April is the second month of the first shoulder season in South America, and the relaxed atmosphere and cooler temperatures of March continue to make the whole continent prime for visiting. In the central Andes, hiking trails are quickly drying up after the heavy rains, yet the big summer crowds are nowhere near. This is a great month for comprehensive, multi-country tours, for longer city stays, and for hopping between regions, as mentioned in our South America in March guide.
What April does share with March is the caveat of Easter week, which can fall on either month depending on the year. If your travel dates coincide, you can beat the rush simply by booking everything in advance.
Other than that, South America in April is travel made easy. Just the way we like it!
Machu Picchu is often shrouded in early morning mist in April, which can hide that first postcard view for a while, but it often lifts by mid-morning.
In this guide:
South America in April – an overview
Ideal for multi-country trips. Without the crowd crush of high season and rains of green season, almost the entire continent is perfect for exploring in April. It's probably a bit too cold in Patagonia by now, but there are plenty of alternatives.
The Inca Trail is still quiet. After its annual closure in February, the trek to Machu Picchu reopened in March and by April, it is well and truly dry.
Albatross return to the Galapagos. The world's entire albatross population returns "home" to Espanola for one of the noisiest (and funniest) courtship displays in the animal kingdom.
It’s cruising season in the Amazon. With the forest flooded, skip the lodges and opt for a river cruise instead. They can push deep among the trees to backwaters that open up only in these months.
Iguazu Falls is cooler and calmer. The flow is still strong from the summer rains, but milder autumn temperatures and thinner midweek crowds make for a very enjoyable visit.
Idyllic weather for city stays. If you love city sightseeing then consider April one of the best months for it. Rio is way past its summer heat, Buenos Aires' parks are turning orange, Santiago is chilling, and Cusco is noticeably drier than it was a month ago.
If there is one experience that sums up why April is such a good month in South America, it would have to be the Inca Trail. The famous trek closes every February for maintenance and comes back to life in March, but by April the trail has properly dried out while the hillsides are still green and flushed with orchids.
If the classic trail is fully booked, which is sometimes the case if you book your trip at the last minute, ask us about the Salkantay and Lares routes, which are just as lovely and also end at Machu Picchu.
"April is my favourite month to send people to Machu Picchu. The mountains look refreshed but you are not trudging through the worst of the mud and you’re not shoulder to shoulder with other trekkers at the Sun Gate. That’s a pretty idyllic combination."
- Flor Bojorquez, Destination Specialist at Viva Expeditions
See our Peru Tours and Machu Picchu Tours, or go straight for the Peru with Classic Inca Trail trek.
The Galapagos are a year-round destination, with every month serving up a unique wildlife event. In April, it is time for the waved albatross to shine. Some 12,000 pairs return en masse to a single island, Espanola, to breed. The waters are still calm and warm, and underwater visibility excellent, so it's perfect if you like the idea of a snorkelling trip but don’t want the hassle of a wetsuit.
Read our Galapagos snorkelling guide before you go and dedicate a few minutes to this wonderful National Geographic clip on the courtship ritual of the waves albatross.
The waved albatross has one of the quirkiest courtship rituals in nature, all bill-fencing and bowing, with a call somewhere between a creaking gate and a cartoon sword fight.
There is plenty more going on around surrounding islands, too, with frigatebirds still puffing out their scarlet throat pouches on North Seymour and Genovesa, and the last of the giant tortoise and sea turtle hatchlings making their way out of their nests. On Espanola, the marine iguanas are only just beginning to lose their red-and-green 'Christmas' colours we mentioned in our March guide, so you might still glimpse them.
"What makes the Galapagos so special is that the wildlife is unafraid, so close encounters are the norm. You will literally have to step over land iguanas on your walks, and curious sea lions come to check you out the moment you jump in the sea. It is about as good as wildlife travel gets."
- Beke Grossmann, Destination Specialist at Viva Expeditions.
See our Galapagos Tours and Cruises and the Signature Galapagos Islands cruise, or read up on the weirdest wildlife on the Galapagos Islands.
April is another great month to explore the world's greatest rainforest by river cruise boat. As the tributaries swell and forests are flooded, boats and canoes can explore farther into the igapo, the seasonally flooded forest, gliding between the treetops to reach backwaters that sit on dry land for the rest of the year. Land-based lodges still operate, but walking trails can be limited by the high water, so excursions are mostly done by canoe anyhow.
Amazon River cruises depart from Iquitos in Peru, Manaus in Brazil, or Quito in Ecuador. Viva’s Beke Grossmann combined the Galapagos with a trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon (staying in a lodge) and loved the experience and the ease of doing it all in one country. Read her review and if you also like the sound of exploring the Amazon in Ecuador in April, simply swap Beke’s lodge-stay for a Manatee 5-day cruise instead.
"Photos and documentaries might give you a sense of what the Amazon is like, but nothing prepares you for being there. The thick jungle, the sounds, the sheer amount of life all around you. You're a visitor in a world humans could never tame, and you somehow feel it."
- Beke Grossmann, Travel Specialist at Viva Expeditions
See all our Amazon Tours and Cruises, including the Delfin III river cruise. Not sure which country suits you? Our guide to Peru vs Ecuador vs Brazil breaks it down.
