Peak Travel Season to Peru

by Maureen Stanucci

Occupying a hugely varied landscape with correspondingly different climates, the best time to travel in Peru varies according to the destination.

In the mountains, especially in the Cusco area, the dry season runs from April through September, and the best weather is between May and August meaning that these months see the highest volume of visitors enjoying the warm mountain sun.

That said, the most popular time to visit coastal destinations is during the Peruvian summer, from December to April. Outside of these months, Lima and the southern beaches can be cold and cloudy, although beaches further north are warm and sunny year round.

Unsurprisingly, being a rainforest, the Amazon is always in rainy season, however the driest months are between June and September. Bear in mind however that depending on your destination, the dry season may not be ideal: to the north the jungle around Iquitos is largely wetland: transport is by river and villages & houses are constructed on stilts. For this reason, the wet season is the best time to visit, when water levels are high, rivers are fast moving and unpolluted and a dugout canoe can get you into the heart of an untouched jungle lagoon.

Further south, around Manu and Puerto Maldonado, dry land is more common and the dry season affords more opportunities to explore the jungle on foot and have a chance to get up close and personal with some mammalian wildlife.

One of the only times during the year that you have to worry about getting a hotel in Cusco is for the Inti Raymi celebration held each year on June 24^th. This is a celebration of the sun and marks the winter solstice and the new year for the Incas. There is a lot of music and dancing to be seen and a procession leading up to Sacsahuaman where there is a full day of activities. Even the more expensive hotels fill up at this time so you will want to book a couple of months ahead of time or risk ending up in a cheap and uncomfortable hostal.

In the beginning of February, the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Candelaria brings more people than usual to Puno. If you plan to visit Lake Titicaca at this time be aware and be prepared to make your bookings early on. Semana Santa will also see a greater influx of people to Cusco but even more people will flood to Ayacucho. As this is a smaller city, getting a room will be even more competitive.

Paucartambo is a three day street party full of music and dancing, beginning on July 15^th. A folkloric sort of Burning Man, you will want to be sure you have a place lined up to stay well ahead of time or bring a tent. It's about four hours outside of Cusco on a road you definitely won't want to be heading back on in the middle of the night.

This is a guest article sponsored by Peru Discover, a specialist in Peru tours and customized Peru travel experiences.