Patagonia in December
December is one of the best months of the year to visit Patagonia. Solstice light until very late and everything open. The holiday weeks kick off peak pricing and peak trail traffic.
Weather
Early summer, highs near 59F (15C), near-maximum daylight and wind
Crowds
Prices
What's on in December
Roughly September through March or early April
Penguin season on the coasts. Magellanic penguin colonies at Punta Tombo and on Beagle Channel and Magdalena Island trips fill with birds for the southern breeding season.
Roughly June through December
Southern right whales at Peninsula Valdes. Northern Patagonia's coastal exception to the winter shutdown: whales gather off Puerto Madryn, peaking in the austral spring.
October through December
Spring bloom on the steppe. Wildflowers and firebush color the grasslands and forest edges while guanaco calves and nesting birds fill the parks.
Things to do in Patagonia
- 1
Torres del Paine's W Trek. Four to five days past the park's greatest hits, sleeping in refugios or camps. Beds for the summer season sell out many months ahead; book before flights. official site ↗
- 2
The base of the towers day hike. The park's signature single day: a long, steep out-and-back to the granite towers above their glacial lake. Start at dawn for calmer wind and light.
- 3
Perito Moreno Glacier. Boardwalks face the calving wall a short drive from El Calafate, open year-round. Give it hours, not minutes; the ice performs on its own schedule. official site ↗
- 4
El Chalten and the Fitz Roy trails. Argentina's trekking capital, where world-class day hikes like Laguna de los Tres leave from town, no permits or fees required. Largely closes down in winter.
- 5
An estancia stay. Sheep-ranch lodges on the steppe add horses, asado, and Patagonian silence to a trekking itinerary, and several operate as destinations in their own right.
- 6
Puma watching. Guided trips in the Torres del Paine area track wild pumas at respectful range, with winter and shoulder seasons often the best sighting windows through specialist outfitters.
- 7
The Carretera Austral. Chile's wild southern highway: marble caves, hanging glaciers, and fjord ferries for road-trippers with time. Strictly a summer-season undertaking for most.
- 8
Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel. The end-of-the-road city at the continent's tip: boat trips past sea lion colonies, the southernmost train, and the gateway for Antarctic sailings in summer. official site ↗
Beat the crowds
- →Choose November or March over the December-January peak: same open infrastructure, gentler winds in March, and a real drop in trail traffic and prices.
- →Book the sleeping bottlenecks first: W and O circuit refugios and campsites, and El Calafate and El Chalten hotels for peak weeks, sell out far ahead, while day-by-day plans can stay flexible around them.
- →Start marquee day hikes at first light: Patagonia's long summer days are calmer and clearer in the morning, and the tower and Fitz Roy viewpoints crowd up from late morning.
Know before you go
- !Winter, roughly May through September, closes much of tourist Patagonia: most refugios and campgrounds on the trekking circuits shut, many hotels and restaurants in El Chalten and around the parks go dark, and bus and ferry schedules shrink drastically.
- !Torres del Paine National Park stays open year-round, but winter changes the rules: daylight is short, trails can be icy, and overnight trekking in the low season requires going with a certified guide. Perito Moreno Glacier receives visitors in every month.
- !Even in summer, wind is the daily gatekeeper: boats to glacier faces, passes on the O circuit, and exposed viewpoints can close at short notice when gusts spike. Build slack days into any itinerary that matters.
Patagonia in December: quick answers
Is December a good time to visit Patagonia?
December is one of the best months of the year to visit Patagonia. Solstice light until very late and everything open. The holiday weeks kick off peak pricing and peak trail traffic.
What is the weather like in Patagonia in December?
Early summer, highs near 59F (15C), near-maximum daylight and wind.
Is Patagonia crowded in December?
Patagonia is busy in December, though mornings and late afternoons stay workable.
What is happening in Patagonia in December?
Penguin season on the coasts (roughly september through march or early april); Southern right whales at Peninsula Valdes (roughly june through december); Spring bloom on the steppe (october through december).