Iquique: When to Go

On the western edge of the Atacama Desert, Iquique is dry and mild year-round, so it can be visited comfortably at any time. November to March is the peak season, though there is little variation in average summer and winter temperatures. Surfing and body-boarding is best in winter, when swells come from the north, but it is good all year.

Although Iquique has the usual array of annual Chilean festivals, the place to be in mid-July is La Tirana for Chile's most spectacular religious fiesta, the 10-day Virgin of Carmen festival. The village is 72km (43mi) east of Iquique and easily reached by bus or car.

Weather

The Atacama is the most perfect of deserts - some coastal stations have never recorded measurable rainfall. However, infrequent El Niño events can bring brief, but phenomenal, downpours in other places. Temperatures are steady and mild throughout the year in Iquique, though just a few degrees warmer in the summer months (December to March), at around 24°C (75°F).

Temperature (average ° C)

Rainfall (average mm)