Best Time to Visit Peru
Deciding when to visit Peru depends on where you plan to visit and which attractions you want to visit. Broadly, the rainy season in Peru runs from December to March with January and February being the wettest months. It is important to be aware that Peru is very popular in the high season, especially during their many cultural festivals such as Inti Raymi on 24 June, so best to book well in advance.
Each of our tours of Peru advise you on the best time to go to Peru for the destinations in the tour. We have more information on the best time to visit the different regions of Peru below, or get in touch and a member of our specialist Peru travel team can talk through your perfect Peru trip and advise you on when to visit Peru based on your plans. Peru’s Andean region and main highlights are best visited between April and October. It is typically sunny in the day and cold at night due to altitude. Heavy rains last from December to end of February with January and February being the wettest months. Machu Picchu sits in its own microclimate and its weather is often unpredictable so is best visited in Peru's dry season when you are less likely to experience thick fog which can disrupt your views. The Sacred Valley's location and altitude result in two seasons, rainy and dry. The rainy season typically lasts from November to March, with the heaviest rains arriving in January and February. The Amazon is generally hot, wet and humid year-round and can be visited all year. During the wetter season from December to May, the river and estuaries grow, allowing launch boats to venture deeper into the flooded forest. During the 'drier' season from June to November, the river recedes and beautiful sandy river beaches form. In a typical year, the Amazon experiences 200 rainy days, which means that there will be days of heavy rain even in the Amazon’s low water season. The north of Peru is best visited from April to October, when temperatures and humidity drops and there is generally much less rain than the winter months from November to March. Whales can be seen off the coast of Mancora from mid-July to the end of October. Lima’s weather is very temperate due to its proximity to the equator. Winters in Lima can be quite grey as a result of the humid climate. Through most of winter Lima is covered in a layer of clouds and a light drizzle, or ‘garúa’; average temperatures are around 15°C.
Climate guide for Peru
Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arequipa and Colca Canyon | 15°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 16°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 15°C 0mm | 16°C 0mm | 16°C 0mm |
Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu | 13°C 0mm | 13°C 0mm | 13°C 0mm | 13°C 0mm | 12°C 0mm | 11°C 0mm | 10°C 0mm | 11°C 0mm | 13°C 0mm | 13°C 0mm | 13°C 0mm | 13°C 0mm |
Lake Titicaca | 16°C 27mm | 19°C 3mm | 22°C 0mm | 22°C 0mm | 24°C 7mm | 24°C 130mm | 22°C 336mm | 22°C 213mm | 21°C 223mm | 21°C 129mm | 19°C 86mm | 16°C 5mm |
Northern Peru | 19°C 22mm | 20°C 3mm | 18°C 41mm | 15°C 55mm | 12°C 46mm | 11°C 232mm | 11°C 130mm | 11°C 120mm | 13°C 78mm | 14°C 61mm | 16°C 26mm | 21°C 11mm |