Visiting Chile in June

Winter arrives in June, so it’s not a great time for a holiday in Chile this month unless you’re planning winter sports, or to explore the north with fewer tourists. Keen skiers can enjoy some of the best-looking slopes in South America, and it’s easy to combine the pistes with time in Santiago and Valparaiso.

Mountain passes in the Carretera Austral may be blocked this month, so don’t plan to head up into the peaks here, and many hotels are closed for the season in Patagonia, where gale force winds and low temperatures make trekking harder and less enticing for all but wannabe Arctic explorers.

If you’re looking for winter adventure, head north instead to the Atacama desert to explore the salt flats and canyons. There’s less daylight but it remains warmer during the daytime, although temperatures often drop below freezing and there’s even a chance of rain, with wildflowers bursting into unexpected life thanks to the rare water.

It’s cool in the Lake District too, but the Swiss-German architecture of the villages seems made for winter, with some snow falling on the volcanic peaks this month. And there’s a chance to celebrate the winter solstice on Easter Island, with temperatures peaking in the low 20s for a taste of Polynesian winter.

Festivals: For the indigenous people of Chile, New Year begins with the winter solstice on June 24, marked in various locations across the country by the Aymara, Quechua, Mapuche and Rapa Nui (on Easter Island). The festival is called We Tripantu by the Mapuche, which is the best-known celebration, taking place in Santiago as well as southern Chile.

Around the middle of June, the Festival de la Lluvia, or rain festival, takes place in Puerto Varas, with contests, music and thousands of umbrellas filling the streets.

Best for: Skiing, festivals