Written by:undefined undefined
Published: 23-11-2021
From the beaches of the Pacific Coast, to The Amazon rainforest, to the high-elevation, snow-capped peaks of the Andes, the incredible diversity of the landscapes, wildlife and geographical regions in Peru is astounding. No wonder its top of the list for adventure travellers from all over the world. But when is the best time to visit this incredible country? It is widely believed that May to October, is the best time due to it being the dry season in The Andean region but there are many factors to bear in mind before you decide.
Andean clothesline
Weather
The most popular time to visit Peru is during the dry season, which runs from May through October. This of course coincides with winter in the Southern Hemisphere, yet the conditions are as stable and dry as they get at any other time of the year. If you're looking for predictable weather, and you want to increase the possibility of sunshine and clear skies, then this is probably the best time to go.
Sunny day at Machu Picchu
The rainy season occurs between December and March, with the highest amount of rainfall in January and February. During this time of the year the conditions are much harder to predict, and rainfall can often be quite heavy and even set in for days. That can make hiking the Inca Trail or visiting Machu Picchu a damp experience, to say the least. Heavy rain can also make travel in the mountains unsafe due to mudslides and the Inca trail is actually closed throughout February because of this reason. However, there are a lot fewer people visiting the region, which allows for a more personal, remote experience. In addition to the dry and wet seasons, Peru also has two short shoulder seasons in April and November. These months are a little less predicable, as the seasons transition. The weather is generally good but a little unpredictable at times at these times of the year.
Rainy school day!
Crowds
The dry season is of course, the busiest time of the year the busiest time of the year to visit popular sites like Cusco, Machu Picchu, and the Inca Trail. This is especially true in July and August, when tourism reaches its heights, coinciding with European and USA holiday time. If your main goal is to avoid queues and look for a more remote and relaxed experience, then this may not be the best time for you to visit.
Busy machu Picchu!
The rainy season and the two shoulder seasons are much lesser visited. Even the more popular attractions, such as Machu Picchu, are a much more chilled out experience and especially a good time, if you are looking to avoid crowds, but don't mind dealing with unpredictable weather.
Late December and early January are also really busy in Peru. Another influx of visitors, and national tourism, travelling for Christmas, can lead to crowded hotels, packed restaurants, and fully booked tours. If that is when you intend to go, keep in mind that the popular attractions may be a lot busier thank you had planned for.
Inca Trail Closure
If hiking the Inca Trail is your primary objective, be aware that the route is closed throughout the month of February. Due to the heaviest rainfall of the year, the Peruvian government decided to not open the trail during that month. First, it protects the trail and ensures that it won't get overly damaged when it is most wet and also keep trekkers safer and being a victim of possible mudslides.
Llama-tastic at Machu Picchu
The Coast, The Highlands, or The Jungle?
Peru's impressive geographical areas have several unique climatic zones to explore, with their idiosyncrasies. If you're mainly staying along the coastal region, then November through March will be your best bet in terms of sunshine and warmth. Yes, that is the rainy season throughout much of the rest of the country, but in Lima and along the pacific coast, it is summer and an excellent time to visit.
If Cusco, the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, and the Andes are your intended destination, then avoid the rainy season. The dry season is a much better time to visit, with sunny days and less chance of transport cancellations/ delays. April through October is the time to visit the highlands.
The Amazon Rainforest is best visited in the dry season, and preferably from May to September. It is always warm and tropical in the Amazon, but less rain means it is also more accessible and enjoyable too. Temperatures are a bit cooler during the rainy season of course, but humidity is quite high all year round. The wet season also seems to produce a lot more mosquitos, so go prepared!
Festivals and Holidays
As with most Latin American countries, Peru has its fair share of national holidays and local festivals. For the most part, they don't tend to interfere with travel and can actually make for highly memorable experiences. There are two festivals that travellers should certainly be aware of, particularly if they want to take part in them.
Paucartambo dance troup
The first of those is The Inti Raymi festival on the 24th of June. This is the biggest tourist attraction and local celebration of the year in Cusco, attracting thousands of visitors to watch this re-enactment of the festival of the sun. The festival marks the passing of the winter solstice and has been celebrated for over 500 years and is of profound significance for the indigenous people of Cusco.
The other massive festival is Semana Santa, which is a week of celebrations coinciding with Easter week and with celebrations and ceremonies every day. A lot of local people travel at this time of the year and many hotels, flights, and restaurants are booked out. While it is an incredible interesting festival to observe, be aware that many people travel and there are large crowds of people, perfect for the average pickpocket, especially.
Dry Season (Winter)
Peru's dry season occurs from roughly May to October each year. This, of course, makes it the most popular time to visit the country, as it coincides with the summer holidays in the Northern hemisphere and with travellers wanting to take advantage of the good weather. So you can expect heavier traffic at all of the top tourist spots, as well as full airports, hotels, trains, and restaurants, so please book in advance if you plan to travel at this time of the year. Temperatures in the mountains tend to be between 18 to 24 °c (68F and 77 F). In the jungle region, temperatures are higher ranging from 30 to even 40°c (86F to 100F) with high humidity. The coastal region generally ranges from15 to 20 °c (60-70 F) unless you head to the north of Peru where temperatures can reach 30°c (86 F to 100F).
Sunny titicaca
Rainy Season (Summer)
With the arrival of the rainy season in December to March, conditions change fairly dramatically. In the mountains, the temperatures drop to an average of 15-18 °c (64 F to 68F) during the day, while in the jungle, temperatures are similar to dry season at 26 -30°c (mid-80s F to mid-90s F). Along the coast, things improve nicely, with sun and clear skies bringing temperatures ranging from 27°c to 32°c (77 F to 95 degrees F). Despite it being the rainy season in the highlands and jungle, however, it is generally dry along the Pacific at this time of the year. This tends to be the quietest time of the year at Peru's major tourist attractions. If you don't mind taking a chance on the rain (pack a good rain jacket!) it can be a pleasant time to be in the highlands as there are a lot fewer visitors, but heavy rains can literally dampen the occasion somewhat!
Rainy rainforest!
When to Go
After all these pros and cons, if you're still wondering when to visit Peru, then the question comes down to your preference, good weather or smaller crowds? If the answer is weather, then avoid the rainy season and pack your patience in your pack at Peru's biggest tourist attractions, as they are likely to be very busy. On the other hand, if you would rather not deal with large amounts of people, then going during the rainy season. Even better, one of the shoulder seasons may be right time for you. Just pack appropriately, and accept the fact that you'll likely encounter a shower at some point!
