Best places to visit in South America in September
In September, South America's best-scoring destinations are Arequipa (96), Puerto Ayora (95) and Mendoza (94): 11 of its 40 well-known places are at their seasonal best, mostly in Southeast Brazil; Central Brazil & the Chaco averages 52/100.
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 September breakdown.
Classics at their best in South America in September
15The places you already know, in the month the climate agrees with them. 11 of South America's 40 well-known places are in one of their own top-three months.
- 1Arequipa 🇵🇪 Perunice, dry, clean air · best September96
- 2Puerto Ayora 🇪🇨 Ecuadorwarm, dry, clean air · best August95
- 3Mendoza 🇦🇷 Argentinanice, dry, clean air · best April94
- 4Lima 🇵🇪 Perunice, dry, clean air · best November93
- 5Cusco 🇵🇪 Perunice, a little rain, clean air · best June92
- 6San Pedro de Atacama 🇨🇱 Chilenice, dry, clean air · best March91
- 7Salvador 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain, clean air · best September90
- 8Bogotá 🇨🇴 Colombianice, a little rain, clean air · best September89
- 9Maceió 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain, clean air · best October89
- 10Porto de Galinhas 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain, clean air · best October89
- 11Fernando de Noronha 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, dry, muggy air · best November88
- 12Ollantaytambo 🇵🇪 Perunice, rainy, clean air · best July88
- 13Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain · best September88
- 14Villa de Leyva 🇨🇴 Colombianice, rainy, clean air · best August87
- 15Aguas Calientes 🇵🇪 Perunice, rainy, clean air · best July86
Under the radar in South America in September
15Less-visited places whose September weather outscores the classics above — the data's own suggestions.
- 16Máncora 🇵🇪 Peruhot, dry, clean air · best July95
- 17Cafayate 🇦🇷 Argentinanice, dry, clean air · best October94
- 18Ica 🇵🇪 Peruwarm, dry, clean air · best July94
- 19Antofagasta 🇨🇱 Chilenice, dry, muggy air · best January93
- 20Cochabamba 🇧🇴 Boliviawarm, dry · best September93
- 21Montañita 🇪🇨 Ecuadorhot, dry, clean air · best November93
- 22Ouro Preto 🇧🇷 Brazilwarm, a little rain · best September93
- 23Trujillo 🇵🇪 Peruwarm, dry, clean air · best August93
- 24Córdoba 🇦🇷 Argentinawarm, dry, clean air · best September92
- 25Fortaleza 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, dry, clean air · best August92
- 26Pipa 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, dry, clean air · best October92
- 27Trancoso 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain, clean air · best September92
- 28Jericoacoara 🇧🇷 Brazilsweltering, dry, clean air · best August91
- 29João Pessoa 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain, muggy air · best October91
- 30Recife 🇧🇷 Brazilhot, a little rain · best October91
Every region of South America in September
18The best-known place in each part of South America this month, even where the month is only fair.
- Arequipa 🇵🇪 PeruPeruvian Andes · avg 91/100 over 4 · nice, dry, clean air96
- Puerto Ayora 🇪🇨 EcuadorEcuador's Coast & Galápagos · avg 95/100 over 1 · warm, dry, clean air95
- Mendoza 🇦🇷 ArgentinaCentral Chile & Mendoza · avg 89/100 over 2 · nice, dry, clean air94
- Lima 🇵🇪 PeruPeru's Desert Coast · avg 90/100 over 2 · nice, dry, clean air93
- San Pedro de Atacama 🇨🇱 ChileAtacama · avg 87/100 over 2 · nice, dry, clean air91
- Salvador 🇧🇷 BrazilNortheast Brazil · avg 89/100 over 3 · hot, a little rain, clean air90
- Bogotá 🇨🇴 ColombiaColombian Andes · avg 82/100 over 4 · nice, a little rain, clean air89
- Fernando de Noronha 🇧🇷 BrazilGuianas & Northern Brazil · avg 88/100 over 1 · hot, dry, muggy air88
- Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷 BrazilSoutheast Brazil · avg 86/100 over 3 · hot, a little rain88
- Buenos Aires 🇦🇷 ArgentinaPampas & Uruguay · avg 79/100 over 3 · nice, a little rain, clean air86
- Valle Nevado 🇨🇱 ChileAndes Ski Country · avg 82/100 over 2 · cold, a little rain, reliable snow84
- La Paz 🇧🇴 BoliviaAltiplano & Lake Titicaca · avg 83/100 over 1 · nice, a little rain, clean air83
- El Calafate 🇦🇷 ArgentinaPatagonia · avg 67/100 over 4 · cold, a little rain, clean air80
- Florianópolis 🇧🇷 BrazilSouthern Brazil & Iguazú · avg 76/100 over 2 · warm, rainy, muggy air77
- Quito 🇪🇨 EcuadorEcuadorian Andes · avg 76/100 over 1 · nice, soaked, clean air76
- San Andrés 🇨🇴 ColombiaCaribbean Colombia & Venezuela · avg 73/100 over 2 · sweltering, soaked, clean air74
- San Martín de los Andes 🇦🇷 ArgentinaAndean Lakes District · avg 64/100 over 2 · cold, rainy, clean air67
- Pantanal 🇧🇷 BrazilCentral Brazil & the Chaco · avg 52/100 over 1 · sweltering, a little rain52