Why November is the Best Time to Visit Argentina

Buenos Aires comes alive in November. After a long winter of sporadic rain and no fun, Argentines are just gagging to get out to indulge in the wonderful cultural offerings the capital has to offer. From outdoor cinemas to pool parties and weekends spent in the countryside, November is the perfect antidote to the months of gloom that precede it. The city thrives in spring and everyone brings their A game, so get ready to have some fun.

While winter isn’t really that harsh in Argentina (well, anywhere apart from Patagonia that is), spring brings with it a rise in temperature that is very much appreciated. Argentines are positively paralysed by rain and cold, so the sunny, hot days of November are like a new awakening before the blistering heat of summer kicks in.

Argentines like to have a good time, but hedonism reaches peak levels in November. At weekends the phone rings non-stop with invitations to asados, or barbeques, pool parties, days spent drinking on friends’ terraces and picnics in the park. While the rest of the year brings good times with it, November is the time that revelers really get their day in the sun.

A time-honoured Argentine tradition, November is the month in which the country’s very own cowboy is celebrated with the annual gaucho festival in the quaint country village of San Antonio de Areco, just less than two hours outside the capital Buenos Aires. With horse shows, cowboy demonstrations, sizzling parillas on the go and a host of family friendly and fun activities, the gaucho festival is one of the firm favourites on the November calendar.

The glitz and the glamour of polo reigns supreme in November, as this is when the Argentine Open Polo Championship takes place in Buenos Aires’ centre of polo, the Hippodrome Palermo. Don your finery and sip on champagne while you watch the Game of Kings play out in front of you.

Argentina is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. From the rolling sierras in the Cordobese countryside, to the glacial lakes of Bariloche and the hippy trails around El Bolson and San Martin de los Andes, to longer treks in El Chalten. November usually brings clear skies and longer days, perfect for hiking, trekking and camping.

Get down to Puerto Madryn in Patagonia to watch the Southern Right Whale come into the bay to mate from June to November. While the biggest concentration of the species can be seen in September and October, you should still be able to see these incredible mammals come together en masse at the beginning of November. Take a boat tour and catch sight of those amazing whales!