Best Things To Do in South and Central America – JUNE Guide
June marks the start of winter in most of Latin America and this month offers the most varied array of attractions and highlights. A month where you can really do it all: ski in the south, hike in the centre and snorkel in the north! And although this is also the start of the high tourist season in the continent, the first two weeks are actually quite ideal (as the climate is puuuurfect) yet since European school holidays don’t start until the middle of the month, the crowds have not yet arrived.
As June progresses you will find destinations getting progressively busier and more expensive, so booking ahead of time is certainly recommended.
Here are just some of THE bestest things to do in Latin America in JUNE:
Skiing and snowboarding in June
Fresh powder, clear skies and a truly resplendent backdrop of jagged and awe-inspiring white horizons. Yep. Patagonia in June is pretty spectacular. For a skiing and snowboarding adventure on freshly laid snow, June is perfect, and you’ll find the best ski lodges and resorts in southern Chile and Argentina opening their doors, waxing their boards and firing up their lifts this month. The best ski resorts are scattered throughout the region, from the north-eastern hub of Chapelco right near San Martin de los Andes, to nearby Cerro Bayo, uber-famous and recently refurbished Cerro Catedral towering above Bariloche and visually astonishing La Hoya, there are hundreds of kilometres to be covered at break-neck speed in Patagonia.
Skiing in the Andes of Argentina. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Hiking the Andes in June
The driest month of the year makes the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu absolutely sparkle, yet the lack of rains all across the now-verdant Andes spell sensational hiking possibilities all over. The magnificent range of the Andes Mountains – which dissect the continent in its entirety and stretch north from Venezuela and splash spectacularly into the frigid waters of the Southern Ocean in Patagonia – is one of the world’s most coveted high-altitude hiking destination. As the mountains cross no less than seven Latin American countries, hiking options are literally quite endless. We have an amazing collection of organized hiking trips in Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador, so if hiking’s on your mind let it also be in your plans for June.
Not a ski fan? Just go for a lovely hike. Everything is possible in the Andes. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Lima to La Paz overland tours in June
This is the most popular time of year for extensive Lima to La Paz overland adventures, with road travel being hassle-free and very rewarding. From the Peruvian capital of Lima, you can head up into the clouds, visiting treasures like Arequipa and Cusco and tackling the mighty Inca Trail and all the amazing sights in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Include a visit to resplendent Titicaca Lake right on the border of Bolivia, and finish your tour in La Paz or, if you really want to squeeze the life out of your visit, continue on a crossing of breathtaking Salar Uyuni to the Atacama Desert hub of San Pedro. A three-week overland tour from Lima to La Paz, undoubtedly one of the most popular overland routes in the whole continent offers a little of everything that makes it so special, with an array of natural, historical and cultural highlights that’ll have you swooning at every turn.
Need another reason to tackle a Lima to La Paz tour this month? June will see the Inti Raymi Festival take Cusco by storm, in what is considered one of the year’s most prominent cultural celebrations in Latin America. Dating back to the days of the ancient Incas, the Festival of the Sun is a deeply spiritual celebration, one that was banned by the Spaniards for more than 400 years and one that nowadays includes a kaleidoscope of colour, music, dancing and lots of delicious food.
Want to explore something cool?! Do the Inca Trail and you will see the most amazing sights. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Valdes Peninsula in June
We have just two words for you wildlife-lovers who have been dreaming of visiting the Valdes Peninsula: whale season!
Southern Right whales begin their mating season in June and there’s no better place to spot the gentle giants than in wildlife-enriched Valdes Peninsula. UNESCO listed is a vast, tree-less protrusion that seems to barely hang on to the South American mainland as if by miracle. Yet the real miracle is the sheer concentration of wildlife that simply thrives in its nutrient rich waters.
In June, whales are joined by impressive colonies of elephant seals, whilst on land, it’ll be guanacos and penguins that’ll vie for your attention. Accommodation choices abound here, with hotels in Puerto Madryn (the closest city) and wonderful estancias on the peninsula itself.
Want to see this amazing view for yourself? In that case, visit the Peninsula Valdes in Argentina. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Los Glaciares National Park in June
Many dismiss the frozen ends of Patagonia and Los Glaciers NP in particular, in June. But we’d love to let you in on a secret: visiting at this time of year is OUT.OF.THIS.WORLD! Minimal crowds and ethereal snow cover make for insane photography and when you consider that the dreaded Patagonian winds will be at their weakest this month, it simply makes for unforgettable adventures. There may be fewer accommodation options but availability – as well as sense of relaxation and inspiration – will be at an all-time high.
