Spring in Patagonia: October to November

Travelling through Patagonia in October and November means arriving as the region opens itself back up after winter. Snow still shapes the mountains, rivers run high with meltwater, and the landscape feels freshly reset. It’s a season defined by movement and change rather than polish - fewer people, more space, and a strong sense of being early rather than late.

These early-season months can be wonderfully photogenic times to visit Patagonia. Along Chile's Carretera Austral, walking conditions are very good, and the colorful lupins will be in full bloom by November. Crowds are rarely an issue here, but numbers are particularly low either side of peak summer. So it's a green light for road trips until well into April – though as always, you need to go prepared for Patagonia's famously wild weather.

Down in Chile’s far south, October and early November present a nice window of opportunity to have a bit more of Torres del Paine to ourselves before the crowds begin to build up from December through February. Snow often remains on higher ground, and some trails may still be restricted early in the month, but the scenery is at its most dramatic - snow-dusted peaks, swollen lakes and very few visitors. Wildlife is active, with guanacos, foxes and birdlife easy to spot in the open terrain. November is a famously windy month though, so do bring a spare hat. Actually, bring two.

The penguin waddling season kicks off in earnest near Punta Arenas at the start of October, coinciding with the start of the Cape Horn cruise season.

Spring brings a different kind of drama to the Valdés Peninsula. October and November sit within the prime period for southern right whales, which gather in the sheltered waters to calve. From the shoreline, you can often see them close in - an experience that feels intimate rather than orchestrated. On land, this is also a strong time for wildlife: elephant seals, sea lions, guanacos and bird colonies are all active.