Climate of Huila

The department of Huila stretches along the upper Magdalena, between the Central and Eastern mountain ranges, generating a climatic wealth that ranges from the intense heat of the Magdalena river valley to the cold of the páramos of the Colombian massif. Neiva, its capital, is a city with a warm climate with temperatures of 27 to 33 °C. In the far south, San Agustín and the Colombian Massif have temperatures of 14 to 17 °C, a pleasant climate that accompanies one of Colombia's most important archaeological heritages: the San Agustín Archaeological Park, a World Heritage Site. Huila is also the main producer of specialty coffee in Colombia, cultivated in the temperate belt of its slopes.

THERMAL FLOORS OF HUILA

Temperature in Huila varies by altitude. These are the department's thermal floors:

Thermal Floor	Altitude	Temperature	Municipalities
Warm	400 – 1,000 m	24 – 34 °C	Neiva, Campoalegre, Palermo, Gigante
Temperate	1,000 – 2,000 m	17 – 24 °C	Garzón, Pitalito, La Plata
Cold	2,000 – 3,000 m	12 – 17 °C	San Agustín, Isnos, Saladoblanco
Páramo	> 3,000 m	7 – 12 °C	Colombian Massif, Nevado del Huila (5,364 m)

RAINY AND DRY SEASONS IN HUILA

Bimodal regime: rainy March–May and September–November, dry December–February and June–August. Neiva receives 1,200–1,600 mm annually. Nevado del Huila is the highest active volcano in Colombia; the dry season improves visibility toward the summit. The Bambuco Festival in Neiva takes place in June–July.

TEMPERATURE BY MUNICIPALITY IN HUILA

Average annual temperatures of the main municipalities of Huila:

Municipality	Average Temperature
Neiva	29 °C
Pitalito	19 °C
Garzón	22 °C
La Plata	21 °C
San Agustín	17 °C
Campoalegre	27 °C
Gigante	24 °C
Timaná	20 °C

BEST TIME TO VISIT HUILA

June–August: dry season throughout the department, Bambuco Festival in Neiva. December–January also dry and pleasant. For San Agustín and mountain ecotourism: July–August. For coffee: main harvest November–December.