Perito Moreno glacier is a breathtaking sight at any time of year, but there’s something about seeing it in winter that makes it seriously astonishing. Temps will obviously be a tad on the nipple-freeze-side and daylight hours limited. But if you’re prepared for the cold and enjoy a visual feast like no other, then head to El Calafate where the roads, general infrastructure and amenities will be ‘business as usual’.
Beautiful picture, beautiful scenery and all of that in a beautiful country. Visit Argentina and explore it yourself. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Rio de Janeiro in June
A city that can get a tad too steamy-hot in summer, Rio de Janeiro is actually best enjoyed in the first winter month of June. The megacity’s location (just inside the Tropics) means that daytime temps in June can still reach 28 degrees C, so beach-bumming days are always on the cards. However, cooling winds make for great sightseeing excursions. And heavens knows you’ll be doing a LOT of that in this Brazilian gem.
When you say Rio, this image pops up. When you visit Rio, make this picture yourself. How cool is that?! Photo credit: Shutterstock
Our Travel Agent John, didn’t only visit the Iguazu Falls, but he also went to Rio. Get inspired and flow John, visit Rio de Janeiro!
Iguazu Falls in June
Dry clear skies make for superb photography in the continent’s greatest waterfalls and although water levels will be lower than at rain season, trust that the mighty Iguazu cascades will still impress you like no place else on earth.
The beauty of the Iguazu Fall. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Costa Rica in June
The cloud forests of Costa Rica are a dreamy place to explore at length, with June starving just enough rains to make extensive hiking trips totally idyllic. To be honest, though, the whole of Costa Rica is rather scrumptious to explore this month. The country’s Green Season is its own ‘calm before the storm’ and the next two months are enviably the very best of all for wonderful Costa Rican adventures. Green Seasons means that rains are short-lived and sporadic, drenching the revered wilderness enough to make it all sorts of fluorescent shades of green yet not disrupting infrastructure enough to make road travels difficult.
Choose this month to travel to Costa Rica and you’ll discover dreamy beaches devoid of big crowds in Tamarindo, oodles of amazing eco-lodges on sale in Manuel Antonio and Arenal on sale and an abundance of raging waterfalls and cooler temps in Monteverde. If that’s not all, the usual afternoon-rains in June actually offer guilt-free siesta-indulging…one of Costa Rica’s most underrated highlight!
Lots of wildlife, get inspired. Visit Costa Rica and search for the wildlife yourself. Photo credit: Shutterstock
The Amazon in June
June marks the start of low-water season in the Amazon, although being the first month means you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds: enough water for extensive canoeing yet fewer downpours, overall. If you can’t decide between canoeing or trekking on your Amazon adventure then June is the one month which potentially offers you both. Potentially, of course, because yearly climatic variations mean the rain season could persist…or it could end even earlier.
But you know what? You’ll be in the AMAZING AMAZON! Who cares!? J Your trip will be a once-in-a-lifetime highlight nonetheless. You’ll still encounter a mind-blowing array of animals, still see plenty of unique birds, swim with rare pink dolphins, fish for piranhas, tackle anacondas (OK, maybe not this one!) and fall asleep, every night, to the unforgettable sounds of the world’s most important rainforest.
And what’s not to love about that?
Go on an Amazon Cruise and explore this beauty full nature yourself in the best way you can. Photo credit: Shutterstock
We could keep waxing lyrical about June travels in Latin America but we think you get the point: a fabulous month to explore this most fabulous continent. Want to know more? Contact us right here.
Author: Laura Pattara
“Laura Pattara is a modern nomad who’s been vagabonding around the world, non-stop, for the past 15 years. She’s tour-guided overland trips through South America and Africa, travelled independently through the Middle East and has completed a 6-year motorbike trip from Europe to Australia. What ticks her fancy most? Animal encounters in remote wilderness, authentic experiences off the beaten trail and spectacular Autumn colours in Patagonia.”
South America Travel in June
As winter creeps on in most of South America, the best place to be is at the very top of the high Andes. Sounds crazy, right? But it’s true: Autumn nights may well be a little on the crisp side in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile yet, in reality, this brings the most revered climatic mountain conditions of all. Bright blue skies, stunning starry nights and not a cloud (or rain-drop) in sight mean hiking the Andes mountains is absolutely ideal in June. This month marks the beginning of high tourist season for Machu Picchu tours, Bolivian Altiplano tours and travels through Ecuador and Chile.
The only real prerequisite for an exceptional tour of South America in June is prior booking. Book everything well in advance and you won’t miss out!
