Highlands

The Highlands

The highlands, or sierra, lives through two seasons: to October, where the sun shines during the day and nights are cold (often bringing frost), and it rarely rains (the ideal time to visit); and the wet season (oddly enough called winter) from November to March, when rainfall is heavy (often over 1 000 mm). The region stands out for the range in temperatures throughout the day. One commonly comes across temperatures plunging from 24 °C at midday to -3 °C around dawn. The highlands are also endowed with a pleasant, dry climate, which spurs the planting of a vast variety of crops.

The Jungle

The jungle can be divided into the highland jungle or cloud forest (above 700 masl) and lowland jungle (below 700 masl). High jungle country features a subtropical, balmy climate, with heavy rainfall (some 3.000 mm a year) between November and March, and bright sunshine from April to October. It is always cool at night.The lowland jungle regions, meanwhile, experience two extremely different seasons, which accentuate depending on the proximity to the Equator. The dry season from April to October (the ideal time of year for tourism) is marked by sunshine-filled days and high temperatures, often over 35 °C. During these months, the flow rate of the rivers drops and the roads are easy to drive along. The rainy season, however, which runs from November to March, features frequent downpours (at least once a day), and muddy roads which make traveling difficult. The humidity is high in the jungle all year round. In the south of the country, the jungle region is sometimes hit by cold winds, known locally as a “friaje”, a front that moves north from the far south of the continent between May and August, when temperatures can plunge to 8-12 °C.