LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
When to go
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SEASONS SOUTH OF THE EQUATOR
Aussies and Kiwis know this already. You ‘top-siders’ have some figuring to do (and we’re not talking about which way the water swirls when you flush the toilet). Most importantly, you need to know the seasons in the southern hemisphere:
• Winter: June, July, August
• Spring: September, October, November
• Summer: December, January, February
• Autumn/Fall: March, April, May
Once you’ve got this, then start flushing toilets and staring into the bowl.
Argentina’s seasons are reversed from the northern hemisphere’s. Spring and autumn/fall are the best times to visit Buenos Aires (the summer is hot and humid). Mendoza, Córdoba and the Lake District are all spectacular in autumn/fall, when the leaves are fiery reds and yellows, the temperatures are comfortable and the crowds are thin.
Summer (again, we’re talking Argentina’s summer) is the best time to hit Patagonia, when the weather’s milder and more services are available. Outside this time, public transport becomes trickier as services thin out. Northern Argentina can be brutally hot in summer and is best visited in spring, when the greens are greenest. Winter and autumn/fall are also pleasant.
Ski season runs mid-June through mid-October, and the resorts are most expensive and most crowded in July and August when every porteño (person from Buenos Aires) seems to be on the slopes.
The most expensive times to travel are the Argentine vacation months of January, February and July.
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT…
• Hat, sunglasses and sunblock
• Tampons – they’re tough to find in smaller towns
• Ziplock bags – to waterproof your gizmos and much, much more
• Duct tape – make your own mini-roll around a pencil stub or lighter
• Handy wipes – great for those overnight bus rides
• Swiss Army knife – be sure it has a corkscrew!
• Ear plugs – essential for hostels and streetside hotel rooms
• Universal sink plug – a must for hand washing your clothes
• Dental floss – sews your clothes, laces your shoes and more!
• Peanut butter – you can’t get it in Argentina
• ATM card – handiest way to get cash
• Hunger for steak
Lonely Planet recommends World Nomads Travel insurance
