Deciding on the best time to travel to Peru can be complicated. Not in vain, the country has 28 of the 32 climatic zones in the world. So that you don't get too confused and can carry out your travel itinerary through Peru without getting caught in the rain, throughout this article we will delve into what the weather is like depending on the month and part of the country, as well as the variation in prices depending on the season.
Keep reading and find out when to travel to Peru and, of course, the best time to go to Machu Picchu, which is sure to be one of your most longed-for travel dreams.
Without going into technicalities, the climate in Peru is determined by four factors:
Its geographical location, at low latitude and close to the equator, which means that it is a tropical country with few differences between the average temperatures of winter or summer. The influence of sea currents, especially the Peruvian or Humboldt current.
The trade winds, especially from the so-called South Pacific anticyclone (SPA). This, together with cold sea currents, determines that the so-called arid subtropical climate is dominant on the Peruvian coast.
The influence of the Andes mountain range. The different altitudes of these mountains determine different types of climate in their different territories.
If you add to that the anomalies caused by phenomena such as El Niño or the cold snap, things get even more complicated. Don't worry, throughout this article we will tell you what is the best time to travel to Peru in general terms and by place.
To summarize, we could say that the rainy season in Peru goes more or less from January to March. Even so, because there are different types of climates, it is necessary to be more precise:
Northern coast: it rains little in general, the rainiest months being January, February, March and April, especially March.
Central-southern coast: very dry climate, it hardly rains.
Peruvian Amazon: rain is present throughout the year, but it is even rainier in the months of December, January, February and March.
Andes mountain range: a good part of it has a type of climate called temperate subhumid, in which the rainiest months are from October to March, with more chances of rain in February and March.
You have probably already guessed it, but the driest months in Peru are equivalent to those of our summer, more or less from May to September.
As for temperatures, due to its geographical location, they remain more or less stable throughout the year, reaching higher values between November and March.
As you may have guessed, the hottest areas are the Amazon and the coast, where temperatures can exceed 33ºC in March-April, although the usual maximum is around 27ºC.
In the Andean areas (Cuzco, Arequipa...) the maximum temperatures do not usually exceed 21ºC, while you will need to take shelter at night, since the minimum temperatures between the months of May and September rarely exceed 5ºC. During the rest of the year they are around 7ºC and even a little less depending on the altitude you are at.
Therefore, when planning your trip, whatever the time of year in Peru, you will need to carry a backpack/suitcase with a wide variety of clothes. If you plan to make the jump to the Peruvian Amazon, do not forget your raincoat.
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 Cuzco and surrounding areas, a maximum of 144 mm of rain can be reached. Therefore, they are not good months for Machu Picchu or for hikes such as Salkantay or Choquequirao. During February the Inca Trail is closed. In the Amazon rainforest it rains more, with up to 278 mm being 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 climate is pleasant and many people visit the beaches, so hotel prices in places like Huanchaco or Máncora 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 the 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 dry season is when there is more travelers (especially from North America and Europe) who decide to visit the country taking advantage of their work and school holidays. Therefore, prices increase. On the north 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 slowly 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 drops, so it is more pleasant to visit.
It's 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 runs from December to February, although at Christmas, especially on the coast, it is not unusual to see sky-high prices. February is usually an inadvisable month to travel if you want to go hiking, as the Inca Trail is usually 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 almost the entire country.
Delving into Peru's tourist star, which you are sure to be eager to visit and, if possible, with blue skies, the best time to visit Machu Picchu is during the dry season. That is, from April to October, with May and August being even better. This is also the time of year when there are the most visitors. For this reason, we advise you to book everything as soon as possible, including tickets to Machu Picchu. Plan everything perfectly with our article How to visit Machu Picchu.
The worst months in terms of weather are February and March, when it rains the most. Even so, during the rainy season (November-March) there can be sunny days, especially as the morning progresses and the fog disappears. However, prices for accommodation and trains are much lower at this time.
