Best Time to Visit Cusco

Dry season: May to September

Cusco has two seasons, not four. From May to September the days are dry and sunny, with blue skies and almost no rain. July is the driest at 7 mm on one day, though May, June and August are nearly as dry.

The catch is the cold. Days are mild at 17 to 19°C, but nights drop to 5 or 6°C. At this height, the air feels thin and sharp once the sun goes behind the hills. Your hotel may have no central heating, so ask about heaters before you book.

This is high season. Inti Raymi, the Inca sun festival, fills the city on 24 June with parades and a big show at the Sacsayhuamán ruins above town. Peruvian school holidays in late July bring more local families, and Machu Picchu tickets and Inca Trail permits sell out early. If you hate crowds, aim for May or early September.

Wet season: December to March

Rain falls on around 20 days a month from December to February, and February is the wettest at 156 mm. Skies stay grey and the sun shows up for only two or three hours a day. Showers often arrive in the afternoon, so mornings can be your best window.

Landslides and washed-out rail can disrupt trips to Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance, so don't plan a trek then. On the plus side, hills turn green, hostels are quiet, and prices drop. Carnival in February brings water fights and street parties in the Plaza de Armas.

The shoulder months: April, October, November

April is the sweet spot if you want fewer people. Rain is down to 51 mm on 8 days, the countryside is still green, and the sun is back for a few hours each day. Easter Holy Week is the busy exception. Look for the Lord of the Earthquakes procession on Monday of that week.

October is still rated Excellent, but showers are building, with rain on 11 days. November is Good, with 13 rainy days, yet it's a calm time for city walks around San Blas and the Sacred Valley.

Travelling with kids or worried about altitude? Pick May to September for steady weather, and give yourself two easy days in town before any big hike.