Best Time To Visit Peru Machu Picchu

8 min readApr 22, 2022

If you are planning a round trip through Peru, of course you want to travel when the sun is shining and you have perfect weather. However, it is also nice not to be at the market with a huge number of other tourists. Did you know that it is also more sustainable for the travel destination if tourism is better distributed over the year? We therefore advise you, if you are not dependent on the holiday times, to travel outside the high season. This is better for you and better for Peru!

Due to the Humboldt Current, which transports cold Antarctic water, the coastal region of Peru is relatively cool for its geog

raphical latitude and dry to very dry all year round. Temperatures rise highest during the summer months (January to March), with hot and humid days of around 29 ° C and cool nights of just under 20 ° C. Winters are not too cold, but it is often cloudy.

In the interior of the country, the temperature drops considerably with minor seasonal fluctuations — the maximum temperatures are around 21 ° C all year round. Winter nights, especially at higher altitudes, can get cold. The rainy season is between December and May.

The climate in the Andes depends on the altitude. Temperatures above 0 ° C are seldom reached from an altitude of 5,000 m.

Inca Gods — www.tierrasvivas.com
The Inca gods and their attributes are recognized by the representation of the natural and cosmic environment

When is the best time to go to Peru?

Peru is in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are opposite to those in Europe. The climate in the Andes is particularly important for a tour of Peru. In the Andes, the rainy season lasts from November to April. The best travel time is therefore in the months of May to September. Winter is in Peru from June to September, but there is hardly any rain and the sky is often blue. During the day there is a pleasant temperature of around 20 degrees. In the evening and at night, however, it cools down significantly, at altitudes above 3000 meters the thermometer can even drop below freezing point. In April, May and October it can still rain a little in the mountains. A round trip through Peru is not recommended in the months of January to March. There is then too much rain, which can occasionally lead to dangerous situations. On the other hand, starting a Peru trip at the end of March is often not a problem. In February the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance.

In the Amazon region, the dry season is from May to October. However, tropical showers can occur in this area year round. After all, it’s the rainforest!

The climate in the coastal region is very different from the climate in the mountains. The coastal area consists mostly of desert and it is very dry here all year round. In Lima there is no more than 10 millimeters of precipitation annually. It is wonderfully sunny here from December to March.

Best time of year to visit Machu Picchu — www.tierrasvivas.com
The best time of visit Machu Picchu is from May to August. It is tourism peak season; this season coincides with the dry season, but also with Europe and USA holidays.

Best Time to Visit

The busiest months in Peru are July and August, the time when the school holidays fall. If you want to travel to Peru during this time and / or if you want to hike the Inca Trail during this time, then it is important that you book early! As for flights, the prices go up if you wait longer. It’s best to book in October / November! As for the Inca Trail, up to 350 people can hike the Inca Trail (including guides and carriers) every day, and the trail can be booked out more than six months in advance. Fortunately, there are also some wonderful alternative trails for the Inca Trail tours, like our Coffee Route.

If you travel to northern Peru, you will likely have few problems with the crowds. This part of Peru is much less visited than southern Peru and is therefore less touristy. The real adventurer will feel at home here and it is certainly no less beautiful!

How Many Days to Spend in Cusco and Machu Picchu — www.tierrasvivas.com
Cusco is beautiful places of the world. Here we will teach you to plan your trip for your holidays, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu or Trekking to Inca Trail

Best travel time for trekking tours or mountaineering in Peru

Anyone planning trekking tours or mountaineering in the Andes should plan their trip for the dry months there between May and September, otherwise rain could make some roads and paths impassable.

Best travel time for vacation in the southern Pacific of Peru

The months December to April are best for a vacation in the South Pacific. In the remaining months, the heavy fog and clouds do not make you want to spend days on the beach. This phenomenon is less pronounced on the northern coast.

Best time to travel to the Amazon in Peru

In the Peruvian Amazon region, rainfall can be expected all year round, but it is usually only brief and heavy. The best time to visit this part of Peru is usually from May to September as it rains a little less here.

Best travel time for Machu Picchu

For most Peru travelers, Machu Picchu is the highlight of their Peru trip.

When is the BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO MACHU PICCHU?

Machu Picchu is under the influence of the Amazon basin, so there can be rain and fog here all year round. The climate is typical of the subtropical mountain cloud forest, humid and warm. In principle, Machu Picchu can be visited all year round, but the best time to travel is from April to October. The rainy season begins in October / November and ends in March. From May to September, the risk of rain in the Machu Picchu region is lowest at around 40%, and it increases slightly in the transition months.

The worst travel time for Machu Picchu are the months of January / February, when the risk of rain is 80–90% and disabilities on the road and rail must be expected. There are also local school holidays in Peru and neighboring countries from Christmas to the end of February. Holidays are also generally not advisable, as Cusco and Machu Picchu are extremely well attended.

WHAT TEMPERATURES ARE TO BE EXPECTED AROUND MACHU PICCHU?

With a cloudy sky and rain it can cool down to 10–12 ° C — in the sun, on the other hand, the temperatures are well over 20 ° C. During the treks, some of which take place at higher altitudes, it gets correspondingly cooler and at night the temperatures can sometimes drop below zero.

Festival in Peru — High tourist season

April: Easter

Easter is a special event in Peru and it lasts quite a long time compared to our celebration. The week before Easter is “Semana Santa” and there are many parades and other activities during this week. You can enjoy colorful festivals and traditional dishes. Due to the festival there may be price increases.

June 24th: Inti Raymi

Inti Raymi: One of the most important holidays in Peru takes place in Cusco. If you want to attend this festival, which consists of unique traditional ceremonies, you are not the only one. Both tourists and Peruvians come to Inti Raymi to prepare for large crowds.

July 28–29: Independ day — Fiestas Patrias

These are the holidays when Peru celebrates its independence. Concerts and other cultural activities are held in many places, organized in squares and parks.

Peru Treks — www.tierrasvivas.com
Peru Treks gives you the chance to see the most excellent surroundings in the Andes. Treks -presents two types- Jungle trekking and mountain trekking.

Best Trips to Peru

The perfect travel time in Peru clearly depends on the specific travel destination as well as personal preferences and activities. On the coast, January through May is the best time to take a dip in the Pacific. The temperatures are mostly around 29 degrees during the day and 20 degrees at night. It is usually quite dry there all year round. May to September is the best time to travel in Peru to visit the Andean highlands and Machu Picchu.

Best Peru Travel Packages

Best Short Tours to Machu Picchu

Traditional Peruvian Clothing — www.tierrasvivas.com
What do people wear in Peru? Inca Clothing vs today´s clothing of Peru. The traditional Peruvian clothing has changed over the years due to more cultural interchange nowadays