Latin America Calendar | When to visit Latin America | Where to go

Latin America is all about FESTIVALS – dancing and partying, drinking vino tinto or rum in Central America. So our calendar is a mix of fun festivals, travel seasons and flora/fauna. Most cities and towns have a “fiesta”, these are often raucous affairs lasting several days. The principal holidays in Latin America are carnival, celebrated in February/March with costumes and parades. Easter week (Semana Santa) and Christmas are taken very seriously all over. Other major occasions are Independence Day (from the Spanish) and the Day of the Dead.  

Call us on 020 7622 1116 or drop us an email at info@imaginelatinamerica.co.uk for more in-depth advice on the best places to visit at a certain time of year.

Where to go in January

Antigua Guatemala - festivities are fun in Antigua Guatemala with concerts, entertainment and fireworks in the streets

Chile - “Santiago a Mil festival” theatre, concerts and lots of nightlife in Santiago

Colombia - Carnaval de Blancos y Negros . Beginning of January in Pasto: In 2009 Pasto was declared Immaterial Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

Colombia - Manizales: Feria de Manizales. Manizales has a great deal of cultural wealth and a long tradition of hosting festivals such as La Feria de Toros de Manizales and is considered as national heritage

Ecuador - late Jan to early Mar, carnival combining elements such as costumes, parades and street parties. This festivity is celebrated mainly in the following provinces: Bolivar and Cotopaxi.This is the biggest festival in Ecuador. Frenzied water fights! The people of Cuenca in the south seem particularly fond of soaking each other.

Venezuela/Colombia: all beach destinations Margarita Island, Los Roques, San Andres, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Park Tayrona and the whole Caribbean coast can be visited during the whole year, it’s always going to be hot!

Mexico Jan-May is the best season for travelling generally

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Where to go in February

Peru Puno - Virgen de la Candelaria, the most important festival in Puno. Colorful parades and procession of the Virgin

Ecuador Ambato, festival of fruit and flowers last two weeks of February.

Bolivia La Paz - every year Candelaria virgin - celebration with dances. Carnival is celebrated in Bolivia with colourful parades and costumes. Dates for carnival change every year.

Chile - 3^rd week of February on Easter island, Tapati, the festivities lasts one week and is just amazing

Brazil carnival, Rio and Salvador, note carnival dates are different every year. The biggest party you will have ever seen!

Brazil Pantanal - flood period Feb-Apr! Rough guide for Pantanal, rain Nov-April, mosquitoes Dec-Jan and Apr-May, smoky air Sep- Oct, heat Sep-Oct and Apr, “cold snaps”Jun-Aug. Dec-Apr is the wet season making transportation more difficult in the Pantanal.

Colombia, Barranquilla Carnival - Barranquilla is most famous for its Carnival. This is one of the main festivals in Colombia and the second largest Carnival in South America after Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Venezuela Merida: Feria del Sol Festival. Every year the best bull fighters show off their skills in the famous “Plaza de Toros”. Also featuring cultural exhibitions, concerts, parades, gaucho shows and the traditional election of the Festival Queen.

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Where to go in March

Ecuador Gualaceo - annual peach festival is a wonderful sight to witness in, close to Cuenca.

Latin America (all over) - Semana Santa (“the week of Easter” either Mar or Apr). Throughout Latin America you will see colourful parades, mass, and often fireworks. Easter is almost more important than Christmas in most Latin America countries.

Belize - Ruta Maya Canoe Race- Cayo District in Belize –this usually happens over Easter weekend

Guatemala - End of Coffee Season- The last coffee is harvested during this month

Argentina Mendoza - Mar to Apr is the harvest season

Colombia Cartagena - International Film Festival

Ecuador - Fiesta del Equinoccio. Different places close to the Middle of the World Monument where this festival is celebrated with dances and processions.

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Where to go in April

Chile Easter Island - last week of April: Easter Island Film Festival

Peru Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter) - Processions in all villages and towns of Peru

Peru Cuzco Easter Monday (Holy Monday) - Lord Of Earthquakes, Major Festival. Definitely worth scheduling to coincide. Cuzco's most valuable image of Christ is taken out in procession in the afternoon/evening. The entire city participates

Peru Ayacucho Good Friday - Major, if somber processions in most villages and towns, but Ayacucho is especially good. The processions of Our lady of Dolours and the Holy Sepulchre.  

Belize - Whale Shark Season begins- It’s best to go to southern Belize, Placencia, and to be there a few days before and after the full moon.

Colombia Valledupar - Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata. Vallenato is a indenous/native musical genre of the Caribbean coast.