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Los Glaciares National Park in the evening, Patagonia
Here’s a quick snapshot of South America and Antarctica travel in June:
- European and North American summer vacations are at the door, which means the continent will receive an increasing number of tourists as the month progresses. Want the best of it all? Start your tour of South America at the very beginning of the month and you’ll enjoy better prices and smaller crowds for at least the first three weeks
Hiking trail to the Andean mountains
Best City Escapes in June
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Hit the Argentina capital in June and you’ll be immersed in a colourful palette of Autumn’s best colours. What’s more, you’ll enjoy excellent accommodation and travel prices and, if that’s not enough, fewer fellow tourists in all the city’s best points of interest. Days will be shorter and more overcast (some rains should also not be discounted) but if you’re a discerning traveller who’s clued up about the perks of low-season travel then rest assured that Buenos Aires will deliver in spades.
Beautiful sunset in the park in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Inti Raymi Festival in Cusco, Peru
The ancient Inca festival of the Sun God, Inti, takes place in Cusco towards the end of June although the city seems to be struck with fiesta-fever the whole month long. This is a very busy month for Cusco so you really must book your hotel way ahead of time but if you’re clever and organised you’ll arguably see the city at its best: chock-full of locals and foreigners getting ready to celebrate the most important day in the Cusco calendar.
Attend the Inti Raymi festival in Cusco
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sweltering in Summer but absolutely ideal in Autumn, Rio de Janeiro is a fab city to explore in June. Daytime temps can still hover around the mid-20s (for that beachside swim or poolside siesta) yet are low enough that you can actually enjoy long days exploring the city on foot and public transport. There’s so much to do and see in Rio that you’ll need all the energy you can muster – colder temps are just perfect for that.
Famous public steps Escadaria Selaron in Rio de Janeiro
Best Wilderness & Wildlife Experiences in June
Patagonia, Argentina & Chile
Patagonia, in June, is magnificent, to say the least, and although most hiking trails will be closed, there are still plenty of glaciers to see (like famous Perito Moreno) and viewpoints to reach on day outings. Patagonia trips just take a little more planning for June, as most accommodation options won’t be available, so plan and book ahead and enjoy the peace, quiet and stellar scenery of Patagonia drenched in pristine snow.
Argentinian Patagonia in winter, San Carlos de Bariloche
Hiking in the Central Andes
The southern Andes may be a little too snow-covered for extensive hiking trips but not so a little further north, where winter is yet to fully set in. Aside from the famed Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, there are literally countless more hikes you can do in the region, both within the Sacred Valley of the Incas near Cusco, further north in the Cordillera Blanca (base yourself in Huaraz) and way off the beaten path in Ecuador, where an insane number of extinct – and active – volcanoes offer sensational hiking.
Hiking in the Andean mountains in Peru
Valdes Peninsula, Patagonia
If there’s one main reason to head south, in June, it would have to be to soak up the sight of mating whales in the Valdes Peninsula. A hub for marine life-spotting in South America, the Valdes is a cocooning haven for whales, elephant seals, dolphins and penguins, who stop here for romantic rendezvous on their northbound migration route in June.
Whale jumping out of the water in Valdes Peninsula, Argentina
Iguazu Falls, Argentina & Brazil
June is a dry month for Iguazu which means you’ll get that postcard-perfect picture of the world’s largest falls framed by iridescent blue skies. Lower water flow levels also mean you’ll actually enjoy better views all-around (rather than soaked ones). Many people mistakenly imagine the best time to see the falls is when water levels are at their peak, however, this usually brings quite a dramatic mist meaning helicopter flights over the falls actually gift the better view. We find that lower levels of water – just perfect in June – offer much better and more comprehensive viewing from walkways on both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides.
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Temps in the Galapagos hover around the mid-20s C in June, ideal if you wish to enjoy this amazing wildlife haven with cooler temps. This month attracts migrating humpback whales as well as nesting flightless cormorants on Fernandina and endangered Galapagos penguins (the only one of its kind north of the equator) and a myriad of birds who enter their breeding season. June is just a perfect month for Galapagos cruises.
Big turtle in the Galapagos Islands
Amazon Rainforest
Amazon tours are usually divided into ‘rain season cruising’ and ‘dry season lodge-based trips’ yet June is that perfect in-between month that can actually offer the best of both. Just to be clear: this outstanding tropical rainforest does receive some rain, all year long, yet heavy downpours in certain months dramatically rise water-levels here so we prefer to think of tours in terms of high-water and low-water options. In June, the Amazon starts to dry up so you can enjoy both lodge-based trips and cruises along the Amazon River. High-water translates to more extensive travels by boat yet low-water levels offer greater chances for wildlife spotting. June Is that shoulder month that can offer both.
Wildlife watching in Amazon Jungle in Ecuador
Have any questions? Contact us and we will be happy to help you!
Source https://www.chimuadventures.com/blog/2018/05/best-things-latin-america-june-guide/
Source https://vivaexpeditions.com/blog/south-america-travel-in-june
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