What is the best season to come to Peru? When to go to Peru?

The best time to visit Peru is May to September if you are heading to the Andes and Machu Picchu: it is the dry season, with clear skies and almost no rain. If your trip is focused on the coast and the beaches, go from December to April, Peru's summer. In fact, you can travel to Peru all year round: it all depends on which regions you want to see.

Two seasons, three climates

Peru has two distinct seasons: the dry season from May to October, and the rainy season from November to April. But they feel very different on the coast, in the Andes and in the Amazon. Whenever you travel, the weather is good somewhere.

The Andes: Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca

From May to October, conditions are ideal for hiking. It barely rains, the risk of landslides is close to zero, and every site is accessible. Days are warm and sunny, but be careful: at altitude the sun does not warm you, it burns. Nights are very cold. This is the "temporada de heladas", the frost season, and temperatures drop below freezing as soon as you climb higher. The grass turns dry and yellow.

From November to April, a heavy shower of about two hours falls almost every day in the late afternoon. The rest of the time, skies are often clear, days are mild and nights are cool. The Andes turn green and flowers, including orchids, are in bloom. On the other hand, some roads can be cut by flooding rivers or landslides, especially those heading down to the Amazon. The Inca Trail closes in February for maintenance. Machu Picchu itself is open all year.

The coast: Lima, Paracas, the northern beaches

From December to April it is summer. It does not rain and the sun shines almost every day: it is the season for beaches, surfing, sandboarding in the dunes and boat trips. People from Lima head out of the city every weekend.

From May to November, Lima lives under the garúa, a kind of permanent mist that hides the sun. It is not beach season, but outside the capital the weather stays pleasant, neither very hot nor very cold. Further north, around Máncora, the sun shines almost all year.

The Amazon

In the Amazon it rains a little all year, often in the evening and in heavy downpours, and it is always humid. In the dry season, rivers are at their lowest: excursions are mostly on foot, close to the forest, and roads are passable. In the rainy season, rivers rise and visits are made by boat, which makes it easier to see the treetops. The vegetation is at its peak.

Peru weather month by month

January and February

This is the height of the rainy season in the Andes. Machu Picchu stays open, with fewer visitors, but the Inca Trail closes in February. On the coast it is high summer. In early February, Puno celebrates the Virgen de la Candelaria, one of the biggest festivals in the country, with thousands of dancers.

March and April

The rain gradually eases and the Andes are at their greenest. April is a great compromise: the weather settles and the main sites are still quiet. Holy Week falls in March or April, with impressive processions in Cusco and Ayacucho.

May

The dry season begins. The landscape is still green, the skies clear up and the summer crowds have not arrived yet. A great month to combine the Andes, hiking and Machu Picchu.

June

Dry and sunny in the Andes, with colder and colder nights. On June 24, Cusco celebrates Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun: the city is packed, so book accommodation and tickets well in advance.

July and August

This is peak season. The Andes have their clearest skies of the year and their coldest nights. Between summer holidays in Europe and North America and Fiestas Patrias, the national holiday on July 28 and 29, Machu Picchu tickets and trains sell out fast: book several months ahead. Lima stays gray under the garúa.

September

Still dry, with fewer people than in August. One of the best times for trekking.

October

The end of the dry season. The first showers may arrive late in the month in the Andes, but the weather is usually pleasant. In Lima, the whole month is marked by the processions of the Señor de los Milagros.

November

The rain returns to the Andes, mostly in the afternoon. Machu Picchu is very enjoyable in the morning, with fewer visitors than in the summer months. On the coast, the sun starts to come back.

December

The rainy season sets in across the Andes while summer begins on the coast. If you want to spend the holidays at Machu Picchu, book very early: tickets around New Year sell out quickly.

When to go trekking in Peru

For the great Andean hikes, such as the Salkantay Trek, Lares, Choquequirao or Ausangate, aim for April to November. Outside the height of the rainy season, trails are in good condition and the views of the peaks are often clear. Pack very warm clothes for nights at camp.

What if you can only travel in the rainy season?

That is not a problem. The showers mostly fall late in the day, so visits and hikes are planned for the morning.