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What to do in Mendoza in summer

In summer, Mendoza is about the river and the mountains in the morning and the vineyards in the afternoon. These are the tours that work best from December to March, and how to plan your days around the heat.

Summer is Mendoza's longest and brightest season. Days are hot and dry, nights cool down, and the Andes are an hour from the city. The rule is simple: mountains and river in the morning, wineries in the afternoon, and keep midday for the siesta, which locals take seriously.

The river: rafting in Potrerillos

In summer the Mendoza River runs high with snowmelt, which makes it the best season for rafting. The base is in Potrerillos, a little over an hour from downtown. The 12 km Rafting is the long descent: fifty minutes to an hour and a quarter on the water, with moderate to intense rapids depending on the season's flow.

No experience needed, but you must be able to swim.
At the base you get a wetsuit, jacket, helmet, life vest and paddle.
You can come with pickup from your hotel, from the bus terminal, or on your own.

To add something else that day, the Cerro Cocodrilo trek is a two-hour hike with the turquoise reservoir below. It combines with rafting on the same outing.

The mountains: High Andes and Aconcagua

Up high it is 15 to 20 degrees Celsius cooler than in the city, so the High Andes tour is also the best way to escape the heat. Twelve hours along Route 7: Potrerillos, Uspallata, Puente del Inca and the Aconcagua viewpoint, the highest peak in the Americas. In summer the road is usually clear and, when the border police allow it, the tour goes up to the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Even if it is 35 °C in Mendoza, bring a warm layer. It is windy up there and the sun is strong: hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

Hot water: Cacheuta Hot Springs

It sounds odd, but the Cacheuta Hot Springs are one of the most requested outings in summer. It is an open-air park with more than ten pools at different temperatures, shade, loungers and water slides for kids. You spend the whole day moving between the warm and the cool pools, fifty minutes from the city. Just bring a swimsuit, towel and flip-flops.

The afternoon: wineries and horseback riding

When the sun goes down, Mendoza comes back to life. Two plans that are especially good in summer:

Wineries and Olive Oil: three wineries with tastings and an olive oil producer, from 2 pm until sunset. Perfect for your first day.
Horseback riding in Chacras de Coria: two hours on horseback through the foothills, suitable for first-timers, followed by a traditional asado with wine. The afternoon ride is the favorite: you have dinner while the mountains fade into the dark.