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Where to go in May


1May Labour Day - celebrations in most Latin American cities

Belize - Cacao Festival- Toledo district, this happens over a few days and dates change each year

Peru/Ecuador/Bolivia - May-Nov is the dry season in the highlands, making for ideal trekking weather

Venezuela - May-Nov is the rainy season at the Angel Falls; it’s best to see the falls then with tons of water rushing down

Brazil Pantanal, jaguars are visible from May to Dec

Mexico May-Aug, swimming with the whale shark in Holbox: Each year, when the ocean becomes specially plankton rich, the waters of the island are home to the biggest fish in the world. Swimming with these magnificent creatures is an unforgettable experience. Holbox (or Isla de Pajaros - Island of Birds) is a sanctuary to thousands of flamingos, pelicans and other exotic birds.

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Where to go in June

Peru Ollantaytambo - Pentecost is celebrated with ethnic dances. Well worth a visit.
Peru Cuzco 24 June Inti Raymi 'festival of the Sun' - An explosion of colors, music and indigenous traditionsPeru Cuzco Qoyllur Riti - world renowned pilgrimage many times filmed by the BBC. It entails a rigorous trek and 2 or 3 nights camping at high altitude. It involves the worship of the "Apu" (mountain) and the Lord of Qoyllur R'iti.

Chile/Lake District - Puerto Varas Rain festival

Belize: Lobster Festival – the first festival is in San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) in mid-June, then the last weekend of June, the Placencia Lobster Festival takes place

Peru Cuzco - Peru Inti Raymi 'festival of the Sun' - An explosion of colors, music and indigenous traditions.

Ecuador - Inti Raymi 'festival of the Sun', various celebrations in many places.

Brazil - north eastern beaches in Brazil (Jeri beach, Pipa beach, Natal, Recife) can be visited all year round, but even in “winter” Jun-Aug you have hot and perfect beach weather. 

Ecuador central highland towns Corpus Christi 'Body of Christ' celebrated on the ninth Thursday after Easter. Combining pre-Christian harvest celebrations, it's a major festival in the Cotopaxi and Tungurahua provinces (south of Quito) and elsewhere. Ornate masks and headdresses are sometimes worn and a dance procession takes place from Salasaca to Pelileo near Baños.

Peru Cuzco Corpus Christi, most important religious festival. A total of fourteen Saints and Madonna’s, from each of Cuzco’s Parrish churches, participate in this colorful procession.

Ecuador Galapagos Jun-Dec - The southern trade winds bring the colder Humbolt current north to the Galapagos, called the "dry season "known for its blue skies and mid-day showers. Observe a big amount of species around the islands or the sea such as: giant tortoises, humpback whales, blue- footed boobies, cormorants, oystercatchers, lava lizards, Galapagos hawks, and masked boobies, swallow tailed gulls, sea lions, lava herons, brown noddies, penguins, etc. Due to the water temperature it is the perfect time for diving.

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Where to go in August


Bolivia - 6Aug, Independence Day in Bolivia, parades in most cities in the main square. 24Aug, Potosi Chutillos Festivity folkloric dances. Sucre San Ramon Festivity

Guatemala Joyabaj 15Aug - Festival- the town of Joyabaj celebrate’s with festivities including the “Palo Volador” which is a tall post from which villagers attached by a rope to the top of the pole “fly” in circles around the pole. It is possible to visit as a long day-trip from Antigua.

Colombia Villa de Leyva, Wind and Kite festival

Ecuador Otavalo 15-22Aug Fiesta de los Corazas

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Where to go in September

Bolivia La Paz 14Sep Tiwanaku Anniversary

Chile - 18-19 Sept Chile's National Holiday, big party!

Central America 15Sep Independence Day. In Guatemala festivities include parades with bands and school children. The night before, school children also participate in a parade carrying a torch from one town or school to another. This represents carrying the news of the independence throughout the country and Central America.

Central America and Mexico (Caribbean side) Sep/Oct is a high hurricane risk

Argentina Peninsula Valdes, whale season Sep-Oct and Punta Tombo penguins looking for their squads Sep-Apr is the best season to visit

Ecuador Otavalo 1-8Sep Fieta del Yamor, tribute is paid to the Virgin of Montserrat

Ecuador Loja 15Sep Fiesta de la Virgin del Cisne pilgrimages are made, dances, fairs and cockfights

Call us on 020 7622 1116 or drop us an email at info@imaginelatinamerica.co.uk for more in-depth advice on the best places to visit at a certain time of year.

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Where to go in October

Chile/Argentina - Patagonia goes into high season from Oct-Mar, best time to go trekking!

