Best Places to Visit in South America in May 2026

40 South America destinations ranked by May temperature — coolest first. Find a warm-winter beach or a summer escape from the heat.

Coolest

Ushuaia

~3°C

Median

Atacama Desert

~16°C

Warmest

Cartagena

~28°C

South America destinations in May, sorted by temperature

Ushuaia3°C

Ushuaia

Argentina

$180/daySafety 85/100
Patagonia4°C

Patagonia

Chile

$160/daySafety 78/100
Torres del Paine4°C

Torres del Paine

Chile

$200/daySafety 92/100
El Chaltén4°C

El Chaltén

Argentina

$150/daySafety 90/100
Puerto Natales4°C

Puerto Natales

Chile

$150/daySafety 90/100
La Paz8°C

La Paz

Bolivia

$70/daySafety 55/100Peak in May
Bariloche9°C

Bariloche

Argentina

$115/daySafety 72/100
Puno11°C

Puno

Peru

$70/daySafety 70/100Peak in May
Copacabana11°C

Copacabana

Bolivia

$60/daySafety 75/100Peak in May
Pucón12°C

Pucón

Chile

$115/daySafety 80/100
Cusco13°C

Cusco

Peru

$90/daySafety 62/100Peak in May
Valparaíso13°C

Valparaíso

Chile

$105/daySafety 60/100
Santiago14°C

Santiago

Chile

$115/daySafety 68/100Peak in May
Salar de Uyuni14°C

Salar de Uyuni

Bolivia

$70/daySafety 70/100Peak in May
Machu Picchu14°C

Machu Picchu

Peru

$200/daySafety 80/100Peak in May
Buenos Aires15°C

Buenos Aires

Argentina

$110/daySafety 55/100Peak in May
Bogota15°C

Bogota

Colombia

$90/daySafety 52/100
Montevideo15°C

Montevideo

Uruguay

$125/daySafety 70/100
Sacred Valley15°C

Sacred Valley

Peru

$90/daySafety 78/100Peak in May
Sucre15°C

Sucre

Bolivia

$60/daySafety 78/100Peak in May
Atacama Desert16°C

Atacama Desert

Chile

$160/daySafety 80/100Peak in May
Mendoza16°C

Mendoza

Argentina

$100/daySafety 72/100
Lima17°C

Lima

Peru

$115/daySafety 55/100
Baños de Agua Santa17°C

Baños de Agua Santa

Ecuador

$60/daySafety 78/100
Salta17°C

Salta

Argentina

$110/daySafety 70/100Peak in May
Florianópolis18°C

Florianópolis

Brazil

$180/daySafety 73/100
Arequipa18°C

Arequipa

Peru

$80/daySafety 70/100Peak in May
Quito19°C

Quito

Ecuador

$105/daySafety 55/100
São Paulo20°C

São Paulo

Brazil

$125/daySafety 50/100Peak in May
Easter Island20°C

Easter Island

Chile

$230/daySafety 85/100Peak in May
Medellin21°C

Medellin

Colombia

$90/daySafety 55/100
Galápagos Islands23°C

Galápagos Islands

Ecuador

$325/daySafety 85/100
Rio de Janeiro24°C

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

$120/daySafety 48/100Peak in May
Iguazu Falls24°C

Iguazu Falls

Argentina

$160/daySafety 75/100Peak in May
Paraty24°C

Paraty

Brazil

$130/daySafety 75/100Peak in May
Salvador25°C

Salvador

Brazil

$115/daySafety 50/100
Foz do Iguaçu25°C

Foz do Iguaçu

Brazil

$90/daySafety 65/100Peak in May
Manaus27°C

Manaus

Brazil

$100/daySafety 60/100
Fernando de Noronha27°C

Fernando de Noronha

Brazil

$350/daySafety 90/100
Cartagena28°C

Cartagena

Colombia

$115/daySafety 60/100

Frequently asked

What's the weather like in South America in May?

South America in May ranges from about 3°C (Ushuaia) to 28°C (Cartagena). Median around 16°C. The exact temperature depends heavily on which destination — coastal vs inland, north vs south, altitude all matter.

Where's the coolest place to visit in South America in May?

Ushuaia, Argentina averages around 3°C in May — the coolest destination in South America on our list. Worth checking peak/shoulder season too: even with cool temps, May may not be peak for the destination.

Where's the warmest place to visit in South America in May?

Cartagena, Colombia runs around 28°C in May — the warmest destination in South America on our list. If you're chasing summer in winter or beach weather year-round, this is the move.

Is May a good time to visit South America?

Across South America we have 40 destinations with weather data. Whether May is "good" depends on what you're after: cool weather, warm weather, peak season pricing or shoulder. The list below sorts by temperature so you can match destinations to your weather preference.

All months

All South America destinations →

Grouped by peak month, all temperatures.

All regions

Best places in May worldwide →

Every continent at its peak in May.

Other months in South America

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