When considering visiting Peru, the issue of when to visit Peru is during the dry season (May through September), when it is sunny, and the Andean highlands are clear of clouds that could ruin the view during the hiking process of the Andean highlands leading to Machu Picchu. The dry season is ideal for exploring Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, little-known ruins, Rainbow Mountain, and Lake Titicaca. It is also when the Amazon rainforest, which has a small number of mosquitoes, is in the not-as-rainy season. Season changes are usually the most gratifying periods to visit. We plan our Peru guided tours around this, and Inca trail tours and Sacred Valley tours run most of the year. The high-mountain treks are concentrated in June through August, and the Amazon cruises are available all year round.
What is So Special about Visiting Peru in the Dry Season?
The summer in Peru is the hottest and driest period in the Andean highlands and the Amazon rainforest, and is therefore least traveled and an ideal place to be alone. The whole is vibrant with rich plant life and animal life, and running rivers due to the daily rain.
The beach season in Peru starts in December, which is the best month to visit the coastline of Peru, especially the north of Lima. These highlands are frequently more than 10,000 feet, and the sun is intense here–often warm enough to hike in shorts and a T-shirt, until some cloud drifts by and the temperatures drop dramatically. Communicate the changing weather by wearing layers.
During this period, the Amazon Basin is in low-water season, making jungle trails more walkable and concentrating wildlife more along the riverbanks. It is a great period of the year to see capuchin monkeys, kinkajou, and migratory birds on the deck of a river cruise.
What to Expect during our Dry Season Trips.
During June-August, we operate our toughest mountain journeys: Trekking the Cordillera Blanca (Level 6), where you will cross seven passes over 15,000 feet, and Cordillera Huayhuash Private Journey (Level 6), a 17-day circumnavigation of some of the most dramatic scenery in the Andes. Our Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and Hiker’s Journey to Machu Picchu departures are run during the dry season, and the trails are in excellent condition, with panoramic views overlooking the Sacred Valley. It is also a great opportunity for our Amazon River Expedition, where the low water levels are packing the wildlife into narrower waterways. Combine an Inca trail or Sacred Valley trip with our 4-day Amazon River Cruise Extension to make a highlands to lowlands trip.
Why Travel to Peru in Shoulder Seasons?
One of the best times to visit Peru, too, is the shoulder months, during which April at the end of the rains and October through November, as the wet season is commencing, are the shoulder months. Machu Picchu is a little less crowded, and in April, the highlands are at their greenest and most lush. Wildflowers and orchid blooms carpet the hillsides, and Machu Picchu is a little less crowded. One of the most spectacular ways of experiencing the citadel is to see it against a background of minute green.
There are occasional rain showers in October and November, but the Peruvian highlands are a temperate desert with dry spells common at least during the rainy season. Shoulder season also implies fewer hikers on the trails, as well as a more intimate experience at the archaeological site. Night is a bit warmer than the one during the dry season, and the landscape is vibrant, unlike the one during the dry season.
What to Expect on our Shoulder Season Trips.
April is one of the most good months of the year to hike the Inca Trail as the trail is already open after the end of the wet season. Our Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu trip (Level 2) is also operating and offers a cultural immersion experience with Cusco, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu, with fewer demanding hikes. Our departures in October and November, such as our Inca Trail Private Journey and Peru Private Journey, allow you to experience the Sacred Valley with fewer of your fellow travelers and more flowers in the Valley. These months in the Amazon are located in between the low and the high water seasons- a fluctuating time when wildlife observation in the Amazon River Expedition is ideal.
The reason why one should visit Peru during the rainy season is that
The rainy season in Peru happens between December and March, and during this time, a downpour of rain occurs almost every afternoon in the highlands, and the rain soaks the Amazon Basin. We do not suggest that you visit late in January or February – even the Inca Trail formally closes every February.
However, the wet season does not have its disadvantages. It is the high-water season on the Amazon, and rivers and creeks are more navigable, and you can go deeper into waterways rich with wildlife and approach the canopy. The rainforest is green, and a little lower temperature makes travelling by the river very comfortable.
What to Expect when we pay a visit to our wet season trips.
December is a great month to reserve our Inca Trail Private Journey or Peru Private Journey. During January through March, you might want to consider going on our Amazon River Expedition or Amazon River Cruise Extension- although they run year-round, the high-water period is one of the best times to experience the Amazon by boat.
In the spring, Peru has festivals and Holidays.
Talking of food in Lima, the Mistura Culinary Festival is held in mid-September, where you can sample over 200 restaurants, bars, and outdoor food vendors/food carts. You should note that you will be visiting during October, as there are two national holidays during which everything is closed.
Mistura Culinary Festival: Each year, in mid-September, the international food festival, which has gained worldwide recognition, is held in Lima.
Festival of Spring: This is celebrated in Trujillo at the end of September when the streets and houses are decorated in celebration of spring. The festival also has spectacular horsemanship and dancing exhibitions- especially the local marinera dance and the well-known Peruvian waltzes.
Todos Santos: On 1 November, All Saints Day, is a religious precursor to the next day (see below) marked by Catholic masses.
What weather would you get in the mountains in Peru?
In the highlands, we usually have sunny days with day temperatures dropping between 65 F to 70 F degrees, dropping to the 40s and so on at night. It is hot up the mountain, and there is usually a warm day when one can hike in shorts and a T-shirt. But it may get very cold, too, even in the daytime, when the sun has slipped behind a cloud–and at night the temperatures may be lowered to below the freezing point. The weather is unpredictable in the mountains, and there is the occurrence of sudden storms, particularly in the mountain passes of high altitudes.
The best time to visit Peru’s top destinations.
To discuss the climate and weather, we have concentrated on three main regions: the Andean highlands, the coastal region, and the Amazon rainforest. You now have a more improved idea of the various seasons available to visit in Peru, so that you can find out which one of the above places you wish to visit. In between these three locations, one can find endless thrilling adventures.
The best time to visit Peru in regard to Festivals and Holidays.
Every month, there are festivals and holidays in Peru! To find out a few of the festivals taking place each season, refer to the sections above. Besides the mentioned above celebrations, each village must possibly have a figure or saint, and so the corresponding celebrations. The name of these is village fiestas, and you may even come across one of them in your journeys.
The ideal Time to visit Peru Coast and Beaches.
There’s a reason why December to February is called Peru’s beach season. The three months are perfect as the weather is mild, the sky is bright, and the water in the oceans is warmer. In our Ultimate Guide to Peru’s Best Beaches, we listed Peru’s best beaches.
The best time to visit Machu Picchu.
According to our professional research, May and September are the months when it is better to visit Machu Picchu. During the shoulder seasons of June through August, you will have less traffic on the Inca Trail, but it will be during the time when the weather is ideal to have plenty of clear, beautiful days on the Inca Trail.
The preferred time to visit Lima is best.
With the possibility of dense fog obscuring your sunny beach day, the best time to visit Lima is from December to February. This is the time of the year when you will have the best opportunity for a sunny sky and warm waters. But you can taste the good food that Lima has to offer any time of the year. In our City Guide to Lima, Peru, you can see what we recommend.
The quickest path to the Amazon Rainforest.
As we mentioned in our Things to Know Before Visiting the Peruvian Amazon post, the not-as-rainy season from May to September is the best time for visiting the Amazon rainforest. Rain occurs throughout the year with a sub-tropical climate and green vegetation. During the not-as-rainy season, there are fewer mosquitoes, and in the rainy season, you can walk through the floods that occur during rainy seasons.
