Summer
Dec → Feb28°
nights 11 to 12°
- 3 rainy days · 12 mm
- 12.3 h of sun
When is the best time to visit the Atacama Desert?
- Jan28°not recommended
- Feb28°not recommended
- Mar27°fair
- Apr25°recommended
- May21°recommended
- Jun19°fair
- Jul19°not recommended
- Aug21°fair
- Sep24°recommended
- Oct26°recommended
- Nov28°recommended
- Dec28°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in the Atacama Desert, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 12° | 12.3 h | 12 mm | 4 d | |
| February | 28° | 12° | 11.8 h | 13 mm | 3 d | |
| March | 27° | 12° | 11.7 h | 11 mm | 3 d | |
| April | 25° | 8° | 11 h | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| May | 21° | 5° | 10.6 h | 2 mm | 1 d | ✓ |
| June | 19° | 3° | 10.4 h | 3 mm | 1 d | |
| July | 19° | 3° | 10.5 h | 0 mm | 0 d | |
| August | 21° | 3° | 10.9 h | 2 mm | 0 d | |
| September | 24° | 5° | 11.5 h | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| October | 26° | 8° | 12.4 h | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| November | 28° | 10° | 12.8 h | 0 mm | 0 d | ✓ |
| December | 28° | 11° | 12.8 h | 11 mm | 1 d |
The four seasons in the Atacama Desert, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (San Pedro de Atacama) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Autumn
Mar → May21 to 27°
nights 5 to 12°
- 1 rainy days · 4 mm
- 11.1 h of sun
Winter
Jun → Aug19 to 21°
nights 3°
- 0 rainy days · 2 mm
- 10.6 h of sun
Spring
Sep → Nov24 to 28°
nights 5 to 10°
- 0 rainy days · 0 mm
- 12.2 h of sun
Book early for April to May and September to November
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in the Atacama Desert, month by month
What to see and do
EventsFeast of San Pedro and San PabloJuneFiesta de La TiranaJulyDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in the Atacama Desert, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- JuneFeast of San Pedro and San Pablo
San Pedro de Atacama brings out its saints, dances and holds horseback races for its patron saints' festival, in late June.
- JulyFiesta de La Tirana big crowds
In the Pampa del Tamarugal, in the north of the desert, thousands of masked dancers honour the Virgin over several days.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended28°12° at night
- 12 mm · 4 d
- 12.3 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended28°12° at night
- 13 mm · 3 d
- 11.8 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair27°12° at night
- 11 mm · 3 d
- 11.7 h
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended25°8° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
- 11 h
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended21°5° at night
- 2 mm · 1 d
- 10.6 h
Busy, without the crush
June
Fair19°3° at night
- 3 mm · 1 d
- 10.4 h
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended19°3° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
- 10.5 h
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair21°3° at night
- 2 mm · 0 d
- 10.9 h
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended24°5° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
- 11.5 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended26°8° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
- 12.4 h
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended28°10° at night
- 0 mm · 0 d
- 12.8 h
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair28°11° at night
- 11 mm · 1 d
- 12.8 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. 28 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. Rain stays light: 12 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 12.3 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. 28 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. Hardly any rain (13 mm over 3 days). Plenty of sunshine: 11.8 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. 27 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. Hardly any rain (11 mm over 3 days). Plenty of sunshine: 11.7 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. 25 °C in the afternoon and 8 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Plenty of sunshine: 11 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 5 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (2 mm over 1 day). Plenty of sunshine: 10.6 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 3 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (3 mm over 1 day). Plenty of sunshine: 10.4 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 3 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Plenty of sunshine: 10.5 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
August. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 3 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (2 mm over 0 days). Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
September. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 5 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Plenty of sunshine: 11.5 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
October. 26 °C in the afternoon and 8 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Plenty of sunshine: 12.4 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
November. 28 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C at night. Hardly any rain (0 mm over 0 days). Plenty of sunshine: 12.8 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
December. 28 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C at night. Hardly any rain (11 mm over 1 day). Plenty of sunshine: 12.8 h a day on average. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit the Atacama Desert?
April to May and September to November: over these months, recorded highs range from 21 to 28 °C, with almost no rainy days a month on average (2015-2024 records, San Pedro de Atacama).
Which month should you avoid in the Atacama Desert?
It almost never rains (13 mm in the wettest month). The toughest month is January, with average highs of 28 °C, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (San Pedro de Atacama).
What is the hottest month in the Atacama Desert?
January, with 28 °C on average in the afternoon and 12 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (San Pedro de Atacama).
What is the coldest month in the Atacama Desert?
June, with 19 °C at best during the day and 3 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (San Pedro de Atacama).
What is the driest month in the Atacama Desert?
April: 0 mm over 0 days of rain, against 13 mm in February, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in the Atacama Desert?
November, with 12.8 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Does it get cold at night in the Atacama Desert?
The gap between day and night reaches 19 °C in September: 24 °C in the afternoon, 5 °C at dawn. Pack an extra layer, even in high season.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Atacama Desert guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Chile: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Louis / Pexels · INDU BIKASH SARKER / Pexels · Otávio Nogueira from Fortaleza, BR / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Renan Bomtempo / Pexels