Jujuy sits at around 1,200 metres altitude, which keeps temperatures moderate year-round compared to lower Argentine cities. Days are warm and sunny in the dry season (May to October), with cool nights — temperatures can drop sharply at altitude, especially on the puna and in the quebrada. This is the best time to visit: clear skies make the canyon colours most vivid, and roads to the Salinas Grandes and beyond are fully passable.
Summer (December to February) brings the rainy season to the quebrada, with afternoon downpours that can be dramatic but rarely last long. The landscape turns green and lush — a contrast to the usual ochre — and wildflowers appear on the high puna. However, flash flooding occasionally closes roads in the quebrada, and some dirt tracks become impassable. The Carnival celebrations in February are a major event in the region, drawing large crowds and featuring remarkable indigenous and colonial traditions mixed together.
The shoulder months — April and November — offer good weather with fewer visitors. Avoid public holidays when the bus terminal and cheaper accommodation fill quickly.