When to visit Peru

Peru's climate varies across the country according to altitude, season and a variety of other factors. The coastal climate is affected by the cold Humboldt Current; cool sea air coming into contact with the hot desert sands condenses into rain during the winter months, from May to November, forming a thick sea fog that settles over the southern part of the coast and its cities. However, it hardly ever rains. During the summer, the coast is hot and dry, especially in the north.

Inland, the dry season runs from April to October. Temperatures are steady and consistently warm during the day but chilly at night and can drop below freezing. In the jungle, temperatures can climb high, to 35ºC, although the evenings are often chilly. November to April is the wet season. At this time, the regions inland are generally cool and dry during the morning with showers typically arriving in the afternoon. Meanwhile, at this time, the jungles of the Peruvian Amazon are hot and humid, with heavy rainfall possible at any time.

In general, the busiest time for overseas visitors is between June and September. However, you should time your visit based on where you want to travel to, and what you want to do there. The high season for coastal Peru is in September and again from late-December to March. In the Andean highlands, the high season lasts from May to September. The Amazon is best visited during the dry season, which runs from April to October.