, and neither ghost towns nor overcrowded hostels get you down.

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