What is the best time to travel to Peru?

Defining the best time for a trip through Peru is one of the most important logistical challenges when planning. The country has a huge geographic and climatic diversity, with 28 of the 32 climate zones identified worldwide. This means that there is no single best time to visit the whole country; the climate of the desert coast, the Andean highlands, and the Amazon jungle has different and often opposite patterns.

For example, the dry and sunny season in the Andes (considered the high tourist season) coincides with the cold, humid, and cloudy winter on the coast where Lima is located. In turn, Lima's summer (warm and sunny) coincides with the rainy season in the highlands. Understanding these variations is essential for planning a coherent itinerary and avoiding weather problems.

This guide is designed to analyze the climate of Peru by region and by month. We will break down the features of the dry season and the rainy season in each area, its impact on the number of visitors, and the changes in prices. A main focus will be to determine the best time to visit the Cusco region and Machu Picchu, the main destination for most travelers.

What is the weather like in Peru?

Without getting technical, Peru's climate is one of the most diverse in the world. This complexity is due to the interaction of three major geographic factors that define the different climate zones of the country.

Geographic Location (Latitude): Peru is in a tropical latitude, near the equator. This location is the reason why the Amazon rainforest, in the east of the country, has a constant warm and humid climate all year round.
Ocean Influence (Humboldt Current): Despite the tropical latitude, the Peruvian coast is not warm and rainy. This is due to the influence of the Peruvian or Humboldt Current, a cold water sea current that flows from south to north. This current cools the air, stops the formation of rain clouds, and is the direct cause of the arid and desert climate that is common along the entire coast, including Lima.
The Andes Mountains: This is the most influential factor. The massive mountain range acts as a barrier that divides the country and, most importantly, creates multiple "climate floors". The climate in the highlands is not determined by the time of year, but by altitude. This explains why Cusco (at 3,400 m) has a mountain climate (cold and dry during the day, freezing at night) that is completely different from Lima's (at sea level).

Note: If periodic anomalies like the El Niño Phenomenon (which warms the sea current) or friajes (cold waves from Antarctica) are added to these permanent factors, the climate situation can vary. But, don't worry, throughout this article we will tell you the best time to travel to Peru.

When is the rainy season in Peru?

The rainy season in Peru is not the same everywhere and varies a lot by region. While the months with the most rain nationwide are between December and March, it is necessary to break down the climate by zones:

The Central-South Coast (Lima, Paracas, Nazca): The climate is desert-like and rain is almost non-existent all year round. The "rainy season" in the highlands matches the summer on the coast, which is warm and sunny.
The North Coast (Mancora, Tumbes): The rainy season is short, but it can be intense, focused between January and April, with a peak in March.
The Andean Highlands (Cusco, Arequipa, Huaraz): The rainy season is clear and goes from November to March. The months with the highest chance of heavy rain are January and February. In contrast, the dry season, which is ideal for hiking, is focused between May and September.
The Peruvian Amazon (Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado): It is a humid region all year, but the rains get much stronger from December to March, a time known as the "high water season".

When is it hottest in Peru?

Because of its location near the equator, Peru does not have extreme seasonal temperature changes. The heat is more related to geography (coast and jungle) and the summer season (November to March).

The Coast (Lima and North): The warmest time is summer, from December to April. The average high temperatures in Lima are around 27°C. On the north coast (Piura, Tumbes), the temperatures are higher and can exceed 33°C.
The Highlands (Cusco, Arequipa): The temperature is set by the altitude. The days are mild all year, with highs that rarely go above 21°C. The main change is the nighttime temperature: in the dry season (May to September) the nights are freezing, dropping to 5°C or less, while in the rainy season (November to March) the nights are slightly warmer because of the clouds.
The Amazon (Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado): The climate is hot and humid all year. The high temperatures stay constant, averaging between 30°C and 32°C, with a high "feels like" temperature because of the humidity.

This diverse climate forces the traveler to plan their packing strategically. It is necessary to include light clothing for the coast and jungle, as well as warm clothing (layering system) for the cold nights in the highlands, no matter the time of year.

Travel safely in Peru

In addition to knowing when is the best time, it is also essential to know how to enjoy the safest trip. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs insists, it is essential to have travel insurance for Peru to ensure the greatest peace of mind and not regret it later.

