Best time to visit Brazil

At a glance

Seasons in the southern hemisphere

Most of Brazil lies south of the equator, so the seasons run opposite to Europe and North America. INMET, Brazil’s national weather institute, gives these start dates for 2026: autumn on 20 March, winter on 21 June, spring on 22 September and summer on 21 December.

For a trip, rain matters more than the calendar. One region can be in its wet season while another is dry in the same weeks, so the best time to visit Brazil depends on where you are going.

Rainy and dry seasons by region

The figures are INMET normals for 1961-1990, published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The UK FCDO notes that heavy rain and flooding can happen outside these seasons, and that flash floods and landslides are common where mountains meet the coast, as in Rio. We keep a spare day in plans for the rainy months. For Rio month by month, see Rio de Janeiro weather.

In the Pantanal, ICMBio names January and February as the wettest months and says the Transpantaneira road becomes almost impassable from December. Its advice is to come between May and September.

Winter in Brazil

The coolest months are June to August. July in INMET normals:

Rio is at its driest, with highs around 25 °C, which suits walking the city and day trips; bring a light layer for evenings. The south has a real winter: Curitiba’s June nights average 7.8 °C. The Pantanal and the centre are dry. The north-east coast stays warm but wet.

High season and holidays

Brazilian summer, December to February, is the high season. Rio’s highs average 28.6-30.2 °C, and New Year and Carnival fall in these weeks. We book accommodation for holiday dates early.

Other national holidays set by federal law: 21 April, 1 May, 7 September, 12 October, 2, 15 and 20 November, and 25 December. Under our rules, the deposit for New Year and Carnival is not refundable after confirmation, because seats and tickets are booked for you.

Brazil month by month

Pick the season by what you want

Combining regions in one trip? A two-week Brazil itinerary can start in Rio and add the Pantanal in the dry season or the north-east in late spring. Check entry requirements on official websites.

What to tell us in your request

• Rough dates or the month you can travel, and how flexible they are
• How many people, and ages of any children
• Regions you want: Rio, Pantanal, Amazon, north-east, south
• Fixed events: New Year, Carnival, Formula 1
• Pace and interests: beaches, nature, food, nightlife
• Language for your guide

How we help

We match the plan to the season: a private guide who speaks your language, a private driver for day trips, and flights and transfers lined up between regions. If weather cancels a tour, we move it to a new date or refund the deposit in full. Terms and payment are set out in the proposal; you pay nothing before you confirm. See private trips in Rio for how a plan comes together.