Antarctica trips are starting in Oct and go until Feb or Mar

Mexico Michoacan Oct-Feb observing Monarch Butterflies (Mariposas Monarcas) - Each year before the winter months, millions of the orange-black butterflies reach Mexico to mate and rest after an incredible migration trip to the south. They reach Michoacan in early October, cover whole trees and plants during the winter, and in the beginning of March, they head north again. The sanctuary of the Monarch Butterfly is located near the city of Angangueo, 160 km west of Mexico City, in the state of Michoacan.

Call us on 020 7622 1116 or drop us an email at info@imaginelatinamerica.co.uk for more in-depth advice on the best places to visit at a certain time of year.


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Where to go in November

Central America Nov-Apr is the high (dry season), however travelling in the rainy season can still be a very good experience depending on your itinerary. Beaches are best to be avoided!

Guatemala Day of the Dead 1Nov –Guatemalans go to the cemetery to decorate graves and remember their loved ones who have passed on. In the towns of Santiago and Sumpango Sacatepéquez (near Antigua), this is also celebrated by making and flying large kites made out of bamboo and crêpe paper. In Santiago, this happens in the cemetery and is a very fun and interesting festival to visit.

Mexico 02Nov Day of the Dead, Mexico celebrates a yearly tradition called Day of the Dead during the last days of October and the first days of November. Day of the dead is a big event in most Latin American cities

Central America - both the Pacific and Caribbean beaches are best visited from Nov-May

Colombia, Cartagena National Beauty Contest, this is a big deal in a country with a lot of plastic surgery

Mexico Ria Celestun Biosphere Reserve - great bird-watching all year long and specially during the winter months Jun-Aug: cardinals, oriols, motmots, woodpeckers, flycatchers, kingfishers, white ibises, hawks, owls, pelicans - over thousand bird species are registered in Mexico, 543 alone on the Yucatan Peninsula (the states of Yucatan, Quintana Roo and Campeche). The most popular and graceful among all the birds is surely the pink flamingo.

Venezuela The Llanos - A visit during the dry season, Nov-Apr, means seeing more wildlife

Guatemala Todos Santos Horse Race 1Nov. You can stay in Huehuetenango the night before and see the race the following morning. The whole town celebrates this event.

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Where to go in December

Peru Cuzco - 24Dec The market of Santuranticuy is a wonderful crafts markets on the main Square. The Plaza comes alive on the morning of Christmas eve with crafts people selling images for their nativity scenes

Brazil, Rio 31Dec Brazilians love to party and party they do! Copacabana beach party is world famous; the tradition is to dress white for good luck. Note hotels triple some even quadruple prices.

Chile Valparaiso - this is where Chileans like to party and dance all night

Argentina Buenos Aires: much more affordable than Rio to party the night away

Guatemala - Coffee Season Begins – At coffee farms all over Guatemala, harvest season begins and you can observe ripe coffee on the coffee tree. If you wish to help harvest coffee, you can visit “As Green As It Gets”- a small cooperative just outside of Antigua Guatemala. Guatemala; Posadas and Nativity Scenes – in the weeks leading up to Christmas, locals re-enact the scriptures in which Mary and Joseph look for a place to rest in Bethlehem in the form of “Posadas”. On certain evenings, groups of locals can be seen walking from house to house asking for a place to rest. When the group reaches the end of their re-enactment, they finally enter a home where there is a nativity scene and a special seasonal drink prepared. Nativity scenes can be seen in churches in most Latin countries, especially in Guatemala and Bolivia, and are quite elaborate and often life-sized.

Guatemala 07Dec Day of the Devil- All over Guatemala locals burn anything from paper, trash etc. to clean out their homes for the holy days ahead. In some towns, an effigy of the devil is also burned.

Peru/Bolivia/Ecuador; rainy season goes from Dec-Mar in the highlands, best to avoid trekking then.

Ecuador Galapagos Dec-May "warm season" - climate is more tropical with daily rain, ocean temperature is warmer for swimming and snorkelling. Observe species around the islands or the sea such as: marine iguanas, sea turtle, land iguanas, flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, masked boobies, marine iguanas, albatross, blue-footed boobies, etc. Due to the water conditions snorkelling is the recommended activity during these months.

Mexico Dec-Mar, whale-watching in Baja California: gray whales swim 8’000 km south from the Alaska’s Bering Strait to the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Up to 6,000 whales swim past and stop close to the shore at several spots to give birth to their calves.

Mexico Oacaca 23Dec Night of Radishes (Noche de rabanos): The traditional exhibition of sculptures made of an extraordinarily big red radish, mostly cultivated by radish growers themselves, shows Christmas scenes and attracts thousands of people every year. The radish sculptures are exposed on the main plaza of the city (zócalo).

Call us on 020 7622 1116 or drop us an email at info@imaginelatinamerica.co.uk for more in-depth advice on the best places to visit at a certain time of year.

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