When I rode through Argentina at he end of December around Mendoza it was 104 Degrees F.

I've done the Andes twice now and it can be hot :-)

Findingthe right time is hard, but using the right gear can help. If you are prepared to use a light summer jacket and kevlar lined jeans then they are suitable for the heat.

On our 1st trip I had my Hein Gerrick jacket and trousers in an Ortleib bag on my back seat so that I could switch as soon as conditions change. On our 2nd trip as we were both on one bike I kept the HG gear (jacket) on most of the time and sweated in Argentina (NW corner).

Jean used decent thin waterproofs (until she burnt them on the exhaust) on the 2nd trip.

We have ridden Bolivia in December and Feb, both time it was mainly dry. In the December my HG gear kept me warm and we only experienced the one heavy down pour (El ALto, in the traffic). December is just at the start of the wet season. But if you drop to Cochabamba it will be dry.

In the Feb in Bolivia again we must have got lucky, 9 days without getting rained on. never seen snow.

To stay cool head through Chile, use Ruta 5 and take the coast road between Iquique and Antofogasta if the desert bores you.

You can either cross to Argentina north or south of Santiago. Mendoza is probably always warm :-)

Ptagonia, does not *always* rain :-). Again, we may have been lucky and only needed waterproofs a few times.

YMMV, but isn't that always the fun ? :-)

Oh, Patagonia fills up with Chileans at the end of Jan, best end of Dec into Jan.

__________________
--

http://www.ytc1.co.uk

Thanks for that Bruce.

Any ideas what to expect in Bolivian/Chilean Atacama, Bolivar highlands and Peruvian Andes in August, September & October? I'm hoping not too cold but no rain either... Is going up there at this time going to be crazy or just a bit chilly?

Not wanting to push your question aside Ridetheworld (though El Forko tells me those are fine months to be in those parts - May+ Bolivia, Aug-Oct Peru) . . .

But a related question:

I’m currently in Puerto Natales and would like to take my time weaving north over the Andes. I’m wondering when the weather turns (i.e. when roads get dicey with encroaching winter and passes close for the season). I don’t want to cut it that fine, but good to know. I realise the snow comes and goes higher up with rains in the valleys, but its the season end I'm interested in.

I imagine being up around Bariloche by end Feb/early March will be sensible, beyond which the temps are hot, though hopefully coming down from peak temps of Jan-Feb, especially up in northern Chile and NW Arg.

Then Bolivia for May+.

Cheers!

Bob

I've not done August in Bolivia, but that is the dry season. And also "high" tourist season. Bolivia has highland and lowland regions, so temps can vary and even in the dry season in can get chilly at night around Oruro and down in Uyuni.

The Atacama is almost guaranteed dry :-). But it is a desert and can also get cold at night. There is no time that is crazy t go IMO. Just what fits with your itinerary. As long as you have decent riding gear the extremes are manageable. If space, carry summer gear (light jacket and kevlar Jeans) and mix and match

__________________
--

http://www.ytc1.co.uk