Argentina’s seasons are the opposite to the those in the northern hemisphere.
Summer: December to March
Autumn: April/May
Winter: June to September
Spring: October/November
Within the country, the climate varies considerably from region to region.
Wherever you go, bear in mind that all hotels and flights will book up way ahead in the summer months of January and February, at Easter, and in the winter holidays of July and August. Prices are also higher at these times.
Buenos Aires: Best in spring and autumn. Appallingly hot in summer, with temperatures reaching 45C and humidity of at least 80%. Mild in winter, with sunshine.
Patagonia and the far south, including Tierra del Fuego: Trekking is best from January to March. You can visit from spring to autumn, and April is often a glorious month, when the foliage turns scarlet and days are clear. Southern Patagonia pretty much shuts down in the winter, with the exception of the ski resort at Ushuaia. El Calafate and Ushuaia are way overbooked in January and the first half of February, so plan ahead.
Whale-watching at Península Valdés: Best from September to December, and often later. There is marine life for much of the year, but services close in winter.
The Northeast: The Iguazú Falls are tremendous all year round, but their force depends on recent rainfall, so April is usually best. However, climate change is making the seasonal differences unpredictable here.
The Lake District: Glorious from spring to autumn, and very busy in January and February. Trekking is best from January, as high paths may still have snow on them until then, and is generally fine until the end of March. Fewer crowds in March and April.
The Northwest: A great place to go all year round, and your best option in July and August, when the south is inhospitable. Days are warm and sunny in the Valles Calchaquiés and Quebrada de Humahuaca in winter. Rain falls from January to March, and roads can be impassable just afterwards. The cloudforest regions are best visited from April to November.
Mendoza: Landscapes are lovely all year round, but hiking around Aconcagua is possible only in summer. The road across the border to Chile is often blocked by snow in winter. Skiing at Las Leñas is possible from June to October. The wine harvest festival in Mendoza city in late February / March is good fun.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
1 January New Year's Day
24 March Truth and Justice Day
March/April Easter
2 April Veterans' Day
1 May Labour Day
25 May National Day
14 June National Flag Day (Belgrano Day)
9 July National Independence Day
16 August San Martín Day
11 October Columbus Day
8 December Immaculate Conception Day
25 December Christmas Day
Individual provinces also have their own holidays, though this usually means extra festivities, rather than extra closures. Check with the local tourist office if it’s likely to affect your plans.
To search flights across all airlines, we recommend using Skyscanner
From the UK: carriers include British Airways, Iberia and Air Europa. Flights are around 14 hours long.
From Europe: try Air France, Alitalia, Iberia, Air Europa, Lufthansa, KLM and Aerolineas Argentinas.
From the US: You can fly with American Airlines, Delta, LATAM and United.
INTERNAL FLIGHTS: carriers include Aerolineas Argentinas and LATAM.
BY BUS: Try Andesmar and ViaBariloche or the overnight Flechabus and Crucero del Norte services (from Buenos Aires to the north).
BY CAR: Particularly useful in the Lake District, around Salta and Jujuy, and to get to estancias on Península Valdés. See our car rental recommendations. Lots of roads in Patagonia, Salta and other remote areas are gravel, so you may want to pay more for a 4x4. If you prefer not to self-drive, most of the hotels featured on i-escape can arrange private transfers and day trips.
BY TRAIN: Argentina’s train network, built by the British, has now fallen into ruin, with the exception of local trains around Buenos Aires, and a long-distance train from Viedma on the Atlantic coast to Bariloche, which also takes cars. There are picturesque steam train services for tourists: the 'Train to the Clouds' in Salta, La Trochita (the Old Patagonian Express) from Esquel and Tren al Fin del Mundo ('Train to the End of the World') from Ushuaia.
Vaccinations:
You should be up to date with typhoid, tetanus, polio and hepatitus A and B. A yellow fever vaccination is not needed for Argentina, but you might need it if travelling to other countries in South America.
Malaria:
If you are visiting Iguazú or the Esteros del Iberá, take insect repellent, and take advice about whether malaria is currently a danger.
Water:
Make sure you drink plenty of liquids and especially water. Use bottled water and make sure that the seal on the bottle has not been broken. Tap water is drinkable in Buenos Aires, but you might prefer to protect yourself on short trips by using bottled water.
Sun protection:
Use sunblock to protect your skin, especially in the south, where the ozone layer is thin. Always wear a hat.
Argentine Embassy in London
65 Brook Street
London
W1K 4AH
Phone: +44 (0) 207 318 1300
Email: info@argentine-embassy-uk.org
www.argentine-embassy-uk.org