With the country’s vast north to south extension, Chile’s climate is extremely varied.
Coastal Chile enjoys a sea breeze so it generally feels cooler here than inland. Temperatures between 5ºC – 10ºC are most common. The rainy season is from May to August when temperatures are cooler.
The mountainous Lake District is cool throughout the year, enjoying a northern European climate. Here, April through June are the months of heaviest rainfall, and November through March is considered the best travel time, but is also the time of year that attracts the biggest crowds.
Chilean Patagonia is mainly cool, with unpredictable changes of weather throughout the year. Despite its southerly location the winter months benefit from much less wind and temperatures rarely drop much below freezing during the day. Chilean Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego have summer averages of 11°C (52°F)
The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the Earth's driest areas and enjoys sunny weather and high temperatures all year round – ideal for the sun seeker!
Easter Island has a Pacific Island tropical climate that is heavily influenced by winds and ocean currents. The hottest months are January and February although good weather is available all year round.
Events Calendar
January 1-16, 2011: Dakar Rally in Chile & Argentina
The legendary Dakar Rally was born in Africa, and is, by nature attracted towards the unknown. The discovery of territories, one of the event’s reasons for being, has pushed the Dakar to head to new directions. The Sahara has fascinated competitors for nearly 30 years but now it seeks the conquest of other continents with a desire to surprise remaining intact. The Dakar has always been an international traveller’s event, based on the need for exchange and on its competitors’ capacity for openness. They all have the desire to explore the deserts of the world.
After two editions in South America, the Dakar continues its exploration in 2011 of a continent which has impressive potential for new discovery. Heading towards the north of Argentina and Chile, the route skims the frontiers of neighbouring countries and takes competitors through ever more varied country. It's a cascade of colour.
January: Yacht Race in Chiloe Island
The biggest regatta in Chile’s sailing calendar is the biennial event in January from Puerto Montt around the coast of Chiloe Island. Not only are regattas great fun on the water, they also include many shore-side activities for after the race.
First few weeks of February: Tapati on Easter Island
Each year, during the Feast Tapati Rapa Nui (Week of Easter Island), the inhabitants of Easter Island celebrate and show off their culture to visitors from all around the world who come to witness this cultural event. This festival, also known as Carnival Easter Island, begins in the first days of February and runs for about ten days. The festival culminates with a parade and the candidate chosen by the winning alliance being crowned as Queen.
March to May: Central Chile's Wine Harvest celebrations
From March to May, there is a unique opportunity to participate in the ‘vendimia’ or harvesting at vineyards in Chile’s Central Valley. Participants will be provided with the tools for their day’s ‘work’ including an apron, clippers and collection basket, before taking the horse-drawn (or tractor-drawn) carriage out into the designated work area. This is a true hands-on experience, making for an unforgettable and highly original experience.
May 21: Naval Battle of Iquique, Iquique and Valparaíso, and throughout Chile
Chile celebrates a major holiday, the Glorias Navales, with festivities, celebrations, military parades, speeches, and commemoration services in honour of the Battle of Iquique on May 21, 1879, a battle that took place during the War of the Pacific.
June 24: Mapuche new year at Temuco - Lake District
The Mapuche people, have developed a great knowledge of astrology and astronomy. They have managed to interpret the movements of the sun, the rest of the stars and the planets, as well as the changes they produce on nature and even people. The understanding and decoding of the language of Earth and nature has made it possible for these people to accurately define the start of every stage, and the ending and the beginning of the New Year. “We Xipantu” or “Nquillatún”, which in the Mapuche tongue mean “new year” or “sunrise of the new sun”, is the most important celebration of this native people and it occurs simultaneously with the Inty Raimy (of the Inca tradition). The ceremony begins on the night of June 23, with complete families gathered around a big bonfire, listening to the oldest members of the group as they taste typical dishes specially prepared for the event. At daybreak, members of each family, old men and children alike, abandon the warmth of the fire and perform a purification rite by bathing in the closest river, stream or spring creek so that their body and soul are clean before welcoming the new sun and, therefore, the new year. A series of individual and group prayers follow the bath and thus, the celebration begins. Afterwards, families return to their homes playing typical instruments and dancing to their music. Dozens of activities take place within the various communities. These include: religious ceremonies, popular games and baptisms. Girls over six years old have their ears pierced as a way of setting the end of their childhood.
July 16: La Tirana Festival - 72 kms (44miles) from Iquique
The town of La Tirana is located north of Chile in the Pampa del Tamarugal, at an altitude of 995m. It is a small and quiet town where every July 16 the day of the Virgen of Carmen is celebrated. Between July 12-18, this beautiful northern town undergoes a complete metamorphosis in which believers play music and dance as offerings to the Virgin. Around 230,000 pilgrims arrive in La Tirana during this huge festivity. The 207 brotherhoods of religious dances come from all over the north from Arica to Copiapó, with masks and plateau-like attires to present their offerings to the Virgin.
September 18 &19: Chilean independence festivities throughout Chile
September marks the start of Spring in Chile and with it come a celebration of Chile's independence from Spain in 1810. For days before and after September 18 (“dieciocho”, the Spanish word for “eighteen”), the country celebrates with parades, festivities, food, music and beverages. Much of the drinking, music and dancing occurs in the ramadas, open air constructions with a dance floor under a thatched roof, or made traditionally with branches. The lively Fondas offer a variety of national dishes such as the empanada (similar to a small Cornish pasty), and red wine flows for days on end. The fiestas are marked by two days in particular; September 18th (Independence Day), and September 19th (Armed Forces Day). The former is an all-out celebration of the Chilean identity (Chilenidad), with the ramadas and fondas full to the brim, while Armed Forces Day is generally a quiet affair, and a day for families, and of course the military and naval presentations celebrating the victories over the Spanish forces, led in part by the national hero, Bernardo O’Higgins.
Last week of December: Valparaíso Carnival
Valparaíso celebrates its end-of-year Cultural Carnival with a flurry of events. Art exhibitions, music and theatre performances, literature readings in the city's cafés, cinema screenings and gastronomic fairs keep the port city buzzing. Members of different Chilean groups dance and perform during the Cultural Carnival through the hills of this historic city port. Handicrafts and many other products are offered by locals during this festival, artists from Barcelona (España), Guanajuato (México), Salvador de Bahía (Brasil), Barranquilla (Colombia), Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Panamá y Montevideo, are also present throughout this activity.
