Altitude and climate

The lake basin sits at roughly 1,500 m above sea level, and that altitude is the whole reason for the climate the area is known for: average temperatures described at 20–26 °C most of the year. People here like to say they have one of the best climates in the world, and after a few days you stop arguing with them.

Two practical consequences. The sun is stronger than the mild air suggests — hat and sunscreen even on a day that feels cool — and it's worth drinking more water than usual and not spending your first afternoon walking uphill in a hurry.

And the nights: at this altitude they cool off even after a warm day. Bring something with sleeves, especially in the dry season.

It rains from June to September, and it's almost always an afternoon or night-time rain — hard and short — rather than a whole gray day. Mornings usually come up clear. November to April is the dry season.

Those are the green months, and the ones when the lake gets its level back. If a downpour catches you on the lakeside road, the sensible thing is to slow right down and let it pass; it usually does, quickly.

Localized landslides have also been recorded in those months in the hills along the north shore — a real regional consideration rather than something specific to this house.