The only thing predictable about Peru's weather is its unpredictability. In fact, it's not uncommon to experience all four seasons in a single day. Generally speaking, Peru has two seasons, wet and dry, but in a country as geographically diverse as Peru, local weather patterns vary greatly.
Peru is a country located just south of the Equator, and it's made up of three different climate zones:
Coastal (la Costa) - Lima
Andes (la Sierra) - Arequipa, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno
The coastal region, known as la Costa, has a dry hot climate all year round, with temperatures reaching 45 C (110 F) from December through April, so it's perfect for soaking up some rays and sipping on a local Pisco Sour. Temperatures are milder and more humid throughout the winter months of May through October. During this time of year, much of the coast is blanketed in a misty, gray fog known as Garua, which keeps the temperature low.
Andes (la Sierra) - Arequipa, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno
Further inland in the highlands of the Andes, the Andean zone (la Sierra) has more or less cold temperatures depending on altitude; there are two distinctive seasons: wet and dry. The dry season is between June and October, but even the mountains' wet season isn't always really wet and the dry season sees its share of downpours. Temperatures during the day in the dry season can get hot at 68°F to 77°F (20°C-25°C), making shorts rather inviting. At night, temperatures can drop quickly and a warm sweater makes walking around the plazas comfortable, particularly in June and July.
Expect heavy rains from December to March, with January and February the months with the worst rainfall. Between 64°F and 68°F (18°C-20°C) during the day, and 59°F (15°C) at night, the weather is a little more bearable at this time. On days with a higher concentration of passing rain clouds, the mornings tend to be dry.
Rainbow Mountain is in the Andes, a mountain range spanning 7 nations in South America. Rainbow Mountain is no exception to the Andes' often erratic weather patterns. In some seasons, it snows due to its high altitude (almost 20,000 feet). The dry season lasts from May to October, and the wet season from December to March. Rainbow Mountain is best hiked during the dry season. This is because vision is better than during the rainy season when you may be hampered by rain or fog. If you visit during the wet season, the peak may still be covered in snow, making hiking difficult and dangerous. If you're planning a vacation, go between June and September.
The eastern area is covered by la Selva, which is the Peruvian part of the Amazon rainforest. It has a hot and humid climate throughout the year, but humidity and rain increase from December through March.
Peru Amazon experiences...you guessed it, rain heat and more rain and heat! The average daytime temperature is 30-32° C (85-90° F), while nights can cool down to 20° C (68° F). They do have a wet and wetter season with the wet (dry) season corresponding with the dry season in the highlands. The desert coast is arid. From January to March the sky is clear and the air tends to be hot and sticky. Peruvians go to the beach at this time. The rest of the year the gray coastal mist known as guara moves in and the sun is rarely seen.
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.
Jennifer Howard Schroeder
1 day ago
Kevin got right on our request and had us booked within the week
Linda Cummings
2 days ago
The info on the website was laid out very well. I did some comparisons with other tours and found Adventure Life met a lot of what I wanted in an Antarctica trip at the cheapest price. Requested a quote on Claudia contacted me right away. She answered a lot of questions the I had via email even though she offered to discuss via phone call. I’m more of an email person so appreciated how she accommodated that and answered all my questions. And when I was ready to book, she quickly got the ball rolling with getting our spots reserved on the trip my friend and I wanted. Thanks again, Claudia!
Hazel Araza
2 days ago
(1) great information on the website and throughout all the "materials." (2) Jane Packer is great: knowledgeable, responsive, takes a personal interest and tone, seems to care about the customer as a person not a sale.
Larry Bethune
2 days ago
great people doing a wonderful job to make our voyages happen.