When to go

Given the size of Argentina, you’re unlikely to flit from region to region, and, if you can, you should try and visit each area at the optimal time of year. Roughly falling from September to November, the Argentine spring is perfect just about everywhere, although in the far south icy gales may blow. Avoid the southern half of the country in the coldest months (May–Oct), when deep snow can cut off towns and villages; likewise with the Chaco and most other lowland parts of the North in the height of summer, as temperatures can be scorching and roads flooded by heavy storms. The only time, however, to climb the highest Andean peaks, such as Aconcagua, is midsummer (Dec to Feb) – also the most reliable time of year to head for Tierra del Fuego, though it has been known to snow there even in December.

Buenos Aires can get very hot and sticky in December and January but it can also come across as somewhat bleak in midwinter (July and Aug). The winter months of June, July and August, on the other hand, are obviously the time to head for the Andean ski resorts. Autumn (late March and April) is a great time to visit Mendoza and San Juan provinces for the wine harvests, and Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego to enjoy the eye-catching red and orange hues of the beeches. A final point to bear in mind: the national holiday seasons are roughly January, Easter and July, when transport and accommodation can get booked up and rates are hiked, sometimes almost doubling.