The Best Time to Visit Peru

Peru is blessed with a rich and varied landscape that is generally classified into three parts: the Andean mountains and high plains (altiplano), the desert coast, and the Amazon rainforest. Some travelers dream about exploring the colorful Sacred Valley of the Incas, while others would like to watch the sun rise over the jungle. If you’ve been wondering when is the best time to visit the different regions of Peru, taking into account prices, crowds, comfort, festivals, and other considerations, read on to learn the advantages and disadvantages of each season:

December through April/May                             At least in Lima, one can categorize two seasons, summer and winter, with May and November acting as transitional months with dramatic temperature fluctuations. During the summertime, temperatures in Lima average78.8°F, and Lima’s mainly gray skies clear up on most days, with famously colorful sunsets locally known as cielo de brujas. The beaches are very crowded during this time. In the other main cities of the Peruvian desert coast, such as Ica, Nazca, and Paracas, you can expect it to stay hot and sunny throughout the year. One of the big events is Fiestas Patrias Independence Days, celebrated throughout Peru in April. Near Máncora, humpback whales and blue whales congregate to breed in September.

Meanwhile, in the mountains and high plains of the Andes, the December through April period means the rainy season. Temperatures are cooler, fluctuate wildly throughout the day, so expect most mornings and nights to be quite cold, while the midday sun is strong and hot. The rains are daily, short but frequent. Dress in layers to adjust to the shifting temperatures, and don’t forget sunblock even on apparently cloudy days. Paths and trails might be flooded at this time, with a possibility of landslides in the strongest rainy seasons that causes unexpected delays in train and road travel. Although you can still hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, or explore other area trails, expect to bear frequent rains, muddy paths, more mosquitos, and fog. When the skies clear, you’ll be treated to very green mountainsides, as this is the time of year when vegetation is the lushest. Other advantages include great discounts offered on everything from treks to lodging and less travelers. The big events are New Year’s Eve in Cusco, Carnaval (Feb/May) in both Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and the Lord of Tremors during Holy Week in Cusco.

In the Peruvian Amazon, this is high-water season. While variation in rainfall is negligible throughout the year, river water levels can vary up to 40 feet throughout the year, mainly due to runoff from snow melting along the eastern slopes of the Andes.
 
May/June through October
In Lima, June through October is a mild wintertime with temperatures averaging 59°C and perpetually gray skies due to an omnipresent coastal fog that the locals call garúa. Ica and Nazca remain as dry and sunny as ever, but Paracas suffers from strong winds and sandstorms. The beaches north of Lima in cities like Máncora and Trujillo are still sunny. This is the less crowded, cheaper touristic low season. Lima celebrates one of its largest events, the Lord of Miracles Festival, in Oct/Nov. The St Rose of Lima Festival and the bullfighting season also fall within this time.

The May to October period is considered the dry season in Cusco, Puno and the other cities of the high Andes. Since it also coincides with North American summer vacations, it’s also the touristic high season. This is the coldest time of the year, so you’ll need to pack with warmth in mind or pick up some alpaca sweaters, hats and gloves en route. Lack of heating in most places means that inside is just as cold, if not colder due to the lack of sun, than outside. The trails are clearer and the views are better, with the hillsides of the Sacred Valley beginning to bloom in September. Prices and crowding are higher, especially in June when Cusco celebrates its anniversary and the Inti Raymi Festival.

In the Amazon, the June through November period is the low water season. If they’re on your to-do list, you’ll have no problem piranha fishing and swimming with the dolphins. The smaller riverways may not be navigable if the water dips too low, but there are more land trails and paths accessible to use. As you travel along the larger rivers, you’ll be able to spot more animals, which need to gather by the riverside when the terrestrial water pools dry up. The vegetation is more exuberant, the fishing is better, and there are fewer mosquitos. Temperatures are somewhat higher, averaging 98F. At the end of June, the Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos celebrate the San Juan Festival in honor of John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Amazon.