Climate in Peru and best travel time
South America
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The climate in Peru is as diverse as the country itself. No wonder, because Peru is the third largest country in South America and is located in three different landscape zones. The country stretches more than 2,000 kilometers from the equator to the south. The geography is also varied: Peru is dominated by the Andes, the longest mountain range on earth. The massive mountain range reaches a height of over 6,700 meters. The Andes are embraced by a gorgeous stretch of coast to the west and the adventurous Amazon rainforest to the east. The rainforest covers almost 60% of the country. This diversity makes the climate in Peru so multifaceted.
Peru invites bathers and sightseeing enthusiasts as well as hikers and active tourists. Whether you want to lounge comfortably with a cocktail on the Pacific beach, plan a hike to the exhilarating heights of Machu Picchu, or stroll through the exciting streets of the capital Lima: the country offers numerous travel destination options. But the varying climate in Peru also causes the travel time recommendations to vary. But no worry! With the right planning and the right travel destination, you can enjoy your Peru vacation in any weather. Whether it’s a strenuous tour through the Andes or a top-class bathing experience: Peru is a real year-round destination! Discover the perfect Peru trip for you.
How is the climate in Peru?
As a country in the southern hemisphere, the Peruvian seasons run in the opposite direction to our European ones. When it’s summer here, it’s winter in Peru, and when autumn arrives, spring blooms there. But the seasons are not decisive for your Peru trip , but the dry and rainy seasons . The dry season is in the Peruvian winter between April and September, while the rainy season falls in the summer from October to March. Both influence the weather and thus the Peru travel time enormously, because the temperatures vary with the precipitation.
Basically, Peru can be divided into three different climate zones: the Costa, the Sierra and the Selva. In English: the coast, the mountains and the rainforest. In these regions there are different climatic conditions, which all Peru vacationers should consider.
- The Costa is very dry all year round. The Humboldt Current transports cold water from the Arctic across the Pacific to the coast of Peru. This results in an average water temperature of 19 °C. The rainy season is hardly noticeable here, so even in the dry season there are at most one or two rainy days. In summer the weather is clear and warm with temperatures around 28°C.
- The climate in Peru’s mountain region varies according to altitude. In their Sierra, the Peruvians differentiate between the tierra caliente, the tierra templada and the tierra fria. The tierra caliente reaches an altitude of up to 1,000 meters with an average temperature of 25 °C. In the tierra templada up to 2,000 meters it is around 15-20 °C and at an altitude of 3,500 meters in the tierra fria it is only around 12 °C. Above 5,000 meters, temperatures are around freezing. There is hardly any precipitation in the dry season.
The Peruvian rainforest is humid and warm all year round. The climate in Peru’s Selva is tropical with a humidity of 80% and year-round temperatures averaging 31°C. The chance of rain is very high. Heavy showers are typical for the rainforest, especially in the afternoon.
The best travel time for Peru: Different weather depending on the region
So that you can plan your vacation in this exciting South American country as well as possible, we will provide you with travel time recommendations sorted according to the three regions of the country. These are based on the dry and rainy seasons.
The weather on the coast
The best time to visit Peru for the Pacific coast is during the dry season from December to April . Because the summer months on the Costa are warm and dry. The temperatures of 25-28 °C ensure a pleasant beach holiday and allow a city trip to the Peruvian capital Lima without becoming exhausting. The rainy season is not suitable for a holiday on the Peruvian coast, as temperatures drop to around 19 °C. Although there is hardly any precipitation even in the rainy season, the rainy season ensures a gray and oppressive weather situation – so a beach holiday is no fun.
The best travel time in the mountains
Whether Machu Picchu or Cusco: the Andes offer numerous sights that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage. If you want to travel in the Andes, then the months of April to September are recommended . During the rainy season from November to March, the roads are muddy due to the increased rainfall and are therefore partly impassable. Generally speaking, the rainy season is not a bad time to visit Peru if you prefer fewer tourists and lower costs.
The dry months are ideal for trekking tours and active trips in the Andes – because with only five rainy days per month, your hiking tour is guaranteed not to fall through. You only have to prepare for the decreasing temperatures with increasing altitude. For example, the climate in Peru’s mountains can drop from a comfortable 25°C at an altitude of 1,000 meters to half as soon as you have passed the 3,000 meter mark.
The climate in the rainforest
The tropical climate in the Peruvian rainforest is more bearable in winter than in summer. The best time to travel to the Selva is during the dry season between May and September . In the rainy season, there is sometimes heavy rainfall in the rainforest. While this is also an awe-inspiring experience, dry rain forest tours are far more enjoyable. The sun pleasantly warms the area, while the dry soil allows for effortless walking. But the rainforest doesn’t have its name for nothing – even in the dry season you have to expect rain showers , which usually last for a few hours in the afternoonhappen. No heavy downpour can cloud the breathtaking impression of the unique rainforest.
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