The Best Season to Travel to Peru

If you are planning to visit Peru to immerse yourself in its impressive views, culinary dishes, archaeological sites, and ancient cultures, we would like to help you organize an unforgettable trip using our detailed travel guide. Below you can find everything you need to know about the climate, altitudes and biodiversity of Peru, to ensure you make a well-informed decision about when to plan your travel itinerary.

Peru is located on the pacific coastline, close to the earth’s equator, meaning by default it should have a warm climate. However, due to the influx of the Humboldt marine current and the passage of the Andes Mountain range, Peru has a great ecological diversity distributed through various altitudes. The country is divided into three main regions, the coast, the mountains and the jungle. Each region experiences vastly different climatic conditions, so depending on where in the country you hope to travel, you are likely to encounter a variety of different weather events.

This guide will inform you on what weather to expect from the different regions of the country during different seasons. Ensuring you arrive at your destination with an opportunity to take a clear shot of the souvenir photo you came for.

What is the best time to travel to Peru?

Thanks to the contrasting biodiversity of the 3 main regions of Peru, there is no ‘bad time’ to visit the country. The only question to ask is where to visit and when?

December to February are the summer seasons in Peru, resulting in the perfect sunbathing weather along the vast expanse of the country’s coastline. Thousands of Peruvians flock to the stunning beaches in the north and south during the summer to bask in the searing heat and surf the cool waves of the pacific.

March to May is autumn in Peru and the time for festival across much of the country. Semana Santa and carnival take place during this time and thanks to drier conditions, explosions of colour and festivities can be found almost everywhere.

June to August bring with it the winter months, however it is also the high tourism season in the Andes. Tourists the world over flock to the city of Cusco to experience crystal clear views over the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu and trekkers fill the trails of the Incas since the conditions are near perfect for hiking.

It is also dry season in the Amazon Basin during winter, with July being the driest month of the year. The sunshine in the cloud forest lures wildlife out into the open, giving visitors chance to spy them easier along the riverbank and in the canopy.

September to November is springtime in Peru and the quietest season countrywide for tourism. Since the western world has gone back to school and work, Peru’s most famous trails and picturesque sandy beaches are often found deserted, leaving them ripe for the taking for travellers looking for a more peaceful experience.

Best Time on the Coast

The entire Peruvian coastline is bathed by the waters of the Humboldt current and the Pacific Ocean. The cities of Lima, Paracas, Huacachina and Máncora are among the most visited destinations by international tourists, but it’s safe to say that there is an exhaustive list of Peruvian beaches that can take your breath away.

Rainy season on the coast
The Coast, like the other two regions of Peru, also has its rainy season. But nowhere near to the same extent as in the mountains or the jungle. From May to November there tends to be plenty of cloudy days and with a lot of drizzle, and the humidity can often reach 100%, especially surrounding the capital of Lima. Temperatures vary between 15°C and 20°C during the day, and can drop to around 8°C to 15°C at night.

Dry Season on the Coast

December to April is the best time to visit the Peruvian coastline since it is both the dry season and the summer seasons. During this time, the sun will shine bright throughout the day, with daytime temperatures averaging between 27°C to 32°C. At night the temperature drops to between 20°C to 26°C, but the skies are almost guaranteed to be clear. This climate is perfect for visiting the Pacific Ocean and surfing the waves along Peru’s beautiful beaches.

Best time in the Andes Mountains

The vast majority of people visiting Peru are heading to the citadel of Machu Picchu, and will therefore spend a decent amount of time in the mountains surrounding the city of Cusco. It is therefore important to understand that the mountainous region surrounding Machu Picchu and Cusco experiences two primary climatic seasons throughout the year.

The rainy season in the Andes

The rainy season in the Andes Runs from December till April. Throughout this period there is a lot of precipitation, so the experience is very different to that of the dry season. Although Machu Picchu and the surrounding archaeological sites are open all year round, it is likely that they may be shrouded in mist or in the case of the Rainbow Mountain, covered in a blanket of snow. Daytime temperatures during the rainy season can reach a maximum of 20°C and drop to 10°C after dusk, but with 12 hours of high-altitude sunshine a day, you will only tend to feel the cold throughout the night.

if you plan to Travel to Machu Picchu during the rainy season, we recommend that you prepare for your visit with clothing suitable for wind and rain. It is prudent to consider however, that although the rainy season experiences more challenging weather conditions, visitors can take advantage of fewer tourists and less crowds. Providing you with an opportunity to share the beautiful green scenery with less people and perhaps even accompanied by a colourful rainbow.

The dry season in the Andes

The dry season in the Andes runs from April to December. During this time there can be significant temperature differences throughout the day and night. The mornings tend to be warm with an average temperature between 17 and 19 ° C. But the nights can be very frigid, with temperatures often falling below 0°C, especially in the winter months of June and July.

What makes this season so attractive though is the consistent good weather due to the lack of rainfall. This is why the drier months bring with them many tourists, with the high season for tourism falling between May and July. One of the main highlights of this period is the Inti Raymi sun festival which takes place in Cusco on June 24 every year.

Consequently, we recommend that visitors favour the dry season, with the best months for exploring Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley being between May and October. Not only are the conditions during the dry season more preferable, but your souvenir photo of Machu Picchu is almost certain to be much more glorious throughout the drier months.

Best time in the jungle

The Peruvian Jungle is one of the most beautiful and biodiverse places in the world. Due to the vastness of the Amazon rainforest in the country, Peru is home to both high jungle and low jungle regions, each with their own climatic conditions and temperature variations. Visitors to the Amazon basin may prefer the dry season as it is favourable for trekking, or the wet season when the forest is fruiting and flowering.

The rainy season in the Jungle

The Peruvian jungle experiences its rainy season from December to May. During this period, visitors can expect a humidity level between 80% to 100%, and daytime temperatures between 30°C to 33°C. Due to the intense rainfall, the water level in the Amazon River can reach up to 10 meters deep throughout the day, making boat travel easier between the more isolated Amazonian towns. These settlements are usually inaccessible during the dry season, resulting in the rainy season being more favourable to explorers seeking Amazonian culture and exotic tropical wildlife.

The dry season in the Jungle

May to December is the dry season in the Amazon, so for visitors who are not a huge fan of rain, it is recommended that you plan your trip during this period. However, it is prudent to consider that there is no season in the Amazon that is technically ‘dry’, since even throughout the dry season, the jungle still experiences 20cm of rainfall per month. Nonetheless, water levels are significantly lower, allowing for an abundance of wildlife to sprout from their nesting places and bask in the sunshine that peaks through the canopy. Temperatures in the dry season reach up to 35°C and humidity drops considerably to 50%.

Weather in Peru

Peru is home to many adventure sporting opportunities including surfing, trekking, climbing and exploration. Thanks to its wide range of cultures and geological landscapes, there’s something for everyone amongst the fascinating wonders of Peru.