Brazil in June

As mid-winter approaches, it can get a lot cooler in parts of Brazil during June with the start of low season. With average highs reaching the low 20s in Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte, it’s far from cold during the day, although if you’re heading to Paraty, you may need to wrap up a little warmer. It can also get chilly in the mornings at the Iguazu Falls, but if you’re planning more active hikes around the cascades and bike rides, the cooler weather can be a bonus.

You’ll find sunny days at the beaches of the south-east still and far fewer crowds, although there’s always a risk it’s a bit too cool to sunbathe, and some places may shut for the winter months. It’s still wet in the north-east too, so it’s better to postpone your visit to Salvador or the beaches of Bahia.

However, it’s one of the best times of year to visit the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, with the worst rainfall of the year over, but enough water in the lagoons to see them at their best. The cooler weather also makes trekking in the Chapada Mountains easier.

And June is a good month for spotting wildlife too, with the official start of the dry season in the Pantanal and animals heading out to search for water. It’s one of the drier months in the Amazon as well, if you’re planning to go hiking in the jungle.

Festivals: Festa Junina is a nationwide festival to celebrate three saints, John the Baptist, Anthony and Peter, with the celebrations for St John (or Sao Joao) among the most important of the year, especially the festivities on the night of June 23-24. You’ll find fairs in the countryside, with traditional dances, games and food, especially corn, along with music, dancing and parades.

The Paratins folk festival also takes place at the end of June in the Amazonas region, the second-largest festival in Brazil after Carnival, commemorating a local legend of an ox who is magically resurrected, with teams acting it out, plus giant floats and eye-catching song and dance routines.

And every other year in June, the Rock in Rio music festival attracts some of the biggest names in music to Rio de Janeiro, with performances in the Jacarepaguá neighbourhood.

Best for: Hiking and trekking, festivals, Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, spotting wildlife