When is the best time to visit Peru?

07.11.2023 - 09:15 / lonelyplanet.com / Lake Titicaca

A sizzling strip of coastal desert. Endless snow-capped Andean summits. A humid expanse of rainforest mazed by mighty rivers. These three types of terrain form a triumvirate of completely different climates, ensuring there is no bad time of year to visit Peru.  

This is a tradition-entrenched, festival-focused land, with at least one vibrant celebration a week to add color to your trip. Whether you're a city lover stopping in the famous foodie capital of Lima or an adventurer heading for the Inca Trail, you'll find what you need to plan your perfect Peru vacation here.

Most Western travelers prefer Peruvian winter. This isn't only because it coincides with their main holiday period, but because the crystal-clear weather casts the Andes, where the country’s most popular tourist sights beckon, in sharp sunlight. 

Fascinating festivals also occur, and the tantalizing trekking ground is dry underfoot. Adventure season is in full swing.

The ancient Incan capital of Cuzco grabs the most attention, along with the nearby Sacred Valley, where picturesque, Inca-ruin-dotted gorges invitingly thread through to the greatest site of them all: Machu Picchu.

The big treks – especially the Inca Trail, but others in Sacred Valley and those in snow-bedaubed Cordilleras Huayhuash and Blanca – are also irresistibly beautiful in the brilliant sunshine, but it's peak hiking season and they do get very busy.

June brings an array of fabulous fiestas, which enliven thoroughfares in Cuzco and other regional towns on a near-daily basis, the most notable being Inti Raymi, an Inca celebration of the winter solstice.

Further south down the Andes, Lake Titicaca glitters like a blue jewel, with tempting tradition-rich islands. The Selvámonos festival kicks off in Oxapampa at the end of the month and its live music and cultural celebrations are a wonderful way to spend a week in the valley.

It's dry season in the Amazon Basin too – July is as dry as it gets in the Amazon, even though it's never truly dry there! The sunnier weather in the cloud forest lures birdlife out into the open, including the bright orange-red Andean cock-of-the-rock, Peru’s national bird, which mates at this time.

Down in the low jungle, wildlife is easier to spy than on the riverbanks, and forays down rivers like the Tambopata, near Puerto Maldonado, yield especially diverse sightings.

Lower water levels mean excellent whitewater rafting conditions: the Apurimac, near Cuzco, and the Tambopata are ideal for rapids-riding. Locals take to the streets in Paucartambo in mid-July to celebrate La Virgen del Carmen with music, dancing and colorful costumes – it's like a mini Mardi Gras.

It's shoulder season everywhere, particularly in the Andes, where clear sunny days linger