A simple slip that turns into a sprain could cause you medical expenses of thousands of euros here if things go wrong. That, or an illness that would be easily solved at home.

Don't take any chances in Peru and get your insurance now:

The weather in Peru by area

You already know that there is a lot to see in Peru. From the spectacular Nazca Lines to Machu Picchu, passing through the beaches of Mancora, Peru is endless and, in addition, it has super varied climates. We have already given you a brief summary, but here we go into a little more detail about the weather you can have in each one and the best time to visit them:

Best time to visit the Peruvian coast: we already know that it is very long, but it is more or less similar, with the climate being even more arid the further north we go. Any time is good to visit this part, but, if you want to enjoy the beaches, it is warmer from November to March. Between February and April there are more hours of sunshine and fewer grey days in Lima, famous for its “belly of a donkey”.
Best time to visit the mountains of Peru: since temperatures are quite similar throughout the year (between 20ºC maximum during the day and 7ºC minimum at night), the most interesting thing is to pay attention to the rainfall. From November to March it can rain a lot, so it is best to go during the dry season, from April to October.
Best time to visit the Peruvian Amazon: with a humid tropical climate, you can expect heat and rain all year round. However, April to October are the months with the least rain and, therefore, the best time for this area of ??Peru. Even so, the so-called high water season (December-May) makes parts of the rivers accessible by boat and makes it easier to spot certain fauna, so it is also interesting.

With all this, since the weather is good both in the Amazon and in most corners of the Andes Mountains, the best time to travel to Peru is more or less from April/May to September.

What is the best month of the year to travel to Peru?

To make it clearer, here we detail month by month what it is like to travel to Peru due to its climate:

Travel to Peru from December to March: it is the rainy season in much of the country, in the Andes Mountains, in Cusco and surrounding areas, a maximum of 144 mm of rain can be reached. Therefore, these are not good months for Machu Picchu or for treks such as Salkantay or Choquequirao. During February, the Inca Trail is closed. In the Amazon rainforest, it rains more, with up to 278 mm recorded in Iquitos. The rivers are fuller and boat trips are easier, but keep in mind that there are also more mosquitoes. On the other hand, on the coast, including Lima, the weather is pleasant and many people visit the beaches, so hotel prices in places like Huanchaco or Mancora are higher.
Travel to Peru in April and May: the dry season begins and it is not so hot, so these are ideal times for hiking and also for not finding so many tourists. In the Amazon, temperatures are still high, although with somewhat less rain. The rivers are still at quite high levels, so the chances of seeing animals are high. Humidity in Lima increases a little, but temperatures drop slightly. Travel to Peru from June to August: the weather is driest and more travellers (especially from North America and Europe) decide to visit the country on their work and school holidays. Prices therefore increase. On the northern coast (Mancora and surrounding areas) it is still hot, around 26ºC, but the frequency of visitors is lower.
Travel to Peru from September to November: temperatures are gradually increasing, but it is a good month for hiking in the Andes mountain range. In Lima the climate is more spring-like and the humidity is lower, so it is more pleasant to visit.

The seasons: what is the cheapest time to travel to Peru?

It is easy to guess, but when it comes to seasons, almost everyone wants good weather. Thus, the high season in Peru runs roughly from July to September, with July and August being the most sought-after months and, therefore, also the most expensive in terms of accommodation and flights.

The low season is from December to February, although at Christmas, especially on the coast, it is not unusual to see skyrocketing prices. February is usually a bad month to travel if you want to go hiking, as the Inca Trail is often closed.

If you are looking for something in the middle of the price range, a good time to travel to Peru is the months of March, April, May, September and October. It doesn't rain as much and there are fewer people in most of the country.

In short, when to travel to Peru?

After all, you may still be wondering what the best time to travel to Peru is. From our perspective, due to the weather, we would say that this is from April to October, when there is little rain in most of the country and you will enjoy blue skies in the Andes mountain range.

Obviously, this is also the high season and therefore the most expensive to travel and when you will find more people, especially in July and August. Therefore, if this is a concern for you, two good times are April/first half of May and late September/first half of October.

Perhaps the worst time to travel to Peru is from December to February, as the rains can put a damper on your trip and you may also find some roads closed.

Best Tours in Peru

Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.

Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and more

If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu Ticket in advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchu without any problem.