Brazil in October: Calm Before the Rains

Now that winter is coming to an end, Brazil begins to heat up. In the south, the temperatures in cities such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo hovers around 24℃. Inland, in the rainforest city of Manaus, humidity is still low, but beginning to rise. Here, the temperature averages around 32℃. In mountain towns, such as Gramado in the Rio Grande do Sul, you can expect cold nights and fine, clear days with temperatures ranging from 11℃ at night up to 22℃ during the day. Although this is the start of the rainy season, Brazil in October sees sporadic rainfall, and days are balmy without being unpleasantly hot.

For a seasonal overview, check out our guide on the best time to visit Brazil.

October is a shoulder tourist month in Brazil. The beaches aren’t too crowded, and for nature lovers, traveling to the Amazon introduces diverse wildlife species that are easy to spot during this time of the year.

• Visit the Ilha Grande: Located an hour from Rio, the Ilha Grande is a forest-covered island with superb beaches and no cars. On your trip to the Ilha Grande, take cash because most places don’t accept cards, wear comfortable shoes, and carry along insect repellent. 
• The rainforest at its best: Before the humidity and heat become uncomfortable, October is the best month for visiting the Amazon rainforests. The inland city of Manaus is a cultured and sophisticated metropolis from which you can embark on riverboat voyages deep into the jungle along big rivers and narrow waterways.
• Octoberfest: In the south of Brazil, the town of Blumenau’s German heritage comes to the fore in its Octoberfest celebrations with plenty of beer, bread, and oom-pa-pa bands.
• Wildlife spotting in the Pantanal: The end of the dry season is perfect for visiting the vast Pantanal region, the world’s largest submerged grassland, where spotting wildlife is at its easiest before the rains bring fresh growth for the critters to hide in.

Brazil's weather in October makes travel pleasant, especially in the cities. Rio de Janeiro bustles with street life and you can combine days at the beach with sightseeing excursions to places such as the Green Coast and the Encontro das Águas (the Meeting of the Waters) where the dark jungle waters of the Rio Negro meet the coffee-colored Rio Solimões.

The thunderous Iguazu Falls on the Brazil-Argentina border are an uncrowded spectacle in October and in the Chapada Diamantina National Park, in Brazil’s northeast, you’ll find towering waterfalls, quartz caves, and colonial mining towns.

If you need a break from the frenzy of Rio de Janeiro, the city has the largest botanical garden in South America where you can see 6,000 species of plants and stroll the 750 meter-long Avenue of Royal Palms. In the waters off Santa Catarina, you can go whale-watching or take advantage of the October winds to go windsurfing or kite-boarding.

Although the locals might think the temperature in Brazil in October is on the chilly side, it is still perfect for swimming at the Copacabana, catching a tan at Ipanema, or sipping cool drinks as you watch the world go by on a city street or a rainforest road.

Brazil in October is warm and. For day-to-day wear, bring light, breathable clothes. Pack a sweater for the cold evenings. Casual footwear or sandals are fine for the beach and evenings out, while sturdy shoes or boots are best for outdoor adventures. Bear in mind that some items (such as toiletries, sunblock, and insect repellent) can be expensive in Brazil so bring these from home.

Browse our travel guide on how many days to spend in Brazil for further information about activities and destinations in Brazil in October. To create your perfect itinerary, reach out to our local travel experts who can design a customized trip to Brazil. Or, for instant inspiration, you can check out our tours to Brazil in October.

Brazil in September
Brazil in November