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Best time to visit Peru

The best time to visit Peru depends on the area you wish to visit. Due to the country’s varied landscapes and climate zones, temperatures can differ considerably from one place to another, meaning that the best time to visit Peru is not the same everywhere.

In brief:

the high mountains: May to November
Amazon: all year round
The coast: all year round

Would you like to visit several regions? If so, the best time to visit Peru is:

April to November

The climate in Peru is just as varied as the landscapes you’ll find there. According to scientists, Peru is home to 28 of the 32 climate types known to exist worldwide. These climate types can be summarised into three distinct zones.

The highlands and the Andes

In southern Peru, the two mountain ranges of the Andes diverge, giving rise to the Peruvian highlands. This stunning region is home to attractions such as Machu Picchu, Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, Arequipa, Colca Canyon and Puno on Lake Titicaca. The following applies to this region:

Between May and November, the Peruvian highlands are a wonderful place to visit;
The best time to visit this region of Peru is between May and October;
September and December are considered the shoulder season, as the dry season transitions into the rainy season. However, there isn’t much rain during these months, so it’s still a great time to visit this area;
The high season is in June, July and August, which means it is much busier during these months. In the shoulder season, on the other hand, there is greater availability and flight tickets are generally better priced;
From late December onwards, more rainfall can be expected on the high plateau, with January and February being the wettest months. In February, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is even closed.

Below you will find climate information for various destinations located on the high plateau and in the Andes:

Cuzco

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Minimum temperature in °C	7	7	6	5	3	1	0	2	4	5	6	7
Maximum temperature in °C	19	19	19	20	20	19	19	20	20	21	21	21
Number of hours of sunshine per day	5	4	6	7	8	8	9	8	7	7	7	5

Colca Canyon

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Minimum temperature in °C	6	6	5	5	3	2	2	3	5	6	7	7
Maximum temperature in °C	14	14	14	14	14	13	13	14	15	15	15	14
Number of hours of sunshine per day	11	11	10	9	8	7	7	8	10	9	10	12

Sacred Valley / Machu Picchu

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Minimum temperature in °C	4	4	4	3	0	-2	-3	-1	1	3	3	3
Maximum temperature in °C	17	17	17	18	18	18	17	18	18	19	19	18
Number of hours of sunshine per day	5	5	5	7	8	9	9	9	7	7	7	5

Lake Titicaca

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Minimum temperature in °C	2	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	3	3	3
Maximum temperature in °C	15	15	16	16	16	15	15	15	15	16	16	16
Number of hours of sunshine per day	7	7	8	9	9	10	10	10	10	10	10	9

Amazon

The Amazon in Peru stretches from the eastern side of the Andes and covers half of Peru’s territory. The climate is characterised by a hot and humid season, and there is a clear distinction between the dry and wet seasons.

The dry season in the Amazon runs from April to October. During this period, there is significantly less rain than in the wet season. This does not, however, mean that there is no rain at all, as in a rainforest – the name says it all – there is rainfall all year round.
The rainy season runs from November to April, when there is significantly more rainfall. These showers occur during the day, but also frequently at night, and are short, heavy (cooling) downpours. It will rarely rain all day long, as we are used to in the Netherlands.
During the wet season, some lodges may be more difficult to reach.
However, the wet season does have its advantages for a cruise on the Amazon. As the water level is higher, it is possible to sail along the Amazon’s tributaries and thus navigate deeper into the rainforest; it also makes it easier to spot wildlife, as there are fewer places to go ashore.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min. temperature in °C	23	23	23	23	24	23	23	23	24	24	24	24
Maximum temperature in °C	31	31	31	31	31	31	32	33	33	33	32	32
Number of hours of sunshine per day	4	3	3	4	5	6	7	7	5	6	5	4

The Pacific coast

The whole of western Peru lies on the Pacific coast, stretching from the north right down to the south. The coast has a dry, subtropical climate with beautiful beaches in the north and a desert-like area south of Lima.

Summer on the coast runs from November to April. Temperatures can rise to over 30 degrees. A lovely time to escape the cold Dutch winter
For the rest of the year, it is sunny and dry, with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees during the day and 15 at night.
Off the coast of Peru, the Pacific Ocean has two ocean currents throughout the year: the cold Humboldt Current (14 to 19 °C) and the warm El Niño Current (21 to 27 °C). As a result, the sea water has a temperature of around 24 °C.
In August, September and October, you’ll have the chance to spot whales in the north, near the coastal town of Máncora.

Lima

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min. temperature in °C	19	19	19	18	16	15	15	15	15	15	16	18
Maximum temperature in °C	26	27	26	24	22	20	19	18	19	20	22	24
Number of hours of sunshine per day	6	7	7	7	5	2	1	1	2	3	4	5

Nazca / Ica

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Min. temperature in °C	18	18	18	18	17	16	15	15	16	16	16	17
Maximum temperature in °C	25	24	24	24	24	23	23	24	25	25	26	26
Number of hours of sunshine per day	7	6	7	8	9	9	9	10	10	11	11	10

Whale watching

In August, September and October, you can go whale watching near the coastal town of Máncora in the north. You’ll be taken out on a boat to catch a glimpse of these magical giants.
Festival of the Sun

On 24 June, Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, is celebrated in Cuzco. This is the most important festival of the Incas, held in honour of the sun god.
Birth of the first Inca in Puno

On 5 November in Puno, street dancers in spectacular, colourful costumes celebrate the legendary birth of the first Inca, Manco Cápac. According to legend, he emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca to found the Inca Empire.

The best time to visit Peru when travelling with children

Our May holidays and summer holidays fall within the ideal time to visit Peru. This is because the weather conditions for travelling in Peru are perfect across the whole country during these periods. The summer holidays are considered the high season, so if you’re planning to travel during this time, we recommend booking your trip at least four months before departure!

Time difference between Peru and the Netherlands/Belgium

During Dutch winter time, it is 6 hours earlier in Peru.
During Dutch summer time, it is 7 hours earlier in Peru.

How long is the flight to Peru?

There is a direct flight from Amsterdam to Lima. The flight time for the direct flight is 12 hours and 30 minutes.

Would you like to organise your own trip of Peru and are you curious about the options? Then do have a look at the tours we’ve put together for inspiration. You can book these tours directly, but we’d also be happy to put together a personalised itinerary based on your wishes and ideas.

Do you have a question? Please feel free to contact us. Call +31 73 610 62 04 or send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl. We’ll be happy to help.

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