Best places to visit in South America in January

In January, South America's best-scoring destinations are San Pedro de Atacama (95), El Calafate (92) and Cartagena (91): 12 of its 40 well-known places are at their seasonal best, mostly in Colombian Andes; Andean Lakes District averages 15/100.

Each place is scored at its seasonal best — beaches on beach weather, cities on walking weather, ski towns in snow season. Tap any place for the full January breakdown.

Classics at their best in South America in January

15

The places you already know, in the month the climate agrees with them. 12 of South America's 40 well-known places are in one of their own top-three months.

  1. 1San Pedro de Atacama 🇨🇱 Chilewarm, dry, clean air · best March95
  2. 2El Calafate 🇦🇷 Argentinanice, a little rain, clean air · best February92
  3. 3Cartagena 🇨🇴 Colombiasweltering, dry, clean air · best January91
  4. 4Puerto Ayora 🇪🇨 Ecuadorhot, a little rain, clean air · best August90
  5. 5La Serena 🇨🇱 Chilewarm, dry, clean air · best February89
  6. 6Maceió 🇧🇷 Brazilsweltering, a little rain, clean air · best October89
  7. 7Santiago 🇨🇱 Chilehot, dry · best November89
  8. 8Villa de Leyva 🇨🇴 Colombianice, rainy, clean air · best August89
  9. 9Guatapé 🇨🇴 Colombiawarm, rainy, clean air · best July88
  10. 10Porto de Galinhas 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain, clean air · best October88
  11. 11Mar del Plata 🇦🇷 Argentinahot, a little rain, clean air · best January87
  12. 12Paracas 🇵🇪 Peruwarm, dry, clean air · best April87
  13. 13Salvador 🇧🇷 Brazilsweltering, a little rain, clean air · best September87
  14. 14Bogotá 🇨🇴 Colombianice, a little rain, muggy air · best September86
  15. 15Lima 🇵🇪 Peruhot, dry, clean air · best November85

Under the radar in South America in January

11

Less-visited places whose January weather outscores the classics above — the data's own suggestions.

  1. 16Antofagasta 🇨🇱 Chilewarm, dry, clean air · best January94
  2. 17Valparaíso 🇨🇱 Chilenice, dry, clean air · best January94
  3. 18Santa Marta 🇨🇴 Colombiasweltering, dry, clean air · best January93
  4. 19Iquique 🇨🇱 Chilehot, dry, clean air · best February91
  5. 20Máncora 🇵🇪 Perusweltering, a little rain, clean air · best July91
  6. 21Castro 🇨🇱 Chilenice, a little rain, clean air · best February90
  7. 22Pipa 🇧🇷 Brazilsweltering, a little rain, clean air · best October90
  8. 23Chicama 🇵🇪 Peruhot, dry · best April89
  9. 24João Pessoa 🇧🇷 Brazilsweltering, a little rain, clean air · best October89
  10. 25Puerto Varas 🇨🇱 Chilenice, a little rain, clean air · best February89
  11. 26Recife 🇧🇷 Brazilsweltering, a little rain, clean air · best October89

Every region of South America in January

18

The best-known place in each part of South America this month, even where the month is only fair.