Visiting Chile in November

Summer starts to arrive back in the southern hemisphere this month, with visitors beginning to return with the great weather. You can still avoid the busiest months of peak season if you visit in November, so it’s one of the best times to visit Chile if you want to explore the whole country.

In the south, Patagonia is warmer if windier, making it a good time to head out trekking around Torres del Paine, including some of the more challenging hikes like the W Trek. More penguins are coming to Chiloé too, one of the few places worldwide where you can spot Humboldt and Magellanic penguins, while you can spot the birds off southerly Punta Arenas as well.

For some of the country’s most dramatic scenery, head out to drive the Carretera Austral, or for gentler but no less breath-taking hikes and landscapes, the Lake District is also beautiful this month and you’ll avoid the bigger summer swarms of horseflies too. Discover some of the less-visited areas of the Lake District, or combine it with a visit to Argentina.

Further north, the vineyards of the Central Valley are just as tempting. Pleasant sunny days make it a lovely time to explore the countryside, as well as visiting a few of the area’s vineyards to see the grapes ripening in the warmth. It’s easy to combine with a visit to Santiago, where it’s dry and pleasantly warm at around 26C, and Valparaiso, where it’s slightly cooler, but where the colourful UNESCO World Heritage architecture lights up in the sunshine.

Head to the beaches to soak up the summer sun, or keep travelling north to the Atacama desert, where it’s as dry and warm as ever, but where night-time temperatures are also beginning to rise. Discover San Pedro de Atacama, one of the driest places on earth, or see geysers, volcanoes and canyons. Easter Island is still quiet, with warm days and low humidity this month too.

Festivals: All Saints Day is celebrated on November 1, with families adorning graveyards with bright flowers to remember those they have lost.

Best for: Great weather to explore, wildlife spotting, hiking and trekking, exploring the whole country