Autumn in Brazil: April to June

Autumn is a wonderful time to visit Brazil, particularly around Rio de Janeiro.

We're not talking New England here. This is the tropics, so it's not a time of ochre leaves, mushrooms on the forest floor and cosy evenings by the fire. But the high heat and humidity of the summer eases away, the tropical storms fade away and temperatures return to pleasingly warm levels. It is a time for swimming, for city discovery and receding water levels in the Amazon and Pantanal.

The summer heat is subsiding. The rains are easing up. The chaos of Carnival is over, and the city breathes in cooler Atlantic air again. Come on in, the water's warm...

April is a transition month, and so things can still get hot and downpours can still happen, though much less so than in the summer. May and June are beautifully green and might just be our favourite months to visit. As the season progresses, temperatures drop into the mid-20s°C, humidity eases, and the risk of tropical downpours lessens.

There's much to enjoy outside of the city, too. It's harvest time in the coffee valley north of Rio, a particularly picturesque time for a bit of Rio & Beyond. It's a wonderful, wonderful time to swim in the crystal-clear rivers of the Serra do Mar coastal range and the quiet beaches around Paraty. The hiking in the mountains near Teresópolis is a real treat.

If you're looking for a family escape over Easter, look no further than our Rio & Beach House Family Escape.

In April, the Amazon River is nearly at its highest level, so this is a good time to explore by canoe deep into the flooded forest. Trees stand half-submerged, and canoe trips allow you to glide silently through the forest canopy, entering areas inaccessible at other times.

May is the shoulder season with high river levels and a bit less humidity. The dry season begins in June, though expect some rain to cool things down every three days or so. As waters begin to ease, fish movements increase and caiman become more visible along receding banks.

From April to June, the Iguazú Falls experiences a transition from the rainy summer to the slightly drier autumn months. Average highs drop to around 25–28°C, with lower humidity than in the peak summer months. Showers are less frequent, though short tropical rains still occur, particularly in April. By June, conditions are noticeably drier.

The falls are still very impressive, though water volume is slightly lower than in the high summer. This makes boat rides far less wobbly. Cooler temperatures and less humidity make walking the upper and lower trails, as well as the Devil’s Throat walkway, far more pleasant and drier conditions improve your chances of spotting animals along the trails. There are also noticeably fewer tourists than in December to March, particularly outside Easter holidays.

All in all, a wonderful time to visit!

Brazil’s vast wetland is entering its dry season too, and slowly, slowly, the water levels are receding. Dirt roads and trails are increasingly dry, so 4x4 drives and guided walks are easier than in the wet season. You'll enjoy warm days, typically 25–30°C, with cooler nights, especially in June. Less humidity and fewer mosquitoes make travel more comfortable.

This is a beautiful time to visit. The receding waters reveal vast stretches of grassland interspersed with forested islands, and the sky tends to be clear and blue.

On the wildlife front, migratory birds arrive, and resident species are easier to spot against the open landscape. If you go later in the autumn, concentrated water sources make animals easier to see. Jaguars, capybaras, caimans, marsh deer, and countless bird species gather around rivers, lagoons, and drying ponds.

Bahia is still very warm but less intense than the summer, generally 26–30°C. Nights are cooler, offering pleasant evenings. Post Carnival, things are calmer, or as calm as things will ever get in this city of musci!

The one spanner in the works is that April, May and June can be quite rainy on the coast. So it's not the ideal time for the beaches south of the city.