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.
Vistas in Peru
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 hike in Peru 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.
We've used Adventure Life for several trips in the past and have always been very pleased with them. The staff is personable and professional at the same time. Erin put this trip together for us in just a few days, and it has everything we were looking for! I recommend them without hesitation.
benn
1 month ago
I served as the person responsible for planning a trip to Galapagos and Machu Picchu for a group of 14 people. Jane with Adventure Life was very helpful throughout the process. Making suggestions, offering insight, and in the end helped me overhaul an initial plan into something even better. Also, Jane makes all the plans including the flights within and between Peru and Ecuador. Thanks to her this is going to be a stress-free adventure. After making the final decision about the trip, Jane gathered the contact information for all the travelers and sent out the details to each traveler individually with links to pay deposits, upload passport info, and personal preferences. She also ensured a group email was sent out to the entire group welcoming us to the trip preparation process. Our trip is a year from now and we are excited to make this once in a life time trek. I am happy to have organized things through Adventure Life. However, two small issues came up that were a little off putting. First, Adventure Life adds $50 per person to the cost for each traveler as a donation to a Galapagos conservation fund. I think this should he offered as something that can be added at each traveler’s discretion. Instead, it is automatically added, and each person must ask to have it removed if they do not want it included. Second, although the trip deposit may be paid with a credit card without incurring an additional fee, the balance must be paid in another way to avoid a 3% credit card fee. Maybe this is standard with all travel agencies. In the end I would definitely go through Adventure Life for the next big trip.
Brenda Nielsen
2 months ago
I think it was very helpful that Franny and I spoke on the phone. I think she had a better idea of what we were looking for, and she planned a great itinerary for us!
Elizabeth
3 months ago
My representative Kevin was very responsive generally and in crafting our itinerary to our specific priorities.
Rocco Labella
3 months ago
Easy.
Great work on the follow up and details by Waru.