Best Time to Visit Mendoza

Four seasons, and a dry one all year

Mendoza sits in the desert foothills of the Andes, so even the "wet" months are fairly dry. Summer (December to February) is hot and sunny, with afternoon storms now and then. Autumn (March to May) cools down fast. Winter (June to August) is crisp, with cold nights and mild days. Spring (September to November) warms up steadily and gets very sunny.

Our comfort score rates almost every month Excellent. Only December to February drops to Good, mostly because of the heat.

Which month for which trip

Love wine? March and April are hard to beat. Days are warm, nights are cool, and the vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley turn gold and red. Cycling between bodegas (wineries) in Maipú is pleasant then, not sweaty.

Want to hike or see the mountains? November to March is the usual window. The road to Aconcagua's Horcones lagoon and the Puente del Inca area is easiest then. Summer afternoons in the city reach 33°C, so you'll want shade and a long lunch.

Prefer quiet and cheap? June and July are cold at night, but the days are sunny and dry. It's good for tasting rooms and for skiing at Las Leñas or Los Penitentes. Don't expect much rain. Snow depends on the year.

September and October are a sweet spot. It's dry and bright, the evenings are cosy, and the plane trees along the city's acequias (old irrigation channels) are leafing out again.

Crowds and high season

Peak times are January and February, when Argentine families are on school holidays, and the July winter break. Wineries fill up and lunch tables go quickly. Easter week and long weekends also bring domestic visitors.

March is busy for a different reason: harvest. The best weather and the best wine experiences overlap, so it's popular. May, August and October are quieter, and you'll often have a tasting room almost to yourself.

Festivals worth planning around

The big one is the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia, the national grape harvest festival. It runs in late February or early March. It ends with a huge show at the Frank Romero Day amphitheatre, and a parade through the city's streets comes earlier. Rooms cost more and fill up, so you'll need to book early.

Early in the year, you'll also find smaller harvest blessings in wine towns. In spring, many bodegas hold open-air lunches as the weather warms. Check dates locally, as they shift each year.