Highlights of South America

The climate ranges from subtropical to subpolar. The north has hot, humid summers and dry, mild winters; the central regions are hot and sometimes stormy in summer, cool in winter; the south has warm summers and cold winters with some snowfall at higher elevations. The central coastline and the Río de la Plata estuary, which includes Buenos Aires, are best avoided from May until August, when the rains are heavy. If you’re in the wine-growing Cuyo region or the western Pampas, pack layers for variable temperatures. A hot, dry wind - The Zonda - occasionally roars down from Andean heights, blowing for several hours, and can be followed by temperature drops.