April is a brilliant month to see Iguazu, one of South America's true showstoppers. The heavy rains of the previous months keep the falls running strong, but the fierce heat and humidity have given way to much milder temperatures. That makes the long walks along the boardwalks and reserves on both the Argentine and Brazilian sides far easier going than in peak summer.
Crowds ease off too, especially midweek, so the viewpoints feel less pressed and the walkways more relaxing. Just keep in mind that this is the one South American highlight that gets particularly busy during Easter week, but our guides know how to plan your visit so you're always a step ahead of large groups, anyhow. They'll take you on the first train out to the Devil's Throat and get you to the main viewpoints early, well before the middle of the day when everyone else arrives.
The age-old quest to find the very "best" side to see at Iguazu is a futile endeavour. On the Argentine side, many of the walkways are built right over the top of the falls, so you experience the sheer scale and drama of the water up close. The Brazilian side, by contrast, gives you the full panorama of all 275 falls in one sweep. To do the falls justice, you really should see them from both angles.
We think a 3-day Iguazu Falls Experience is the perfect amount of time.
→ See all our Argentina Tours, or take in both sides plus Rio on the Signature Buenos Aires to Rio itinerary.
Iguazu straddles the border between Argentina and Brazil, and we always recommend seeing both sides.
Cusco is worth far more than a night's sleep on the way to Machu Picchu at any time, but April is particularly enjoyable for a longer layover. The old Inca capital sits at 3,400 metres (11,150 feet), so a couple of days here to acclimatise before any high-altitude walking is time well spent anyway.
Base yourself in the city and explore its Spanish-colonial squares, enjoy the superb food scene and have easy access to the hilltop ruins like Sacsayhuaman and the lower Sacred Valley, home to Pisac, Ollantaytambo, the salt pans of Maras and the terraces of Moray.
See our Signature Peru tour to see how we link Lima, Peru’s underrated capital, with Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
The first few months of the year in Rio are all about the sweltering heat and Carnaval hype, wonderful for a day or two but hard going if you actually want to see the city and its highlights. April is the antidote, when the heat eases just enough for proper sightseeing.
This is the month to take your time over Sugarloaf and Christ the Redeemer, wander the cobbled streets of Santa Teresa, and stretch out on Copacabana or Ipanema without roasting. The sea is still warm and the whole city feels a notch more relaxed now the year's biggest party is over.
See our Brazil Tours for ways to combine Rio with Iguazu and the Amazon.
Rio is one of the most thrilling cities on the continent, but big crowds can make it overwhelming. Visit in April, when it's more laid-back.
Autumn perfection is still blanketing Buenos Aires and those sidewalk cafes continue to remain open for long, leisurely evenings. The cool air and turning leaves make an already handsome city look like a painting, especially along the leafy streets of Recoleta and the grand parks of Palermo. This is the month to enjoy the city the way it was meant to be, with long, slow lunches and late tango nights.
Buenos Aires is one of the most popular entry points to the continent and a springboard for onward travel. From here, you can pick up a direct, 2-hour flight to Iguazu, cross the river to Montevideo and Colonia in Uruguay, and spend time in the Mendoza wine country.
It is no coincidence that so many South America itineraries either begin or end in the city. Give it a few days at the start of your trip with our Highlights of Buenos Aires short stay, or browse the many tours that start or include Buenos Aires to see how it slots into a longer journey.
Santiago is a stunning base for a few days if you’re into a serious food scene and world-class wine valleys at your doorstep.
April marks the tail end of harvest season, and vendimia festivals in both Argentina and Chile, but the cellar doors of the Maipo and Colchagua valleys outside Santiago stay busy well into April. If you are crossing to or from Argentina, Santiago and Mendoza sit within easy reach of each other on either side of the Andes so you can plan a 2-in-1 wine tour with ease.
See our Chile Tours. Have a little more time? Check out Tara’s report on her side trip to Easter Island to see the mysterious giant statues.
By mid-April, the vineyards near Santiago are starting to turn into stunning autumn hues. And the tasting tours are just getting started.
If you want to see a lot of South America in one trip, April is one of those few months we thoroughly recommend. Options on the continent abound, and tailored itineraries can mix-n-match a bevvy of highlights.
At Viva Expeditions, our Destination Specialists plan these April itineraries all the time and know how to sequence the regions so the weather and the logistics fall into place. Browse our full range of South America tours, take a look at the Signature South America Circle if you want the big-ticket highlights in one loop, and get in touch when you are ready to start planning where to go in South America in April.
Laura PattaraLaura Pattara writes for Viva Expeditions with a special love for all things Latin America. She had guided overland tours across the continent, reached Machu Picchu five times on foot, and even dressed up as a giant toucan for Carnaval. With a degree in languages and two decades of global travel experience behind her, Laura has a long-standing love for the Andes, soaring condors, and a truly delicious empanada. |
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Premium itineraries carefully crafted by destination experts. Take in the very best of South America and Central America, with highly-rated hotels and exclusive authentic experiences.
Discover the wonderful culture of Buenos Aires, visit Iguazu Falls, the most impressive in the world, and explore vibrant Rio de Janeiro.
Hike the famous Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. Follow in the footsteps of the ancient Incas on this famous 4 day trek.
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